Title: Slip-Stitch Knitting
Description Slip stitches are terrific for blending colors, creating simple yet complex-looking patterns, and creating dramatic vertical and horizontal texture. We will explore three categories of slip stitches: stitches with simple movements of the working yarn to the front and back of the knitted fabric; “mosaic” stitches; and stitches that involve slipping stitches over more than one row or over more than one stitch. Workshop participants will practice several of these stitch patterns and will have the opportunity to start a purse or a hat that uses slip stitches.
Class level: advanced beginning to intermediate knitting skills: participants should be comfortable with the knit stitch, purl stitch, cast on, and bind off
Contact hours: 6
Materials fee: $18
Participants to bring: 3-4 balls of yarn of different colors, knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, pencil or pen
Instructor to provide: samples for examination, additional yarns, notebook with handouts, knitting patterns for hats and purses
Title: Introduction to Knitting Lace
Description: At its most basic, knitting lace contains two key elements: “yarn-overs” to create eyelets and open spaces, and decreases to pair with the yarn-overs. Yet, with these two elements, a vast array of knitting structures can be created. In this workshop, participants will start by learning the two basic elements of knitting lace. We will then cover how to read patterns – in words and in graphs, additional increases and decreases, knitting lace “flat” and “in the round”, and the basic “logic” of knitting lace. Examples of various folk traditions of knitting lace will be shown and discussed. Strategies will be presented for using lace in knitwear such as scarves, shawls, sweaters, and socks. In addition, we will cover ideas for using knitted lace in wall hangings and garden art.
Class level: advanced beginning to intermediate: no experience with lace is necessary, but participants should be comfortable with the knit stitch, purl stitch, cast on, and bind off
Contact hours: 6
Materials fee: $15
Participants to bring: several balls of yarn of various thicknesses, several sets of knitting needles of different sizes, stitch holders, darning needle, pencil or pen
Instructor to provide: samples for examination, additional yarns, notebook with handouts
Title: Three Shawl Shapes
Description: In this knitting workshop, participants will knit sample sizes of 3 different and unusual shawl shapes. The first shawl shape is triangular, and incorporates yarn-overs and I-cords. The second shawl is V-shaped and is knitted from one “arm” to the other, using short rows and “long” rows to shape the back of the shawl. The third shawl is also V-shaped, but is knitted from the lower edge to the upper edge, with decreasing in the center to shape the shawl. Participants will be provided with pattern instructions for a full-size shawl as well as ideas for modifying these shawl structures in size and in stitch patterns.
Class level: advanced beginning to intermediate: participants should be comfortable with the knit stitch, purl stitch, cast on, and bind off
Contact hours: 6
Materials fee: $15
Participants to bring: yarn for knitting samples, several sizes of knitting needles (circular will be best), stitch holders, darning needle
Instructor to provide: samples for examination, notebook with handouts, shawl pattern
Title: I-Cord Edges and More!
Description: “I-cords” make wonderful, stable edges on a knitted piece, worked along with the knitted piece or added later. In the process of knitting a sample wrist warmer, we will cover using I-cords for side edges, binding off, buttonholes, as well as added I-cords. We will also cover techniques for making I-cord fringe, for grafting I-cord ends together to make continuous I-cord circles, and for using I-cords in all kinds of knitting. Students will leave with a pattern for full-sized wrist warmers.
Class level: advanced beginning to intermediate
Contact hours: 3
Materials fee: $10
Participants to bring: a ball of smooth yarn (sport to heavy worsted weight); several sizes of knitting needles: straight, double-pointed, and circular; a darning needle.
Instructor to provide: samples for examination, extra yarns, notebook with handouts, pattern for wrist warmers
Title: Cast On, Bind Off, and Inbetween
Description: This workshop is for those relatively new to knitting. We will cover multiple techniques for cast-ons, bind-offs, increases, and decreases. We will cover the advantages and disadvantages of these basic techniques, with the goal of increasing your versatility in and understanding of shaping knitted pieces.
Class level: students should be comfortable with the knit stitch, and the purl stitch.
Contact hours: 3
Materials fee: $10
Participants to bring: knitting needles and plain, light-colored yarn that is appropriate for the needle size.
Instructor to provide: samples for examination; notebook with handouts