Archive for the 'Online classes' Category
Slowly getting back into it! A little bit of design progress…
Sunday, March 14th, 2010
This is as much as I’ve gotten done in the last month! I already knit one version of this shawl, but needed to work on the lace chart a bit.
So this summery version is in Handmaiden Seasilk from Jimmy Beans.
The project bag is a Christmas gift from my BIL Aaron…you can buy one at www.etsy.com/shop/FruitLoopDesigns
This is the shawlette that I worked on for my example project in the first run of my Design Your Own Shawl class. I chose a stitch pattern that turned out to be directional:
So that, instead of appearing to be mirrored across the center increase line, it looks slightly rotated. This makes the candle flames point in two different directions on either side of the increase line:
The red lines highlight the way that each candle flame’s tail swoops across the shawl. And…you can see that they swoop in different directions.It’s a really subtle difference, but I can tell…and it’s been bugging the HECK out of me!
SO…I had to fix it by altering the lace chart so that instead of doing exactly the same thing in each section, I do the exact opposite.
For example, if one row of the lace chart in the first half reads, “k5, yo, k1, yo, k8″ the other side needs to read, “k8, yo, k1, yo, k5.”
So far, this is totally fixing the issue, and I think the final shawl will be really pretty. I decided to use something summery because we’re already in the 70s here!
Here’s my little treehugger:
She LOVES sitting in this tree! Every time we’re out in the back yard, she asks to be put up in the branches.
Our fruit trees are blooming! There might be peaches:
…and PLUMS!
I’m so happy that it’s warming up!!
In case you’re wondering…Olive’s doing GREAT! She’s nursing really well and gaining weight like she’s supposed to. She’s a really mellow baby, and takes great naps! Here she is in a tee printed by the fabulousJodi Green:
Posted in Patterns, tips and tricks, Online classes | No Comments »
I’m officially on Maternity Leave!
Monday, February 8th, 2010
Well, as much on leave as one can be while working from home, any way! I’ve just finished teaching two online classes to two wonderful groups of people. The Shawl Designers are finishing up their projects and getting patterns written and edited, and the “Fit your Knits” students are transforming any pattern you can think of into custom-fit knits! It was a really great month, thank you to all of my awesome students!
I’ll be posting the new spring schedule of classes in a couple of weeks. I want to make sure that we all settle back into daily life smoothly once Olive comes home from the hospital before setting all of the class dates. In the meantime, I’ve got two ongoing self-guided classes (UPcycled Tshirt Yarn Class and Fitted Raglan Shawl Class) that you can sign up for at any time.
Our new baby (who we have named Olive Beatrice) will be delivered on the 15th! SO we have exactly a week to nest and get everything all ready for her.
Here’s a little peek at some of what I’ve been working on:
I finished the Black and White quilt top:
…and I”ve been making a few “Sisters” projects, too. Here are two little sweaters. I made the tiny one a few weeks ago, and recently finished a Big Sister one for Mazie. I love that the sweaters are similar but not identical…they share some traits but not all. And neither is overly saccharine / girly. I’d wear eitherone of these if it was in my size. (I contemplated making a Mom version, but would that be too much?)
Both are Lorna’s Laces Swirl, one is Chunky and one is DK. Both are from Jimmy Beans .
I also made the girls matching tees:
And even Daddy is doing a little last-minute nesting:
…there are still some rooms that we’d meant to paint when we moved in, and that we KNOW we won’t get to for several months if we wait to do it. SO…he’s painting realllyquick this week.
Posted in just chit chat, baby, Online classes | 10 Comments »
Designing my own shawl … swatches
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
So, Now that I’ve picked out my stitch patterns for class, I’m swatching them to see how they flow…
Here’s a rectangular swatch:
Sometimes it helps to look at the swatch from an angle to see how the stitches really flow into each other:
Here’s how I swatch to see how things will look in the actual shawl:
Posted in Patterns, tips and tricks, Online classes | No Comments »
New Knitty Pattern and a New online class to celebrate!
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Woo Hoo! It’s REALLY new Knitty day!!
AND… I have a pattern in this issue!
I’m so proud to be part of Knitty’s 30th issue!
Thank you to Lorna’s Laces for contributing the yarn that made this design possible (GreenLine Worsted in “Devon”) and to Knitpicks for supplying the needles (Options Interchangables.)
Knitty has planned LOTS of giveaways to celebrate this momentous occasion, check out the Knitty site and knittydotcom on twitter for details.
I decided to celebrate by offering a new online class! (And by giving away free tuition to any one of my classes to one lucky Knitty reader!)
Design Your Own Shawl Class
This class will teach YOU to be the designer!
First, you’ll choose your own shawl shape. Either a four-sectioned shawl like “frost diamonds” (in this issue of Knitty) and “Mirth” OR a simpler, two-sectioned (half-square) triangle like many others you’ve seen online.
Next, you choose one, two, three, or more stitch patterns that work and flow together to create the body of your shawl.
Then, you’ll see how to choose a border stitch pattern to tie the whole thing together.
Finally, you’ll write your own pattern! (You’ll need to find your own testers / tech editors after the pattern is written.)
By the end of the class, you’ll have a finished shawl pattern (even if you haven’t finished your knitting) that you can share with friends, publish yourself, or even submit to a magazine!
Interested?
Class will begin on January 18 and go through February 7, 2010.
The fee for this class is $65 and you can register now by clicking on the PayPal link below, or by visiting my Online Knitting Studio.
To read more about what you can expect from my online classes, click here.
Posted in Patterns, Online classes | No Comments »
Online Teacher Class registration is open.
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Hi All, just a quick note to let you know that my online class for teachers is now available for sign-up.
More information in this previous post.
Teachers already signed up include:
Shannon Okey
Amy Houck
Sherry Anderson
Christa Giles
Faina Goberstein
Susan Crawford
Deborah Robson
I am so excited!!
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UPcycled Tshirt Yarn patterns are LIVE on Ravelry
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
I have now formatted and uploaded all four of the new Tshirt yarn patterns to Ravelry. They range in price from $2 to $3. CHEAP. My contribution to encourage people to recycle or, even better, UPcycle!
In case you missed it, you can watch my “how to make Tshirt Yarn video” here. And, if you are really inspired, you can sign up for the next offering of the class.
PS: I’m designing a kids’ Tshirt yarn pattern for the winter issue of Petite Purls.
Posted in Patterns, gift knitting, Online classes | No Comments »
More Tshirt Yarn projects and a video how-to
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
So we are well into week 2 of tshirt yarn class, and I’m really making a lot of projects!
Here’s a scarf that I knit, using a length of organic bamboo fabric that I cut into yarn. I overdyed it in tea! The tea stained the scarf in a really interesting way, and toned down the baby pink.
I also dyed this light pink yarn with tea:
Here’s what it looked like fresh out of the dye bath:
It was light pink to begin with, and the tea added those darker tan spots. I can’t wait to see how this knits up!
Here’s a little video on how to use tea or coffee to dye things:
Find more videos like this on UPcycled Tshirt Yarn Class
Posted in tips and tricks, video post, Online classes | 1 Comment »
How to teach and online class and potential guest teacher slots on my Ning site.
Thursday, October 8th, 2009
I plan to launch this in November, but want to start a signup area for people who might be interested in having more information and updates as I get this started. If you are interested, sign up on my ning site, and then join this group.
I will teach a “how to teach an online class” class there on the site. The class will cost $75 and will show teachers how to use inexpensive video cameras to create content, how to create PDFs that go along with the videos, how to generally use the online classroom software.
I will provide ning-specific training that I’ve learned teaching in this format. [ I have DEFINITELY found that video is an incredibly important part off the class. I’ve even had students say, “Your videos have meant SO much to me!”]
Then, the potential teachers have the option to submit class proposals to me, and if selected, can teach a class on this site. Selection will depend on the topic, on the need for the class, on the professionalism of the content in the submission, etc. (more details as this progresses)Of course, the teacher may decide to teach a class on his or her own site, and that is fine too! If they teach on my site, I’ll refund part of the initial “how to teach a class” fee.
The advantages of teaching on my site will be that I have already got a pretty large following (over 300 members and about 5K hits / day to the site) and any advertising I do for my OWN classes will also be advertising for them.
I will charge a % of the class fees that they collect. 40 % for the first class offering, and less thereafter, when my support will be less necessary.
The first time they teach the class, they’ll be under my supervision, I’ll be a ’student’ in the class and make sure that everything is running smoothly. I’ll also be available for technical support, proofing content, etc.
Once teachers get their first class up and running, they can leave it on the site and just repeat it over and over…so the first time they teach it, it’s a TON of work…but the next time is smoother because they'’ve got all of the content, they’ve heard the questions, they know the trouble-spots that people have.
The students say that they feel like they are on the cutting edge, or feel like they’re already in the future! It’s wonderful.
Posted in Online classes | 2 Comments »
Taos recap AND Tshirt Class starts today!
Monday, October 5th, 2009
We just got back from the Taos wool festival. I actually bought yarn. I bought just as much as I could stuff into my commemorative tote!
The real highlight, however, was meeting up with some very fine knitters and dyers!
Yes! I made a montage! There were just too many to post separately. One of the COOLEST things was to meet up with two students (Sammie and Paula) from my online Fitted Shawl class! They had great things to say about the class, which is so awesome to hear in person! I really already felt like I knew them after having them in class for 3 weeks!
I also ran into Marly Bird, but didn’t get a dang picture!
Today is the first day of UPcycled Tshirt Yarn class, and we have 25 students! This is 5 times as many students as I usually teach here locally (I’ve said it before, this is a SMALL town) and it’s just a dream come true. As long as I’ve been creating things with my hands, I’ve dreamed of having a little shop with a classroom space and meeting other crafty people and developing a community.
AND…with the help of the internet…I can do that!
Here are a couple of photos of projects that we’ll make in the class:
We have a skylight in our living room that cast a pretty moody lighting today! I LOVE these pics! 
You can click on them to see more pictures in this set.
Posted in Patterns, events, press, Online classes | 2 Comments »
All moved in…and Mazie’s getting a SISTER!
Thursday, October 1st, 2009
Earlier this week, we had an appointment to check in on the new baby, and it’s a GIRL! We are so happy and excited. I can’t stop thinking about “My Girls.” They’ll be about 25 months apart, so will go through school together. I can only imagine what good friends and companions they’ll be!
We’re all moved out of the rental, and had a walk-through with the landlord yesterday. She said we’d get all of our deposit back, so that’s good to know! I think the place actually looks better than when we moved in. We planted lots of flowers and trees, and took great care of it. It was a little bit sad to leave the house to which we brought Mazie home from the hospital, and in which she took her first steps. But…we look forward to LOTS of happy memories in this house.
Our internet was turned on in the new house yesterday, and I’m ready to get back to work. In the photo above are just a few of the Tshirt yarns that I’ve cut and that are waiting to be knit into samples for UPcycled Tshirt Yarn Class (which starts on Monday.) Signups for this class are open now.
The first session of Fitted Raglan Shawl class ends today, and it was a great experience. Look for lots of photos over the next few days, and for more student reviews of the class. Overall, I’d call it a resounding success. Signups are currently open for the next session, which starts on October 15.