March 2012

MARCH CLASSES AT MILLICENT"S

March classes are geared toward advancing your skills and adding new ones.  All of our classes are free!!  You will find details as to dates and times on our Classes Page.  In the meantime, here is a summary . . . .

Of course our 4-week Introduction to Knitting and Crochet classes run every month, starting in the first weeks of each month.  These are great classes not only for newbies, but also for those of you who want to refresh your skills.

For the many crocheters who have taken our always popular introductory class, we are offering a Crochet Bag class where you'll learn about shaping pieces.

                                      

This bag is a shoulder bag in two sizes.  A new Advanced Thread Crochet class is geared for those who want to learn about the finer things of crochet (see below).

For knitters we have an important 4-week Skills Class introducing and widening your skills in casting on and binding off, in increasing and decreasing, basics about lace and colorwork, and joining techniques.  This class will help you to become a more sophisticated knitter and will help prepare you for the spring classes at Millicent's.  We are also offering in March Socks on Double Pointed Needles and Two Socks on Two Circular Needles, as well as a Knit Your First Sweater class.  The Adult Sweater Knit-Alongs will continue as will the Great North American Aran Afghan group (see below).

Our single-session Sunday class "Beyond the Basics" will start you on the Linen Stitch Scarf from Churchmouse Yarns which has drawn so much interest.  The linen stitch is a slip-stitch pattern that requires some attention, but not so much that a knitter with basic skills and a sense of adventure can't handle!

TWINED KNITTING - Special March class

Twined knitting is known today primarily from archeological fragments found in Sweden.  In 1974 a glove was unearthed in the Dalarna region of Sweden which was determined to be twined knitting dating to the late 1600s!  Twined knitting is found in many Scandinavian knitting traditions.  The discovery of the glove in Sweden has focused recent research into the Swedish development of this technique called two-strand knitting or Tvaandsstickning.

                               

Twined knitting can be described as a kind of two-stranded knitting technique.  The fabric is made by twining the yarns on the back of the fabric while knitting with two strands which usually come from one ball of yarn.  The twining of the yarns produces a warm and firm double-layered knit fabric.  It also allows the knitter to produce a surface embellishment that is raised on the front side.  This embellishment is subtle when produced in the same color as the background and is beautifully delicate in a contrast color.

     
Twined Knitting -- knit side                                          Twined Knitting -- purl side

The twined knitting class will use The Basic Twined Hat and The Basic Twined Mittens patterns from Lisa Ellis Designs.  The patterns use the basic twined technique which can be adapted to other knitting projects. In addition to executing these two patterns, we will further explore the two-end knitting tradition with knitted samples.  We will learn to read twined charts and practice beginning twined surface embellishment.  Please examine the store display which uses the featured yarn Taos from Crystal Palace Yarns. 

                     


This class will be taught by Geni Rudy who took great interested in twined knitting during and after her trip to Sweden and who knit beautiful twined fingerless gloves for her daughter's bridal outfit.

TATTING - Special March class

Tatting is another new skill class to be taught at Millicent's in March.

                                               

Tatting is a technique for handcrafting a durable lace constructed of a series of knots and loops.  Tatting comprises a series of double-hitch knots arranged in rings and chains and ornamented with picots and sometimes with beads.  It is worked using either a shuttle or tatting needle on tightly-twisted threads.  Tatting with a shuttle dates to the early 19th century, while needle tatting (which you will learn in this class) originated in the early 20th century.  A tatting needle is a long blunt needle that does not change thickness at the eye of the needle.  The needle used must match the thickness of the thread (usually cotton) chosen for a project.  So from a simple tool and cotton thread, you will learn to create masterpieces.

This class is taught by Carolyn Groves who teaches tatting classes at fiber conventions and over the internet.  She has won prizes for her tatting (which can be seen at Millicent's).

ADVANCED THREAD CROCHET

What you can do with fine crochet is a whole other thing than what is created when crocheting with worsted or even fingering weight yarn.  The end result of thread crochet is like fine lace, and yet it has a body to it that withstands any number of washings.  Judith Robertson will be teaching this class in which you will be using a steel crochet hook and fine cotton thread.  She will introduce edgings for tea towels or hand towels, or edgings that can be used on baby hats, a hankie or a pillowcase. 

                 

You will need to have finished the Introduction to Crochet class at Millicent's or be an experienced crocheter to participate.   Judith hopes to take advanced crochet students to a point where they are creating heirloom projects.

THE GREAT NORTH AMERICAN ARAN AFGHAN KNIT-ALONG

Ten people have committed to the year-long Aran Afghan Knit-Along.  This group is now closed.  I have had requests for a less intense block of the month afghan project and I'm doing research into this now.  More to come . . . .

ADULT SWEATER KNIT-ALONG

We also have many people in the Adult Sweater Knit-Along  that started in February.  The Sweater Knit-Along is a chance to dive into a larger meatier project.  Knit yourself a winter sweater.  Or, think Spring!  Imagine lightweight sweaters!  Or think frothy gossamer sweaters.  All the fashions you see in current magazines we have in our wonderful selection of patterns at Millicent's.

Please join us at any time!  The Adult Sweater Knit-Along requires only that you previously knitted a sweater and understand the basics of construction, increasing and decreasing, and joining pieces.  If you were not able to attend January's "Knit Your First Sweater" class, we are offering one in March for those who want to join in but are needing basic sweater skills (see our Classes page for a description please).

LEAP YEAR!

Leap Year comes around but once every 4 years.  February 29, 2012 marks a leap year.  I have a friend whose fourth birthday I helped celebrate when she turned 16.  She was actually 4 (or was she actually 16?) and we all went to her party dressed like little kids.  She's my age and is about to celebrate her 15th birthday.

Wonder what surprises we will have in store for you on February 29?  A LEAP YEAR SALE, of course!  Please follow our FACEBOOK page [ that's Millicent's Yarns & More ] for more details.  And "Like" us when you visit the site!

THE PRICE OF WOOL AND COTTON CONTINUES TO RISE

Sticker shock got you yet?  Yes, the price of wool and cotton has increased and will continue to do so.  But there is sound reasoning behind the price increases.

Yarn Market News magazine explains it this way:  First, the depreciation of the US dollar by some 15% over the last three years has had a big effect on prices as they trickle through the yarn companies down to your local yarn shop and then, unfortunately, to you.  Also the costs of diesel fuel has increased (think shipping costs).  Then climate factors like moisture and heat are a concern:  lack of rain in Pakistan and Texas, both cotton growing areas, has hit the yarn industry hard.  Wool has also seen a drastic price increase due to ongoing and devastating drought conditions in Australia and New Zealand where sheep populations have been "decimated" over the last several years.  South Africa, a wool source, has been afflicted with hoof-and-mouth disease and Rift Valley Fever.  Because of this, China, which is an ever-growing producer of spun yarns for fabric and fiber crafts, has banned South African wool into their country.  And so it goes . . . .

Many yarn companies delayed increasing their prices for as long as possible, even absorbing raised costs in-house.  But this fall, the yarn industry just could no longer hold off the inevitable:  raising prices.  It couldn't have been a very palatable decision for yarn companies, given the idle state of the economy and the fragility of small businesses across the country (except Millicent's Yarns & More -- thanks to you we are going strong).

How to deal with this reality of paying more for your yarn?  Think positively!  Yarn is sold by the pound.  Therefore you get more for your buck with finer yarns.  Think lace, which uses less yarn per square inch than cables or even stockinette stitch.  Or consider this:  you deserve to treat yourself, right?  A sweater's worth of yarn is still less expensive than an hour with a psychiatrist or a divorce lawyer.  Get your therapy with us!

[Resources:  Edward Morse, global head of commodity research at Citigroup and spouse of Linda Morse, owner of Manhattan's yarn boutique String, and Joan Sheridan of Heritage Spinning and Weaving in Lake Orion, Michigan, as cited in Yarn Market News, January 2012.]

AND NOW FOR SOME FUN

RULES OF STASH ACQUISITION (just in case you didn't know)
1.  Sock yarn isn't stash (most of the time.)
2.  A knitter or crocheter without stash is no crafter at all.
3.  Enough stash is never enough.
4.  Home is where the heart is, but your local yarn shop has silk.
5.  Never allow family to stand in the way of a stash enhancement opportunity.
6.  If you love it, buy it!
7.  It never hurts to make good friends with the local yarn shop owner.
8.  A wise crafter can smell merino in the wind.
9.  She who dies with the most stash wins.
10.  She who achieves SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy) still doesn't have enough stash.
11.  Anyone who gets between you and potential stash deserves what they get.
12.  Use fun-fur and novelty yarns for family gifts, if you must.  They'll be impressed while you'll keep the good stuff for yourself.
13.  Keep an emergency money stash, too.  A bag sale is not to be missed for any reason.
14.  Like every artist, a knitter must have a palette to work from.  Therefore it makes sense to have all the colors in all yarn weights.
15.  It's not a stash -- it's a retirement investment.
16.  Also, what do you mean, couch pillows aren't meant to be filled with yarn?  And why were you looking there in the first place?
17.  It's not stash -- it's insulation.
18.  Would you tell Picasso he had to use up more of his paints because they were piling up?  No!  Replace "paints" with "yarn" in that sentence.
19.  You touch it, you buy it.
20.  Also, if yarn feels good, you need it in every color.
21.  If it's a beautiful color, there is no such thing as "enough."  One never knows when a dye lot is discontinued.
22.  If a dye lot is discontinued, it is considered an emergency situation and any considerations of "budget" or "financial sense" should be ignored.
23.  Always remember #3.





HAPPY KNITTING from all of us at MILLICENT'S YARNS & MORE!