Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Workshop Wednesdays: Steeks & More Steeks

Mary Scott Huff is back for another year! I have already talked about her Stranded in Your Hat Class. Next up are her Eeek! Steeks! and Sexy Shapely Steeks classes. Her classes are simply amazing! In the Eeek! Steeks! class Mary walks you through 3 different ways to create a steek. What are Steeks? Well, steeking is the act of cutting your knitting after you have knit it. It comes in handy for a lot of things, especially color knitting. Color knitting is easier to do in the round, but on sweaters you have to divide for sleeves or even for the front of a cardigan. Steeking makes it possible to knit these things in the round and then cut afterwards. I did a bit of steeking myself on a baby sweater here and another baby sweater here! Once you try it out you will see so many possibilities!

In her Sexy Shapely Steeks you then take steeking to a whole new level! You use your steeks to actually shape your garment. This is a great way to take a pattern which had no shaping and add your shaping after you are done knitting. Also if you have a favorite sweater but hate how it looks like a bag instead of being figure flattering this class will teach you how to fix that! This is one class I really wish I had time to take. I think it will be simply amazing and mind blowing with useful information. Make sure to check it out!

For more information on Eeek! Steeks, check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/steek.html

For more information on Shapely Sexy Steeks, check out here:
http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/steek-adv.html

Friday, December 21, 2012

Photo Friday: Toddler Lock


One of the apps on my Android phone and tablet that I absolutely love is called Toddler Lock. It makes sounds and small kiddos can draw on it without messing with other apps. It locks them just to this screen. Well, except for the screen shots button, which my son occasionally takes advantage of. I'm going to post a few of these for Photo Friday as well, because I think they are pretty awesome!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Workshop Wednesday: Portuguese Knitting and Turkish Socks

Portuguese Knitting has been a successful class the past two years! The class has filled up and I'm sure this year will be no exception! I'm really excited to have Teri Zipf back for another year teaching this wonderful class!

In addition she came up with the brilliant idea of teaching Turkish Socks in the Portuguese Style. So if you already knit using Portuguese Knitting this class is a great way to expand your knitting horizons! The class will go over knitting colorwork using Portuguese Knitting as well as history and examples of the Turkish Sock Knitting tradition. I took a class many years ago on Turkish Socks. I was simply amazed by all the different intricate patterns and colors used. So when Teri suggested teaching this class I jumped right on it. I know it will be simply amazing.

So, if you don't knit Portuguese there are a couple of options we have come up with in case you still want to take the class. The first is if you don't knit Portuguese Style, but you are proficient knitting stranded colorwork with another style then you are welcome to take the class. Teri is fully versed in the Portuguese Style, but isn't as comfortable with other styles so may not be able to help you. The second way to take the class is if you take the Beginning Portuguese Knitting Friday afternoon you should be ready to tackle the Turkish Socks Saturday Morning. If you take both classes you will be well on your way to being totally converted to the Portuguese Style. So make sure to check out both classes!

The link for Beginning Portuguese Knitting is here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/portugueseknitting.html

The link for Turkish Socks in the Portuguese Style is here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/portugueseadv.html

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Workshop Wednesdays: Stranded in Your Hat

Once again I am happy to have Mary Scott Huff involved with the CGFF! She is so talented and I have heard nothing but great things from the students who took her classes!

This year she is teaching the whole weekend long. Today I am going to focus on her first class Friday Afternoon: Stranded in Your Hat. This class is much like the class she taught last year called Stranded in Your Socks, only in this class you make a hat on bigger needles and with bigger yarn. This class calls for DK instead of Fingering. So bigger stitches and bigger progress! Both really excellent things!

Mary is the author of two awesome color knitting books: The New Stranded Colorwork and Teach Yourself VISUALLY Color Knitting! She is definitely an expert in her field! To get to know her better make sure to check out her really awesome blog: Unravelling

For more information, check out Stranded in Your Hat!

Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Workshop Wednesdays: Basic Finishing

Workshops are up on the website and with that brings a new series of Workshop Wednesday posts.

I am starting out the series for this year with one of my favorites. Donna Arney is one of my very good friends. She shares a booth with me at every show I do. One of the qualities I most admire about Donna is the patient way she is able to teach people new things. She has a very loyal following of students who sign up for her classes year after year. She also has a very loyal following of students who took her classes week after week at her local yarn shop. When she asked her students last year what class she should teach this year they said one on Basic Finishing and so that's what we have decided to put together. This is just the basics, but done very well. Donna plans on covering Kitchener and Mattress Stitch, weaving in ends, picking up stitches, and 3-needle bind-off. If there is time she also plans on covering button holes, i-cord, blocking, and zippers. Knowing Donna I am sure she would also be open to questions you specifically have with finishing a garment and will tailor the class around what the class would like to learn about.

Registration for classes begins January 7th. Make sure to keep this class in mind when you sign up!