There are no classes offered currently.  

Please consider a private lessons or contact me if you have a group of friends who would like to have a specific class offered (maximum four people ).

-----------------------------------------------------------

Classes May 2017 

May is for Makeovers and New Beginnings

SWEATER CLINIC

No matter if you call it a sweater, jumper or pullover, sometimes it is time to change the style or fit. 

I recently changed the neckline on a favorite sweater.  It seems that ever so often I look at my sweaters and decide to change something (the neckline, the length, the overall fit).

Do YOU have a sweater or any garment which needs a make-over and some tender loving care?  Let me help you figure out if it can be salvaged and how.

Special offer:  1 1/2 hour one-on-one help $40 by appointment only. 

Sweater Clinic:  

2 hour class with up to three participants $25. 

Please note that I will hold this class only if I have two or more sign-ups.  

Two Dates to choose from:

Thursday, May 11th from 1pm-3pm at The Knitting Garage at Stickles in Rhinebeck.

Thursday, May 25th from 1pm-3pm at The Knitting Garage at Stickles in Rhinebeck.

...to this.

From this...

From this...

...to this.

To sign up 

• email me at formbyd8@gmail.com   
• or call at (845) 430-7619 and leave a message.                    

Spring is for Make-overs (#132)

My latest knitterly Makeover of a Summer Sweater

No matter if you call it a sweater, jumper or pullover, sometimes it is time to change the style or fit. 

Read to the end of this post for my offer to help you with your sweater.

This Spring I tackled my Lalo Simple Sweater which I had knitted five years ago in a beautiful linen yarn.  I like the sweater EXCEPT for the neckline.  I always thought it was a tad too big and even added strings to tie the neckband tighter....

Original neckline 2012

With ties

 I finally re-visited the issue.  Luckily this sweater was knit up in pieces, so I was able to undo the shoulder seams and the seams between the arms and front. Then I unraveled the front down to where the left front and right front split.

Original neckline

Unraveled

 That done, I simply re-knit the front in a classic crew neck style, re-seaming the shoulders and then picking up stitches around the neck.  For the neckband I did a few rows of ribbing and then garter stitch to mimic the ribbing on the sleeve cuffs and the hem.  Finally I worked the bind-off on a purl row. Last I re-seamed not only the shoulder caps but also the sleeves and body to give it a more even, pulled together look.

The new look

For now you can see the join of the old and new knitting, but that is only due to the fact that although I used leftover yarn from the same skein, that yarn had never before been knitted or washed, whereas the sweater has gone through numerous washes.  I am quite sure that once the sweater is washed at least once the difference will no longer be noticeable.
I think I like it!

.

.

.

Here are some other tops and sweaters I had given a make over in the past:

Too wide and too short

...redone from the armholes down

Armholes are way too big

...I added some ribbing around the armholes

And last, but not least:

VERY wide neck

...I re-knitted the neckband on smaller needles.

TOO short

...I added 2 1/2 inches of ribbing to the hem.

Do YOU have a sweater or any garment which needs a make-over and some tender loving care?  Let me help you to figure out what to do.

Special offer:  1 1/2 hour one-on-one help $40 by appointment only. 

 

Sweater Clinic:  

2 hour class with up to three participants $25.  I will hold this class only if I have two or more sign-ups.  

Two Dates to choose from:

Thursday, May 11th from 1pm-3pm at The Knitting Garage at Stickles in Rhinebeck.

Thursday, May 25th from 1pm-3pm at The Knitting Garage at Stickles in Rhinebeck.

 

WooHoo, I am ready for Summer (#131)

 

My Caesura Tuck by Asa Tricosa/  MY FIRST ZIGGURAT

When I choose this pattern, I was ready to try something different AND I wanted to make some headway using up stash yarn.
By doubling two lace weight yarns, I got just the right weight and a whole new look.
I had purchased the Artesano Alpaca Silk Lace in Ice Blue two years ago at the Good Wool Shop in Formby, UK (my husband's home town).  Originally I was going to knit up an airy, lacy layering piece (Athena by Rita Taylor), but after buying the Juniper Moon Farm Findley in Green (color 29) during a close-out sale at Living Eden in Red Hook, NY, I liked the look of the two yarns together. 

The pattern for Athena

What attracted me to the Caesurea Tuck was mainly the tuck in the back and the designer; I have one of her shawl designs in my queue since a while ("Semele").  Here is a link to the pattern:  Caesura Tuck.  
I named my project "Winter's Dreams" (click on the link to read my notes on ravelry).

Semele

I didn't know what I was getting myself into.  The beginning took me on quite a ride:
You start with a provisional cast-on (a new version of this for me)  at the front right, then work your way up with decreases around the neckline to the shoulder at which point you add stitches to get to the left shoulder (I like her method of adding stitches as it eliminates gaps).  That done you work your way down from here across all stitches to underarm level (at the same time you are working the tuck here).  Then you pick up stitches at the left front and work yourself down mirroring the neck line on the right, but this time by increases.  When left and right fronts are the same length, you join them and work down to the same level as the back to the underarm.  Once you join the front and back and start knitting in the round it is a "piece of cake".  The pocket is an "afterthought" pocket, picking up stitches later, knitting in the round and 3-needle bind off; much like an afterthought heel on a sock.

joining in the round

adding the pocket

Here are some pictures before blocking :

.

When I blocked the top I decided to block the tuck as a fold for the entire length.

on the blocking mats

I had been thinking to add short rows across the shoulders, but for now I decided to wear it "as is", I can always add later.

A winding way, a zig-zaggy sweep with a great result :)!!

Click here for my project notes on ravelry :  Winter's Dreams

I am thinking to try Asa Tricosa's Ziggurat method again some time; perhaps next time a sweater.  
She has a lot of patterns out.  
You can look them up on ravelry or on her website www.asatricosa.com

For Asa's ravelry site click on this link