fibre space™

Finishing Series with Anne Hanson

The Finishing Series provides the knitter with discussion and demonstration of various tools and techniques for finishing projects with polished, professional results. The focus of this workshop is on finishing seamed garments. The series is comprised of three lessons focusing on the following areas:
Blocking: preparation of knitted pieces for final construction, including blocking, sizing and care of hand-knit fabric and fibers.
Joining: covers myriad aspects of seaming, grafting, and finished openings, as well as planning the right methods for individual projects.
Embellishments: discusses add-ons such as buttonholes and bands, buttons, pockets, and edgings for knitted garments as well as picking up stitches.

This day long workshop includes a catered lunch.

Skills Needed:

This class is rated “rockin.” Students should have experience increasing and decreasing or working in the round.

Materials:

• current finishing projects or swatches (see list below)
• blocking tools: towels (1-2 large, 2-3 hand size), iron, pins, blocking squares or board, blocking wires (if possible), ruler, spray bottle
• tapestry needles
• a variety of knitting needles to practice techniques
• 100 yards of practice yarn
• spare project yarn if using actual project pieces for class
• pattern/documentation/schematic for project if applicable

**Students are also encouraged to bring the blocking tools listed above if it is convenient; this will ensure that they will be able to block their own item and make it possible for more people to have hands on experience in class. However, there is no need to purchase tools just for the class.

Homework:

Students should bring a current finishing/seaming project such as sweater pieces, mitts, scarf, or neck warmer to block and seam in class. If no project is ready for finishing, participants should prepare 4 swatches that are 3-4 inches square and 2 swatches that are 21 sts wide by 1 inch long, with live sts on a holder. Tapestry needles, pins, knitting needles size 4 or 5, 100 yards of fingering yarn for practice, spare project yarn.

Bio: Anne Hanson / Knitspot

Knitspot owner and designer Anne Hanson, a life-long knitter with experience in the fashion and graphic design fields, enjoys an ongoing conversation with users, incorporating customer feedback into knitspot products wherever possible. Anne also teaches and writes about knitting, spinning, and designing in her “knit spot”, and lives in Ohio with David, who loves wool, too.

Anne’s background as a pattern maker/draper, technical designer, and costumer in New York City’s garment district informs her work, providing a rich source of experience in garment construction and fit, as well as knowledge of a wide range of fibers and fabrics.