August Classes I'm Teaching!

I'm excited to be teaching the super duper LYS All Strung Out in Guelph this month! I'm also teaching some fun classes at Passionknit.... Take a look:


Start a Log Cabin Blanket
This easy blanket pattern is based on the popular quilt design. It’s done in garter stitch and is fun to make in Noro Kureyon or Silk Garden. Please know how to knit and pick-up stitches and read a pattern. Discounts will be offered for people who take the class and want to purchase a kit. (Pinchy) Thurs. Aug. 18 OR Wed. Aug. 31, 7-9pm. $30 plus materials.*

Easy Lace Triangular Shawl

Jill Draper is a Kingston, NY based designer who has graciously allowed us to use her pattern “A Little Something”. This wonderful and easy pattern is worked from the tip/bottom of the shawl up. It is an easy beginner lace pattern. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn lace stitches and try out a beautiful yarn and pattern. More of Jill’s work can be seen at www.jilldraper.com. Please know how to cast-on/off, knit, purl and follow a pattern. (Peachy) Wed. Aug. 10 OR Wed. Aug. 17, 7 – 9pm. $30 plus materials.*

Sock Knitting!
This is a two-part class where students will learn the basics of sock knitting. We will be working on four needles from the cuff down. Please know how to work on 5 needles, read a pattern, cast on/off and be available for both classes. (Pinchy) Sat. Aug. 6 AND Sat. Aug. 20, 10am-12pm. Please contact All Strung Out for more details.*

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 the knit stitch, the purl stitch and how to cast-on. We will talk about different ways of knitting as well as knitting terminology. (Peachy) Wed. Aug. 3 OR Thurs. Aug. 11, 7 – 9pm. $30 plus materials.*

*Please bring your knitting tool kit to class:
Needles, stitch markers, scissors, note pad, etc. Also, please roll any skeins into balls before class!

Dye, Spin, Baaa!

I've been keeping busy with my hand-spinning coursework! Last weekend I went to visit my friend Andrea Leigh so we could play around with dyeing some yarn. We have to produce an 11 step gradient for class... We had a great time spinning and dyeing and eating vegan delights.

Vegan fish and chips!

It was my first time using the Greener Shades acid dyes. They were a little bit spotty and we were not sure if it was because we crammed too much fibre into each jar or if we needed to add more acid to the dye-bath or if we needed a leveling agent. So much more experimenting to do!





We were also lucky enough to be invited to a friend's farm to meet her Shetland Sheep! They are so cute and all different, wonderful colours. We even got to take off with a bag full of fleece each to spin up and experiment with!


My continuing course work is going well. I've been working on my Homo/Ortho spinning this weekend. The exercise is to produce a yarn that both singles are of different colours (orthogeneous) and another yarn where the colours are carded before hand then spun and plied to produce a yarn that is all one colour (homogeneous). I finished the Ortho part and prepped the rolags for the homo part.... I really have to practise more spinning from a rolag though, I'm finding it difficult to get a smooth yarn there are lumps... practise makes perfect though!


I've also been working on my "in the grease" homework. This exercise involves flick carding greasy fleece and spinning it without washing it. So the wool still has all it's waxy goodness in it. My hands are very soft! Half the fleece is spun "in the grease" the other has to be washed and carded then spun. I wanted to try washing the fleece in very hot water only. This is the way one of my classmates from Germany washes her fleeces. The idea is that the hot water melts off the wax, you don't let the water cool too much or all the waxy grease will coat the wool again. So you soak the greasy fleece for about 1/2 an hour then dump the water and repeat. I did it 3 times and the fleece seems pretty clean. I'm going to see how it spins.

There's Just Something About - Colour!

Before class reenactment

I've been working on perfecting my Creative Colour Class for a while now.

I am often asked colour advice at the yarn shop and also asked, "How do you do it? How can you just put things together? What's your process?" Well, partially, I don't know.... mostly, practice and training. I have a background in fine art and I've been a hair-colourist for nearly a decade too, which gives me all the scientific "whys" and "hows", my backgroud also gives me the language. BUT - I think that everyone has a instinctive and very personal way with colour. Most people that ask my advice really need another set of eyes... validation for what they already know and feel.

So, a bit on my class, but not too much because you'll just have to take it to get the whole kit-n-kaboodle... Hee, hee!

Class prep - getting organized:

I wanted to create a class that was part hands-on, part basic theory. I also wanted the class to be applicable to yarn-ies as well as just in general (as in, "I'm just kind of interested in colour").

I wanted participants to be able to build a palette for themselves and was very much inspired by the book, "The Art of Felt". The author of the book takes photographs and uses them as spring-borads for surface design. Great idea! I also wanted a large palette to work from and so I ordered the full range of the Knit Picks "Palette" yarn. FUN!

After class a reenactment:

Then I had to organize it and make it make sense for the class....

I also thought it was important to bring in my idea of "The X-Factor" which is a tool I use when creating my palettes. I was visiting my friend Lixolux in San Francisco and we took a scent mixing class with the amazing Yosh. During the class we were asked to rate each oil we sniffed in one of 4 ways. Either you loved it and couldn't live without it in your life, you hated it and it made you barf, you were completely indifferent and could care less OR you weren't sure if you hated it or loved it but it was worth note. This catagory is the X-Factor and it can be quite easily applied to colour in the same way it does with scent. These colours that are "worth note" can quickly become the most important part of your palette. They are the colours you should pay most attention to - they may just be the kick you need to make your palette really sing!

Smell Class:

To end off, here is the intro from my hand-out.... It's a little cheezy, but true (I think):

Colour surrounds us everyday! It affects our mood, evokes emotions, and has deep cultural significance.

The colours of a national flag or religious garb hold cultural significance. Even the names we give colours hold historical significance, for example, "Royal Blue" was the name given to the blues used by the court of Louis XIV!

The beautiful colours of a fresh salad, a sunset, your favorite work of art or your first car – evoke personal memories and feelings.

Everyone holds the creative and instinctual power of colour inside them. A unique, personal palette evident in the clothes we wear, the art we choose to decorate our walls, the bouquet of flowers that sits in the perfect vase – we gravitate to our favorites every time!

Skirts?! - YES! Sneaky Fibre Adventure?! - YES!

(I know my eyes are closed, but here is our pre-DKC "cheers")

Last Wednesday Tamaralda and I gave our presentation to the Downtown Knit Collective. It was all about knit and crocheted skirts! We've been experimenting with the skirt for over a year and this presentation was all about what we have learned about fibre, tension, waistband treatment and bum sag!

Fruits of our labours:

Here is the official release taken from the DKC's Newsletter:

JUNE 15: ALISA MCRONALD AND TAMARA KRIEVINS
Alisa McRonald has been crafting since she was born. Making tube dresses for her Barbies and using her little brother and cat as dress models for her creations were some of her favorite activities as a young child (or at least until her little brother got bigger than her)! She has been teaching and exhibiting her work in North America and abroad since 1995. She currently maintains her blog (fibreperson.blogspot.com) and further develops her fibre fixation by immersing herself in the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners Guild handspinning programme.

Tamara Krievins has been fibre-crafting since the sixties… (yes, she even made macramé plant hangers). She has been the manager of the yarn shop Passionknit since 2009. Recently she submitted all of the hand-worked samples and lesson plans, as well as logged the volunteer teaching hours required to receive her Teacher Certificate in Crochet from the Craft Yarn Council of America.

This month: Stylish Knitted Skirts (they don’t need to be dowdy or droopy!) Exploring thoughtful and creative fibre choices, meticulous gauge determinations, and best practices for professional-looking garments.

These two DKC members generated quite a lot of interest when they modeled their skirts at our fashion show last December. In tonight’s presentation, they will share their skirt-making explorations with us—their successes, as well as their “learning experiences”.

Alisa and Tamara’s discussions will include: combining yarns and fibres in order to achieve desired fabric and gauge, fun and flattering colour choices, appropriate silhouettes for various body types, and technical tips for garment construction and care.

Quite a lovely introduction!

Kate Atherely, Fiona Ellis, Flo, Tamaralda and I after our presentation:

So why skirts? People we were encountering were having trouble choosing patterns and completing sweaters/cardigans that fit them! We were always hearing how annoying finishing is and how people complete a garment and then never wear it because it just doesn’t fit right. Making a sweater/cardi is a lot of work, back, fronts, sleeves, button bands – then you have to sew it all together!

Personally, I consider myself a “yarn artist” – not a knitter exclusively. I want my projects to be portable, beautiful and wearable. I was making scarves, shawls, arm warmers – never sweaters or cardis.

We started talking and decided that skirts – basically a tube (although there are difficult patterns out there), cover the same proportion/area of your body as a cardi or sweater and they are not (as) fiddly! Most often it’s one seam or done in the round.

This was our mindset when Tamaralda came running into the shop (on her day off) one day waving the Lansplitter pattern by Tina Whitmore. It was in the current issue of Knitty (Fall 2010) AND we had just received all the new colours in Kuyeron.

The planets were aligned for our skirt experiments to take off… and take off they did! We have an amazing body of work to show for it and so much more experience knitting, crocheting, altering patterns and finishing techiques!

We have compiled a wonderful resource list and if anyone would like it..... just email me or find me on Ravelry: alisamcr

Thanks for helping us set up Boomer!:

DKC members taking a look at our skirts:

Now to the Sneaky (mini) Fibre Adventure... it was the wonderful Boomer's birthday last weekend and she wanted to go to the Niagra area. Visit some vineyards, see the falls, eat good food - once we were in the car I announced my deisre to check out two wonderful fibre shops in Jordan! Hee hee! Her being as wonderfuly supportive as she is made the stops and enjoyed poking around and playing with the house dog at the Fibre Garden!

Fibre Garden is run by two wonderful and creative guys! One of which is in his 4th year of the Ontario Handspinning Programme (I got to pick his brain about homework and how much worse it gets :) ) I bought some wonderful handyed batts one for Boomer, one for me! (I'm so fair)...

Me in front of Fibre Garden:

Stitch was another beautiful shop with fabrics and yarns. It is visually heaven! Displays! Colours! I loved it! (No doggies for Boomer to play with though!) Also! Bee in Niagra-on-the-Lake!

Stitch!:

Boomer and my batts from Fibre Garden:

My congradulations go out to the Toronto Spiders for winning the International Back to Back Wool Challenge for the 5th time! Here is a picture of their trophy! Two of the Spiders were at the DKC meeting telling their story of glory!

Not the best pic of the Spiders' trophy but - pretty impressive!:

Classes in July!

This past Wednesday, Tamaralda and I did a presentation for the Downtown Knit Collective on knitted and crocheted skirts! We had such a fun time and I will be doing a post very soon about our adventures for that presentation.

In the meantime, here are the classes I'm teaching in July... they will all be taught at Passionknit in Toronto (please give them a call to register or for more information at (416) 322-0688:

The Entrelac Technique - Noro Silk Garden Lite Scarf!
If you’re interested in Entrelac, this is the class for you! We will be going over the technique, and participants will be inspired by the beautiful Noro colours! Please know how to knit, purl, pick up stitches and read a pattern. (Pinchy)
Wed. July 6 or Thurs. July 28, 7 – 9pm. $30 plus materials.*


Continental Knitting
Continental knitting (picking) along with English knitting (throwing) are the two predominant ways of knitting. The picking technique is gaining in popularity for those who are interested in augmenting their techniques repertoire. Knitting in this way is very efficient and facilitates colour-work. This class will go over the basics and get you practicing knitting the continental way! You must have a basic knowledge of knitting to take this class. (Peachy)
Wed. July 13 or Thurs. July 21, 7 – 9pm. $30 plus materials.*


Skirt Class – The Lanesplitter!
What a wonderful pattern by Tina Whitmore with over 900 projects on the go in Ravelry. If you are interested in making a knit skirt – this is the one! Flattering to all bodies and easily altered, we will be going over this pattern and getting started using the wonderful Kureyon yarn by Noro. Please know how to knit, purl and read a pattern. (Pinchy)
Thurs. July 14, 7 – 9pm. $30 plus materials.


Beginner Crochet – Flower Coaster
Learn the basics of crochet in this fun class. Learn basic crochet stitches, how to read a pattern, increasing and decreasing. Participants will be working on a cute flower-shaped coaster! (Peachy)
Wed. July 20 or Wed. July 27, 7 – 9pm. $30 plus materials.*



*Please bring your knitting tool kit to class:
Needles, stitch markers, scissors, note pad, etc. Also, please roll any skeins into balls before class!

WWKIPD and Donkeys - Hunh?

This weekend was a very nice one for fibre AND animals! I went home to visit my family. My mom and I went to the LYS All Strung Out to meet up with our kintting in public friends (WWKIPD = World Wide Knit In Public Day!).




The owner of All Strung Out, Ashley, was there and was a great hostess! We crammed inside the shop and didn't let the cool, grey weather bother us. I felt a little guilty knitting. I wanted to rebel against the specificity of Knitting in public by promoting Crochet but, the crochet project I'm working on requires a lot more attention than the knitting one.... oh well, there's always next year! Or, I could start a WWCIPD?! Any takers?

Our lovely hostess Ashley:
All Strung Out features (love the entryway and displays):


When I was at All Strung Out, I noticed a poster for an amazing Knit Night. The Guelph Enabling Garden is hosting summer Knit Knites! The Enabling Garden is a garden for everyone especially those with varying degrees of physical and cognitive abilities. The beautiful setting of the garden and satisfaction of knitting (or crochet), sounds like a pretty great summer evening to me...


After our public display of knitting, I did go visit a crochet comrade who was working around the corner from All Strung Out. She's organized a Knit/Crochet meet-up in Guelph and enjoys spending time with her group. The store is baby-sitting this beautiful peach and green coloured parrot - pretty bird, pretty bird! She sang a beautiful song... Her beautiful peach feathers were very inspiring...

She's just made that way...:

Finally! It was Donkey Days at the Donkey Sanctuary! I love donkeys, they come in all shapes and sizes and are beautifully coloured/spotted/striped - and that wonderful noise they make! It was fun to take my 18 month old niece to see them. To continue with the knitting theme, I got her a little hand-knit donkey that was knit by a volunteer to raise money for the sanctuary!
Second best thing to brining a donkey home is bringing home a hand-knit donkey!

We arrived just in time for the "Carrot Walk", a parade of Donkeys: