“I do love
knitting patterns.”

Syllabus and Class Information

Syllabus

In the course of this term, you will learn how to make cable and lace stitches, how to knit in the round, and how to knit with multiple colors. Rather than a set pattern that everyone makes, assignments will be focusing on the techniques covered in that month's lesson, with suggested projects that highlight that skill set. The wearable pieces you end up with will be much more tailored to the things you want to make.

Materials needed:

This will depend largely on the projects you decide to make. However, there are a few items that I think would be useful to have on hand, plus a couple of essentials.

  • a cable needle, a spare DPN, or even a toothpick; basically, something to make cabling easier;
  • a row counter, or something to help you keep track of your rows and/or pattern repetitions;
  • scissors or yarn cutter;
  • yarn needle, or any large-eyed sewing needle (preferably blunt);
  • digital camera or scanner (to get images of your work onto the computer).

Schedule

September: Cable Knitting
October: Lace Knitting
November: Knitting in the Round
December: Colorwork
January: Final

Quill Requirements

To pass the class and earn a quill, you have to complete at least three (3) of the four (4) assignments plus the final. There will also be an extra credit project, allowing a person to earn a maximum of 300 points for the term.

Acknowledgements

First, this class would not exist were it not for the inspiration I got from Ronja Liek's Magical Embroidery class. My thanks go to her for thinking outside the box, allowing me to follow her; it's much roomier out of that box.

There are a lot of knitting resources online and off if you need further assistance or want to expand your options. Here are a few of our favorites, all of which have helped us in varying degrees to gain the knowledge and skills to put together this class.

  • Knitty.com is one of the best places on the internet to find high-quality, free patterns. They publish about five times a year, and they have some of the most interesting patterns out there, in addition to some fabulous articles. It's literally the first place Cosmo looks for patterns.
  • Ravelry.com is pretty much the biggest yarn-based crafts community out there. It's got things for knitters, crocheters, spinners, designers, everyone. One of its best features is its pattern search, which includes information on tons of projects, both free and paid, online and book-bound. Cosmo is still very much a novice there, but she's willing to learn and would love to swap tales with HOLers there.
  • knittinghelp.com is a wonderful site, with videos showing all sorts of techniques and tricks. Cosmo wouldn't have gotten very far with her knitting had she not found this site.
  • The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe is a great portable knitting resource. It goes through the whole knitting process and, as the title suggests, answers questions that may come up. It's been a great resource for choosing techniques for this class.
  • Cat Bordhi is a really inventive knitter, and both Tarma and Cosmo have made use of her techniques. And, if her YouTube videos are any indication, she's a great and fun teacher.

Knitting Terms

Check here for explanations of basic knitting terms that appear in the lessons.

Terminology

Further reading

Click here for recommendations of other knitting resources.

Resources

Questions?

If you've got a question about the class, the requirements, or any of the lessons, feel free to ask.

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