Donna Druchunas's Blog

Well, the blog tour will be drawing to a close today. It's been great, with reviews, interviews (of me, my editor, the designer who did the cover sweaters, and of other designers), projects in progress, a free pattern, and more. If you haven't had a chance to follow along, I hope you'll go back and visit the interesting blogs from the tour schedule.

Next weekend I am teaching at the 3rd Annual Denver Fiber Arts Fiesta. There's still room in some classes, so I hope if you live in the area, you'll check it out! I'd love to see you there.

Steeks - 9:30 AM -12:30 PM, Friday, May 1st- Steeking is a technique devised by traditional and ethnic knitters. Steeks provide ways to form openings in fabric that is worked in the round: openings for armholes, necklines, cardigan fronts, and so on. They do involve cutting your handknitted fabric! This class will quickly ease you past the obstacle of snipping your stitches and then give you practical experience in where and how to use steeks. We'll be knitting swatches in advance and cutting them in this class. Participants in this class need to be comfortable with the basics of knitting, purling, casting on, and binding off, and to know how to join for working in the round. Some experience with two-color knitting can be very helpful. For the advanced-beginner to intermediate knitter.

Materials needed: Worsted or heavy-worsted yarn, 6 to 8 ounces. Scraps are perfect: you will be making samples, and you will be cutting your work! The yarn should produce a nice-feeling stockinette (definitely not too loose, and preferably not board-like) at 4 to 5 stitches per inch. At least two colors, unless you plan to work the samples in one color. One 16-inch circular needle, size 7 or 8 U.S. Set of double-pointed needles in the same size as the circular needle. Crochet hook in a size slightly smaller than your knitting needles. Stitch markers. Sewing needle, thread, and scissors. I will provide handouts, sewing thread, and sewing machine.

Homework: Assignment will be sent via email when each student signs up for the class.

Lace Knitting 1-2-3 - 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM, Friday, May 1st - For years I tried to learn how knit lace, and was frustrated as I failed each time. I finally gave up because I wanted to have fun knitting and enjoy my hobby. I was able to knit cables, fair isle, intarsia, and even entrelac with no problems, but lace stymied me over and over again. I thought I would never be able to knit lace, until I stumbled onto a few simple techniques. If I learned how to knit lace after years of frustration and failure, I know other knitters can, too! In this workshop we will discuss the tools and yarns used to knit lace, learn how to follow lace charts, and swatch. For the advanced-beginner to intermediate knitter. Students should know how to cast on, bind off, knit, and purl, and should have completed several projects.

Materials needed: Size 5 and 3 straight needles. Approximately 50 yards of worsted weight and sport-weight yarn in any animal fiber, light colors are best. Stitch markers, large sticky notes (recommended) or row counter, basic knitting tools. Handouts will be provided.

Explore Japanese Knitting. Japanese knitting books are hot right now. Although the patterns are written entirely in Janpanese, they are not impossible for American audiences to read. Very light on text and very heavy on charts ans schematics, with a cheat sheet of translations, any adventurous knitter can enter the world of Japanese knitting. Handout will include a Japanese pattern, chart and text translation key, and several charted stitch patterns. Participants need to know basic knitting skills, and be familiar with reading English-language patterns, charts and garment schematics. For the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Japanese knitting 1 - 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM, Saturday, May 2nd - We will learn how to read Japanese patterns, focusing on the charts and schematics. Materials needed: About 50 yards of worsted or sport weight yarn and size 7 or 5 needles for swatching.

Japanese knitting 2 - 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM, Saturday, May 2nd - We will learn a few interesting Japanese stitches and techniques that can be used to add an extra level of finesse to any project. Materials needed: About 50 yards of worsted or sport weight yarn and size 7 or 5 needles for swatching. Basic knitting tools.

Cost for each class is $35. You can sign up here and pay by paypal or credit card, or email me if you want to pay by check.