Fall Classes

There are tons of classes scheduled for this fall at Needlework Unlimited, my neighborhood yarn shop, and the place you can usually find me teaching several times each week.

You can find out more specifics on the Needlework Unlimited website, as well as sign up online.

Classes for Beginners
If you know someone who is interested in learning to knit, I teach Knitting 101 and 102 every
month, rotating the days and times when I offer it.  Knitting 101  is two 2-hour sessions long and covers casting on, knitting, purling, and binding off, but often covers more.
Knitting 102 is one 2-hour session tailored to the students who take it, whether it's getting started on a new project, or learning more techniques.  Some students take this class several months in a row as they start new projects and need to learn new techniques.  K102 is typically scheduled a week after K101 ends.

Clinics - Thursdays 6-8 pm
I am at the shop (almost) every Thursday evening from 6-8 pm for knitting clinics.  If you're having problems with a project or want help mastering particular technique and you need some one-on-one help, this is the time to get it.  Cost is $15 for two hours.  (No clinic Sep 8 or Thanksgiving)

For students enrolled in my project classes, you can stop in for my clinic and receive extra help on the class project at no charge (while the class is still going on).

Techniques classes
These techniques are not project specific, but offer alternative methods for familiar and/or traditional techniques.

Cabling without a cable needle.  Saturday, Sept. 10, 10 am-noon
This class is for knitters already familiar with cables.  There are times when you just can't get around using a cable needle, but other times you can work cables without a cable needle.  This is particularly handy for cables and twists of just a couple of stitches that occur frequently, when a cable needle can really slow you down.  This class will teach you how to cable without a cable needle, whether you are working basic 2-stitch knit twists, knit/purl cables, or traveling (possibly twisted stitch) cables.  You'll need needles with pointy tips.

Knitting in the round without dpns. Saturday, Oct 8, noon-2 pm
Magic Loop, Traveling Loop, and Two Circs are methods of working small to medium circumference items without the need for double pointed needles.  This class will cover all three techniques, including when it's possible to use each technique, when the techniques are interchangeable and when one technique has an advantage over another.  We'll also discuss the application of these techniques for larger circumference knitting.

Continental knitting. Saturday, Nov. 19, 10 am-noon.
This class is for knitters who "throw" or "flick" the yarn with their right hand and are interested in learning to knit with the yarn in their left hand, either as a substitute for their current method of knitting, in order to manage one color of yarn in each hand for stranded color knitting, or simply to expand their repertoire.

Intermediate Knitting Techniques
I'll be offering three techniques classes aimed at knitters who want to move on to becoming intermediate knitters.  Each class meets once for two hours.

Increases and Decreases. Wednesday, Oct 12, 6-8 pm
This class will focus on various single and double increases and decreases.  Some patterns specify a particular type of increase or decrease and some leave it up to the knitter.  This class will cover not only how to do each type of increase, but when and where they are best used, allowing you to select the one that suits you and your project best, regardless of what the pattern says.

Cables and Lace. Wednesday, Oct 19, 6-8 pm
Cables and lace are among the most commonly used techniques for textured designs and run the gamut from very simple to highly complex.  This class will teach the nuts and bolts of each of these techniques, allowing you to step up the complexity of your projects with confidence.

Reading patterns and charts, Wednesday, Oct. 26, 6-8 pm
Written patterns are full of abbreviations and short hand, which can quickly get tricky if you don't understand the rules behind their structure and how to read and interpret them.  We'll cover the basics of how written patterns are set up, as well as delve into the more complex, such as the infamous "AT THE SAME TIME" instruction.

Charts can seem overwhelming until you understand that the symbols aren't random and that they can actually help you see what you're supposed to do as well as act as a way of checking your work and seeing where you're headed.  We'll discuss charts for knitting flat and in the round.

Tomorrow, I'll update you on the project classes I'm teaching.  If you can't wait, you can find information on all the fall classes at NU on their website here.