The Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival is coming up the first weekend in April – will we see you there? Our Director of Education Gretchen Fancher will be teaching classes, and she & Darrin will be hosting a variety of events in the Raveler’s Lounge. Click here to visit the Raveler’s Lounge website, and be sure to scroll down.

The Raveler’s Lounge

The Raveler’s Lounge is a special event in Marketplace, Hall A, sponsored by Lion Brand! Check in at the Lounge in between your classes, and see one of the fabulous demos Darrin will be leading throughout the weekend. If you’re looking for one-on-one assistance, Gretchen will be holding a clinic each day, as well as leading a couple demos herself.

Darrin’s Demos

On Friday, Darrin will demo Drop Spindle at 12:30 – join him after lunch! Keep your seat until the 1:30 Weaving demo, and return in the afternoon for Icord at 4, and Needle Felting at 6:30.

Needle Felting Example

Saturday will start with another opportunity for Needle Felting, with a demo at 10:30, and Darrin will continue with Fair Isle at 11:30 and Icord at 12:30. Return at 3pm for a Weaving demo, and then be on your way!

On Sunday, join Darrin at 9:30am for a demo of Stretchy Bind Off. Stick around until 10:30 for a Fair Isle demo, if you’re considering some colorwork in your future projects! At 11:30, check out the Old Norwegian Cast On technique, and at 12:30, the Felted Join. At 3pm, he’ll demo Drop Spindle.

Fair Isle Example

Gretchen’s Demos & Clinics

You can visit Gretchen Friday afternoon for a Knitting Clinic, at 5pm. You’ll have another chance Saturday after lunch, at 1:30. Later Saturday afternoon, Gretchen will demo Provisional Cast On at 4pm, and Two-at-a-Time at 5pm. On Sunday, you’ll have one last opportunity for some assistance, so visit the Raveler’s Lounge at 2pm.

Gretchen’s Classes

There is space left in two of Gretchen’s classes, Mitered Shawl and Twists & Floats! We have a discount code for you to use when registering: TCH5OFF – take $5/Off each class!

Mitered Shawl

Mitered Shawl

Gretchen’s Mitered Shawl class will be offered in the afternoon on Friday, April 6th – from 12:30pm – 3:30pm. Students will create a beautiful modular shawl, learning to knit the mitered technique. Double mitered corner blocks are worked individually and join as you go (no seaming). Some skills you’ll pick up: changing colors, pick up & knit stitches, double decreases, and weaving in ends as you work. You’ll leave having created the first tiers of your shawl, and with all the skills (& confidence!) to complete your project.

• When: Friday, April 6th | 12:30pm – 3:30pm
• Level: Beginner & Beyond | Students must know how to cast on, knit, work simple decreases, & bind off.
• Materials: 2 balls of Lion Brand’s Shawl in a Ball (your choice of color!), size US 6 (4mm) knitting needles, locking stitch markers, scissors, and reading glasses (if you use them for detail work).
• Homework: None
• Class Fee: $40

Register for Mitered Shawl by clicking here!

Twists & Floats

Gretchen’s Twists & Floats class will wrap up the weekend, on Sunday, April 8th from 9am – 12pm. This is the perfect class for beginners who have mastered the basics, and are ready to take their knitting to the next level! Twists & floats dig into some unusual ways of working your stitches… Pull stitches over several rows, twist them around each other, and float them over your fabric. Practice following written instructions, and explore stitch multiples.

• When: Sunday, April 8th | 9am – 12pm
• Level: Intermediate | Students must know how to cast on, knit, purl, work simple increases & decreases, recognize knits & purls, work ribbing confidently without supervision, and bind off.
• Materials: Lion Brand Yarn will provide yarn for the class exercise! Bring size US 7 (4.5mm) knitting needles, or whatever size you prefer for working worsted weight yarn, a crochet hook of the same gauge (or one size smaller), stitch markers, scissors, and reading glasses (if you need them).
• Homework: None
• Class Fee: $40

Register for Twists & Floats by clicking here!

Can’t wait to see you in Pittsburgh!

We hope to see you in Pittsburgh. Let us know if we’ll see you in one of Gretchen’s classes, or catch up with you in the Raveler’s Lounge.