Melissa & Friends VIrtual Knitting Weekend

WELCOME PARTY!

Let's celebrate our amazing knitting community tonight!

We'll introduce ourselves, honor the expertise and professionalism of the needlearts teachers joining us this weekend, and rejoice in our ability to  gather together--even if it just via Zoom.

We'll spend some time in the kitchen whipping up a special treat we can enjoy and graze on all weekend.

Your house is going to smell so good! (Which always makes me want to knit.)

READING YOUR KNITTING 

with Sarah Peasley

Have you ever taken the time to LOOK at your knitting?

What does your cast-on row reveal? Which way do your stitches face? Are you on the right side or the wrong side of the

fabric? How many rows have you worked? In stockinette? In garter stitch? In another stitch pattern? Did you remember to increase/decrease in the previous row? How many rows has it been since you last  increase or decreased? How do you keep

track of where you ARE? How do you figure out where you WERE?

Let's SLOW DOWN and learn the anatomy of a stitch, then study the fabric below the needles. Sarah has tricks to help you

discover what you've done and where you are, and she'll show you how to keep track going forward. In no time at all,

you'll be a smarter, more confident knitter!

ESTONIAN STYLE NUPPS AND STAR FLOWERS with Denise Bell

The Estonian style of lacework involves several stitches, including nupps and

starflowers that many lace knitters are unfamiliar with or are intimidated by.

Unlike a bobble, a nupp lies flat and has little surface disruption. 

A starflower begins with the same first step as the nupp, but rather than building inwards, it blooms into an open feature. 

In this workshop, students will see several examples of nupps and starflowers in finished projects and will work on a sample swatch to learn these special techniques.

HOW TO ADJUST PATTERNS TO YOUR GAUGE with Yoriko Oki

Have you ever had an experience where you just couldn’t get the gauge specified in the pattern?

This class will guide you through the stitch and row count adjustment so that you can knit the garment with your own gauge. All the math you need is simple division and multiplication!

We start with a simple square shape such as cowl and proceed to more complex shapes such and neck and armhole shaping. At the end of the class, we will discuss how to adjust a pattern for top-down round yoke sweater.

By the end of class, you will have a better understanding of pattern adjustment so that you can start knitting your next project with more confidence!

ADVANCED BEGINNER DOUBLE KNITTING  with Alasdair Post-Quinn

 Perhaps you've tried double-knitting once or twice in the past, but are still not feeling confident in their ability to start in on a project; perhaps you're an experienced knitter who wants a little less of a basic introduction to double-knitting.

If either of those describes you, this may be the workshop for you!

In this hands-on class, we'll use the same techniques as in Alasdair's absolute beginner workshop, but with a more complex chart. 

In addition, you will learn a  very clean double-knit selvedge and a variation on it.

Come learn--or relearn!--from the master himself!

FIXING MULTI-STITCH MISTAKES

with Molly  Conroy-Ungerecht 

When we first learn to fix mistakes in our knitting, we learn to drop down and fix one stitch at a time.  This works great for simple mistakes in simple fabric, but what about  in more complex fabric  such as increases and decreases, cables, lace, and other knitting techniques that require using more than one stitch?

This cls will deal with multi-stitch mistakes and also with edge stitches - especially slipped stitch selvedge edges. 

This is a hands-on class,  You will create a sampler full of mistakes and we will work on the techniques to fix them.  

You should be very comfortable laddering down and fixing stitches in stockinette.

SHAWL WE KNIT

with Romi Hill

Join well-known shawl and lace designer Romi Hill and play with several common  shawl shapes and their construction.

We’ll swatch cast-ons like the garter tab, and bind-offs including the best stretchy bind-off ever, all while creating adorable little mini shawls! 

You’ll come away with an understanding of how to begin and end, as well as a number of basic shawl shape formulas that you can use to design your own! 

(Not to mention tons of cat-sized mini shawls. The holidays are coming!)

TRYPOPHOBIA SHAWL 

with Xandy Peters

There are many ways to form large holes in your knitting. (In case you're wondering, Xandy's least favorite way to achieve holes is MOTHS.)

The Trypophobia Shawl uses Xandy's favorite technique to create big holes. You will be combining some clever increases and unusual decreases to create openwork

motifs in the shawl. 

In class, students will have the opportunity to cast on a shawl project and work the first few pattern repeats.

Optional specially hand-dyed gradient  Freia Bomb kits are available here: https://melissaleapman.com/shop/ols/products/kit-for-bourbon-street-cowlette

SOCK DOC 

with Amy Snell

One of the benefits of hand-knitting socks is to get a custom fit ... so what do you do if you don't? 

What if you end up with socks that pinch in, pooch out, sag, bag, or have holes in the wrong places? What if your socks come out ... (gasp !) ugly? 

In this lecture-based class with plenty of back-and-forth Q&A, Amy ("The Devious Knitter") will share best practices in sock knitting and tackle the most common problems sock knitters encounter. She'll answer your specific questions about the problems you are having with your handknit socks and share solutions you may not have considered. 

In this useful workshop, questions are not just encouraged, they're practically compulsory!

ANZULA LUXURY FIBERS

With Anzula, over 150 gorgeous hand-dyed colorways provide the canvas on which your stitches come alive.

Anzula makes luxury yarn and fiber blends, including cashmere, yak, silk, alpaca, linen, and bamboo. 

Wrap yourself in luxury! 

MOD YARNS

Seriously good yarn from not-so-serious people! Mod Yarns carries interesting novelty yarns in fun colorways that will keep you on your toes. Crafting with our yarns will never be boring!

COMMA CRAFT CO.

Welcome to your one-stop shop for knitting notions & other good stuff! Comma Craft Co's main mission is a simple one: to bring joy to the process of making. We offer unique knitting needle point protectors and stitch markers, fun vinyl stickers, project bags, and other goodies to a diverse community of humans who knit, crochet, quilt, sew and so much more.

LEARNING TO LOVE MOHAIR with Hands On Knitting Center

In our 30 minute vendor session, we will spend the first half talking about how to successfully work with mohair - and why it is absolutely magical. 

 There will be a detailed handout that people can download from our Google Drive. 

 In the second half, we will show samples and offer kits to make the samples.  Throughout the entire session we will encourage interaction and questions.  

It will be a fast paced 30 minutes!

HARRIET & ALICE

Harriet & Alice is a small local yarn store in Edina, MN.  We specialize in natural fiber yarns and locally made gift items.  

Our "booth" conversation will center on fun projects using a variety of yarns exclusive to Harriet and Alice as well as some familiar friends. 

We love approachable projects that show off your skills and of course the fabulous yarns. We will do our best to tempt you with some fun new projects and of course some of our exclusive yarns. 

Some of our favorite yarns are from Spincycle, Lavender Lune, Blue Sky Fibers and Emma's Yarn...and of course more.  

Looking forward to meeting all of you via our conversation in October!

PLIED YARNS

Plied Yarns creates unique, marled, woolen-spun yarns that are spun at Harrisville Designs in New Hampshire and dyed at our studio in Baltimore. 

Join us in our studio to hear about and shop our two bases, North Ave and Pennsylvania Ave, as well as our mini-skein bobbins and kits.

Get ready to be inspired by our samples and suggestions for knitting with Plied! We'll have some limited-edition colors and surprises, too. 

YORIKO OKI

Yoriko Oki is a dyer, weaver, knitter, and overall fibre art enthusiast located in Metro Vancouver in BC, Canada. Her mission is to inspire and empower fellow fibre artists through her work so that they can keep creating and having fun.

Come to Yoriko's slide presentation of her hand-dyed yarn and finished knitting/crochet/weaving projects packed with inspiration. 

There will be a special coupon code for attendees revealed at the presentation.