Teaching at Knitting Lab in California last year was a really wonderful experience, so we are delighted to announce that we will be attending Knitting Lab again in 2012 as instructors! What’s more, we’ll be a little closer to home at the New England event from October 4th-7th, and are slated to teach through the entire weekend!
On Thursday from 9 am – 4:30 pm, we are offering a new full day class designed specifically for the event called Beyond Stripes: A Multitude of Ways to Add Color to Your Knitting. Techniques we will cover include Fair Isle/Color work and Bohus knitting, Roositud inlay, Intarsia and Embroidery. We will go over the history and common uses/applications, differences and similarities, and how to work each technique. Additionally, we will talk about designing, common design applications, best uses (i.e. when to use Intarsia versus Fair Isle) and ways to incorporate each technique into original designs. Students will leave class with a sampler and a wealth of information and inspiration.
On Friday from 9 am – 12 noon, we will be teaching Deciphering Lace: Reading Lace from Charts and Increasing and Decreasing in Lace Patterns. In this class, Students will learn the basics of reading lace from a charted pattern, including counting stitches, checking gauge, how to decipher individual stitches, how to check to see if mistakes have been made, fixing mistakes, and working multiple repeats in a single row. In addition, students will learn how to increase while knitting lace from charts. The Sassafras Shawl, an original design by Courtney will be used as the sample project for the class and students will leave with the project cast on and well underway.
On Friday from 1:30 – 4:30 pm, and on Sunday from 1:30 – 4:30 pm, we are offering two opportunities to take one of our most popular classes, Roositud Inlay: Learning and Designing with the Traditional Estonian Technique. In this class, students will learn to work the Roositud inlay, a traditional Estonian technique where color is applied as you knit. This is a great class for students expanding their repertoire, or knitters not yet ready to take the “Fair Isle plunge” looking to add color to their projects. Students will cast on and knit a “sample” project, learn how to read charts, work multiple colors per round, and practice proper tension and how to hold the inlay yarns. We will also go over how students can create original designs and the multitude of ways to apply Roositud to original knitting designs.
On Saturday from 9 am – 4:30 pm, we’re offering another new class custom designed for the event, Designing Fair Isle, Color Work + Stranded Knitting. For this class, we will discuss the difference between Fair Isle, stranded and color work, as well advanced techniques (2 handed knitting, Bohus, 3 color knitting and increasing and decreasing in pattern). We will spend time talking about making good color choices, swatching different color options, how to choose colors based on the desired end result and the “rules” of color work and how to apply them to original designs. Students will have the opportunity to work on designing and swatching original color work patterns as well.
On Sunday from 9 am to 12 noon, using the Grey Skies Handwarmers pattern, we will be teaching Tyrolean Knitting: Learning Twisted Stitch Cables + Embroidery. In this class, we will teach students how to read cable charts, how to work twisted stitch cabling and cabling without a cable needle. Additionally, students will learn 3 different embroidery techniques, the history of Tyrolean knitting, and additional tips and tricks on how to create original designs using cables and embroidery.
And, finally, there are two special events that we are participating in to go along with the weekend. On Friday night from 7 – 8:30, Kate will be part of a design-focused panel discussion with Mary Jane Mucklestone and Shirley Paden. Additionally, on Sunday, if you register for the 1:30 – 4:30 pm Roositud class, you are eligible to attend a post-event meet and greet with Kate + Courtney, as well as other amazing designers such as Gayle Roehm, Alasdair Post-Quinn, Rose Ann Hunter, Anne Berk, Kelley, Donna Druchunas, Ann Budd, Annie Modesitt and Barbara Walker. {Yes. Barbara Walker}.
For more information on all of the classes offered, visit the schedule of events here. Registration opens on Thursday April 12th, and classes fill fast, so sign up early! See you there!