Design Your Own Fingerless Mitss

We have the privilege of hosting some classes from a Rock Star knitter, Wendy Bernard. The soonest one is

Up Down All Around
Design Your Own Fingerless Mitts

One Session-Sunday, February 15, 12 to 3 pm; $60, supplies not included. Skill level: Sheep. Instructor: Wendy Bernard

With "Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary," you can choose any stitch pattern and reproduce it flat, top-down, bottom-up and in the round. This class will give you the perfect opportunity to try your hand at incorporating stitch patterns into a pair of arm warmers or fingerless mitts. Wendy will walk you through a "from scratch" pattern to create a one-of-a-kind accessory that bears your own creative fingerprint. You can choose from virtually any stitch pattern in the book! Included with this pattern is a formula for arm warmers and fingerless mitts so you can continue to make unique accessories of your own.

Fingerless mitt are a great gift and a great way use up odd balls of yarn. 

Here are some other samples from Wendy -

Happy Needling,

Anne

What is a steek?

Functionally, a steek is a spot in your knitting that you plan to slice open intentionally. I took a quick video of my slicing a crocheted steek open. This crocheted (prepped) steek is the armhole of one of my samples for the Fair Isle workshop.

If you want to know more about this purposeful slicey dicey of your knitting, I have a couple of upcoming opportunities -

Intro to Steeking

One Session-Monday, February 2, 6 to 9 pm; $30, supplies not included. Skill Level: Sheep. Instructor: Anne Lecrivain-Cozzoli

Want to knit everything in the round!?! Steeking, or cutting your knitting, is the key to working most sweater patterns in the round, ensuring that patterns for fronts and backs always match and adding speed to your knitting process. We will work on machine sewn steeks, crocheted steeks, and hand stitched steeks. We will also discuss how steeking can be used to adapt patterns to the round. It’s not so scary, I promise.

Fair Isle Workshop

Six Sessions-Mondays, February 16 (6 to 9pm-1st class only), March 2, 16, 30, April 13 and 27, 6 to 8pm; $100, supplies not included. Skill Level: Vicuna, Intro to Steeking and Intro to Fair Isle classes are recommended. Instructor: Anne Lecrivain-Cozzoli

I have been day dreaming about sharing this workshop with you for over 6 years. Come along with me to design your own Fair Isle (or stranded) Sweater. You will be able to customize your gauge (any yarn from worsted to fingering) to my prefigured recipe for a cardigan or pullover (crewneck or v-neck). You will be in total control of the chart selection and color play. We will all have the golden opportunity to steek the armholes. This workshop is a place to really flex those knitting strengths that you have been building and emerge with a work of classic knitted art at the end.

Check out our class schedule for lots of other cool classes.

Happy Needling,

Anne

Two Great Classes

I have 2 neat things to share with you. One starts tonight, Friday, October 3. And, the second begins tomorrow afternoon.

The first one is the shawl, Dinner in the Eiffel Tower by Jessie Dodington. That class begins tonight at 6pm. The Shawl Along series is a fun set of classes that usually results in many lovely finished shawls.
I made 2 samples, one in fingering(Anzula Nebula in Kelp) and one in DK (Madelinetosh in Iceburg).

The second class is the men's sweater, Ranger by Jared Flood. This class begins on Saturday afternoon at 4pm. In addition to its role as a class sample, it will also be a birthday gift for my oldest son. He turns 13 next week. As evidenced by my son's modeling job, it makes for a very handsome look.

Happy Needling,
Anne

Shawl Flies Off My Needles

Last week, the dragon came to nest at AFY. Dragon's Rest, a lovely shawl by Abigail Phelps, is now blocked and ready for you to fall in love with it at the sample table. This shawl is pretty easy, but still has enough going on to keep it interesting as you shape it into existence. It is written to give you the choice of lace, fingering, or dk weight yarns. I pushed mine to worsted weight in using Juniper Moon's Moonshine. So far, there has been as much pleasure in being wrapped in these wings' luxury as there was in knitting the item. Last note - this project is surely a must knit for any fan of Game of Thrones or The Hobbit (just to name a couple of dragons). The Shawl Along begins tomorrow, Friday, September 27 @ 6pm.

Happy Needling,

Anne

Only 112 Knitting Days left until Christmas!

Hi everyone! As you may or may not know, our newest class schedule is up on our website, jam packed with great classes until the end of the year. As you can see by the title of this blog post, there are only 112 knitting (or crocheting) days left until Christmas! If you are like me, you wait until the last minute and then freak out trying to get as many gifts made as possible the last few weeks before they are due! Don't be that knitter this year, get started on your gifts early!

To help you plan, I want to highlight some awesome classes for great gift knits. First off, I (Kaity) am teaching a series of classes geared around gift knitting, something for everyone on your list.

For women, there are the Alisha Mitts:

Two Sessions-Fridays, September 20 and 27, 6 to 8 pm; $40, supplies not included. Skill Level: Sheep. Instructor: Kaity Fraker

Start early on your gift knitting this year! In September, we are knitting these quick, cute cabled fingerless mitts that would be perfect for your sister, niece, babysitter, or any other woman on your gift list!

For guys, we have the Fortnight Hat:

Two Sessions-Fridays, October 11 and 18, 6 to 8 pm; $40, supplies not included. Skill Level: Sheep. Instructor: Kaity Fraker

Start early on your gift knitting this year! In October, we are knitting a great hat for guys that features a deep garter stitch brim with short rows and a horseshoe cable pattern on the crown, perfect for your dad, brother, hubby, or any other guy on your gift list!

For Kids, there's Pookie!

Two Sessions-Fridays, November 1 and 8, 6 to 8 pm; $40, supplies not included. Skill Level: Sheep. Instructor: Kaity Fraker

Start early on your gift knitting this year! In early November, we are knitting the cutest little toys! You can make Pookie into a mouse, a bunny, a puppy, a kitty, or a bear. All the toys are knit with the same basic body shape, and they get their distinction from the ears you knit and the face you give them. They are the perfect little stocking stuffer!

And for the Home, we have a Dishcloth Set:

Two Sessions-Fridays, November 15 and 22, 6 to 8 pm; $40, supplies not included. Skill Level: Lamb. Instructor: Kaity Fraker

Start early on your gift knitting this year! In late November, we are knitting a fast, fun, and super useful gift! We’ll learn to knit a cute dishcloth set, including a two color dishcloth and matching pot scrubber! Dishcloths are a great gift, everyone loves them, and you can customize them to match anyone’s kitchen.

Outside of my Gift Knits Series, Karin is teaching the Plicate Slouch Hat:

One Session-Tuesday, September 17, 6 to 9 pm; $30, supplies not included. Skill Level: Sheep. Instructor: Karin Wilmoth

Plicate ˈplī-ˌkāt-adjective - having the surface thrown up into or marked with parallel ridges. This lovely lightweight hat is marvelously adjustable. It works up quickly in almost any heavy fingering, sport, or light dk yarn and is especially well suited for fuzzy yarns like mohair or alpaca. The degree of crumple in the back can be altered to fit your taste, and the pattern includes detailed finishing instructions to make it easy to do.

Her Kanagawa Cowl:

Two Sessions-Sundays, October 13 and 27, 4:30 to 6:30 pm; $40, supplies not included. Skill Level: Alpaca. Instructor: Karin Wilmoth

This cowl is inspired by the Great Wave off Kanagawa woodblock print by Hokusai. It begins as a scarf (using a crochet cast-on), and is worked flat with a slipped stitch edge. Once the proper circumference is reached, it is attached on one side as you knit. The reversible wavy texture is seen when the upper corner is folded down. While a cable needle is used, it is for picking up stitches, not for cables. We will learn how to use a vertical cable technique and how to use a crochet hook to create a cast-on that is symmetrical to our bind-off.

And a Top-Down Newsboy Cap:

Two Sessions-Sundays, November 10 and 24, 4:30 to 7:30 pm; $50, supplies not included. Skill Level: Sheep. Instructor: Karin Wilmoth

This stylish cap is made to grab and go. It is worked from the top down on two circular needles, with a sewn-in brim, and hem; and finished with two button tabs on the side. 

Anne is doing some great accessories, perfect for gift knitting, including her I-Cord Gloves:

Three Sessions-Mondays, October 14, 28 and November 11, 6 to 8 pm; $50, supplies not included. Skill Level: Lamb. Instructor: Anne Lecrivain-Cozzoli

I-cord is such a nifty trick and always surprises me when I learn a new application for it. I recently had the pleasure of using i-cord to make the fingers of gloves, allowing me to work these little tubes in the round on two needles rather than on four. This approach to glove making makes the process both delightful and swift. We will be doing something new with i-cord to make both closed and open ended fingers and using Jenny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off to ensure a great fitting cuff. 

And the classic, Reversible Cables Scarf:

One Session-Wednesday, November 13, 6 to 9 pm; $30, supplies not included. Skill Level: Lamb. Instructor: Anne Lecrivain-Cozzoli

Want a reversible scarf that isn't garter stitch or ribbed? Learn how reversible stitches combine to make the classic cable a reversible scarf style. Choose from two cable designs to explore reversible cabling.

You can find all these great classes and a TON more on our website! We hope to see you soon, Happy Knitting!
<3: Kaity

Lil' Peanut Family

Hi, All.

We have some cuteness that you may have noticed frolicking next to the register all summer - the Lil' Peanut Family. They are little dolls whose shapes are blank slates for your imagination or the imagination of a child you love.

You can make a whole family of them in different shades and sizes. All of my kids from 12 to 2 love playing with them. If you can make it to class, I have one of my favorite tales to share about the first time that my 5 year old played with one as an infant.

This toy class is starting tomorrow, Tuesday, August 6...so, much fun in store. (2 session class, Aug. 6 and 20, 6-8pm)

Happy Needling and playtime,
Anne

Dyeing with Food Color, part five

We had a great time on Saturday dyeing yarn. I wanted to share one of my student's successful results; here's Marsha's yarn -

 The wonderful surprises that can emerge from your dye pot.

 You can see that she was dyeing over a peachy, tan color (a great way to save a less than lovable shade of a wonderful yarn).

Here we are on the final rinse (plus Synthrapol).

Thanks for the pics, Karin. Thanks for coming to play, Julie and Marsha.

Happy Needling,

Anne

Class Spotlight: Top Down Baby Sweater

These adorable sweaters are a sampling of the results from out recent Top Down Baby Sweater class. Some finished as shown in the top row, some are just a sleeve away from completion, and some even started a second or third sweater in the course of the class, but all were very, very cute. There were many things to learn: striping, top down construction, different methods for working in the round, etc. Everyone was quite thoughtful and made their sweaters from washable yarns. If you are falling in love, know that the pattern, Baby D Split Neck: A Top Down Baby Sweater, is available at the store. From top left around clockwise: Becky's sweater, Liseanne's sweater, Susan's sweater, Katherine's sweater, and Kim's sweater.