Classes

The September/October class schedule has been announced, so we thought we’d talk about some of the skills we’re offering. We’ve got new shiny things!

One addition is the new booking system, which has been in operation for a while but which hasn’t been mentioned here yet. All our classes and events are now bookable online at this link. You can see how many places are left in a class, whether you need to do any preparation and so on when you book. Of course, we can still take bookings at the counter or over the phone, but now we can show all our classes and events in one place, including special occasions like the Yarn Tasting and Amy Singer’s lace and design classes.

So what’s available over the next couple of months? We’ve got familiar favourites like the Beginners’ Knitting and Crochet courses, basic and advanced lace, colourwork, Finishing School and so on. But we’ve also got some new classes which give you both a new skill and a lovely new object at the end.

What about the Winterberry Shrug class? It’s designed by Lisa, and it combines clever short-row shaping, top-down construction and a little lace worked in the round. All of those skills are covered in the two-session class, and the result is a versatile cover-up for any season.

Is it possible to learn to make a sock in one class? If the sock is as dotey as this one, then yes, yes it is.

Those are toe-up short-row socks. Because they’re for such a small foot, they grow so fast that you’ll be past the heel in no time at all. A baby bootie is always welcome, but the cunning thing about this pattern is that it can be up-sized to any size of foot, so when you’ve learned to make a sock for baby, you’ll know how to make them for mummy and daddy too.

Our final example of learning a new skill by making a beautiful thing is some very special indeed. We’ve talked about AoibheNí here before – she designs wonderful crochet and teaches in This Is Knit. Over the last few months she’s been innovating a style of crochet lace that’s both beautiful and entirely new.

It’s not often that we get the chance to learn a new technique from the person that developed it, so Aoibhe’s Dublin Bay Shawl class is a very special opportunity.

If we talked about all the classes we have planned for the next two months, this would be the longest blog post ever. We won’t, though – we’ll just suggest that you browse through the list and see what takes your fancy. Autumn’s going to be lovely.

It happens to all of us. We start a new project, full of enthusiasm, and then find the lurking problem: the baffling instruction, the unencountered skill, the numbers that won’t add up.

Sometimes, though, chocolate isn’t enough. This is where we come in. When the shop’s quiet, we’re delighted to answer quick questions, but some problems need time and concentration. So we have dedicated Project Help sessions in the class schedule for exactly that: an hour and a half of attention on whatever you want. If you need to find out how to work a cable or if the lace shawl has gone off road, we’re sure to be able to help.

While we’re talking about the new class schedule, many of our most popular classes are back in March/April. Two-colour brioche knitting is a relatively new topic, but it’s proved very popular. How would it not, when it enables you to produce gorgeous fabric like this?

The class project can either be a scarf or mitts – here’s the former, knitted in a mixture of Noro Kochoran and Black Sheep Worsted.

The full class schedule for March/April is here – in addition to knitting and crochet, we’re offering spinning and finishing classes, so have a look to see how we can help.

In the last few days, it’s been feeling as if spring is at least possible. It’s still chilly, but maybe we can look forward to warmer times.

All winter, we’ve been wearing thick mittens and gloves, but now it seems that less covering might be needed. This is when fingerless mitts shine: they provide warmth and cosiness, but your fingers are unimpeded. (Of course, if it’s seriously cold, then they layer over full-fingered gloves in the warmest way.)

These are Kathleen’s Mitts, a crochet pattern which is entirely customisable: you choose the yarn, the length, the trim. The stitch pattern makes them conform to any hand, and they’re simple enough to be a first crochet project. If you have basic crochet skills (chain, double, treble), you can learn to make them in a class on Sunday 23rd February.

The mitts in the picture are knitted with Malabrigo Sock, and the model is holding more of it in the “Lettuce” colourway. And because we love it, here’s another picture with hints, perhaps, of things to come.