Mini Workshops in February

I’m not travelling to teach during the month of February, so I’m taking that time to offer some “mini” workshops for very modest (bargain-basement even!) fees.  Since I’ve been playing lately with some knitting ideas, most of these workshops are about knitting.  The first two, however, also include spinning.

If you are interested in attending, contact me by email, atyler@centurytel.net, or by phone, 231-640-4424.

All mini workshops are at my house in Lake Ann, Michigan.  Please note the day and time of workshops vary.  The fee for each is a stunningly low $10.  A minimum of 2 folks will be needed for each workshop to “go”.  The maximum is 6.  For those workshops that are presented in parts, the parts are fairly independent of each other, so you can take any one part or all parts.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

      1:00 – 3:00pm

      Spinning & Knitting Energized Singles, Part 1:  Yarns that are not “balanced” can create biasing fabric when knitted.  In this mini workshop we will explore how twist in singles yarns influences stockinette stitch, reverse stockinette stitch, garter stitch, and seed stitch.  We will cover twist direction, twist magnitude, and knitting needle size.

      Bring your spinning wheel, 2 bobbins, some fiber to spin (or I can provide, $3 per ounce), and knitting needles in a few different sizes.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013 (yes, the same day as Part 1)

      3:00 – 5:00pm

      Spinning & Knitting Energized Singles, Part 2:  In part 2 of this workshop, we will explore how energized singles behave when you combine different stitch patterns.  Resulting knit fabrics will display a delightful variety of textures, some 2-dimensional, and some 3-dimensional.

      Bring your spinning wheel, 2 bobbins, some fiber to spin (or I can provide, $3 per ounce), and knitting needles in a few different sizes.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

      1:00 – 3:00pm

      Shaping With Stitch Patterns, Part 1:  Many knitted pieces, such as a sweater, require shaping.  Most often, that shaping is accomplished by increasing and decreasing the number of stitches you are using.  In this workshop, we will cover how to shape the structure of a knitted piece by selecting the right stitch patterns.  In part 1, we will cover how ribs, welts, and pleats pull in and pull up fabric.  In the process, we will discuss the importance of both stitch gauge and row gauge, and techniques of blocking your knitting.

      Bring 100-200 yards of yarn, knitting needles appropriate for the yarn.  I suggest sport to worsted weight wool yarn in a solid, light color.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

      1:00 – 3:00pm (maybe a bit longer)

      Seams to Be:  In this workshop we will practice a variety of ways to seam knitted pieces together for the best results.  We will explore side and shoulder seams, invisible and decorative seams, and seams that are flat and tidy on both sides of the knitted fabric.  In the process, we will also cover strategies for creating knitted edges that make seaming easier and more refined.

      Bring 2 swatches using the same yarn, both 20 sts wide and 40 rows long in st st, leaving the last row live and placed on stitch holders.  100-200 additional yards of the yarn, knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, and a darning needle.  I suggest using a solid, light colored yarn so that the stitches are easier to see.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

      1:00 – 3:00pm

      Shaping With Stitch Patterns, Part 2:  In part 2 of this workshop, we will explore stitch patterns that not only influence stitch and row gauge, but also influence the elasticity of knitted fabrics.

      Bring 100-200 yards of yarn, knitting needles appropriate for the yarn, and a cable needle.  I suggest sport to worsted weight wool yarn in a solid, light color.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

      2:30 – 4:30pm

      Shaping With Stitch Patterns, Part 3:  In part 3 of this workshop, we will explore stitch patterns that bias and stitch patterns that curl in a diagonal direction.  We will discuss why they behave this way, and how to use them as a design feature.

      Bring 100-200 yards of yarn, knitting needles appropriate for the yarn.  I suggest sport to worsted weight wool yarn in a solid, light color.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

      2:30 – 4:30pm

      Surprising Knit Maneuvers:  In this workshop, we will swatch some stitch patterns that you’ve likely never seen before.  They involve lengthy-to-describe yet easy-to-perform maneuvers with your needles.  And they result in intriguing fabrics that will inspire!

      Bring 100-200 yards of yarn, knitting needles appropriate for the yarn.  I suggest sport to worsted weight wool yarn in a solid, light color.