*To celebrate February, our Knit Along (KAL) will be the timeless classic, FEBRUARY LADY SWEATER! This very popular sweater on Ravelry is based on Elizabeth Zimmerman’s classic baby sweater. The pattern is available on the popular Flint Knits Blog. http://www.flintknits.com/blog/?p=151
Wednesday, Feb.1,8,15,22 & 29.
(no fee but materials must be purchased at The Yarn Spot)

*Don’t forget that Private Lessons are available if there is a technique you would like to learn and we currently don’t have a class scheduled or if the times just don’t work for you. See below for details!

CLASSES FOR FEBRUARY
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Beginning Knitting – with Victoria
Cast on, Bind off, knit and purl…learn the building blocks of all knitted projects
so you can begin your knitting journey.
All beginning knitting classes will discuss materials as part of the class. Size
8 needles and worsted weight wool yarn are suggested.

Date: Thursday, February 9 and 16

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Cost: $60

RSVP by Tuesday, February 7th

Class Size: 4-6 students
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Beginning Crochet with Jennifer
Learn the basics of crochet and be on your way to creating wonderful hand made items.
Class will cover a discussion of materials, but worsted weight wool yarn in a light
color is recommended, and a G or H crochet hook.

Thursday, February 23 and March 1

Time: 6:30 – 8 pm

Cost: $60.00

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Finishing with June
You spent many hours choosing the perfect yarn and making your garment. Take your
project from homemade to handmade with expert finishing techniques that will take
your knitting/crocheting skills to the next level.
Bring a project and/or swatches for practice and tapestry needles.

Date: Sunday, February 19th

Time: 10:00 – 11:30 am

Cost: $30.00

RSVP by: Monday, February 13th

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Broomstick Lace Crochet with Jennifer
Lace? Knitting? Crochet? Broomstick? What is this! The broomstick lace stitch is
a lacy stitch made using a crochet hook and a knitting needle. Come learn about
all the fine objects you can make with this technique.
Size 15 knitting needle, E or F crochet hook, fingering or light DK/Sport weight
yarn

Dates: Sundays, January 29 & February 5

Time: 12:30 – 2:00 pm

Cost: $60.00
RSVP by: Monday, January 23rd

Class Size: 3-6 people

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Socks – 2 at a time, toe up with Miryam
What more is there to say?
Sock yarn, size 2 needles in length 40″ or longer

Dates: Mondays, February 6, 13, 20

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Cost: $120.00
RSVP by: Monday, January 30th

Class Size: 3-6 people

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Long Draw Spinning with Lois

Long draw spinning is a technique used to create woolen yarns. These are generally
spun from shorter fibers. Long draw spun yarns are light, lofty, stretchy, soft,
and full of air, thus they are good insulators. Long draw spinning is most often
contrasted to the short draw technique used to spin worsted yarns.

Spinning wheel and fiber are needed for this class.

Date: Tuesday, February 7th

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Cost: $30.00
RSVP by: Wednesday, February 1st

Class Size: 3-6 people

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Stranded Knit Hat with Elise
Stranded knitting can best be described as knitting repeated color motifs. It is
also a great way to produce a double thickness of knitted material, while still
only having to knit the stitches to produce one layer. Take this class and demystify
the technique.
Fingering weight to worsted weight yarn and matching circular needle in 16″ length
are needed to make hats of different sizes from infant to adult.

Date: Wednesday, February 15th

Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Cost: $40.00
RSVP by: Wednesday, February 8th

Class Size: 3-6 people

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Steeking with Crochet with Jennifer
It is scary, but it works! Steeking is a shortcut used to knit or crochet garments,
such as sweaters, in the round without interruption for openings or sleeves until
the end. Then you cut open the fabric for the openings and finish off the garment.
2 Swatches at least 6″ by 6″ inches in colorwork that are suitable to practice steeking
on, a size E or F crochet hook, and scrap yarn to of the swatch’s weight or lighter
will be needed for the class.

Date: Sunday, February 26th

Time: 12:00 – 1:30 pm

Cost: $30.00
RSVP by: Monday, February 20th

Class Size: 3-6 people

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Crochet Along (CAL)

What is a Crochet-a-long you ask? It is a gathering of crocheters who are all working
on the same project together. The group provides inspiration and encouragement
and we will provide an instructor who can provide guidance along the way. All sessions
are free, but for this we do ask that you purchase materials here at the store.

Sunburst Broomstick Crochet Shawl by Jennifer Crowley CAL – February

Tuesdays, February 7, 14, 21, & 28

6:30 – 8 pm

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Private Lessons
If there is a technique you would like to learn and we currently don’t have a class
scheduled or if the times just don’t work for you, consider scheduling a private
lesson. We are happy to accomodate your schedule and interests to help you create
the projects you dream of.
Cost: $40 per hour (you can split your lessons into 1/2 hour sessions)
For 2 people: $50 per hour
Please note that Beginning Knitting or Crocheting as a private lesson is always
1 full hour.

Artyarns single ply cashmere:

Happy knitting!

Guess which kind of person I am;)

You may recall that a few posts ago I was working on the Cedar Leaf Shawlette .  It turned out really quite nicely.  And then I was meandering through Ravelry today, and I came upon one of my favorite features: Ask Rox.  Rox is a tremendously accomplished knitter who writes a techniques column for Ravelry.  And in the latest column, discusses short row techniques.  From Japanese short rows to German short rows, Rox has great explanations, pictures, descriptions and demystifies short rows for all.  She also compares the techniques and explains why one technique will work better in one situation vs. another.  And then she posts a great video teaching us all how to do a nice German short row (no wrap and turn!).  Makes my structure/pattern heart sing!

So, check it out here, and for our next KAL, maybe we’ll all try this new short row technique out together.

Mazal Tov!

First up is Betty’s beautiful Tahki pattern, done in Vintage from Berroco:

That drape took a good bit of imagination to figure out the construction – but Betty persevered and look how beautifully the sweater drapes and fits!

For those of you who might be on the lookout for a fantastic fun and QUICK knit for holiday gifts, we have this series of headbands from Amy’s needles:

The pattern is Snow Trails Ear Warmers by Jennifer Payne, and can be done either with a bulky yarn (shown here in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande glitter/black) or with 2 strands of a worsted (shown here in the middle picture in Three Irish Girls’ Roslea Organic, and FibraNatura’s Mermaid in blue and red).

It only takes Amy a couple of hours to make one, and even if you aren’t quite as fast, you could knit one up for everyone on your list by the holidays.

Not quite what you were thinking of?  Come on in to the Spot, and we will help you find the perfect project for you – whether you are knitting for others or yourself!

First up, is Francine’s lovely moebius…it can be worn as a cowl or as an infinity scarf (draped around the neck).  Perfect for cozy warmth while outside and can be unwound while inside.  Fun!

Next up is Claire’s most amazing and wondrous Eiffel Tower Shawl.  I still can’t believe she knit it up as quickly as she did – and it is more spectacular in person!  Here is Nancy’s first shawl – just lovely.

Just last night, Susan came in wearing her version of Laura Nelkin’s Ennoble - we all immediately stopped to ooo and ahh over it – the colors, the beads, the skill and effort.  As Susan said, she’s not a new knitter anymore.

 Stay tuned for the next installment – featuring Crocheted projects and more!

Bring your FOs (finished objects) in to the store so you can join in the fun.

First up is purple loveliness from Amy.  She knits lace.  Very quickly and beautifully.

Amy's Blue Heron shawl

Next up is the first of the Bettie Boop bags from this summer’s KAL: Sharon’s Boop!

So lovely.  Knit in Shepherd’s Wool – a great felting yarn – this picture doesn’t do this wonderful bag justice.

We have a few lovely baby blankets to show off.

Jane's baby blanket

And last up (for now) is Marie’s first hand spun yarn!  So exciting.  People in the store were mesmerized.

Lois helping Marie tie up her skein.

Spinning is magical.

Thanks for taking a peek at just a few of the projects people have completed.  More Project Parade to come soon!

I believe people like them here at the store because of the camaraderie, but I have recently discovered an important reason that I now especially love the KAL format.

Diane, Margretta and I have been working on Never Not Knitting/Alana Dakos’ Cedar Leaf Shawlette.  We enjoyed discussing the pattern, changing gauge, using one color for the body and a second for the leaf border. (which I did decide to do, but more on that later) We worked through multiple ways of creating short rows, and it was just a lovely experience.  And then I started on the leaves.  I did not like how they were coming out – the join between the 2 colors I was using just didn’t work, and my stitches were wonky because I chose to knit back backwards and not turn my work.

Lucky for me, I was only a day away from meeting up with my KAL buddies.  They were able to tell me the obvious: I had to start turning the work and purling back as usual, and this would likely solve all my problems.  A little swatching later, and lo and behold, they were correct!Not bad, hmm?  But I was a bit demoralized, and put the project aside to start my Coloratura…Again, my KAL friends came to the rescue – the next week at the meet up, they helped me get back on my leaf.  So here I am, 13.5 leaves in:

and with 13.5 to go.

It may get done this week, or it may take another week, but I am back on track and it won’t be a languishing UFO (unfinished object).  And that is the real beauty of a KAL.

Thanks Diane!

Here are some visuals for you:

My Ishbel on the blocking boards:

a close up of the lace

(don’t you just love that edge!?) (yarn: Schaefer yarn’s Audrey in colorway Julia Child)

Now, you may wonder what the big deal is…but here is the Ishbel beret, which is unblocked:

The beret is meant to be slouchy, and really doesn’t need to be opened in the same way that the shawl does, so it will remained unblocked.

Interesting isn’t it the way blocking can be so very important for one project, but a project done in the same yarn, same pattern but for a different purpose doesn’t.

If you are interested in blocking, but would like information – come on by and see how we blocked Ishbel right here in the store – it’s not hard.  You may just discover that you, too, have become a blocker.

Congrats Helene, and remember – you, too can have a fabulous Yarn Spot project bag;)