MISS BABS’ CELEBRATION EVENT: CLASSES
You have the option to choose 2 classes from the following offerings. If we have extra space in classes closer to the retreat, we’ll send out an email, offering those classes for additional sign ups!
TIME BLOCK 1: Friday August 1st 2:00pm – 4:00pm
IMAGINED LANDSCAPES: Gno Fun Like Gnome Fun: Beginner Gnome Class
Learn the basics of Sarah’s gnome patterns with Gnoah. Cute, sweet, simple, and fast to knit, he’ll give you confidence to tackle other gnomes and toys. Knit in worsted weight yarn using your choice of knitting in the round methods.
Supplies: Worsted weight yarn in 3 colours – hat, body, beard/nose/hands. Wool or wool-blend suggested. Weighted stuffing (poly pellets or beans) and fluffy stuffing (polyfill or roving). Yarn needle, scissors, removable st marker. US 5 / 3.75 mm needles needles for knitting a small number of stitches in the round (double pointed needles, long circular for magic loop, 2 circulars for the 2 circs method
Required Skills: Able to knit, purl, and work in the round with one of the following methods: DPNs, magic loop, or the 2 circs method.
Homework: none
LYRICAL KNITS: Colorwork without Stranding: get comfy with Slip and Dip Stitches
Up your colorwork game by giving your knitting the slip. This class explores using slipped and dipped stitches as well as mosaic techniques for adding colorwork to knitting without stranding. Different textures result, and there’s no steeking, if you want a flat piece. We’ll knit a small sampler as we practice different stitch patterns from very simple to more intermediate.
Supplies: fingering/sock weight yarn in 2 contrasting colors (MC and CC). You may use more than one CC, as long as the scraps provide good contrast with your MC; alternatively, you may use a variegated yarn for your CC, as long as it contrasts with the MC, and the MC is a solid/tonal. Circular or straight needles to give you approximately 23-24 st/4″ in stockinette stitch.
Required Skills: Able to knit and purl.
Homework: none
CASAPINKA: The Babs Celebration Shawl -FULL-
With a newly designed shawl pattern, debuting at this retreat, Casapinka will lead you through the stitches needed to create this shawl; Sharon from Security will give you some special guidance, too.
Supplies: Available closer to the retreat date, as will kits chosen by Sharon and The Boss. (note from SFS: bring day old sushi)
Required Skills: Able to knit, purl, increase, decrease
Homework: none
TIME BLOCK 2: Saturday August 2nd 9:30am – 11:45am
IMAGINED LANDSCAPES: Gnome Beards and Bobble Noses
We learn 6 bobble types so that you can discover your favorite method for use in shawls, sweaters, and gnomes. We then cover a few beard styles that deal with techniques like purposefully dropping stitches and different cast-on methods. Is this a technique class disguised as a gnome class or a gnome class disguised as a technique class? It’s both! So whether you want to learn new knitting techniques or explore gnomes, this class is for you.
Supplies: Small amounts of worsted weight yarn, 20-30 g. It is best if you have more than one ball in case we need to set aside a partially completed beard in order to move on to another. A light, solid colour in a wool or wool-blend is best. US 7 / 4.5 mm needles, yarn/tapestry needle, removable stitch marker, scissors
Required Skills: Knit and purl, cast on, and bind off.
Homework: none
LYRICAL KNITS: Top Down Sweater Construction
This class provides an overview of various sweater types using top-down construction (raglan, compound raglan, drop shoulder, set-in sleeve, circular yoke, and saddle shoulder). We’ll explore fit considerations for each sweater type as well as how to modify to suit your personal taste and preference, so bring your needles and tape measure and let Mary guide you through achieving your dream sweater from the top!
Supplies: a skein of DK weight yarn; circular needles in a size that gives you 5 stitches/1″ with that yarn.
Required Skills: Able to knit, purl, m1 increases.
Homework:
- Cast on 31 stitches, using whatever cast on you prefer.
Set up rows:
- Knit 4 rows.
- next row: k10, pm, k11, pm, to end.
- next row: purl to end.
Knit the following 2 rows a total of 10 times:
- Row 1 (RS): k to m, m1R, sm, k1, m1L, k to 1 st before nect m, m1R, k1, sm, m1L, k to end.
- Row 2 (WS): p to end
- Bind off loosely, cut yarn.
CASAPINKA: Choosing Colors For Your Knits
In this workshop, Casapinka shares her years of experience working with color. Is choosing colors the hardest part of your knitting projects? Get flustered thinking about contrasting colors? Want to step out of your color box? Then this is the class for you! No color wheels or strict rules, but plenty of demonstrations and techniques to put into practice. We’ll experience color hands-on, and you’ll see how to achieve the very color combos that make you want to cast on a new project immediately. Which you can do- the yarn market is right there!!
Supplies: notebook, pen
Required Skills: a sense of humor
Homework: none
TIME BLOCK 3A: Sunday August 3rd 10:00am – 11:00am
IMAGINED LANDSCAPES: Design Diary Lecture
Sit back and listen as Imagined Landscapes traces the development of several of her patterns, from first steps through finished design. It takes more than visualization to get from idea to finished design! Join Sarah as she tells the stories of several design processes: how she gets ideas, how she plans, designing through the failures, and how one design can lead to another. You see a few examples of good ideas gone bad, too, including a jester hat that turned into the infamous Terrible Frog Legs Hat!
TIME BLOCK 3: Sunday August 3rd 2:00pm – 4:00pm
IMAGINED LANDSCAPES: Getting to Gnome Colorwork (Design your own Gnome)
Create a colorwork pattern for your own unique gnome! Class covers banded vs whole motif options and knitters will begin knitting their gnome creation.
Supplies: a pencil and eraser (and a set of coloring pencils/markers if you want to work with more than 2 colors), at least 20g each of 2 highly contrasting colors of fingering weight yarns. For other yarn weights, please have 30-50g. Gauge-appropriate needles for knitting small circumference in the round.
Required Skills: Able to knit, purl, and work in the round with one of the following methods: DPNs, magic loop, Flexi Flips, or the 2 circs method.
Homework: none
LYRICAL KNITS: Unlocking the Mysteries of Sweater Fit
Bring your tape measures and favorite fitting sweaters as we explore the essentials for getting a fit that’s tailored to you in your sweater knitting. We’ll talk about the basic approach to choosing a sweater size to make, how different sweater types can be modified to your personal tastes, and even how undergarment choices can affect the fit of a sweater. We’ll also give some attention to how short rows can improve the fit of a sweater.
Supplies: a skein of DK weight yarn, a 16″ or 24″ circular needle in a size that gives you 5 st/1″ in stockinette stitch with the yarn you bring, a tape measure, and some favorite fitting sweaters, if possible.
Required Skills: able to knit and purl.
Homework: none.
CASAPINKA: Learn How To Knit Colorwork (or improve your current skills)
Choose a new Casapinka hat or cowl pattern, and we’ll begin this class and get right into knitting, even if you’ve never done colorwork before! If you would like to go from one-handed to two-handed colorwork, or learn new techniques to carry your yarn, we’ll be discussing and practicing these in class.
Supplies: a supply list and kits will be available soon
Required Skills: able to knit and purl
Homework: Closer to the event, you will be sent a list of supplies, along with the cast on directions with ribbing for your chosen pattern.
