Enough with the selfless gift knitting already!!! Spend the winter making some things for yourself!!! Join us for Felting Frenzy (in January), Accessories Galore (February) and Old Favorites (March). As always, the programs run from 2-4 PM on Sundays and are free of charge. Please note: Sign ups are availabe ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE PROGRAM to give everyone a fair shake (we only have room for 12 at each program). If you sign up and can't make it, please call us and let us know as we usually have a wait list for each program.
Missing the larger projects? We have moved those to SATURDAY KNITALONGS. Check out that schedule as well. We begin each project the first Saturday of the Month and work on the project from 2-4 each successive Saturday.
Please note: The SUNDAYS IN THE SALON and SATURDAY KALS are NOT substitutes for Beginning Knitting Instruction. All sessions require you to possess basic knitting skills: Casting On, Knitting, Purling, and Binding off. If more advanced skills are required, they are listed. Signups for the Sunday programs begin one week prior to the scheduled date; you may sign up for the Saturday KALS a month ahead of time. And these programs are held for the enjoyment of our customers who work with yarn purchased at WoolWinders.
January 4: VOODOO HANDWARMERS: One skein of KOIGU KERSTI makes these adorable and uber-quick handwarmers. They are perfect for computer work in cold offices or driving on chilly days. We'll teach you to knit in the round on dpns!
January 11: CABLED HEADBAND: Don't like hats for early morning walks? Check out this gorgeous warm headband made with cables. Don't know how to cable? We'll teach you!
January 18: CROSSOVER SCARF: Looks complicated/deceptively easy to knit. Who could ask for more in a lovely winter scarf?
January 25: COWL: Cowls are all the rage this year. Come find out why! They are flattering on everyone, and provide a lovely barrier to the cold.
February 8: BONNETS FOR BABIES: Join us for a special Sunday in the Salon when we knit bonnets for babies in Zimbabwe. Remember the booties? We have wonderful pictures from our friend Penny, who is returning this spring to the hospital. Because this is such a special program we will set up an additional table to accommodate everyone who wants to participate.
February 15: CADENZA CROSSOVER SWEATER: OK, an exception to the "no more gifts" rule. But this baby sweater is about a four hour project and will cause true swooning at the shower!
February 22: CABLE LACE SCARF: We're taking the reversible cable scarf one step further by adding an easy lace repeat. The result? Completely reversible and gorgeous.
March 1: SQUARE FELTED BAG: Use the gorgeous WOOLY STRIPES yarn to create this felted bag. You'll learn modular knitting as a bonus!
March 8: SHOPPING BAG: Everyone wants to go green. We'll show you how with a fabulous mesh shopping bag knit from cotton.
March 15: STORE CLOSED FOR A SPECIAL PROGRAM:
Our Saturday KALS have taken on a life of their own! Join the group for wine, snacks, and knitting your project each Saturday of the month. You don’t need to attend every session,but we do recommend that you attend the first week to get some basic instruction and guidance.
JANUARY: FELTED CLOGS. The ultimate in cozy slippers, these clogs can be made for children or adults, and abound with learning opportunities including knitting in the round, picking up stitches, and short rows. We can almost guarantee that you can finish a pair within the month!
FEBRUARY: PEACE OF MY MIND SHAWL. This beauty is from WRAPPED IN COMFORT, a fabulous book of circular shawls. Five skeins of KOIGU will do it, along with 32” size 9 needles. An intriguing way to make a “top down” shawl that requires no pin or clasp! You will need to have a copy of the book—it is readily available at local libraries, through the internet, or at bookstores.
MARCH: DESIGN A SHELL. Spring is on the way, and our yarns will be in! So we will help you design a sleeveless or short sleeve shell that will truly fit you! We’ll take your measurements and figure out a pattern stitch (you can even put a cable or two in it!); you can pick any yarn that you like with the appropriate needles. C’mon. Channel the inner designer in yourself!
How about this for a New Year’s Resolution: Learn Something New. Way better than “lose weight”, “exercise more”, or “give up wine!”. And WoolWinders: A Knitting Salon is here to help.
Our classes are a major part of both our business and our passion. We keep them very small so that you receive personalized instruction. We continually rearrange, add, and tweak them in large part due to customer suggestions. Our guided knitting groups, THE SAFARIS, have become so popular that some have become “perpetual” and students stay together for an entire season (or two!). So we add more. We are fortunate to have amazingly talented teachers who take great joy in sharing their talents with our customers. Thus, KATHY CEA will lead a class in a wonderful technique known as ENTRELAC. Try it—it will take your knitting in a new direction! And if you are tired of staring at your UFOs around the house, take advantage of TWO sections of FINISHING techniques. Finally, if you are an experienced knitter but feel you keep knitting the same old, same old, learn how to knit SOCKS. Your knitting bag will NEVER be bereft of a portable project again!
We are often asked how to progress through our classes. We recommend that you start with ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS, work on a couple of easy scarves or swatches, and then learn more complex skills in ADVANCED BEGINNERS. Once you have learned about gauge and pattern reading, check out the SAFARI, during which you will work on a complex project that benefits from instructor and group input. Want to learn the absolute most you can in a short period of time? Take any one of our SOCK classes after ADVANCED BEGINNERS. Even if you never knit another pair, this class will teach you advanced knitting skills that you will use to progress on any project! Aside from that, check out our specialty classes.
Please be aware that classes are held for everyone’s enjoyment. Toward that end, we respectfully ask that you observe “SALON ETIQUETTE” and follow the simple steps that keep the environment pleasant:
Turn cell phones to vibrate or off. If you need to make/take a call, please go outside.
Please leave young children at home. We simply can’t be responsible for them during class.
Keep conversation lighthearted and at low volume. This allows the teacher to teach, and the class to learn.
Please do not copy patterns from our books. It is illegal, and denies creative designers their well-deserved royalties.
Please work with materials purchased from WoolWinders. We offer a 10% discount on purchases for/during class.
When you register for class, we ask you to provide your email address and credit card information so that we can reach you in case of any change in schedule, and we can charge you for any purchases made during class. PLEASE help us to help you by doing a few simple things: first, make your purchases prior to the first class, and second, please WIND YOUR YARN if necessary before the class begins. We hold our classes for the benefit of our customers and thus ask that yarn be purchased from the shop. We offer a 10% discount on all class materials (and anything you buy during the class session!) as well as on multiple classes. Be sure to take advantage of that offer!
If you need to cancel a class, you will receive store credit if you do so within seven days before the first class session. After that time period, no refunds are possible. And while we would like to offer make-ups for missed classes, staff time simply doesn’t permit that. Winter can sometimes be a time of bad weather, so please call the store or check your email if there is any question about a class being held. If the class is cancelled we will, of course, refund your money or reschedule the class.
In addition to our classes, we continue to offer private lessons at $35/hour, again asking you to use materials from the shop. Please see Jacqui to make such arrangements. To register for any of the classes, please call the store at 240.632.9276. Thanks.
Winter 2008 Class Schedule
Technique Classes
Date/Time
Status
Fee
ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS
Sun. Dec. 21/28 : 10-12 NOON
open
$65
Sat. Jan 10/17 : 9-11 AM
open
$65
Mon, Jan. 5/12 : 6-8 PM
open
$65
Sun. Feb. 15/22 : 10AM-12 NOON
open
$65
Mon. Mar. 9/23 : 6-8 PM
open
$65
ADVANCED BEGINNERS
Mon. Dec. 8/15/22 : 6-8 PM
open
$80
Mon. Feb. 2/9/23 : 6-8 PM
closed
$80
KNITTING SAFARI (AM)
Tues. Dec. 2-23 : 9-11 AM
open
$95
Thurs. Dec. 4-18 : 9:30-11:30 AM
open
$72
Tues. Jan. 6-27 : 9-11 AM
closed
$95
Tues. Feb. 3-24 : 9-11 AM
open
$95
Tues. Mar. 3-24 : 9-11 AM
open
$95
Thur. Jan. 8-29 : 9:30-11:30 AM
open
$95
Thur. Feb. 5-26 : 9:30-11:30 AM
open
$95
Thur. Mar. 5-26 : 9:30-11:30 AM
open
$95
KNITTING SAFARI (PM)
Wed. Jan. 7-28 : 6-8 PM
closed
$95
Wed. Feb. 4-25 : 6-8 PM
open
$95
Wed. Mar. 4-25 : 6-8 PM
open
$95
SOCKS
Sun. Feb. 1/8: 10 AM - NOON
closed
$65
SOCKS ON CIRCULARS
Sat. Feb. 21/28 : 9-11 AM
open
$65
BEGINNING CROCHET
Sat. Dec. 6/13 : 9-11 AM
open
$65
Sat. Feb. 7/14 : 9-11 AM
open
$65
ADVANCED CROCHET
Sat. Mar. 7/14 : 9-11 AM
open
$65
ENTRELAC
Sun. Jan. 25 : 10 AM - NOON
open
$35
FINISHING TECHNIQUES
Sun. Dec. 7/14 : 10 AM - NOON
open
$65
Sat. Jan 24/31 : 9-11 AM
open
$65
Sun. Mar. 22/29 : 10 AM - NOON
open
$65
WoolWinders Class Descriptions
Technique Classes
Absolute Beginners: No previous experience or knowledge of knitting required. In two two - hour sessions we will learn the cast-on, knit and purl stitch, bind off, decrease and increase. Students will complete a baby hat by the end of the second class.
Materials: 150 yards of worsted weight yarn, size 8 needles.
Advanced Beginner: to the next step by learning how to increase, decrease, understand gauge,read a pattern, and do basic finishing. Three sessions in which students will make a teddy bear sweater.
Materials: 150 yards of heavy worsted yarn. Needles will be purchased after gauge is determined. Please bring sizes 7-9 if you have them.
Knitting Safari: Get out your pith helmet and blowgun! We will progress to the next step by selecting a project of your choice that is beyond your current capabilities. Work with a teacher and group for four weeks (8 hours) to learn pattern reading, stitch definition, color work, or anything else you want!
Materials: Project of your own choosing.
Introduction to Knitting Socks: Ever wondered why sock knitting is so popular? Socks are fun, useful, and very portable projects! In this class you will learn the basics of knitting socks, including working on double-pointed needles, turning a heel, and weaving stitches at the toe using the Kitchener stitch. You will complete a mini-sock in the class. Students must know how to caston, knit, purl, decrease stitches, and pick up stitches.
Materials: Please bring one ball of smooth worsted weight yarn, a tapestry needle, and a set of 4 double-pointed needles in sizes US 5, 6, or 7. A crochet hook would also be helpful but not necessary.
Socks on Circular Needles: Intrigued by socks but muddled by doublepointed needles? Learn to make socks using two circular needles. Never drop another dp needle on the metro again!
Materials: one skein of light colored worsted weight yarn, circular needles size 6 (may be 16 or 24” length)
Beginning Crochet: You knit, but can you crochet? Crochet is HOT this year! Don’t miss out on this fabulous craft. No previous crochet experience required.
Materials: One skein of dk weight cotton; size F or G hook.
Advanced Crochet/Toys: Go beyond the basic skills and crochet adorable toys that delight all ages!
Materials: Worsted weight cotton and G/H hook.
Introduction to Entrelac Knitting: Entrelac is a technique for knitting interlaced rectangles that appear to be interwoven, giving a basketweave effect. The technique makes use of short rows and picking up stitches, and looks more difficult than it really is. In this two-hour class you will learn the basic technique by knitting a swatch, and will discuss other uses for the technique. Students must know how to knit, purl, decrease, and pick up stitches.
Materials: Please bring worsted weight yarn in two different colors and needles of an appropriate size for the yarn. A crochet hook for picking up stitches may be helpful, but not necessary.
Finishing Techniques: Finishing is often what makes or breaks your handknitted sweaters. In this class you will learn a variety of finishing techniques, including: seaming, shortrows, 3-needle bindoffs, picking up stitches, measuring for buttonbands and button placement, and making buttonholes. We will also discuss the importance of blocking.
Materials: Please bring to class a ball of smooth, light-colored, worsted weight yarn, appropriate needles, and two swatches knitted in stockinette stitch, approximately 4” x 4” each.
In addition to classes, we offer private lessons for $35/hour. Lessons are available during daytime, evening, and weekend hours.
Classes are limited to five participants and fill quickly. Payment is due upon registration. Cancellation policy: up until one week before class, full payment is returned via store credit. After that, no refunds are given.
In case of inclement weather, please call before coming to the store; we will leave a voice mail message.
* Most classes have a small material charge. Please call before class to get materials; you receive a 10% discount on all project purchases.
WINTER 2008 CLASS SCHEDULE