Kate Oates Weekend

We're hosting Kate Oates, a fantastic designer & teacher from South Carolina! You can check out her patterns here. Each workshop is limited to 15 students and will be held at the shop. Read our class descriptions below! 

*yarn for the workshops receives a 10% discount

Friday evening we're planning a special event/knit night with Kate; details will be forthcoming. Please call 406-534-4032 if you have any questions or would like hotel recommendations etc if you're interested in enjoying a full weekend in Billings.

TAILORING 101  Friday, Sept 22 - 9am - 1pm 

SOLD OUT - CALL FOR WAITING LIST

$95

Learn how to customize sweater designs for a better fit. This course walks knitters through schematics and a little necessary math to make adjustments in patterns for a flattering and tailor-made project. Included are several math worksheets for adjusting stitches or rows in a particular section of a sweater. We conclude by going through some finishing tips to maximize profit in your knitvestment! Kate has created a fabulously detailed workbook for this course which will keep your fingers free for knitting and give you something to take home with everything you have learned.
Required Skills:
-cast on
-knitting in the round
-basic increasing & decreasing
-an open mind about some easy math and a little bit of patience with yourself
Required Materials:
-Tailoring Workbook (supplied by Kate, cost is $10 & included in fee)
-yarn and appropriately sized circular or double pointed needles at worsted gauge or heavier, this yarn should either be scrap yarn or yarn for a project you are ready to get started on and want to determine proper gauge for. You will not be able to reuse this yarn after we swatch with it so plan appropriately and make sure you have enough extra yardage.
-basic calculator (or your smart phone), pencil, scrap paper
-knitters tools like scissors, darning needle, measuring tape

SEAMLESS ZIPPER INSTALLATION  

 Friday, Sept 22, 2 - 4pm

SOLD OUT - CALL FOR WAITING LIST

$60

Conquer your zipper fears! You don't need a sewing machine or even a needle & thread to install a zipper in your handknits. This technique turns your zipper into a knittable object for a stunning and impeccable finish. For this course, bring either a finished handknit or a swatch to practice the technique.

Required Skills:
-picking up stitches
-knitting and purling
-this course is perfectly suitable for beginning knitters
Required Materials:
-Knitpicker Tool (included in fee)
-Zipper for your project (or for practice)
-scraps of yarn used in your project; if your project is bulky or heavier, bring a coordinating yarn in worsted weight (or lighter)
-needles used for your project and a spare set within a size or two
-knitters tools like scissors, darning needle, measuring tape, stitch markers

TOP DOWN SEAMLESS SET-IN SLEEVES , Saturday, Sept 23 9am - 1pm

$93

This construction method is needles-down the most flattering, classic, tailored fit out there for pretty much all body types. Knitters will choose any one of my patterns featuring this method to use in class (and hopefully beyond!). We will begin by taking your personal measurements and discussing how to choose the appropriate size. Getting started is the challenging part, so in class we will knit the Shoulder Tabs and get your sweater all joined up so that you can move forward with confidence in the rest of your project. Instruction will be provided for provisional CO, cable CO,
picking up stitches & short row shaping for those who are not familiar with these techniques. 

● Current Pattern Options include: Naveen, Whimsy
Little White Cardi, Julie Twist, Fierce

Required Skills
-cast on
-basic increasing & decreasing

Required Materials
- Pattern (supplied by Kate, cost is $8 & included in fee)
-basic calculator (or your smart phone), pencil, scrap paper
-knitters tools like scissors, darning needle, measuring tape
-a finished, blocked swatch at least 5”/12.5 cm square according to pattern gauge
-all materials required to knit the pattern of your choice including project yarn (or scrap yarn if you prefer not to move forward with your sweater after class), needles*, scrap yarn, stitch markers, crochet hook
*Note: It will be necessary to manipulate your needles at each turn for the first few rows after Shoulders are joined. Flexible, slick needles are recommended and having additional set(s) of your larger needles (in any length) on hand is not required but may make for a smoother transition. I use my shortest tip needles with an extra long cord to use a single set of needles for this process.

FAIR PLAY  Saturday, Sept 23, 2 - 5pm

$72

(Beginner Fair Isle & Hat Project Course)
Learn how to knit Fair Isle with two hands in this playful course that gives you a chance to design your own hat in the size and style of your choice from ear flaps all the way through stitch patterns. A variety of 2-color stitch options will be provided to help keep you motivated. Choose to repeat one or mix and match depending on your level of comfort. In the end you'll not only be able to work stranded
colorwork, but you'll have the beginnings of a hat to show for it!
Homework
Instructions will be provided 2 weeks before the workshop for knitters to work their brim (or ear flaps) prior to coming to class. This will allow for more Fair Isle practice time during class! Use either size 5 or size 6 needles with your worsted weight yarn to knit your ribbed brim, or size 7 needles for your ear flaps.
Required Skills
-cast on
-knitting in the round
-basic increasing & decreasing
-this course is suitable for adventurous beginning knitters who are comfortable with knitting and purling
and ready to try something new!
Required materials
-Fair Play pattern (supplied by Kate, cost is $7 & included in fee)
-Sizes Included: Newborn (Baby, Toddler, Child)(Adult Small, Adult Large) 

● Yardage for two color hat: 40 (50, 65, 80)(100, 125) yards each A & B

● To use more than two colors, make sure your total yardage adds up to a minimum of 80 (100, 130, 160)(200, 250) yards total
● To include ear flaps on your hat, add 25 yards for that color (this section will not be worked in
fair isle)
● To include a stocking tail on your hat, add 50 yards for that color (this section will not be worked
with colorwork)
● Sizes 6, 7, & 8 16" circular needles and set of dpns (we will be swatching in colorwork before
you begin your project and you'll need a few size options to make sure you can get gauge)

-knitters tools like scissors, darning needle, measuring tape, stitch markers

 LOVEBIRDS SWEATER WORKSHOP  Sunday Sept. 25; 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

$85

In this course, you will learn a myriad of techniques and have an opportunity to go forward and use them to knit your own Lovebirds or take what you learn for another project of your choice. This project features an array of geometric colorwork worked seamlessly from the top down with yoked increases & short row shaping both at the shoulders and the bottom. The gentle A-line shape of the body combined with extra length at the hem complements curvy and straight body types alike. 

Techniques included in this course: 

• Two-handed colorwork 
• Managing longer floats 
• Cabling without a needle 
• 3 styles of Short Row Shaping 
• Calculating your ideal Sweater & Sleeve Length 
• Calculating extra yardage for length adjustments 
• Finishing Tips 

Required Skills 

• Cast on 
• Knitting and purling 
• Swatching in the round 
• Basic increasing & decreasing
• Working from Charts
• This course is perfectly suitable for knitters who are ready to move to adventurous sweater knitting patterns and have completed at least one sweater project. 

Required Materials 

• Lovebirds Sweater Pattern (supplied by Kate, per student cost is $9 and includes printed version for class and PDF; if any student has already purchased this pattern they may let Host know ahead of time and skip the fee but must bring a printed copy to class for easy markup)
• Yarn appropriate for pattern along with all required pattern tools 
• Paper & Pencil

Homework:  please complete gauge work according to pattern!