What is blocking? Blocking is the final step that makes your knitting or crochet look perfect.  Blocking evens out stitches, straightens edges and helps you get the perfect size.

Which method of blocking should you use? There are many factors to consider when choosing your blocking method: the fiber, the stitch pattern and what you need from the blocking. With this workshop, you’ll learn all you need to know about the three main methods of blocking:

• Dry blocking with steam
• Wet blocking
• Spray bottle blocking

Why block a swatch? There are two great reasons to wash and block your swatch.  In addition to checking your gauge on a blocked swatch (your gauge may change after blocking), it also allows you to experiment with blocking techniques.  By the time you’re ready to block your finished garment, you’ll be ready to go!

To book this class online, click here.

Want to know more about blocking, but can’t make it to the class? Click here to read about blocking basics on LionBrand.com

Men’s Night
Thursday, March 8
5:30 – 8:30 pm
Click here to RSVP.

All Men’s Night attendees can receive 10% off! To get your discount, RSVP using the link above. When you arrive, just check in at the register. A staff member will direct you to the upstairs meeting room.

*Offer good only for purchases made during time of Men’s Night. Good for in-store purchases only. Not valid on the web. Cannot be combined with any other sales or discounts. Cannot be applied to previous purchases.

[Note: Pattern shown is the Knit Classic Cables Scarf. To see the pattern, click here; it may open in a new window. You may be asked to sign in to LionBrand.com.] ]]> http://www.lionbrandyarnstudio.com/index.php/men-who-love-yarn-join-us-for-mens-night/feed/ 0 http://www.lionbrandyarnstudio.com/index.php/class-spotlight-intro-to-felting/ http://www.lionbrandyarnstudio.com/index.php/class-spotlight-intro-to-felting/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:45:16 +0000 Gretchen http://www.lionbrandyarnstudio.com/?p=15404 Have you been curious about felting, unsure how to go about it? If you long to create beautiful felted but aren’t sure you want to put your hand knit fabric in the washing machine, then this is the class for you!

As long as your fabric experiences the right amounts of water, heat, agitation and soap during the felting process, you can choose to use a machine or to felt by hand. It’s easier to control (and stop) the process when you felt by hand because you can see and feel what’s happening with your project every step of the way. Wet, newly felted fabric can be molded and blocked into it’s desired shape (which it will hold once it dries), allowing for all kinds of creative, beautiful projects!

Come learn what happens when fiber becomes felt, identify which fibers will (and won’t!) felt, and watch your project transform as we dunk and swish our way to creating this cute felted clutch.  Bring your clutch home, block it to the dimensions you want and then embellish it!

To book this class online, click here.

At the LBYS we offer hundreds of workshops on a wide range of subjects that cover everything from beginner basics to advanced techniques. To help you find the one you are looking for, we’ve organized our workshops into tracks based on topic/skill level. There are 8 workshop tracks all together, and each one relates to different aspects of crafting.

To get started, think about what you’d like to learn and read through the descriptions of our 8 tracks. If you’re interested in the subject of a particular track, all the courses we offer in that subject will be conveniently listed within the track so you can take them all or pick and choose your favorites.You can access this list from our homepage by selecting Workshop Tracks from the Classes & Workshops tab:

Let’s say you’ve learned to knit and purl and make increases and decreases and you’re interested in developing a firm understanding of all the fundamentals. On our workshop tracks you’d probably be interested in the Fundamentals (F) Track. In these workshops, we feature the core skills that every knitter and crocheter needs to have. By clicking on it, you’ll be brought to a list of all the workshops we regularly offer in that track. From there you can see specific classes that might suit your interest and browse through the possibilities.

The Get En-“gauged” workshop is perfect for learning all about gauge. Once you’ve found the workshop you’re interested in, look at our schedule of classes for the coming month to see if we are offering it in the near future. You can download our most recent schedule by clicking here, or you can just pick one up in person the next time you visit. It so happens that we are offering the Get En-“gauged” workshop on March 30th from 12-3pm. Here’s what the listing looks like on our printed schedule. Note that we indicate this workshop is in the Fundamentals Track by writing (F) at the end of the description.

If the workshop you’re interested is being offered soon, you can go ahead and log in on our website to register or call us to register over the phone. Of course you can register when you’re next in the LBYS, but these workshops fill up so quickly that it’s best to make your reservation as soon as possible. Just like in the printed schedule, we indicate that this workshop is in the Fundamentals Track by writing (F) at the end of the description. If you’d like to register online, you’ll need to sign up for a free account. Click here for a step by step guide to setting up your account, registering for workshops and more. If you’d like register for the Get En-“gauged” workshop we’ve been using as the example, you can click here. Here’s what the workshop registration page will look like online:

If the workshop you’re interested in is not being offered soon,  you can always sign up for it as a private lesson where we’ll go over the material one on one with you personally. To sign up for the workshop as a private lesson, call us at 212-243-9070 during store hours or sign up the next time you visit us in person.

Yarncrafting has been bringing people together for generations, and it’s a great way to make new friends!

All year long the LBYS hosts several free groups, so you can join anytime. Follow us here, on Facebook, Ravelry or Twitter for updates and news whenever we announce a new free event.

You can access all our free events and meet-ups from the homepage by clicking the “Free Groups & Events” tab at the top of the page. You can also click here to go there directly.

By Debbie Dorfman

What I like best about Lion Brand Studio classes is that they are taught by good teachers who are also good craftspeople. Being a gifted knitter or crocheter does not make one a good teacher; I truly appreciate that the classes that I have taken have been taught in a way that makes learning easy and fun.

The lessons have been organized and sequential, and the handouts reinforced the presented material. It is easy to observe techniques because an excellent camera-computer system is used. The classes are small enough that individual attention is possible. The instructors have all been knowledgeable, patient, and receptive to questions.

Debbie took all the Slip Stitch Knitting stitch patterns she learned in our Intro to Slip Stitch Knitting class and used them to design this lovely scarf!

Click here to check out our class schedule for February/March 2012.

For 2 days only, celebrate with favorite fibers and accessories at serious markdowns during our Presidents Day Sale on Sunday Feb 19th & Monday Feb 20th*

You’ll get:

Our FULL STOCK of ALL THE YARN in the store!	All bags, yarn totes, yarn cases & pattern wallets, plus our full stock of: LB Collection Pure Wool LB Collection Organic Wool LB Collection Cashmere	Our full stock of: Fishermen’s Wool Fun Fur LB 1878 Lion Cotton Recycled Cotton Sock-Ease Vanna’s Colors

Come in and get it all while supplies last!

• Sunday February 19th 11:30 – 5:00 pm

• Monday Feb 20th 11:30 – 7:00 pm

*Offer good 2/19/12 – 2/20/12. Good for in-store purchases only. Not valid on the web. Cannot be combined with any other sales or discounts. Cannot be applied to previous purchases.

Dora shared her sweater designs and a bit of her personal philosophy (tips like “black buttons make things look classy”) from her amazing new book, Custom Crochet Sweaters.

Dora Ohrenstein at the LBYS

Everyone got the chance to ooh and aah over the lovely sweaters, and even try some on!  Dora described some of the great tips from her new book on for measuring (“face the tape measure for great fit”) and even showed a chart for taking perfect measurements.

On Sunday, Dora came back to teach an amazing master classes: Great Fabric with Any Yarn: Drape of Fabric.  Together in one of our upstairs classrooms, we crocheted swatch after swatch to study first hand the drape and stability of different fibers.  While swatching with the different yarns with Dora’s insightful guidance, we learned what factors to consider when matching a yarn to a stitch pattern, and vice versa.

We had so much fun playing with yarn that swatching didn’t feel like work at all, and we learned so much doing it! Thanks very much, Dora!

These items are in stock now in limited quantities, so come and pick some up for yourself or the yarn-lover in your life.

Hiya Hiya Sharps Interchangeable Case	Personalized Project Labels
Lace knitters rejoice! At last, the Hiya Hiya Sharp Interchangeable needle sets have arrived!The Hiya Hiya Sharp Interchangeable set is $79.90, and includes the lovely brocade fabric case.	These personalized labels read “Hand Knit by” or “Crocheted by” and are the perfect addition to any project you’re giving as a gift. We have these labels in stock reading Mom, Grandma, Dad, and Grandpa.These tags are $4.50 per pack.

Stop by the LBYS to get yours soon, they are going fast!*

*These products are available in-store at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio and are not available for online order on LionBrand.com.

Flicks with Sticks at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio Presents:

Tangled,

A fairy tale filled with adventure, romance, and really great hair.

(It also features the first Disney princess who knits!)

Join us, and bring along any WIPs you want to work on.

Thursday, February 23 at 7:30 pm

Click here to RSVP!