What better way to spend an evening?! Out to dinner with my Knitting Basics and Intermediate Knitting students from the past term.
Category Archives: teaches
Knitting Classes Starting in November!
Intermediate Knitting: Student Work
I adore my Intermediate Knitting class. In this class, students learn colorwork techniques like intarsia and fair isle as well as some fun cabling, which you know I adore. My students are lovely group of ladies who are so excited to learn new techniques and make their own projects. Below is a picture of one my student’s lovely bobble project. Her tension is beautifully managed and I just love how her bag turned out! Her project is also a great example of the spirit of knitters all over the world – she knit this in the bright pink yarn used for Knit for the Cure, a passion for many knitters but especially for this gal in my Intermediate class. Jenn has supplied a few of this with this yarn to make donated goods to be sold during the Three Day walk in San Diego. Aren’t my students the sweetest?! Make sure to get out there and support your local Save the Tatas group!
I’m offering the Intermediate course again in November so please join the fun!
Intermediate Knitting @ San Dieguito Adult School - Registration Begins Friday, October 14th.
Do you know how to knit and purl and are ready to learn more challenging techniques? Here’s the perfect class for you! With patient and clear instruction, you will learn how to take your knits to the next level with colorwork and texture, including Fair Isle, intarsia cables and bobbles as well as advanced finishing techniques. You will knit several small projects in the class as well as start your own larger project using the techniques learned in class.
keep calm and carry yarn
Stripey socks knit for my friend and mom-to-be Eryn
To me, knitting socks is all about finding a pattern that makes you happy. I have mine…many of you know that it is from the top down <down with increasing stitches!>. I know it by heart. I use size 1 or 2 needles, depending on who I am making it for, I cast on 64 stitches and get to work. I can overlay many different patterns on those 64 stitches. I can choose a pretty variegated yarn and make ribbing or just stockinette. Or I can feel like taking on more of a challenge with adorable lace eyelets or twisty-turning cables. I know my heel turn doesn’t cause me as much angst as it used to. I know that I can get away with knitting my socks in our group when I am working on the leg, but then I have to completely concentrate when I start my heel, quietly at home. I also know that I hate picking up stitches, but whatever… C’est la vie. And finally, I know that I love it when I get to the simple, rounded heel and can happily graft <kitchener – with directions on my phone because that will never be ingrained in my brain>. And voila! I have a sock. Socks make me happy.
I just started teaching my fall quarter courses and I love watching new knitters learn and figure out the madness that is the kfb or cabling. So much about knitting is knowing. Once you try it, you know it. And from there you can do anything.
I post this picture because of two things: 1. The simple yet funky striped socks I just finished for my friend Eryn and 2. My paperweight which reminds me to “keep calm and carry yarn.” (I wish I came up with this witty pun, but sadly I am not witty.)
Peace,
Pookah
Join Me!
Join Me!
Required Reading
Review for Stitch ‘n Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller
I adore this book, complete adore it. If you’ve taken classes with me, you have undoubtedly heard me rave about it and insist that you need it. If I could assign required reading this would be it! As with most knitting books, it is broken down into parts, some instructional guide for beginners, a review of knitting techniques and the lovely patterns. Here, “I Knit it May Way” includes instructions from reading patterns, gauge, yarn weight, fixing mistakes and more. This is just a great reference for any knitter. I especially love the parts on measuring for sweater knitting, as if I am ever going to have the patience and time to knit a large project (see the promise I made to myself how many months ago?!)
In the back, “The Knitty Gritty” section is a refresher course in knitting techniques. From casting on, the knit and purl stitch, and binding off and everything in between, this book was my savior when learning new techniques. For some reason, books that were focused on dummies like me, might as well been written in Mandarin Chinese to me, but once I got this book, I could clearly understand the drawings and simple instructions on how to make one increase. It also includes instruction for more advanced or fun techniques like SKP, SSK, three needle bind off, poms and icord. Lets just say that I would turn to this book so frequently that my copy is quite the mess (insert picture).
Now for the best part…the patterns of course! All Stitch n Bitch patterns are amazingly fun. For me, this book has far better patterns than the first book. There is a great mix of patterns, broken down into:
- Scarves, Hats and Mittens
- Sweaters and Ponchos
- Sexy Summer Knits
- Legs, Bags and Beyond
- Babies, Dogs and Cats
- Gifts and More
If you are looking for a nice gift, or a crazy project this is your book. From teapot cozies, to rock n roll dolls, you will find something you want to make here. Here are my top five patterns from the book:
- Newsboy cap – This pattern was the main reason I bought this book. I fell in love with this hat in an instant. I plainly remember skimming the pages and wondering if I would be able to make something like this one day. And one day a friend asked if I could make a hat for a friend of us as a gift. So I finally turned to this pattern and was just amazed at how easy it was by then! Hooray! So I made a bright red one, then a grey one promptly for myself. View it here: I Heart Cables, Today, I and Ermmm
- Baby’s First Tattoo- My favorite sweater pattern for all baby sweaters I make now. I found that I love raglan shaping, which is surprising because I prefer to work seamless, in the round as much as possible. I’ve made this sweater with the super awesome skull twice and then improvised my own design later for Baby Henry (who is just adorable by the way). View Punk Babies and Baby Bundles
- One Hour Baby Booties – Any claim like this, and I want to test it out. But, it is true! These are the quickest booties to knit ever. And I love being able to pick out different buttons to use for the closures. Back in the day, this was my first attempt at turning heels and it put me so much at ease that my next task was to try out socks.
- Casey’s Coat – I know, I know, it is a dog sweater and I do not have a dog. But, my lovely Pookah cat used to be the size of a medium-sized dog, so why not! Really fun to knit, and even more fun to watch Mickey fall over once the sweater is on! Tee hee! View it here: Olympic Project #2
- Head Huggers – I have actually never completed the whole project, but these are my favorite flowers ever! They come in 5-petal and 6-petal designs are very fun to knit up. See it here: Gather Ye Rosebubds and Children in Bloom
And projects I’m dying to make:
- Li’l Devil Pants –Red toddler pants with the cutest lil devil tail you’ve ever seen!
- Clover Lace Wrap – I love lace!
- Om Yoga Mat – Again, I love lace! And have a naked yoga mat that would love to be covered.
Cuff Love
Just sharing my super cute cuff that my students made in our Knitting Beyond Basics class. The topic for this week is cables, something many new knitters are very afraid of. But there is no need to be afraid! It is only yarn.
Want to learn how to make this? Join our next Knitting Basics class! Our next class starts on April 20th and you will be able to enroll soon online at http://sdadulted.com.
What an Unwilling Model
Doesn’t Mickey look like a happy camper?!
Abhi’s Bag is felted and complete! It is a great bag, and I’m thinking about adding a little flair to it – a flower, fringe, something.
And my student, Abhi, is hard at work knitting her purse! She is already done with one side, the quick, bright student that she is.
Peace and purses,
Pookah
My Classroom
I teach a basic knitting class at my local library. Had such a great class on Saturday and finally remembered to take a picture of the classroom. I typically have 5 – 8 students per meeting and they have a wide range of backgrounds – in both age and skill level! I still haven’t had a male student in this class – though I keep trying!
