Tanis Gray Stranded Colorwork Saturday, January 18th 9:30am- 12:30pm

Freaked over Fair Isle? Curious about stranded colorwork techniques? Intimidated by multiple strands of yarn in multiple colors? Not sure how gauge works or how to trap those floats? This is the workshop for you!

Tanis Gray will cover basic Fair Isle knitting techniques for English, Continental and Combination knitters, tackle common issues, proper technique, color theory, how to trap floats, how to read charts, Fair Isle history, and setting good Fair Isle knitting habits. We’ll put these techniques into practice while working up a workshop-debuting pattern, the Portent Cowl.

Experience Level: Advanced Beginner – no previous colorwork experience necessary
Skills required: Ability to knit and purl in the round
Skills Covered: Stranded colorwork knitting techniques in English, Continental, and Combination methods, how to read stranded colorwork charts, multiple ways to trap floats, color dominance and its importance, blocking and finishing techniques, basic
color theory, how to tell the difference between the types of colorwork.

Homework will be emailed separately.

Supplies Needed:

• 2 Highly contrasting shades of DK weight yarn, 140 yds of CC1, 175 yds of CC2 needed
• Size US 4 (3.5 mm) 16”” circular knitting needles
• Size US 6 (4 mm) 16”” circular knitting needles
• Stitch Markers
• Sticky Notes
• Tapestry Needle
• A copy of pattern will be supplied in class

Tanis Gray Design Your Own Cowl – Saturday, January 18 1:30pm-4:30pm

Ready to move beyond basic stranded colorwork? Interesting in trying your hand at designing? Let your imagination and creativity take over in this Design Your Own Fair Isle Cowl workshop!

Working with simple graph paper, Tanis Gray will help you start your very own design from scratch, beginning with inspiration, sketching, moving onwards to design, figuring out how to manipulate the math, and finally start knitting your own work of art! Worried that you’re not an artist? All you need is an idea, a love of knitting, and the desire to try something new.

Experience Level: Advanced Intermediate
Skills required: Previous colorwork necessary
Skills Covered: Basic design concepts, color theory, basic knitting math

Homework will be emailed separately

Supplies Needed:

• 200 yards each worsted weight yarn in contrasting colors (or desired yarn weight –thinner yarn requires more yardage – no fuzzy or novelty fibers, please)

• Size US 6 (4 mm) 24” Circular Knitting Needles (or two sizes smaller than the desired gauge)

• Size US 8 (5 mm) 24” Circular Knitting Needles (or size needed to get the desired gauge)

• Stitch Markers

• Tapestry Needle

• Sticky Notes

• Graph Paper

• Colored Pencils

• Pencil

• Eraser

• Highlighter

• Calculator (most phones have one)

  Tanis Gray Counter Panes – Sunday, January 19th 9:30am- 12:30pm

• Winter is coming! A knitted counterpane inspired by Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones, this blanket is knit piecemeal square by square to invoke an old-world design with a modern twist. Tanis Gray will help you work from a written pattern to create textured squares on the bias with only knits and purls, cover slip-stitch crochet seaming, counterpane history, how to create a picked-up and knit border, and proper blocking techniques. This is a perfect travel project designed for knitters on the go!

  Experience Level: Beginner
  Skills required: Ability to knit and purl
  Skills Covered: Knitting on the bias, counterpane construction, assembling counterpanes, finishing and blocking techniques

  Homework: None

  Supplies Needed:
  • 1680 yds DK yarn
  • Size US 7 (4.5mm) 16” circular knitting needles
  • Size US 6 (4mm) 60” circular knitting needles
  • Size G crochet hook
  • Tapestry needle
  • Sticky post-it notes
  • A copy of pattern will be supplied in class

  Tanis Gray Steeking – Sunday, January 19th 1:30pm- 4:30pm

• Interested in steeking but the thought of taking scissors to your knitting sends shivers down your spine?

  Tanis Gray will teach you how to secure and cut your knitting 4 different ways with ease on swatches before you tackle that sweater pattern you’ve had your eye on! You’ll learn the single crochet method (no crochet experience necessary), the backstitch method, the needle felting method, and the sewing machine method.

  Prerequisite: Must have previous colorwork experience or have taken Fair Isle 101 with Tanis beforehand.
  Experience Level: Intermediate
  Skills Covered: steeking 4 different methods, button bands, securing fringes, adding steeks to any pullover

  Homework will be emailed separatley

  Supplies Needed:
  • 4 completed swatches in 100% wool (see homework. Only make 3 if you plan on watching the sewing machine technique only)
  • Tapestry needle
  • 20 yards fingering weight wool (100% wool – no superwash)
  • Sharp scissors
  • Size F Crochet Hook
  • US 5 & 7 needles (use the ones you used for the homework)
  • 10-15 Removable stitch markers