Monday, August 16, 2010

September Classes at Passionknit!

Here's the class list for September. There's some good ones coming up! Including a daytime beginner knitting class.

Learn to Knit on Four Needles

Don’t be scared! It’s easy and fun! Knitting on four needles allows you to make all sorts of small items in the round. In this class we will be making simple wrist warmers on 4 needles using a luxurious Alpaca yarn. Please know how to cast on, bind off, knit and purl. (Pinchy) $30 plus materials. Wed. Sept. 1 or Thurs. Sept. 30, 7 – 9pm.


Mitered Squares
Mitered squares opens the door to knitting many things - both easy and difficult! It also teaches valuable shaping techniques! In this class we will learn how to make a basic mitered square and the door will be open to take this technique as far as you want to go! From scarves and blankets to intricate coats and skirts! Please know how to cast on, bind off, knit and purl. (Peachy) $30 plus materials. Thurs. Sept. 16, 7 – 9pm


Absolute Beginner Knitting
If you are interested in learning the basics of knitting this is the class for you! This class is for those of you who have never knit before and want to get started. We will learn how to cast on, the knit stitch and the purl stitch. We will talk about different ways of knitting as well as knitting terminology. (Peachy) $30 plus materials. Mon. Sept. 20, noon – 2pm.


Cast On Methods
There are many methods used to cast on for a project. If you are interested in learning what cast on is best for what project as well as hands on basic and decorative methods, this is the class for you! (Peachy) $30 please bring a medium weight yarn and appropriate needles. Wed. Sept. 22, 7 – 9pm.



Passionknit Stitchers’ Night
This is a special night out for our Passionknit customers to come and socialize. Come join us to “unwind” the last Wed. evening of every month for a fun knitting night. Wed. Sept. 29, 7 – 9pm (Free)

Registration Information:
We keep classes small in order to be able to spend one-on-one time with each student. Please register in advance either by coming into the shop or calling us at (416) 322-0688.

Payment in full for the class is due upon registration, please check your schedule and class description carefully, registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. We also do not offer make up classes.
If you must cancel a class you have registered for, please notify us at least 48 hours in advance, we will issue you a credit toward another class.

Two-hour classes are $30, which is for the class only. Materials and applicable taxes will be in addition unless otherwise noted. If a class does not run due to low registration or extenuating circumstances, you will be refunded in full.

A 10% reduction on materials costs is offered once you are registered. You may select your materials anytime after registration.


Doors will open 15 minutes before class and class will start promptly. Please be on time.

We also welcome suggestions for class ideas – just send us an email or give us a call!

For up-dates on Passionknit events and classes please join our mailing list by calling or emailing us.


Class Rating:
Peachy = All Levels Pinchy = Medium Persnickety = Difficult

Alisa McRonald, Fibre Arts Teacher

Alisa McRonald has been teaching fibre arts techniques classes and curating textile related gallery shows since 1998. Her own work has been shown in shops and galleries in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Montreal. She continually augments her experience through attending hands-on workshops and lectures on various techniques including dyeing, handspinning and other yarn arts. She recently worked with the Textile Museum of Canada on a “Yarn Bombing” project.

Since moving to Toronto from Los Angeles in 2008 to take a job at Wellington Fibres Yarn Mill, she has maintained memberships with the Downtown Knit Collective, the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners Guild and the Textile Museum of Canada. Says McRonald, “Being a part of the fibre community energizes me! I like to challenge people’s preconceptions of the yarn arts and love talking about the various processes of these crafts. I even take my holidays specifically to attend fibre related events!”


Her personal artwork has been featured in various magazines and publications such as “Harper’s Bazaar Japan”, “Giant Robot”, “Nyoln” and “Time Out New York” as well as a featured artist in “By Hand: The Use of Craft in Contemporary Art” and colour forecasting publication, “View on Colour”. In 2001 she had the honour of being invited to be a guest lecturer and critic at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore.

In addition to teaching at Passionknit, she currently she maintains her own blog: http://fibreperson.blogspot.com/ and her new online venture, “Fibre Person” will be launching later this year.

Friday, August 13, 2010

K5 Tog!!!

My colleague Tamara (Tamaralda) had the good fortune to attend an Orenburg Lace Knitting workshop at the Textile Museum taught by THE expert on the subject, Galina Khmeleva. Lucky for me, Tamara decided to hold a group follow-up with a few of the other participants in the class. We had a lovely evening talking about lace knitting and working on an Orenburg sampler that is in the current issue of Piecework Magazine. (As an aside, the current issue of Piecework is all about samplers – one of my other obsessions).

Galina wearing one of her shawls:


Orenburg lace shawls originated in the Orenburg area of Russia about 250 years ago. The fine lace work is knitted from finely spun goat fibre similar to mohair and sometimes blended with silk. They are always knit in garter stitch and each pattern has a traditional name like: Mouse Print, Strawberry or Cat’s Paw. The shawls are also know as wedding ring shawls because even though the shawls are quite large, they are so fine, you can pass them through a ring.


Tamara and I have been working on our sampler for the past few weeks and the group is meeting again at the end of the month. I’ll post pictures of everyone’s progress!


My sampler is on the left and is made out of Diamond Luxury Alpaca Lace, Tamara's is on the right and is made of Arucania Trauco Cashmere:


In other news, Tamara and Jan (Jaqual) have both finished their Lanesplitter skirts. I have to complete the waistband on mine. I’ll get pictures of us wearing them up just as soon as I’m done. The original post was mentioned on the knitty blog! Thanks Kate!