Join Unwind's Friday night knitting group in knitting the Unwind Lace Shawlette.  If you're new to lace knitting this is the perfect place to start.  I wrote the pattern for beginner lace knitters and will be there to give free instruction from 6pm-7pm on both days. Also the pattern is free AND Kim at Unwind is offering discounts on yarn purchased for the KAL, as well as draws and special gifts! Wha?! Too good to be true?!  Nope, see you there.

In this workshop students will, 1) make natural dye extracts 2) prepare fabric for taking natural dyes 3) make natural imprints on silk scarves using plant matter 4) use simple shibori resist techniques to create texture and pattern on silk scarves 5) shift colours using post mordants and dyes. 6) make and leave with a collection of samples of naturally dyed yarns.

*Materials fee $62: includes 5 silk scarves and yarn for sample books.  There will be an opportunity to buy additional silk scarves at the workshop for $5-$10 each.  Please bring materials fee to Janna in cash or cheque on the first class

In this workshop students will, 1) make natural dye extracts 2) prepare fabric for taking natural extracts 3) thicken extracts for printing 4) Make and use water-based resists 5)Print with thickened extracts on silk scarves using found or hand-made print blocks and stencils. 

*Materials fee $72: includes 5 silk scarves.  There will be an opportunity to buy additional silk scarves for $5-10 each. Please bring materials fee to Janna in cash or cheque on the first class

Students will learn about the magic of indigo including how to prepare fabric and how to prepare, maintain and troubleshoot an indigo vat.  Simple shibori resist techniques will be explored here as well.  Students will leave this class with the confidence to perform these tasks at home.

Lab fee $60: includes products for your own at-home indigo vat and three silk scarves.  There will be an opportunity to buy additional silk scarves at the workshop for $5-$10 each.  Please bring materials fee to Janna in cash or cheque on the first class.

Yes there are more workshops to be had!  This time they are in Vancouver at The Window Community Art Shop.  First let me tell you a bit about The Window; it's a pretty special place.  The Window is a non-profit social enterprise which showcases local art and crafts.  Part of what they do is offer people with barriers to the workplace an opportunity to learn art-making techniques which they might use to create products to sell in the shop.  They also support local artists and are always looking for local work to sell so check it out if you have your own product line.  It just might be the place for you. 

Something else that is really special about this place is that it offers its space to sewers and ceramic artists.  So, after offering sewing and ceramic workshops their space is available to use to experiment with your new found techniques.  They have wheels, kilns, sewing machines and sergers right in the space!  So convenient and accessible!  Love it.

Since this is my workshop blog of course I writing to announce some workshops I'll be offering at this wonderful space: 1) Beginner Knitting ~on August 8th, 15th and 22nd~ and 2) Natural Dyeing ~on August 9th, 16th and 23rd~.  Both occur between 1pm-3pm on those dates. 

In this post I'll detail the Beginner Knitting workshop and soon I'll post again with details about the Natural Dyeing workshop.  It will be different from the one I'm offering at Unwind in a few ways.

Beginning Knitting at The Window is for those of you who have never picked up knitting needles and are dying to learn.  Participants will leave the three-session workshop feeling comfortable with casting on, knitting, purling and binding off - You'll learn that that's all you'll ever need too.  Half way though the sessions students will have the opportunity to start a quick and easy project like this cowl (yes, by then fall will be just around the corner).  Other projects can be discussed based on the wants and needs of the students.

This workshop is open to all!  There are four places left in the class.  To sign up call The Window at 694 629 8396

Beginner Knitting
$60
August 8, 15, 22
1pm-3pm

www.thewindowartshop.com

 

Here are some photo's from the lace knitting workshop at Unwind.  Student shawls are still in progress and it's been fun to see how different yarns are knitting up with the same pattern.  On the first day we began by knitting mini samples of the shawlette so the students were able to sample all the different techniques right off the bat, including seeing how the shawlette pattern progresses and takes shape.  Above is Kim's sample in mohair.  Isn't it cute?

If you've ever been interested in knitting lace and think you're ready to begin making holes on purpose this is the workshop for you.  Lace knitting can seem very scary for the knitter who has simply stuck to knit and purl stitches and avoids patterns at all cost.  If this sounds familiar, this workshop was designed for you.  Participants will learn basic lace knitting techniques and will work on a simple shawlette pattern with easy-to-remember repeats.

Sadly my brand new camera has died which means I cannot post any pictures of my sample shawlettes at this time, but the one above by cashsmith is similar (but larger).

Silk, cotton and linen yarns would all be lovely to use for the season and available at Unwind for purchase


Beginner Lace Knitting
two part class,  June 15 & 22
6pm - 9pm

Unwind Knit & Fibre Lounge
Gibsons, BC

Call for pricing:
604 886 1418

www.unwindknitandfibre.ca

All of the ladies finished their first slipper today.  We all applauded every time someone finished.  The slippers are so great, I love the uniqueness of each one.  It has inspired me to spin up my own yarn and knit some slippers myself.

The ladies are on week two of knitting (that's only two weeks of knitting ever!) and they are already taking on slippers with a shaped heel.  This is amazing!  One of the ladies requested it last week and before I knew it everyone was agreeing - slippers it is!  I was happy to comply.

It was a busy day to say the least, so I wasn't able to take pictures until after the students left.   Here are everyone's slippers in progress.  They are using the hand-spun that they made a few weeks back.  This is their first spinning and they learned how to dye the fleece in their spinning workshop too.

 
Today was day three of beginner hand knitting and most of the ladies have already done stockinette, moss stitch and basket weave.  I've been adapting my lesson plan based on the fact that they are such fast learners, and knitters.  Many of them are already able to catch mistakes and fix them without my help.  Amazing!

I've loved every minute, these ladies are a blast;  we laugh a lot!  I expected that I'd learn a lot from them too, but I had no clue, they are so generous! They have already begun introducing me to their language and are constantly telling stories.  Today I heard about the first time the older ladies saw a muskox.  Apparently muskox left the area for a couple decades and returned in the 70's, so they were literally in disbelief when people claimed to have seen them.  

All the ladies have amazing skills in various media like printing, embroidery, beading and sewing, and they all make their own winter parkas.  Mary's fur collar is made with wolverine fur and includes the claws!  It is amazing.  I'll post a picture of it at some point.

Mid day we all gathered at the window to watch the local rangers and junior rangers prepare for a 200 km trek.  They meet rangers from Kuglutuk who also travel 200km to meet them half way.  This journey is meant to prepare the junior rangers with outside survival skills.  They are gone until the end of the week.  Below are some pictures of them leaving, the group pic only shows about 1/3 of the rangers who left.  Some of the people in the pic are family members saying goodbye.