A weekend with woollenflower

What a fab weekend, Julia (woollenflower) was here teaching her first class with us, and what an awesome one it was. Jules was teaching finishing techniques, I wasn't part of the class, but oh the tips i overheard! But you guys will have to sign up next time to find them out. We also took her out for chips...mmm chips

Jules is next back up in Dundee on the 20th June to teach both knitting tips and tricks, and how to steek ( i will defiantly be joining in on that one!) Book online at www.fluph.co.uk under the workshops tab, drop us a phone call or book in person! Info below.

KNITTING TIPS AND TRICKS

Date : Saturday the 20th June 2015

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Price: £35 which includes all materials

In this 3-hour class, learn a whole series of techniques to make your hand-knitted garments look beautiful, including accurate swatching, choosing/ substituting yarn, picking up dropped stitches and recognizing and fixing other mistakes, choosing the right increases and decreases, picking up stitches neatly for a button band, joining a new ball and weaving in ends.

Level: Advanced beginner

Skills required: Casting on and off, knit and purl, increasing and decreasing

Materials: a 10x10cm stocking stitch swatch (on needles) Materials can be collected once class is booked.

STEEKING- MUG COSY

Date : Saturday the 20th June 2015

Time: 2.00pm - 5.00pm

Price: £35 which includes all materials

In this 3-hour class, we will explore how to safely cut your knitting so that you can turn a jumper into a cardigan, resize a garment up or down, add armholes and more. This traditional technique is intrinsic to Fair Isle, Scandinavian and other colourwork knitting traditions and is also useful when knitting cables or other patterns that are more easily worked in the round, for knitting with self-striping yarns and for those who prefer knit to purl…

We’ll look at the various types of steeks, as well as the yarn and stitch patterns commonly used when steeking. Participants will work and cut two different kinds of steeks on their swatches and will learn how to secure the steek once cut, add a knitted band and incorporate a steek into a garment. You will also receive a pattern that turns the swatches into a sweet mug cosy.

Level: Intermediate

Skills required: casting on and off, knit and purl, increasing and decreasing, reading a pattern: some experience knitting in colourwork or cables will be helpful but not essential

Materials: 2 completed swatches (instructions for these will be provided after you book your place)

Sale Sale Sale

Did you hear we are having a sale? You did! But you don't want to leave the house with all that snow thats just this moment started....well our sale is now ONLINE.  No need to be queuing at the door for 5am, Order what you are after online and i will post it out to you in our beautiful, almost fluph blue bags (yes i squeed when ordering them!)

So I thought i would go through some of the yarn that are on sale and offer up suggestions on what to make with it to help enable your yarn buying habits :D

SALE HERE

First up we have Schoppel-wolle Gradient in a fiery orange colour. This yarn is one of those less commonly used weight over here in the UK, a worsted, which is thicker than a DK but thinner than an Aran, this ball of fire is a good 284yards/ 260m for 100g and is 100% wool (so no machine washing!)

On sale at £9.50 instead of £12.50

photo property of Orange Flower Yarn

The Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief

by Orange Flower Yarn

This beaut of a shawl is a great step up project, and what i mean by that is something that you could jump into once you have mastered the basics. It adds a few new stitches into the mix, like a yo (yarn over) and a K2tog (knit two together) which is great if you want to move onto more intricate patterns and these are very commonly used stitches across the board. The pattern asks for a DK but since this is a shawl, using a worsted is only going to make it a teeny fraction bigger, and cosier! win win. one ball will be perfect for this project, even better! 

photo property of sarahelizabethii

Wingspan

by maylin Tri'Coterie Designs

I have seen so many of these shawls worked up in various grandient and self striping yarns, and each one is ever so beautiful! This shawl is one of those great patterns that you just keep knitting until you run out of yarn. perfect for using up that stash. The transition between the oranges will look so stunning on the different peaks. This pattern asks for a fingering weight yarn but again as its a shawl and its designed to take any weight of yarn, however it would need more yardage to get a good wrap around your neck length. Of the people on Rav that used this yarn to make this pattern they used 2 balls. 

photo property of Soft Rainbow Designs

Rising Sun

by Zsuzsa Kiss

If you want to know how this yarn works up, the photo above uses the exact same colour way that we have in stock. the pattern is actually designed using the gradient yarn, so no fiddling with yarn sizes or substitutions. I think i may go and cast this on with the one i have left! 

photo property of Erin Ruth

Molly

by Erin Ruth

My last pattern pick for this yarn is this beautiful cabled hat. Im sure by now you know my love of knitting shawls, and i could have filled this post with shawl patterns ( i nearly have) but when i saw this hat i had to include it! Again this pattern only takes one ball, a perfect little hat! 

If you want more suggestions on what to match this yarn to follow this link down the deep dark hole that is Ravelry! 

Come learn with Clare

The awesomeness that is 'The Devine' is back up in Dundee teaching with us right here at fluph. Clare has taught here a fair few times now, and every time she does i get such wonderful feedback from students. HUZAH. she is even teaching at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. We only pick the best! So is there anything this time that you fancy learning? How to master those circular needles with magic loop? Or do you HATE sewing things up? learn how to do it properly, neatly, and make it a fun part of the process, not the worst with finishing school. These classes can be booked online via our website www.fluph.co.uk through the workshops tab, in the shop or over the phone at 01382 690190.

Magic Loop

Date : Saturday the 7th February 2015

Time: 2.00pm - 5.00pm

Price: £35 which includes all materials

Want to knit in the round? Once you can knit in the round you project options are
endless.
This class is perfect for you if you have never knitted in the round, or if you are used
to knitting with DPNs and want to try something new. This class is perfect for
beginners, all you need to know is how to cast on and the knit stitch.

In this class you will learn about:
• Knitting in the round using magic loop
• In the class you will create a lovely pair of wrist warmers or fingerless gloves.
• Optional learn about creating ‘jogless stripes’.
• Optional learn the ‘long tail cast on method’.

Finishing School

Date : Saturday the 7th February 2015

Time: 10.00am - 1.00pm

Price: £35 which includes all materials

Don't fall flat at the last hurdle. Finish you knitted items with style and make the most of your gorgeous knitting. This workshop is perfect if you want to brush up on your finishing skills.

We will cover:

Basic seaming

grafting in stocking stitch and garter stitch

Three needle bind off

weaving in ends and joining yarns while you are knitting.

The importance of swatching and yarn choice when trying to get your knitted item to look like the pattern photo

blocking (the why and how)

There is a small quantity of knitty homework for this class, details will be emailed out once booking is confirmed.

www.yarnandpointysticks.com