After being inspired by her late grandmother's handknit and crocheted pieces, Nadira decided to take her first knitting class at the age of 18. What started off as a hobby, ultimately led Dira to move to England and earn an MA in Knitwear Design.
Dira trained and worked in the fashion industry in both London and New York, with luxury labels including Donna Karan and JW Anderson (LVMH) and has been featured in The New York Times, Time + Leisure Magazine, American Way, and Knit.1 Magazine. She presently resides and designs in California.
Technique Requirements: knit/purl; cast on/bind off; increase/decrease; chart reading; have knit a few accessories; able to write own patterns; basic finishing techniques; advanced finishing techniques; Intermediate Crochet
We will be creating a 'mood (inspiration) board' in class to get your creative juices flowing for your own unique knit or crochet design. Please research and bring in drawings, photographs, color samples, magazine, images of garments or accessories that you love, fabrics, yarn, inspiring quotes, etc. to class for your mood board.
This class focuses primarily on the tubular cast-on and bind-off, and you will learn how to calculate and convert stitch counts from a traditional cast-on. The following techniques will be covered:
● Waste yarn tubular cast-on, both flat and in the round
● Tubular bind-off, both flat and in the round
● Crochet provisional Cast-On
● Various other cast-on & bind-off techniques as time allows
Supplies Needed:
● DK or worsted weight yarn to swatch with
● Appropriate size knitting needles and crochet hook
● Waste yarn
● Tapestry needle
Homework:
None
● Short-row shoulder shaping
● Neck shaping
● 3-Needle Bind-Off
● Picking up stitches for the collar
Technique Requirements: Knit/purl; cast on/bind off; working in the round; have knit a few accessories
With dark color, loosely cast on 72 (78) sts for 18” (19”) hat using long tail cast on. Join to work in the round, then K 1 round. Bring yarn to front and leave it hanging there.
Julie Weisenberger is an internationally renowned knitwear designer and teacher known for her elegant, modern fashion sense and her unique commonsense method to knitting tailored, seamless sweaters that are as enjoyable to make as they are comfortable and flattering to wear.
Make a gauge swatch with the bulky yarn. Gauge should measure approximately 3 sts/inch. Make sure you get a fabric you’d like to wear! Julie always knits a bit open for nice drape. In class we can adjust the gauge or the sweater size, but come with at least one swatch that you like the feel of.
Read over the Cocoknits Method section of Julie's website here, or the Knit Tutorials filtered to "Cocoknits Method" here, and take a look at the Emma pattern info here (optional)
Be familiar with Cocoknits Method increases if possible! This will make the knitting go faster during the workshop
Watch technique videos — youtube.com/cocoknitsvideos
Prepare to bring a device in order to watch videos.
Colored stitch markers (1 of each: red, green, blue, yellow, pink, orange)
1 ball of bulky yarn (3 sts/inch). Should you wish to purchase the Colored Ring Stitch Markers from Cocoknits, they can be purchased here.
Circular needles in size 11 (either one 40″ or longer or 3 separate circulars) or size needed to get the gauge
Smaller skinny needle in any size (double pointed or circular)
Yarn snips or scissors
Tape measure or ruler
Blank paper for notes (or use back of your worksheet)
(Optional) Smartphone or tablet for viewing technique videos