Knit Happens

It’s no secret that I love teaching, especially beginners.  Which is why I get so excited whenever I have a Beginning Knitting class – I get to make new knitters!

If you’ve ever been in my beginning class, you know I try to make it as much fun as possible, as well as teaching a new skill, which always seems to work out well… and last night’s class was no exception.  It was a small class, even by our “small class” standards, but everyone had so much enthusiasm – even if they were a bit dubious that they could actually knit.    By the end of the class, I had some really excited knitters walk out the door, and I was reminded why I do this – because I love it so.

Wait, you’ve never taken a class here before?  Or you didn’t know that the class list was up?  Check our Classes and Events page and take a look at the calendar for the latest classes we’re offering.  We’ve got two classes starting later this week with lots of room in them:

Pattern Reading, Friday 4/16 7-9pm  $35

Do you sometimes look at a pattern and wonder what the heck they’re asking you to do? Or what all those abbreviations actually mean? Holly will explain the mysterious world of knitting (and crochet) lingo, tell you the difference between British/European and American patterns and tell you just what to look for when looking for a pattern to knit.

Bring to class:
pen/pencil; paper to take notes

Circular Knitting Techniques, Saturday 4/17, 9:30-11:30am  $35

Does idea of knitting in the round just confuse you? Are you knitting one way in the round and the idea of other techniques intimidate you? This is the class for you. In this class, Holly will show you how to cast on and get started on DPNs, two circulars and magic loop. By the end of the class you will have mastered the techniques and will know which one is the technique for you.

Bring to class:
200 yds DK or worsted weight yarn; appropriate size needles in DPNs, two circulars (can be different lengths) and a 47″ circular.

If either of these sound like a class for you, just call us at 703-836-0039 and we’ll get you signed up in no time!

Definitely not us.  Tiara is the newest addition to the Knit Happens family and while she is a brand new knitter, she is a crocheter from way back!  She’s on a mission to spread the crochet-love around Alexandria, one garment at a time.

She whipped up this little number from the book, Blueprint Crochet: Modern Designs for the Visual Crocheter, in just a couple of days.  Don’t I wish my sweaters would knit up that quickly… maybe there is something to this crocheting thing, huh?    She is finishing a second sweater from the book as we speak.  She says that the patterns are generously sized, so gauge swatches are a must!  But a gauge swatch doesn’t seems so bad when you get such a great fitting sweater out of the deal, no?

Doesn’t this just make you want to give crochet a try?  We’ve got 3 Beginning Crochet classes scheduled in the next two months – hopefully one of those classes will work with your schedule!  Click on the “Classes and Events” tab at the top of the page for details.

(Yes, we do have Blueprint Crochet in stock!  Need me to hold a copy?  Just call and let me know!)

Have you noticed the new tab at the top of the page? Take a look, I’ll wait. Yes, that new tab says “Classes and Events” – which can only mean that the classes are finally up! Hooray!

When you click over there, you’ll notice that we have a snazzy calendar on there (provided by Google Calendar – however did we get along without the little things like that to make life easier?) that lists both our classes (in green) and shop events (in pink, natch). You’ll notice that we have a couple classes in April and May on days where the shop is closed – that isn’t a typo, we will have those classes that day.

How to find out more information and register for the classes? Click on the class and the information will pop up, including price, materials needed and reading recommendations/prerequisites, if any. Then, give us a call at the shop – or stop in – and we’ll get you all squared away. Remember, we keep our classes small and they fill quickly, so register early and tell your friends!

Yes, that would be a lovely and gorgeous February Baby Sweater knit by our own lovely Elspeth for a friend’s baby.  Knit out of Rowan Wool Cotton, it’s a soft comfy sweater that any baby would look wonderful in and would love wearing.  The only problem?  The sweater is a wee bit big.  

Just a bit.  The sweater fits Elspeth, and she is a tiny person.  (Doesn’t she look adorable in it, though?)  I know you all have heard me say “it’s a baby sweater, they’ll grow into it one day,” and that’s what we were saying until Elspeth tried it on.  Then we had the bright idea to see how big it really was…

We discovered that it fit me.  (Actually, it does close on me, too – we all decided that it is now a February bolero.)  Now, as I’m a bit “less tiny” than Elspeth, we chalked it up to a lesson in gauge.

Kids, this is why we tell you to swatch, lest you end up with a very large baby sweater/very small adult bolero.  What about offering a class in gauge to learn what you should be looking for, you say?  I hear you and I’m on it.

(Photo of Elspeth totally bogarted from her Twitter – with her permission, of course, along with permission to use the story and sweater for a gauge lesson. Thank you Elspeth!)

That’s right, I said a newsletter. Head on over to the store and check it out. (If links from here aren’t working for some reason, go to the site, click on “Info”, scroll down to the bottom and click on “Summer 2007 Newsletter”. You’ll need Adobe Reader to see it.) Aimee and I have written all about TNNA, the new stuff we’re bringing in, and, of course classes!

If you just want to see the classes (and read the newsletter later, of course!) then click here. I’ve turned on the Class Descriptions on the website – so handy! We still can’t take class registrations online, but just give us a call at the shop and we’ll take your registration over the phone.