I have been knitting fast and furiously to finish the samples for the upcoming knitting classes I’ll be teaching at The Spinning Room yarn shop. In person. For the first time in a year and a half. And they are done!

Very exciting (and a little nerve wracking) to be getting back to “normal” life! While I’m still being cautious, I’m optimistic. I’ll be teaching classes with a mask on and with class participants spread out to begin with. As the COVID numbers improve, I’ll be conducting classes how I used to!

Local folks who would like to sign up for these classes, please contact The Spinning Room yarn shop at 518-861-0038 or info@spinningroom.net.

Class #1 Taffy Cowl: Saturday, July 10, 9:30-11:30am

This was a fun and (mostly) easy knit! This cowl starts with a provisional cast on – some may think that is a tiny bit hard if they have never done it before. But that’s what a class is for, am I right?? The cowl then moves into some easy stockinette stitch.

The next tiny bit hard part is the cable section which is created over (only) 9 rows of this pattern. Cables, in general, are easier than you would think. However these cables a created over TWELVE stitches which is quite a lot for a cable. And on a few of the rows you create two or three of those cables right next to each other, causing the stitches to be a little (or a lot) tight. But that is what a class is for, right?? And look what those nine rows turns into!!!!….

Once that is done, some more stockinette stitch to help showcase the offset gathered/cabled section and then miles and miles and miles of garter stitch until you are done! That part – which is most of the cowl – is nice and easy and perfect travel/vacation knitting.

Also, a tip for you: Did you even wonder how to block a cowl, or other item knit in the round, without having seams on the sides (because you have laid it flat to dry, as the instructions tell you)? Here is the solution:

Roll up some dishtowels and stick them inside the item so the edges stay curved!

I think this is the perfect mix of easy knitting with a tiny challenging section.

The very top picture is the one that most accurately reflects the color of this yarn, which is Hikoo Sueno.

Get the pattern here: Taffy Cowl

Class #2 Strawberry Rhubarb Slippers: Saturday, July 17, 9:30-11:30am

Next up are the Strawberry Rhubarb slippers. Another quick knit since these are ballet-style slippers with no cuff!

These are also a fairly easy knit with some challenging bits mixed in. They start with an easy edging for the top of the slipper, then moves into some short rows and an easy lace section.

Some may feel intimidated by the short rows but, again, that’s what class is for! Also, doing short rows with a garter stitch pattern is very easy because if you don’t know how to pick up the wraps (or in my case, forget and just knit right on by them!), you can’t even tell.

That poofed out section on the right of the picture are where the short rows were knit.

Next is an easy lace pattern to set you up for doing the bobble section which is what decorates the instep of the slipper. Then comes the exciting, new-to-me-and-maybe-new-to-you technique: the strawberry bobble. What a fun and pretty and squooshy stitch this is!

A crochet hook will help you out here and the pattern comes with a picture tutorial. Some find it hard to follow a picture tutorial, but guess what? That is what a class is for!

The end of the slipper (the sole) is very easy after getting through the concentration of the bobbles (which is MUCH easier by the second row of them) and a three-needle bind off is done in a flash. Voila! A finished slipper in no time.

Then you have to make the second one…. Don’t fall into the Second Slipper Syndrome (where you don’t want to make the second one because you are going to knit the same exact thing you just knit and that is BORING) – knit that second sucker immediately!

I knit these with (I think) Periwinkle Sheep Watercolors sock yarn, but to be honest I lost the label. Felt like the PS yarn though, which I have a lot of!

Get the pattern here: Strawberry Rhubarb slippers

I hope you try one of these projects – whether in class with me or on your own! If you do, let me know in the comments!