Got Class?

Tonight I'll begin teaching classes at a wonderful local shop in Montclair, NJ called Rock Paper Scissors.

It's been a few months since I was able to WORK work and this will be a nice toe back in. I'm still working on the "full-time, bill paying" sort of job, but this will allow me to meet some people and TEACH! I miss teaching!!

What's in store for this class?

I'll be teaching the Amy Butler pattern for the Barcelona Skirt. (That's the sample I was whipping up for class in my newly unpacked work room to the left!)

There are still a few slots open! Classes are very reasonably priced and the shop has a great work space!

Feel free to call the shop and get the materials list. Also, feel free to use your own fabric (meaning, you don't need to buy it at the shop.)

Class cost is only $30 (plus purchase of pattern and your choice of fabrics.) Machines and tools (scissors, pins, iron etc.) will be provided.

So go make that call, grab your fabric and pop it in the washing machine to shrink it down. Then, join us tonight at 6:30pm where the fun will begin!!

I'll be setting up some more classes for the future and will be sure to give more than same-day notice!! Happy Wednesday!

Now That's Knitting!

I know there has been little knitting content lately...
buckle in - here goes!!!

I'll go in a bit of a reverse order...

Last Sunday I took a double knitting class at Knitty City here in NYC. I've been trying to get my hands on a few double knitting books (all out of print) to no aval. When a class was offered i jumped on it - I was the first to sign up in fact! First we did a two color long tail cast on (upper left.) Once done with the cast-on (right), we began to learn how to double knit. It's a slow process, taking two rows of knitting to actually produce one single row. It's also reccomended that you purposefully twist your stitches when double knitting, which for me meant throwing the yarn opposite as I usually would. This also slowed me down a little.

The photo at right here shows what looks like 2 rows finished -- except it took you 4 rows to achieve it.

I raced through, slightly distracted (which means frogging) by some of the conversations at the table, and finished my square by classes end so I could learn how to Cast-off!! Finished Cast-Off shown at left.

I REALLY like the technical easpects of this type of knitting. I wish I could take two weeks off now and get down on paper the designs in my head. It's a very mathmatical sort of knitting. It makes "sense" on a technical level, but at times you just have to trust that what you're doing will work.


Finished square? Sure!
No, it's not perfect. I messed up my slipping somehow in one spot (on both side - the same spot.) But I got down the technique, my stitches are properly twisted and I'm happy with my tension. I feel like this sucker belongs behind glass. :-)

Other Knitting FO's - Holiday fiesta!!!

Fingerless gloves for everyone...or at least the adults!!
Patterns in order - Left to Right: Free patterns are linked.
Voodoo with thumb added in Plymouth Encore Colorspun DK, Endless Paper Mitts (with pattern slightly altered) in Xiangsiqing 100% Wool, Composed Mitts in Blue Sky Alpaca Sport (colors altered) from Interweave Knits Fall 2007

Patterns in order - Left to Right:
Dashing in Cascade 220 and Dashing in Filatura Di Crosa 501.

What do the Kids get? Fun Pinky Mittens for my niece complete with an adjustable grosgrain ribbon string so she hopefully won't loose them. I had some issues with the pattern. I enlarged the thumb, but it still BARELY fit her hand. (I may have her mail them back to me so I can make them even larger...)



Dan got a striped Blue Sky Alpaca Sport rolled edge cap. (One of the single sheet patterns you can buy of theirs -- I have to look up the "real name.")



A Extra-long Froth Scarf (Rowan pattern) and 2 slightly adjusted Quaint Quants (I changed the end of the pattern) for girlfriends too!
It was a busy holiday knitting time. Now I go back to working on the bag design for the next SnB book and the volunteer Recycle-Reuse Project. (More on those later!)

Oh - And I'm off to Barcelona, Spain on Friday for a quick work weekend. Home again Monday.
But no worries, I'll be dashing to China the following week. They've let e know that there are new dishes (food) in my future!! YUM!