Q&A With Our Instructors
 |
Kate Atherley Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? I’m all about the “small start” – we focus on building skills with my training socks. It’s a great way to explore a new technique and build skills without a major commitment of time or materials. I’m also all about mistakes – making them is the best way to learn. In my classes, I show you how to make them, how to avoid them, how to fix them --- and when to ignore them! |
| Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? Although I learned the basics from my grandmother, when I decided to pick up the needles again in my early twenties, I didn’t have any knitters close to me, and had to teach myself so many things. I remember very clearly my frustrations and disappointments in my early knitting. I very nearly gave it up. I love being able to help knitters expand their skills without getting frustrated, and it’s my mission in life to make sure knitters are successful right away, and to ensure they don’t ever give it up! Can you share an important experience that was a direct result of your passion for knitting? My knitting is a hobby, a pleasure, and my work – but it’s also saved my feet and hands. I suffer from poor circulation and a medical problem called Raynaud’s Phenomenon, which leads to me having very cold hands and feet. Living in Canada, I’m at risk of frostbite for several months of the year. Being a knitter has allowed me to make myself the warmest possible socks and mittens, to protect myself. Even my doctor has been impressed with how I’m able to help myself with the work of my hands. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? My copy of June Hemmons-Hiatt’s “The Principles of Knitting” – it’s the master reference book, but also a fantastic read. I learn something from it every time I open it! | |
|
| |
 |
Anne Berk If everyone in the world learned how to knit… people wouldn’t smoke or over-eat (their hands would be kept busy), and we would all be warmer and better-looking!! |
| Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? There is nothing more wonderful than seeing the light in someone’s eyes when they realize “Hey, I can do this!” I’m addicted to solving knitter’s problems, it is my favorite thing. What can students learn from your class that they can’t learn anywhere else? Interaction between student and teacher allows the teacher to present the content in the individual students’ context. Listening to each other and watching each other presents an immense short-cut in the learning process. The active, creative community formed in a knitting classroom is a very powerful thing, and I never get tired of the magic that happens in the classroom. | |
|
| |
 |
Beth Brown-Reinsel What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? I think I love stranded knitting the most, with Twined Knitting coming in at a close second. Stranded knitting can involve just two colors or many, and it feels like painting with yarn to me when I am knitting in multiple colors. Twined Knitting, on the other hand, is an old technique that allows me to feel connected to all knitters through history. This technique was a practical way to make extra-warm mittens and other accessories in the very cold climate of Sweden. |
| What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? There aren't many knitting instructors who bring modern day knitting into the context of historical knitting. I have researched many of the garments I teach about, having visited numerous museums abroad and studying pieces in their storage areas. Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? My classes involve historic garments, techniques, or motifs. I believe that understanding classical construction helps to inform our modern knitting skills. One's perspective is enriched by learning from the past in any discipline. My little sweater classes are a good example of this. The student can knit an entire garment in two days, to learn the construction as well as the motifs used, within the context of a sweater rather than swatches which are meaningless within a few months. If there is another instructor at IKL whose class you’d like to take, who’s would it be and why? I would love to take a class from Nancy Bush because her historical perspective is so like mine. I know that being faithful to the historical knitted examples she teaches is as important to her as it is to me. | |
|
| |
 |
Nancy Bush What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? It depends on what has taken my interest! Anything Estonian is where my interest lies, but that leaves a lot of room for absolute favorites. Right now I am working on Estonian lace patterns Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? They will learn some interesting knitting skills and about another countries history and culture |
| Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? I believe I have a unique perspective on the knitting of Estonia, having visited the country many times and spent valuable time with knitters there. I have unique experiences related to knitting that I can teach to my students. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? My current favorite yarn is North American Shetland from Elemental Affects, I love the Fingering weight for gloves and mittens and the Rustic Lace for shawls and scarves. The colors are wonderful! Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… the world would be a much better, peaceful place. What’s the best piece of advice you ever got from a fellow knitter? If you find you have to start over, don’t think of it as going backwards or having wasted time, think of it as going forward, as you have learned something, and that is: now you know what you didn’t like or what didn’t work, so now you can improve it. | |
|
| |
 |
Lily Chin What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? Whichever one I happen to be working on at the moment! What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? It’s more about the hands-on experience where I can see what you’re doing and correct it on the spot if necessary, you get instant feedback. |
| Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? You get ME and the way *I* teach, both with humor and remarkable demonstrations. You also get to see scads of my samples to illustrate what we are learning. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? I’m personable and funny! They get the Lily Chin experience, which is unique in itself. They also get great descriptions that stick in one’s head so that they will remember what they learned. I take great pride in being a good teacher, which is a totally different set of skill from designing or writing. Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? Knitting is my passion and I enjoy sharing the wonder and the fun of it all. Talk about your favorite memory from teaching. I love it when that light bulb goes on for the “aha” moment in a student. However, there was a very funny instance where I told a student to place her handout on the table. She didn’t know I was referring to the piece of paper that you get in class. Instead, she literally put her HAND out on the table!!! Can you share an important experience that was a direct result of your passion for knitting? My passion for knitting helped me immensely to get through all the dreaded deadlines. If I didn’t love knitting so much, I don’t know how I could ever have made it through those stressful, sleepless nights. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? I love my electric yarn winders (I have four) and my swifts (I have three). Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… we would have a whole lot less road rage and maybe even world peace (or is that world FLEECE ???). If there is another instructor at IKL whose class you’d like to take, who’s would it be and why? I’ve heard glowing things about Shirley Paden and how meticulous she is. I know her as a great designer but would love to experience her classes. What’s the best piece of advice you ever got from a fellow knitter? The best thing about being in the company of fellow knitters is the feedback you get, not to mention the little tips. For instance, someone might point out that a yarn looks like a different dye lot and it turns out to be so. Or someone might mention a new tool or gadget that’s useful. That’s why we get together. Plus the company is always inspiring. | |
|
| |
 |
Donna Druchunas What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? Lace! After finally learning when I was working on my book Arctic Lace, I realized that lace knitters are right: Lace IS easier than colorwork or cables. But mainly because I love the rhythm of working the yarn overs and decreases and the finished results. What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? The stories and knitting techniques that I’ve learned firsthand in my travels. |
| Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? As a former technical writer, I have an excellent ability to communicate with students of all skill levels and to break techniques down into small, easy steps as well as to explain basic concepts in a way that is easy to understand. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? Fun! Inspiration! Empowerment! Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? I learned how to knit from my grandmother and was inspired to make things for myself by a close family friend we called Aunt Phebe. I can never thank these women enough for the inspiration and wisdom they passed on to me and I hope to be able to pay it forward through my teaching and writing. Talk about your favorite memory from teaching. Every time a student says, “Now I get it!” Can you share an important experience that was a direct result of your passion for knitting? Meeting wonderful people. Sometimes when I read the news, I feel despair over the condition of humanity and the world. Then I go to a knitting event and my faith in humanity is restored. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? Needles! It’s always about the needles for me. Right now, I can’t live without my Chiao-Goo Red Lace interchangeable needles for travel and lace projects, and my Signature Needle Arts DPNs for socks and mittens. Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… maybe we could end war. What’s the best piece of advice you ever got from a fellow knitter? My grandmother taught me how to knit in the combination method. It was so easy, and I have never hated purling. Thank you, Grandma! | |
|
| |
 |
Candace Eisner Strick Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? I bring the most unique thing in the world to my classes....me. Everyone has a different take on things, and someone could take the same topic class from 10 different instructors and get something new from each class. I try to make my classes not only informative but also fun. |
| Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? I don't know how to answer this question as to the why, but the passion is something that involves me almost every minute of my life. Even when I am not knitting I am thinking about knitting, and sometimes I actually dream about designing, or inventing a new technique. I love the fact that knitting is so low-tech, which means you can do it anywhere and anytime. If it doesn't work out, you just rip, and use the yarn for something else, so nothing is ever wasted. Even your time is not wasted, as it becomes a learning experience. I love to be teaching people who share my same passion, and I love to let them know that anything is OK. A successful teacher is one who has passion for the topic they are teaching. Fill in the rest of this sentence: "If everyone in the world learned to knit… there would be no more high blood pressure, the pace of life would be slower, there would be less unhappy people, less people striving to acquire more and more stuff (other than yarn, of course), and the economy of the fiber industry would be booming. I'm not going to say there would be no more war, or no more hunger, but it certainly would be a nicer world. Knitters are, as everyone knows, wonderful people! | |
|
| |
 |
Rose Ann Hunter What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? Historic techniques prior to 1850, and I thank Old Sturbridge Village for giving me the opportunity to become one of their artists in residences to put me on a path I never dreamed possible. What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? The lost historic techniques to bring them to present day by taking 1850 to 2014. |
| Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? A chance to learn something that is not on YouTube and learn something entirely new to them. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? Give them skills to go on to design their own projects, and begin to recycle again with textiles to incorporate in your knitting. Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? To get that ah ha moment in the faces of students, and the thrill for them to do something so simple and creative and utilitarian. Talk about your favorite memory from teaching. One of my students said, “I think you could take me places I have never been before, I want you on my speed dial…” Can you share an important experience that was a direct result of your passion for knitting? The courage to apply to a museum and actually be chosen as resident artists, to research and learn, and then share with all. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? My crochet hook | |
|
| |
 |
Annie Modesitt What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? Why not ask me which is my favorite child? Cables and stitch texture are favorite ‘go to’ techniques for me because they’re fast and you can generally see the results quickly. Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? Because I like meeting my students, and it’s cool to teach knitting for a living. |
| What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? They can learn when my birthday is, and how I met my husband… Seriously, though, there are a LOT of knitting teachers who teach magnificent classes. A good student/teacher relationship is like chemistry, and I like to think that I’m able to work as the catalyst for many students as they look for that special spark that will add more life to their knitting. Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? My classes have huge amounts of humor in them, but I also expect my students to work hard (and learn a lot) and get their money’s worth! I feel that by using humor, my students are allowed to ‘be themselves’ and relax, and therefore learn a lot more than they might in a tenser situation. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? In the short term a student will have a great time and be amazed at how much they learn in 3 hours. In the long term, I’ve had many past students email me that my classes have had a last effect on the amount of joy and intuition they bring to their knitting. Those are the two most important parts of knitting to me - joy and intuition. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? I love my signature needles. I am a pretty fast knitter, but with the signatures I’m crazy fast, which allows me to get a lot of work done (and ripped out and re-done) in short time periods. Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… there would be a lot more yarn sold.” If there is another instructor at IKL whose class you’d like to take, who’s would it be and why? I’d love taking a class with ANYONE teaching at IKL! But I’ve always wanted to take a class with Beth Brown-Reinsel. | |
|
| |
 |
Daniela Nii Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? I bring a unique blend of knitting related skills to my classes – extensive knowledge of knitting techniques, 30+ years of knitting, being a published knitwear designer, technical editor, indie publisher, writer, and teacher – that I love to share. I enjoy giving my students a glimpse into the world of knitting beyond just following pattern instructions. |
| What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? I'm a knitting technique junkie so that my choice favorite technique is a bit of a revolving door – always changing and shifting. I thoroughly enjoy researching a technique by surfing the web, reading books, and swatching to discover the finer points and history behind a technique. I love it when I can use one kind of technique and apply it to another to create something new. Take for example shaped intarsia: applying different increase/decrease methods at the actual color change solves the problem of jagged lines and allows me to introduce sweeping curves for modern art inspired designs. What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? All my classes are usually heavily technique-oriented and are a synthesis of my hours and hours of research and experience. After doing all of the leg work upfront for my students, I save them time and false starts. With my wealth of knitting knowledge and experience I can bring a technique to life beyond just the knitting mechanics by sharing the "when" and "why" a specific technique is used or showing them alternative approaches to achieving the same or similar effects. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? My classes are designed to be either:
Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? So many of us are tired and worn out from the daily grind that we forget our passions and creativity and neglect to feed our spirit. Through teaching knitting techniques I am able to reach out to knitters, to instill confidence in their abilities, spark their creativity, and rekindle their passion for knitting. It is very rewarding to witness this transformation. | |
|
| |
 |
Shirley Paden Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? I feel that we are the guardians of a unique heritage. We have been granted the privilege of learning and passing on the skills surrounding this antique cloth making art. It has survived for over 2000 years because of the passion it ignites in the human psyche. I also believe that we must not just keep this art alive, but keep it vibrant. We must add our history to its legacy. That is why I design using what I term the “2/T Theory”. What that means is that I combine “Trends with Tradition”. I honor the contributions of the knitters of the past and pay homage to them by using patterns from previous centuries. At the same time, I try to move the art forward by placing those patterns on silhouettes that denote the trends of our time. |
| Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? I feel that we are the guardians of a unique heritage. We have been granted the privilege of learning and passing on the skills surrounding this antique cloth making art. It has survived for over 2000 years because of the passion it ignites in the human psyche. I also believe that we must not just keep this art alive, but keep it vibrant. We must add our history to its legacy. That is why I design using what I term the “2/T Theory”. What that means is that I combine “Trends with Tradition”. I honor the contributions of the knitters of the past and pay homage to them by using patterns from previous centuries. At the same time, I try to move the art forward by placing those patterns on silhouettes that denote the trends of our time. Talk about your favorite memory from teaching About 10 years ago I was invited to teach two 6-week classes to launch a Fiber Arts Studio that was being started by 2 of my former students. The first class was a basic Garment Design Class and the second was an Advanced Knitting Technique Class. The classes were held in succession for 3 hours each Saturday morning. They launched in the middle of the winter. All seats sold and all of the students were new to design. Even on the snowiest Saturday mornings everyone arrived each week from all over the tri-state area an hour in advance. Everyone knew that I would be there. After the first 2 weeks the entire class signed up for the 2nd class. We spent 12 weeks together and became like a big family. Most of the students have stayed in touch with me and 4 of the students are knitwear designers very active in the industry today. I will never forget the uniqueness of that winter-into-spring launch and the genuine camaraderie that was formed. The 2 students who owned the business went on to build a very successful studio offering all types of classes and inviting in many well-known teachers. However, the success of those 2 classes launched their business and several new careers | |
|
| |
 |
Alasdair Post-Quinn What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? Estonian lace, of course! No, I’m only kidding – I design almost exclusively in double-knitting, and I do it because I love this reversible technique and can’t stop seeing new possibilities for it. I feel like I’m on the frontier of this particular niche of knitting that hasn’t been explored very deeply. I’m not the only explorer out on these fringes, but I’m going in my own direction and I hope you’ll follow me. |
| What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? Many of the techniques I teach, especially in my more advanced workshops, are techniques I discovered myself. As a direct consequence of this, I am the only one teaching some of these techniques. There may very well be people out there who have learned from me and have gone on to teach their own double-knitting workshops – and more power to them! But I am always developing new techniques and integrating them into new workshops, so that both new and experienced generations of double-knitters will always have something to learn from me. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? Many people feel that double-knitting is frightening and difficult to do. I want to let everyone know that, just like every other branch of knitting, it’s only knits and purls and there is no magic to it – no matter how much it seems that way. I’ll do anything I can to help you toward that “A-Ha!” moment – and once you’re confident in your new knowledge, you’ll have a new foundation on which to build more knowledge in my advanced classes. And once you realize how double-knitting isn’t as hard as you thought, who knows what other assumptions you’ll challenge? | |
|
| |
 |
Nancy Shroyer Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? Knitting can be food for our souls. For me it has brought comfort in bad times, joy to be creative, and patience when I had to wait. I want everyone who comes to my classes or sits next to me at knit night to know that knitting can be a balm for their busy lives. That in my classes there is no ripping, there are no mistakes, that we can be good to ourselves and each other to make the experience a reprieve from the chaos, sadness, messiness, and speed of our lives outside the room; that for just a little while we can slow down, take a deep breath, and learn a little something new to make knitting even better. |
| What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? 2 color stranded work/Fair Isle-When I was 17 I knitted my first 2 color stranded work sweater. It was a Scandinavian pattern all white and navy blue with snowflakes. I didn’t know anything about using one hand for each color or cutting steeks but I forged ahead and then wore that sweater when I went to college in Boston. I LOVED how the knitting was all from the right side and how the pattern had a rhythm to it and how each row just seemed to flow from my hands. Eventually I learned a lot about making the fabric better and lots of techniques to make the knitting go smoother and faster and how lots of colors can be used, but only 2 per row. I learned the whole history of knitting on Fair Isle and learned to respect the reasons those women had for better knitting and adopted them as my own. I love all knitting-even ripping is ok because it is something that can be fixed, but Fair Isle will always be my #1 love. Can you share an important experience that was a direct result of your passion for knitting? I met my husband because of knitting-I was 21 years old and had just moved into an apartment in Boston with 3 friends. We had the apartment that was ½ underground and right in the front of the building so everyone who came up the stairs to the door could look down into our window. I was a constant knitter even then and since we had only a few lamps, the best light was in the window. That was where I sat as often as possible, knitting. One day there was a knock on the door and when my roommate answered it, she said it was for me. I went to the door and there was a cute guy about my age holding a pair of ripped jeans. He said, “I saw you sewing in the window and thought maybe you could sew the hold in my jeans?” I said I was knitting and not sewing but he was lucky because I could sew too. I asked if he wanted to come in and wait while I sewed and he readily agreed. As we talked, I sewed slower and slower with smaller stitched so he wouldn’t leave. When I finally finished he asked me to go out to dinner with him to repay me. I did and we have been together ever since. A few weeks after I fixed his jeans, I noticed he never wore them so I asked him about that. He said they were and old pair he was going to throw away but ripped the hold in them instead for an excuse to meet me. He had seen me knitting in the window. He is now my partner in Nancy’s Knit Knacks and father to Lisa Shroyer. Both things have changed the lives of many knitters. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? As the owner and developer of Nancy’s Knit Knacks, I am partial to a lot of our equipment and knitting accessories. They were all developed because as a knitter I had a need that didn’t seem to be in the market place. In the beginning I would make a prototype (out of lots of different materials) and then give it to my husband Bob who would figure out how we could get it made. Now we have a team of engineers and people who help to get the product to the market and some of the ideas come from other knitters. To try to pick a favorite is difficult because they are all my babies. Right now, though, I can’t knit without my Yarn Pet. My yarn no longer rolling around the room, I don’t have to give a tug when I want more yarn off the ball, and it keeps the extra twist from being introduced into already twist single yarn. Then again, when I spin, my Katie A Go Go is my best friend. The first one of those I drew a picture and my daughter made it in her shop class. Oh, then there is the Kneesel-the perfect pattern holder in the car and on airplanes…see, hard to pick just one. | |
|
| |
 |
Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark What is your absolute favorite technique to work in and why? Brioche. It’s such an unusual stitch, and the possibilities never cease to keep my interested and challenged. What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? A special take on Brioche stitches and construction, unusual short row manipulations to create fun patterning, and easy knitted-in edgings. I like to keep things as unfussy as possible, while still creating striking knitted effects! |
| Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? I do try to keep my students laughing! Really, I just want the classes to be as fun as they are educational. So if that means some self-deprecating jokes and silly knitting humor along with good teaching, I want to make the class memorable. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? In the short term, students will gain a good skill set for working brioche techniques. In the long term, I’d like to pass on a sense of capability and independence so that students can begin to work past the boundaries of the class material and printed patterns, freeing them up to work their own adaptations on brioche Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? I love passing on knowledge to my students that makes them feel capable and creative. Talk about your favorite memory from teaching. It has nothing to do with actual knitting, but in one of my last Knitting Lab classes, I was joking about how much I love the TV show “Columbo,” and several of my students chimed in to share their favorite episodes! I was amongst my people! We laughed so much. Can you share an important experience that was a direct result of your passion for knitting? Honestly, I still wake up most mornings in awe that I have a career that is based around something I love so much. Being able to connect with other knitters all over the world about something creative and fun makes my day! What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? After many years of use, and frequent addition of new parts, I am still madly in love with my Hiya Hiya Interchangeable needle set. The sharp stainless steel tips are a pleasure to knit with. Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… No one would complain about the long lines at the DMV. If there is another instructor at IKL whose class you’d like to take, who’s would it be and why? I would love to take a class with Mary Jane Mucklestone, to learn more about Fair Isle knitting. Her colorwork is gorgeous! What’s the best piece of advice you ever got from a fellow knitter? At the last Knitting Lab, I got to meet Galina Khmeleva, and she sweetly corrected my tensioning technique. Such a little shift of wrapping the yarn made a great difference to my knitting tension | |
|
| |
 |
Katrine Wohllebe Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… the world would be a smarter place. I firmly believe – and hasn't this also been backed up by science? – that working with your hands, learning coordinated movement etc. helps develop the brain to think more creatively on every level. |
| Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? In my classes I always put a great deal of emphasis on playing and experimenting. In my own experience, each time I let myself play with yarn and techniques without having a specific goal in mind, so many new ideas are born! So in class I try to create an atmosphere of intense, busy, bubbling creativity, ideally generating a number of individual AHA! moments for each student. This atmosphere can be created at home too, and I hope that the encouragement to do so is one of the long term effects of my classes. As for immediate gains, the Domino classes teach some not-so-common methods of casting on, shaping and joining pieces that will add to your repertoire of skills, and in the color class we will be training our eyes to see colors in different ways. What kinds of knitting and fiber trends and techniques are taking off in your country right now? In Denmark we are fortunate to have a lot of very, very talented hand knitting designers at the moment, and several of them have a very distinct signature style. Some are known internationally, e.g. Vivian Høxbro, Hanne Falkenberg, Marianne and Helga Isager and Lene Holme Samsø, but there are many others! Some excel in colorful garments in simple garter stitch; others indulge in intricate cablings or particular techniques. Some are inspired by travels or nature or colors, others are inspired by the techniques and the possibilities that they offer. Two overall tendencies seem to be fitted, figure flattering garments (for all shapes and sizes!), and working with fine yarns, often 2-3 different strands in combination so as to have many possibilities of variation in both colors, structure and gauge | |
|
| |
 |
Andrea Wong What can students learn from your classes that they can’t learn anywhere else? The Portuguese Style of Knitting is not common in this country. Even though it is the oldest way of hand knitting, it is practiced mostly in Greece, Portugal, Turkey and Peru. Since I have moved to the US in 1991 I am the only person teaching and publicizing this method around the country. I have published 3 DVDs and one book on the subject. |
| Why are your knitting classes so unique compared to other classes? I was born and raised in South America where I have learned the Portuguese Style of Knitting at age 7. This is the only method I use to knit all different projects in knitting giving me 42 years of experience. Once I came to the US I have learned the Continental and English styles as well so I can teach and compare advantages and disadvantages of each style. Why should students take your class? What will they gain short and long term? The Portuguese Style of Knitting is the most efficient method of hand knitting. It requires less maneuvering of the hands, making it very ergonomic and fast. In no time the students will be knitting very efficiently, without wasting body movements. In the long term they will notice less pain in their hands, arms and shoulders. Why do you have such a passion for teaching knitting techniques? Knitting is a part of my daily life since I am a little girl. Everything about the subject brings me immense joy and I love to share this joy with others. Knitting is my company in good and in bad times. I am never tired of talking about knitting, learning, practicing, teaching and producing knitted fabrics. It comforts me and I believe will bring comfort to my students if they learn a way that they enjoy knitting without hurting. What is your favorite tool, accessory or yarn in your studio right now- the go-to product that you most frequently turn to? My most favorite tool for knitting is Signature Needles. These needles have the power to make knitting even more pleasing and easier than before because the stitches slide on the needle surface naturally. The joints between needles and cables are smooth. Fill in the rest of this sentence “If everyone in the world learned how to knit… we would be in heaven already! | |
|
| |
