Building Blocks: Improve Your Knitting Skills One Square at a Time!
Whether you have just mastered knitting and purling, have been knitting for years, or are returning to the craft after years off, Building Blocks is the perfect project to take the plunge to the next level of your craft!
Each block provides an adventure into new and exciting techniques to help the novice knitter (or refresher/experienced knitter) add skills to their repertoire! New for this class, we will also be offering a session early on, demonstrating how to fix the most common mistakes that stop projects in their tracks!
Building Blocks will focus on the skills and knowledge to help you become a well-rounded, complete knitter with the confidence to start and finish future projects with gusto!
The first class will be scheduled one month ahead of the second class. This meeting will focus on talking about yarn choices and giving students the opportunity to select their yarn with time for the shop to place orders.
Two versions of this blanket will be offered; a worsted weight (which will be smaller, approximately 30”x40”) and a chunky weight (should be the size outlined in the book, approximately 36”x48”).
Please note*: This class will be taught on an accelerated schedule. In most cases, there will only be one week between class sessions. There is homework between each class, plus the necessity to finish blocks before the final class for assembly. There will be an extra week between the 14th session (the final block) and the 15th session (the assembly session). The workload is manageable, but will require weekly dedication to the homework to complete the blanket.
The first class may run longer than the scheduled time to ensure everyone has time to select their yarn. It will also include a brief overview and explanation of gauge.
Because this class covers such a long stretch of time, make up classes will be available for anyone who cannot make it to a class.
Instructor: Kenny Lawrence
Number of meetings per class and length of each meeting in hours:
15 – 1.5 hours each
Supplies:
Worsted Weight Version:
1 color – 10 – 100 g skeins recommended
2 color – 10 – 100 g skeins recommended (5 skeins in each color)
Multi color – 12 – 100 g skeins recommended (evenly distributed across each of the colors)
*Any excess skeins of yarn unused and in the original condition it was purchased in may be exchanged or returned for a store credit.
US 8 (5 mm), 24” or 32” long circular needle (or size needed to achieve a gauge of approximately 5 sts/inch)
Chunky Weight Version:
1 color – 10 – 100 g skeins recommended
2 color – 10 – 100 g skeins recommended (5 skeins in each color)
Multi color – 12 – 100 g skeins recommended (evenly distributed across each of the colors)
*Any excess skeins of yarn unused and in the original condition it was purchased in may be exchanged or returned for a store credit.
US 10 (6 mm), 24” or 32” long circular needle (or size needed to achieve a gauge of approximately 4 sts/inch)
All versions must also have:
Building Blocks book
Cable Needle
Stitch Markers
Yarn Tapestry Needles
Waste Yarn
A Small Crochet Hook or Fixing Tool (Susan Bates Handi-Tool, Fix-a-Stitch, Fix-It Key Ring, or similar)
All versions may also use, but are not required to have:
Note taking supplies (pen/pencil and paper)
Highlighter Tape
Row Counter
All supplies are available for purchase at Needles in the Haymarket. We ask that anybody who is signed up for this class please purchase their yarn at Needles in the Haymarket. We will be offering a 15% discount on the yarn purchase for Building Blocks. Students must purchase their yarn in store to receive the discount.
Skills Required: Confidently be able to knit and purl. Be comfortable with casting on and binding off.
Skills Learned: (IT’S A LOT!!!!)
Long-tail cast-on, reading patterns (of increasing levels of complication as the class progresses), reading knitting charts, using stitch markers, reading your knitting, basic mistake repairs, using lifelines, how to interpret gauge and select appropriate yarn and needles for a project, cable knitting, increasing/decreasing, joining new yarn, and binding off in pattern.
At the end of this class, students will have the base to tackle future projects and be ready for more advanced classes as they continue their knitting journey!
Homework: Think about whether you would like to make a larger, heavier blanket or smaller, lighter-weight blanket. Also, decide whether you would like to work with a machine wash safe or hand-wash only fiber.
Class Size: 10 students maximum, 5 students minimum. If the 5-student minimum is not met, Needles in the Haymarket can either refund the class or move the student to a class scheduled at a later date.