Classes Amanda Schwabe

Flash Courses (2-Hour Workshops) Any of these could be expanded to fit a 3-Hour space, or extended to become the introduction to a Project class.

How To Read Your Knitting and Fix Mistakes Continental Knitting Learn the structures of stitches and how to cor- For right-hand “throwers” or English-style knit- rect the most common mistakes. Count stitches ters who’d like to learn to hold the in the and rows, identify what you’ve done and find left hand. Knit, purl, yarnover, k2tog, and ssk will your place in the pattern again. get your started.

Sew That Sweater Together! Knit Faster How to set in sleeves, sew seams invisibly, and Mental and physical adjustments to smoothe out pick up and knit button bands and collars. the motions and add speed to your projects.

How to Not Hate Finishing Getting Started with Stranded Colourwork A medley of finishing techniques: Mattress Try various methods of holding multiple , Stitch, Kitchener Stitch , flat seams, dupli- catch floats efficiently, get even tension, avoid cate stitch, picking up and knitting. tangles.

How to Make Your Knitting Nicer Stretchy Cast Ons & Bind Offs Fix tension troubles, get , neaten edges, German Twisted Cast On, Jeny’s Surprisingly eliminate ladders between needles, pick the right Stretchy Bind Off, EZ’s Sewn Bind Off. yarn and needles for your pattern. Invisible Cast On & Bind Off Technique Mash-Up! Reversible Slip-Stitch Italian Tubular techniques for beginning and Patterns ending. Learn the medley of techniques that form these reversible, linear patterns, adding methods in- Decorative Cast Ons crementally to fully understand the structure. Kihnu Troi, Braided, Twined, all excellent for co- lourwork mittens. Intro to Brioche Rib Learn the techniques and terminology of the Latvian Braids & Muhu Vits basic brioche stitches, how they work, and how Traditional decorative bands that don’t look like to read them. they’re knit -- but they are.

Intro to Knitting with Beads Create double-layer fabric with two right sides to Pre-string beads and knit them into garter stitch make thick, reversible projects. to make strikingly patterned pulse warmers.

Rates and expanded class descriptions and materials lists available upon request. aknitica.com @aknitica [email protected] Amanda Schwabe Knitting Classes

Mosaic Knitting Manage Colourwork Floats with Ladderback Learn this simple style of colourwork that cre- Jacquard ates graphic designs using garter stitch, slipped Learn this machine-knitting technique for hand stitches, and just one colour per row. knitters that adds stretch and beauty to the backs of your stranded colourwork projects. It’s Cut Your Knitting Up! especially good for socks. Learn the tradition of steeking: knitting colourwork in the round, then cutting it open on Draw Your Knitting purpose at arm holes, neck openings, and car- A drawing class for knitters! Learn the anatomy digan fronts. We spend our class time learning of your knitting in a whole new way through the various reinforcements and then cutting. intimate observation of pencil and paper.

3-Hour Workshops

Mastering Sock Heels Sock Heels for High Insteps The 3 most common heel constructions -- flap Strong Heel (top-down) / Fleegle Heel (toe-up), and gusset, , and afterthought -- and personalizing a flap-and-gusset heel, adding how to modify, substitute, and personalize them. space around afterthought or short row heels.

Project Classes These can be taught in 4- to 6-week series of 2-hour classes or some remix thereof. I’m always open to writing new patterns to teach techniques, so if you have a request, just ask!

Reversible Slip-Stitch Shawls Knit a Beautiful Lace Shawl Techniques: Slip stitches, shaping, reading stitch- Techniques: Garter Tab Cast On, reading charts, es & fixing mistakes, reading charts. aligning yarnovers & decreases, reading lace Patterns available: One, Two, Three Secrets, Fade stitches, correcting mistakes (managing yarn- & Flip overs, tinking decreases, etc.), tips for knitting lace successfully. Brioche Level 1: Brioche Cowl Pattern included: Scintillate Techniques: brioche in the round, brioche in- creases and decreases, reading brioche stitches, Two-at-a-Time Toe-Up Socks fixing mistakes, using brioche charts. Techniques: Judy’s Magic Cast On, Magic Loop, Pattern included: Wintermist lifted increases, custom fitting socks, short-row heel with slip-stitch turns (aka Thanks Ma’s), Brioche Level 2: Brioche Shawl Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off Techniques: flat brioche knit & purl, brioche in- Pattern included: Amanda’s Basic Custom Toe- creases and decreases, reading brioche stitches, Up Socks fixing mistakes, using brioche charts. Pattern included: Kairos Shawl Knit a Sweater That Fits Techniques: Understanding fit and sizing, getting

Rates and expanded class descriptions and materials lists available upon request. aknitica.com @aknitica [email protected] gauge, making modifications (including bust Isle methods. darts when applicable). Pattern: Flocke hat Pattern: none. Students bring any sweater pat- tern they’ve purchased, and I help them assess Super Adorable Baby Knitting: Wool Soakers and modify it. and Longies Techniques: provisional cast on, increas- How to Knit Gloves Without Losing Your Mind ing and decreasing, practically-invisible short Techniques and pattern features: Fitting, aligning rows, a perfect way to sew in ends, Kitchener increases, offset thumb gusset, separating stitch- stitch, I-cords, picking up and knitting. es for fingers, picking up and knitting stitches Patterns for wool soakers and longies included. (my no-hole method), Magic Loop or dpns, sewing in ends. First Hat Pattern: Amanda’s Basic Gloves Learn to knit in the round and follow a basic pattern. Learn to Cable and Knit Mittens Pattern included: First Hat Techniques: Knitting in the round, reading charts, increasing thumb gussets, cables, cabling with- Design a Hat out a cable needle. Get started with the basics of designing using Pattern included: XOX OXO Mittens the hat as our canvas. Learn different hat con- structions, how to plan and place stitch patterns, Cozy Bed Socks how to work decreases in pattern. Techniques: Top-down sock with heel flap & gusset, cables, reading charts. Beginner’s included: Fireglow. Techniques: Knitted Cast On, knit, purl, recog- nizing and counting stitches, reading a simple First Fair Isle pattern, even tension and edges, fixing common Techniques: Continental knitting, holding two beginner mistakes, sewing knitting, . colours in various ways, stranded colourwork, Project: Small squares featuring common stitch catching floats, yarn and colour management, patterns for incremental learning that can be choosing a colour palette using traditional Fair joined to form a pillow.

Festive / Holiday Project Classes

Heirloom Christmas Stockings Techniques: Stranded colourwork / Fair Isle knit- Tiny Santa Mittens ting, catching floats, even tension, afterthought Techniques: Muhu Cast On, Muhu vits, stranded heel, graphing colourwork patterns to add colourwork, afterthought thumb. names. Pattern included: Tiny Santa Mittens Pattern included: Heirloom Christmas Stockings

Rates and expanded class descriptions and materials lists available upon request. aknitica.com @aknitica [email protected] Amanda Schwabe Knitting Classes

Services These services and special skills often become a part of every class I teach. For example, my experi- ence designing patterns helps me to explain things from a different perspective.

Problem Solving Ask any knitting question and get solutions and Knitting Coach advice. Bring your own project and spend some relaxing knitting time with other knitters, knowing that Examples: whatever you’re working on, I’ll be there to an- Dig out that old, forgotten project that went swer any questions, help with any problems, and off the rails years ago, and I’ll help you find advise on new techniques. your place and get restarted. Finishing Bring me your unfixable disaster, and we’ll go Yes, I’ll sew your sweater together. over it together to see what can be salvaged. It’s probably not as bad as you think it is. Custom Design Mistake Fixing We meet, take your measurements, discuss your If something has gone wrong somewhere, I can needs, and design a custom-fit pattern that you find it and fix it. can knit.

Examples: Custom Knitting Giant section of lace that went completely Or I can knit it for you. wrong 20 rows ago; Pattern Design Miscrossed cables 6” below your needles; I design and write knitting patterns for yarn companies, indie dyers, and independent pub- Brioche patterning that’s gotten out of sync lishing. somewhere; Graded, standard sizing from XS to 5X (source: Craft Yarn Council of America). Dropped stitches, knits where there should be purls, mysterious holes;

Technique Expertise & Experience

• Sweater constructions & fit, finishing tuguese knitting, Norwegian purl, levered • Socks, in all directions, with every heel and knitting, Eastern knitting toe imaginable. How to adjust fit and cus- • Tension and gauge problem solving tomize. • The underlying structure of knitting, and how • Continental knitting, English knitting, Por- to read it and fix problems

Rates and expanded class descriptions and materials lists available upon request. aknitica.com @aknitica [email protected] • Advanced techniques like brioche, , I-Cord variations, Kihnu Troi, Estonian, Tubu- knitting back, ladderback jacquard, double lar, etc. knitting, reversible slipped stitches, travelling • Choosing Bind Offs: Standard, Jeny’s Sur- stitches prisingly Stretchy, Lace, EZ’s Sewn, Kitchener, • Colourwork stranding and carrying tech- 3-needle, Invisible, Tubular, I-Cord, applied niques from all over the world lace edging, Picot variations, etc. • , design, and troubleshooting • Shawl constructions and shaping • Short-row shaping and turning methods: • Healthy body habits for life-long, comfort- German, yoyo, twin stitches, Thanks Ma / able knitting slipped stitches, wrap & turn, Japanese • Faster knitting -- I can knit a pair of socks in • Fibre properties and choosing yarns 14 hours, and I finished in the top 5 of my • All needle management techniques: dpns, team (the fast team) in Sock Madness the last circular, 2 circulars, Magic Loop 2 years. (Sock Madness is an annual interna- • converting written instructions to charts tional sock knitting race on ) • Mittens and gloves • Custom fitting weird things and yarn bomb- • Decorative stitches like Latvian braids ing: I yarn bombed a horse statue as a com- • Choosing Cast Ons: German Twisted, Knitted, missioned art piece for the Canadian War Cable, Long Tail, Long Tail in pattern, Invisible, Museum in Ottawa in 2015. Backwards Loop, 2-colour Long Tail, Muhu,

Teaching Techniques

• Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic instruction for all learning styles • Help and understanding for ADHD and other learning differences • Patience, optimism, encouragement. These classes should be fun! • Mnemonic devices • Illustrations and photos • YouTube videos • I’m always learning more techniques and constructions, working on other designers’ patterns to stay current on trends and tech- niques. If I don’t know the answer to a ques- tion, I’ll admit it freely and then go research. • Multidisciplinary teaching and learning style: I read a lot about neuroscience, how peo- ple learn and grow, mental health, art, and teaching.

Rates and expanded class descriptions and materials lists available upon request. aknitica.com @aknitica [email protected]