Workshop Wednesdays: Thrummed Knitting

This is my last Workshop Wednesday post, can you believe it? April will be here before you know it!

This last, but very far from least, class is on Thrummed Knitting with Michele Bernstein. Thrumming is where you add pieces of unspun fiber to the inside of your knitted item, thus making it extra warm and fuzzy. These booties are what you will be making in class. The top shows what the inside of the booty looks like when finished. The bottom shows the outside. They are both beautiful and functional! I know I would love to put my foot in a pair of these fuzzy booties!

Michele typically teaches this class in 2 hours, but for this special 3 hour class she is going to throw in additional tips and tricks, as well as background and history. It should be a very wonderful class. Definitely make sure to check it out!

For more information check out: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/thrums.html

To read all of the Workshop Wednesday posts check out here: http://lavendersheep.blogspot.com/search/label/Workshop%20Wednesdays

Workshop Wednesdays: Tink, Drop, Frog

To be a master knitter I believe it isn't ones ability to knit perfectly, but rather to know when and how to fix  mistakes as they come. Michele Bernstein teaches exactly those skills in her Tink, Drop, Frog: Finding and Fixing Mistakes class. By the end of this class not only will you know when you make a mistake, but you will be able to fix it. I know I am far from perfect when it comes to knitting, but I know I can always fix my mistakes or take them out and try again. That is the beauty of knitting. You too can learn these skills and become a more confidant knitter!

Michele is a very talented knitter who designs wonderful patterns and teaches at Twisted in Portland.

For more information check out: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/tinkdropfrog.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Rigid Heddle Weaving

I bet there are plenty of people out there who have a huge yarn stash like mine. I have sock yarn and baby yarn and worsted yarn. I have fancy yarn and plain wool yarn. I have often looked at it and wondered how I am going to get through all of it, will I have time to knit it all up? So one of the answers to this problem is learn how to weave! With a Rigid Heddle Loom you can easily weave a scarf in just an afternoon, which will eat up plenty of stash in no time! With more room in the stash that means there is room to buy more! I know the marketplace will be filled with plenty of temptation and delicious combinations of yarn which will make the perfect woven scarves, placemats, and more!

The only thing with this class is you have to come to class with a fully put together loom. There simply isn't time in class to set one up. However, most rigid heddle looms come with complete instructions and are easy to assemble before class time. A simple Google search will give you lots of options for where to purchase one including some local shops, such as Pacific Wool & Fiber in Newberg, OR and Weaving Works in Seattle, WA. I'm also sure if you purchase from a physical store there will be people there you can ask for help with the assembly of your loom.

I am also really happy to have Linda Gettmann back as an instructor to teach this class. She taught Kumihimo Necklaces last year and everyone in the class came out with a gorgeous finished necklace. I heard great reports about her teaching skills. So I know she will be a great teacher for this class. She has requested a smaller class size of only 12 students, so she can get around easily to every person in the class. I know this workshop will be really great.

For more information check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/rigidheddle.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Spinning for Colorwork

This is another great class by Deb Accuardi! After teaching her classes last year she approached me with the idea of teaching a Spinning for Colorwork class. I thought it was a great idea! I actually have read up on the subject and it is really interesting. Apparently just the difference between 2 ply and 3 ply can make a tremendous difference in how your final colorwork pattern turns out.

This class also covers how to spin different colored rovings in different ways to achieve the finished yarn you are looking for. I think this will be an amazing class, chocked full of great information. You will leave this class feeling confidant about using your handspun yarn for colorwork.

For more information check out: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/spin-colorwork.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Troubleshoot Spinning

Do you have a problem with your spinning? Would you like to learn how to spin more consistently? How about learning how to spin enough yarn for an entire project? Then Troubleshoot Spinning is the class for you! Come with questions and Deb Accuardi will help you find the answers.

Deb is an amazing instructor with a big fiber background. She has raised goats and rabbits up on her farm on Mt Hood. She was part owner for Pico Accuardi Dyeworks. Currently she works for Blue Moon Fiber Arts. So definitely knows her way around fiber and dye! She has taught several classes on starting from a raw fleece and turning it into a finished garment. So if you want to learn about getting the most out of your spinning then she is the person to go to! Make sure to check out her class.

For more details check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/spin-troubleshoot.html

Workshop Wednesday: Knitting Behind the Wheel

What can I say? I am totally crazy about color! 

I actually first heard about the Knitting Behind the Wheel class on Mary Scott Huff's blog. You can read her words about it here. I love color theory. I love how mixing different colors together makes each color do something different than when it is standing by itself. It is simply amazing. 

In this class Mary Scott Huff will guide you through the tricks and tips of mixing and matching colors together. She will start by playing by the rules and then break them. She provides all the yarn (shown above) to make this amazing bag. Of course each bag will come out a little different as you learn how to pick your colors and how they work together. You will be amazed at how your finished product will be different from the person next to you, but yet will still work!

The class goes all day with a one hour break for lunch in the middle. I can't imagine anything more fun than spending the day with Mary Scott Huff knitting and playing with color! Make sure to check out this class!

For more information check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/colortheory.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Crochet

 Last Fall I was contacted by the very talented Darla J Fanton, who wanted to know if I would like to add crochet classes to the CGFF schedule! It was actually perfect timing because I had thought about adding crochet classes, but didn't have anyone in mind to teach them! Darla came with a very impressive resume too! She has been an instructor at several of the larger shows all over the country including several of the Knit & Crochet Shows put on by XRX Books.

The two classes I chose look pretty impressive, but actually require no previous crochet experience! If you already know how to crochet then these classes will expand your crochet knowledge!

The first is the Double Helix Crochet Beaded Necklace and Bracelet Class. In this class you will learn how to crochet with beads. If you haven't crocheted before then the bracelet is the perfect size for you to finish in class. If you have previous experience then you should be able to finish the necklace. Darla pre-strings all the beads for you and provides all the materials necessary for you to complete both the bracelet and the necklace!

The second class is on Tunisian Crochet. I actually have done a bit of this myself and it is really fun. I like to think of it as a hybrid between knitting and crochet. It uses what looks like a knitting needle with a crochet hook on the end. I only learned the basic stitch, so I was happy to hear that this class goes into so much more! I was amazed with just how many things you can do with Tunisian Crochet. No previous experience required. No crochet or knitting experience required either. Darla provides you with the hook and a color booklet to take home with you. All you need to do is bring yourself and some yarn!

For More Information about the Double Helix Beaded Crochet Necklace and Bracelet class check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/crochetbeadnecklace.html

For More Information about the Tunisian Crochet Class check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/tunisiancrochet.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Brioche

Brioche Knitting is very popular right now. Last year this class filled up and I had to open a second session!

Brioche knitting is a stitch pattern which creates a double layer for double the warmth. I have seen some incredibly beautiful finished products using this technique! No wonder it is so popular! Nichole has taught this class several times before, and with her attention to detail it is sure to be a wonderful class.

We have made some changes from last year. Last year students said the class was a bit overwhelming with all of the information included. So we have broken down the class into two sessions. The first is straight up Brioche. Learn the technique with lots of time to soak everything in. Then the second class is Brioche with Two Colors. You can take both classes one right after the other, no problem. We only changed it so there is more time to learn each technique! I think it will be really awesome!

For more information on the Brioche Workshop check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/brioche.html

For more information on the Brioche with Two Colors Workshop check out here:
http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/briocheadv.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Dyeing Lectures

I am very excited about adding these Dyeing Lectures to the class schedule. I love to dye and I know many others do too! I have been asked by countless people for dye classes at the show. The only problem is where to host a dye class in a hotel with brand new carpeting? Well last year I spied beside the downstairs marketplace was a kitchen. It is used by the hotel for catering purposes for weddings and such. So I got to thinking, wouldn't that make a great space to hold a dye class? Well this suggestion made the hotel very nervous. I promised we would keep it food safe, only natural dyes. Still the hotel wasn't sure. I even told them they very wonderful Deb Accuardi owns a restaurant and knows about kitchen requirements for keeping it clean they still weren't sure. So the brilliant Deb came up with the idea of them being lectures. Our hope is, if the classes are successful, we can maybe convince them to have a real dye class next year.

So here is what Deb is doing for each of the classes. There is one on Dyeing using materials found in your Kitchen, so things like onion skins, etc... The second class is on Indigo. For the classes she is providing lots of samples of things which have been dyed so you can see the finished results. She is providing a handout, so you can go home and try out the techniques yourself. She will walk you through the entire process, so you will feel safe and confident about trying it on your own. So everything a dye class has to offer without getting your hands dirty. I'm sure it will be phenomenal. Definitely worth checking out if you have ever been interested in learning more about either natural dyeing or indigo dyeing!

For More information on Dyeing with Kitchen Items (Lecture) check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/dye-kitchen.html

For More Information on Dyeing with Indigo (Lecture) check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/dye-indigo.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Drop Spindling

Last year Turkish Drop Spindle was a huge success! The class filled up completely! In addition Wanda Jenkins and her husband Ed are going to have a booth in the Marketplace sharing with New Hues Handspuns! I'm so excited to have them as a new edition, their spindles are so beautiful!

What can I say about Wanda? Well, she is an incredible teacher. I have seen her demo Turkish Spindling both at Black Sheep and Sock Summit for what seem like hours on end and never tire out. She always has a smile on her face and a spindle in her hands. She is always a joy to talk to in person or through email.

So, what is the benefit of taking her class versus learning from her in the booth? Well I would say the one on one time only a classroom can give. Whenever I see Wanda at a show she has multiple people crowded around her trying to see what she is doing. Her classes are limited to 10 people, by her request, so there is plenty of time for each person to ask questions and learn how to spin. Definitely a big bonus!

For more information, check out: Turkish Drop Spindle

Workshop Wednesdays: Ergonomics

I am really excited about this last minute addition to classes. Carson Demers is a professional physical therapist by day and in his spare time he teaches fabulous classes to knitters and spinners on how to improve their ergonomics. I know from experience that knitting for a long time or sitting at the spinning wheel for too long makes me hurt. These classes are there to help with just that!

The first Happily Ever After: Ergonomics for Knitters is just the class for any level of knitter. Students who’ve taken this class have said that it should be “required learning for all knitters!” and, “it’s as important as the knit and purl stitches!” You can see why I was so excited when Carson said he would teach this class here. This class is definitely filling up fast, so if you are interested make sure to sign up soon!

The second class, Spinning Ergonomics, was a class I specifically asked for. Carson said he taught a class on this a few years ago which he designed with Judith MacKenzie. It sounded perfect to me! I know Spinners have just as much pain as knitters, if not more. So if you are a spinner and you want to spin pain free, make sure to check out this class!

More Information on Happily Ever After: Ergonomics for Knitters: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/ergonomics-knitting.html

More Information on Spinning Ergonomics: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/ergonomics-spinning.html

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

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

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!

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!

Workshop Wednesdays: Brioche Knitting

Well, Brioche Knitting seems to be a very popular class! In fact the Sunday Afternoon session is currently full! So I have decided to add a second class on Saturday Morning 9am - 12 pm.

Brioche knitting is a stitch pattern which creates a double layer for double the warmth. I have seen some incredibly beautiful finished products using this technique! No wonder it is so popular! Nichole has taught this class several times before, and with her attention to detail it is sure to be a wonderful class. I spoke more about her back on the first Workshop Wednesday, when I talked about the Knit to Fit class (which still has room!).

I don't know what more to say! Wonderful class! Wonderful instructor! You will love it!

For more information on the Brioche Workshop check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/brioche.html

In other news, the wonderful people at Lantern Moon have offered to donate an extra 30 project bags for the show, so the first 10 people to visit the marketplace each day will receive a project bag! Yay!

Workshop Wednesdays: Eeek! Steeks!

I have talked about Mary Scott Huff before for her workshop Stranded in Your Socks in this post. Mary is a wonderful and incredibly fun person to be around. 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. Mary recently posted about the process of doing it to knit 2 sleeves at the same time for her Queen Bee Cardigan. You can read about it here! 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!

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

Workshop Wednesdays: Fleece to Garment

Fleece to Garment is a 4 part class taught by my good friend, Deb Accuardi. She was half of the former Pico Accuardi Dyeworks and currently keeps a blog here and a podcast here. I came up with this set of classes in part because Deb came up with the idea of leading a group of people from purchasing their fleece from Imperial Stock Ranch and then meeting regularly with them to work through the process of turning it into a finished sweater. The other inspiration came from the survey I sent out last year asking for suggestions for classes. Many people wanted to improve their spinning skills in ways that fit into these same classes. I also felt that by making it a 4 part series students could take just the class they wanted and put off the rest for another year. The parts are as follows:

Part 1: Get Ready to Spin: In this class it is all about prepping fibers. Students bring a washed raw fleece to class and then learn different techniques from carding to combing. Available in class will be drum carders and Duncan Carders is letting the class borrow an Electric Carder. Washing a fleece would have been available if it wasn't for a lack of water allowed in the classrooms and fleeces wouldn't be dry in time to do the other parts. Though if there is enough interest, Deb may get together a group to wash fleeces before the festival.

Part 2: Sampling for the Garment: Learn how to spin consistent singles meant for a finished product. This class teaches you how to get the exact yarn for your finished item, starting with your singles. Deb will cover worsted vs woolen techniques for spinning. Everything you need to make the perfect single.

Part 3: The Final Yarn: Now that you have singles (or bring your own singles to class) Deb will talk about the many ways to ply them together into your finished yarn. You may want to ply 2, 3, or 4 strands together to achieve the perfect finished yarn for your project. Perhaps Navajo plying will help you achieve the right effect. Deb will walk you through all of these techniques to create the perfect finished yarn for your finished project.

Part 4: Knitting with Handspun Yarn: Now that you have your finished yarn here are some techniques to make sure your yarn will work the way you want in the finished garment. This class is also open to knitters who do not spin and simply love handspun yarn! Since handspun yarn works differently than commercial yarn Deb will walk you through how to get the most out of any handspun yarn.

For each of these classes Deb is providing a journal to keep your samples and notes in from the class. For each additional class she will provide extra inserts to keep extra samples and notes in. The material fee covers this notebook and is $10 per class for the first 2 classes in the series. So at most you pay $20. Also, if you sign up for all 4 classes you receive a class discount of $40. So you can take all 4 classes for $220 including materials and come away with a working knowledge of how to turn a raw fleece into a gorgeous handmade finished project. A real deal in my opinion!

If you would like to hear about the classes in Deb's own words she talks about it here on her podcast At the Kitchen Table: Episode 89: And the Winners Are...

For more info on Get Ready to Spin check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/fg1-fiberprep.html

For more info on Sampling for the Garment check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/fg2-spin.html

For more info on The Final Yarn check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/fg3-ply.html

For more info on Knitting with Handspun Yarn check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/fg4-knit.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Stretchy Bind Off & Handpainted Yarns

What can I say about Chrissy Gardiner? Well she has been my friend for a long time now. I was her first sample knitter back in the day. She got me involved with doing shows. Our first was the Knit & Crochet show when it first came to Portland a few years ago. Then I did Oregon Flock & Fiber with her and the rest is history! Over the years I have knit quite a few of her patterns out of my yarn. I love how her patterns are very detailed and tested so completely they rarely have an error. She is a genius for inventive design. Over the past couple of years she has been working on a book called Indie Socks, which should be out soon! Chrissy's idea for the book was to choose several indie dyers and design a sock pattern for each one of them. The socks she designed for the yarn I gave her can be found on Ravelry as the Owenburger Socks!

So what does this have to do with her classes? Well her Designing with Handpainted Yarns (Sunday, 9am - 12pm) is entirely derived from what she learned working with all of the indie dyers for the book. The class goes through different types of handpainted yarn and how to get what you want out of the yarns. Whether it's avoiding pooling or making it intentional. Pretty much making the yarn do what you want instead of the other way around!

The second class she is teaching is a one hour wonder on Stretchy Bind-Off (Saturday, 4pm - 5pm) techniques. Chrissy's first book, Toe-Up Socks is where she learned these special techniques. Learn tips and tricks from the master! Stretchy bind offs are definitely useful for toe up socks, but can also be very handy for other things such as sweater cuffs, neck holes, shawl edgings, and so much more!

For more information on Designing with Handpainted Yarn, check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/designhandpaintyarns.html

For more information on Stretchy Bind-Off, check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/bindoff.html

Workshop Wednesdays: Judy's Magic Cast-On & 2 Socks Toe up

This year I wanted to try something a little different for classes. I wanted to try doing series of classes, so a person can take exactly what they want and leave behind what they don't. For instance, I got to talking to Judy Becker about her 2 Socks at the same time Toe up class from last year. She said everything went pretty smoothly, but some people took more time because they hadn't ever done her magic cast on before. So I came up with the idea of adding the Magic Cast On class as a separate 1 hour class before the 2 sock class. So if you haven't ever done Judy's Magic Cast On you can take the class by itself for one hour with the person who invented it! Then you will be ready to sail right into 2 Socks at the Same Time Toe up! Alternatively you can take just the Judy's Magic Cast On class and then be ready to knit all of the patterns in Judy's new book Beyond Toes, which uses her Magic Cast On technique to make everything from scarves to hats to shawls, and more! It's a pretty impressive technique!

Speaking of Judy's Beyond Toes book, I have been working with Judy Becker on a separate project which will be running all weekend long. We are going to have a special Treasure Hunt in honor of Beyond Toes. Simply bring the book, or pre-order one from the website (we will have a limited amount available for sale at the info booth too), get a treasure map from the info desk, and find the various contributing designers and artists in the book around the marketplace. Judy will be signing books on Saturday from 11am - 12pm. If you find 3 signatures then you will receive a special bookmark for the book. If you find everyone on the list (we currently have 9 for sure), then you will be entered for the grand prize, a treasure chest of items donated by contributors to the book, including Blue Moon, Plover Designs, Abstract Fiber, Pico Accuardi, and more!

For more information about the Magic Cast-On Class check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/magiccaston.html

For more information about the 2 Socks at a Time Toe Up class check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/workshops/2sockstoeup.html

For more information about the Treasure Hunt check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/booksigning.html#treasure

For more information on Beyond Toes by Judy Becker check out here: http://cgff.lavendersheep.com/merchandise/books/beyondtoes.html