April Mills

1. Knitting Sideways - Remember the sideways skirts we used to knit? Now think vests, sweaters, stoles/shrugs and household items. Knitting sideways lets you knit for large items with yarns that you can't normally useon machines.Explore what your machines can do for your ideas.

2.Knitting Flowers - I have always loved flowers whether they are knitted, crocheted or done on a loom. Now I have written 2 books that knit flowers from Apple blossoms to Zinnias all done on the knitting machine. Any machine can do this (without a ribber) and they can be used on garments, wall hangings and even in flower vases.

3.Charting and Neckline Shaping Combined - From the swatch to the completed garment there are manyMATH choices that a knitter has to make. Simplifying those decisions enables you to design the garment that you want easily. There are more types of neckline than most knitters ever choose. So get your mind going with ideas and knit that garment!

4.Designing Scandinavian sweaters for people and dolls. The idea behind designing motif, shape, color and accessories (braid and Pewter clasps or buttons) for these wonderful garments is yours to choose, with only a few limitations. The electronic machines make the motifs easy to do, but punch card machines can do them too with a little thinking outside the box. Delve into making your own motifs with paper and pencil or the"DesignA Knit" or similar program.

Kathryn Doubrley

All classes for Kathryn can be applied to all kinds of machines.

  1. Circular Logic Most sweaters start with rectangles as building blocks for the torso. These sweaters begin with circles instead. It is actually a very simple way to get a good fit but it takes a bit of mental adjustment. The class is based on 2 books: The Merry-Go Round Sweater [$13] and Circular Logic [$20]. The sweaters in Circular Logic are round yokesweaters. The circulular yokes are created with short-rowing and the torsos are added to the round yokes with more traditional methods. A sweater without an added torso is a capelet! In Merry-Go-Round, the circle forms the collar, lapels and lower back of the sweater. Both sweaters depend heavily on short rows so we’ll go over techniques for successful short-rowing.
  2. Gift Knitting. • The gifts we knit should

• Have a wide appeal to all sorts of people

• Be affordable in time and money for you

• Not require a precise fit

• Be fun to keep the joy in gift giving

• I like to knit the gift bag, too

This class covers patterns from the books Great Knitted Gifts 1 [$20],Great Knitted

Gifts 2, The Bare Minimum Bikini[$8.75], and Kangaroo Covers[$5]

  1. Fuzzy Logic.Many of the patterns in Great Knitted Gifts make use of furry yarns because these projects make a big impact for a modest amount of work and most people just love to receive items made with furry yarns. The good news is that furry yarns are easy to knit by both hand and machine and a little yarn makes a big splash. The bad news is that dropped stitches are very hard to pick up again. The yarn may not fluff out on its own, especially when machine knitted. Tips will be given for successful using fluffy yarns.
  2. Knitting and Sew On. Do you sew? if you do, learn to combine your sewing and knitting skills to get even better knits. KNITTING AND SEW ON is a class to illustrate how to sew successfully on your knits to make droop-proof armholes, great cardigans that match perfectly, lined knit wear and professional finishes of all kinds. This is NOT traditional cut and sew. You may enjoy it and learn useful techniques, even if you prefer to shape your knits completely on the machine.
  3. Socks of All Sorts. The content of this class includes dying your own self-patterning yarn, making socks into slipper-socks, sock fabrics, and sock shapes, toes and heels. Some socks may be made without a ribber.
  4. Crazy for Cables . Learn how to make faux cables, reversible cables, Wanderlust cables and laced cables.
  5. Snug as a Bug. This is a class on cocoon jackets. Cocoons are simple rectangles and fit almost everyone.
  6. I Feel Like Felting: This class will present ideas and projects in felting. The class includes hats, purses, coats, toys, mittens, and even shoes! Good things about felt:

• Felting makes wool itch free for most

•It’s thick and warm but still flexible and breathable

• It’s very VERY durable and dirt-resistant

• It forgives small errors, making it good forbeginners

• Yarn with soil and flaws can be used up in thisway still getting a nice product

Cheryl Jiles

  1. The Ribber and Color Changer: Choosing appropriate yarns and stitch sizes for the yarn and fabric desired. Setting up the needles for desired fabric. Hanging the comb, casting on and creating nice selvages and ribbing. Start double bed fabrics if time permits.
  2. Basics of double bed fabrics. Move beyond ribbing and edges to double bed fabrics. Class includes choosing the right yarn and stitch size to get the best “hand” and minimize show through with Birds’ eye, Vertical stripe and Quilted fabrics. Begin to understand color separation.
  3. More double bed fabrics. Let’s play with more double bed fabrics including quilted lace, reversible and single color double bed fabric such as circular Fair Isle and lace and more.
  4. Float control and shaping techniques; using double bed fabric techniques to invisibly control floats. Many quick easy methods of float control and the effects they have on the face of the fabric. Learn the best method to shape a garment without losing the pattern and maintaining a fully shaped look. Easy seamless socks and mittens.
  5. My favorite techniques. Many of the tricks developed to speed up the production process and keep the handmade quality developed for the commercial market. Hat toppers, fringe, hanging buttons and embellishments. Speed up your knitting and garter bar techniques. See a repeat of any fabric or technique or something you were hoping to see at this seminar.

Carolyn Barnett

  1. Starting Out: Casting on and Hems. Ewrap, waste yarn, weaving cast on, ravel cord, Hung hem, picot, double and triple ewrap.
  2. Waist Shaping. Giving some flattering shape to your garment. Garter bar, tucks, Dekker comb, hand stitching.
  3. Armholes. Dropped shoulder with dart, square arm, set in sleeve, exploring different styles.
  4. Bands and Buttonholes. For cardigans, working into the front, attaching extra ribbed or stst bands.
  5. Design techniques and accents. All tools, Dekka combs, garter bar, etc. Using colour.
  6. Garter bar. Using the garter bar.
  7. Single Bed Fairisle, motifs and Colour Changer. Techniques using fairisle and colour changer and all of their applications.
  8. Finishing. Pressing, seaming, sewing and tidying up ready to wear.

Sue Adams and Barb Endler

  1. Get pushing your own buttons: STD machine (punch card or electronic) all levels. Familiarize yourself with the different looks achieved using the same design/punch card BUT changing the machine settings. Learn (or be reminded) how to set up your machine for each of the different outcomes (slip stitch, tuck stitch, knit weaving, fairisle). Ideas for how to utilize the extremely different fabric that each stitch style brings.
  2. Demystifying Lace: For all machine and all levels. Solidify your understanding of strategically placing holes in your garments. Whether using STD punch card/electronic designs and a lace carriage for transferring OR bulky/mid-gauge where you will hand transfer see the elegance that holes can bring. We will explain how your machines use the information you provide. Learn to isolate designs to create lace patterning only on one part of a garment (center of sleeve, top of sock…). Lots of ideas for how to investigate the beautiful world of lace in small steps.
  3. Bust your Stash: For all machines and all levels. Ideas and demonstrations of combining the yarn you already have to make a truly one of a kind garment. Not having yarn called for in a pattern should not stop you from knitting that pattern. Let’s bring creative to the next level.
  4. Two Color Slip/Tuck: For patterning capable machines of all gauges and all levels. Create a fairisle look without floats on the purl side using two (or more) colors with either slip or tuck settings on your machine. We will discuss how to tell if a pattern is suitable for these techniques and how to create your own. Smaller garment ideas to whet your appetite for this versatile fabric including fingerless mitts and socks and children’s hats.
  5. Tips & Tricks: We can all still learn tricks to make our knitting more successful/fun/productive. Math if you can’t get gauge, converting hand knitting patterns to knit on the machine, transferring 1X1 with lace carriage, Russian join, edges trims as you go, edge trims (worm vs pie crust) and so much more.

Ask Jack

“Ask Jack” looks at the machines with the knitters for free. Small adjustments are often made right at the seminar for small or no charge. If he finds that any major services are needed, there will be fees on a case by case basis as agreed upon with each knitter. Jack will bring some specialty tools if you notify him in advance of your need. Here is a link to a YouTube video where you can watch him at work.