Happy April!

It's April and that means less than 3 weeks until the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival! Are you excited? I know I am. I may be a bit busy between here and there so posting may lag a bit. Still I will try my best. =)

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

Indie Socks! A Giveaway!

 I am so excited, in so many ways about Chrissy Gardiner's new book Indie Socks!

First off, I'm in it! My yarn is in it, you can see it in the upper right hand corner. It has a great interview with me talking about the colorway I designed for the book. Written by my good friend Donna Arney. The colorway is Owen in Tencel Sock, which is the blue yarn! Then Chrissy wanted to do a second pair in my signature colorway Mountain Sunset (pink). So, two colorways!

Second, I talked to Chrissy and she has agreed to have her book be the centerpiece for the 2013 Treasure Hunt at the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival! I am really excited because so many of the dyers in this book will be at the show! That includes myself, Knitted Wit, Alpha B, Stitchjones, and more! So many of my favorite dyers and people!

Lastly, when Chrissy gave me my copy of the book she also gave me an extra signed copy to give away! I thought it would tie in well with the Treasure Hunt for the CGFF! So, if you would like a signed copy to give you a little head start on the treasure hunt leave a comment on this post by Sunday, February 10th with your favorite thing about the CGFF. If you haven't been, but plan on going this year, what sort of things you are looking forward to? Make sure to leave some way of contacting you so I can get the book to you, either an email address or your Ravelry name would be good thanks!