Upcoming classes in 2013

I am enjoying teaching Learn-To-Knit classes at Amazing Threads, which are scheduled through April.  On the schedule for the next year are classes for an array of projects to satisfy all skill levels.  For more information check out Amazing Threads and The Shepherdess on the web!

Gelato Bag:  This is a good project for new knitters to build knitting confidence and skills, plus it can be a small project bag!
Date:  Monday, January 7, 21, and 28, 2013
Time:  6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Amazing Threads

Brynn:  I made this sample for the shop and it is a wonderful little shrug knitted with tweed yarn using a slip-stitch pattern--only one color per row!
Date:  Please check with the shop
Time:  6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Amazing Threads

Brynn is made with Rowan Tweed
featuring an easy slip-stitch pattern.

Cabled Pillow Cover (Rutland Cushion):
Date:  Monday, February 4, 11, and 18, 2013
Time:  6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Amazing Threads

Drop Spindle:  Learn how to spin your own yarn with a spindle and some wool!

Date:  Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Time:  6 pm to 8 pm

Location: The Shepherdess

Learn how to spin your own yarn
with a spindle and wool roving or batt.

Adams Ribs:
Date:  Thursday, February, 14, 28, March 14, and 28, 2013
Time:  6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Amazing Threads

Gaugeless Hat:  This is a fun project to make and a great skill-builder for learning about gauge, changing and choosing colors, and multiple sizing options.
Date:  To be determined!
Time:
Location:  Amazing Threads

The stocking cap is made with Ella Rae Classic
and Plymouth Gina, one skein each;
and knitted from the top down!  

EZ Pick One, from (Knit One Knit All):
Date:  Wednesday, March 13, 20, and 27, 2013
Time:  6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Amazing Threads


Countess Mitts:  I made samples of these for Blue Sky Alpacas and they are a joy to knit and really lovely!
Date:  Wednesday, April 10, 17, and 24
Time:  6 pm to 8 pm
Location:  Amazing Threads

Merry Christmas!

For your Christmas morning entertainment...

What did the Gingerbread Man put on his bed? 

A cookie sheet!

What did the sheep say to the shepherd? 

Seasons Bleetings!

What happened when Santa's cat swallowed a ball of yarn? 

She had mittens.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas is coming...

A Christmas candle is a lovely thing;

It makes no noise at all,

But softly gives itself away;

While quite unselfish,

it grows small.

-Eva K. Logue

We now have a blanket of snow on the ground.  I finished decorating the house and it looks very festive.  Some more knitting is finished and ready to send near and far.  
Christmas cheer in all around the house...

Santa is happy to see the snow

Later in the evening, snow builds on the branches

Humpty Dumpty is having a tea party

Woolly ornaments, and jingle bells

Christmas tag I made at
Creative Souls last week

The chimney cupboard--where
all good recipes are stored

Christmas dishes in Great-Grandma's hutch

Inside wreath

Teddy is full of ornaments

The little shepherd tends
the sheep on the tree

The doll enjoys the sunshine

Cuddle cloth for a special baby

Sock Monkey is feeling festive in his new hat

FO Friday!

I thought I would post some finished objects before they go in the mail!  I have some more ornaments (with more that need to be stuffed), cozies, and coasters ready for finishing, too.
Class is going well, I have aced my quizzes and posted assignments.  Also, I posted some samples of my work on the discussion board.  Lesson 8 was posted today and there are four lessons after that.  Time flew by!  My next big task is to finish up my schedule through June for Amazing Threads.  i am excited about starting classes, soon and noticed a post on Ravelry about the Groupon!  I am ready.  The Polymer Clay class at Creative Souls is full, I have the clay and tools ready.  We will focus on faces with a Christmas theme--snowmen!  I have some components ready from a previous class, which will help with the demonstration and speed things along so students can get creative and have fun.
Jim and I are having a get-together on Sunday and I have to get the house ready...we put up the tree last Sunday, I strung lights a couple of days ago, and it is time to finish decorating.  Last night was Round Table and I made a delicious Dutch Oven apple cobbler.  I used Braeburn apples and they held their crispness nicely.  It was a typical apple crisp recipe, but I loved the nutmeg and ginger in addition to the cinnamon in the topping.  I used Craisins instead of raisins and cut a couple of tablespoons of butter out.  Actually, I was too lazy to get more butter from the other freezer.  It smelled and tasted heavenly!  There is one serving left in the refrigerator...I believe I hear it calling my name!

Ornaments for giving.  (Except for the one on the lower
right--that was my first.) 

Flossie Bear detail.  A very fun project to knit.  She
needs some stuffing and her ears stitched.

I found the Cuddle Cloth pattern on Ravelry. You can find
Frankie's site here.

This was an irresistible find at Home Goods.  Although it is a
baby blanket, the charming animals reminded me of
Wood Badge critters, and is a perfect lap blanket without
bulk when I sit at the computer.  How can one resist the cuteness?

Tweed and twinkles

I finished and blocked Brynn over the weekend and took some photos today.  I think the little shrug turned out great and I really love the tweed yarn from Rowan.  Tomorrow, I will take it along for Bobbi to hang as a shop/class sample at Amazing Threads.  The class for Brynn will be Thursdays, January 10, 17, 24 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Click on the shop's link for more information.

There is no fastener for the front
and it looks quite nice open.

The fronts swoop toward the back.

Just enough warmth for a chilly day.

Now for some Saturday fun to welcome the holiday season.  What is more fun than the Hollidazzle Parade in Minneapolis?

It is fun to be IN the parade!  I was Red Star #1, and the group of stars walked behind the float with the Grand Marshal of the parade, the Grinch.

All dressed and ready to light up the night.

One of the tech guys plugged in my lights and lit the sign so Jim could get a photo.

The snowman is motorized and spins around.

I found Bo Peep's sheep and we all posed for a photo.

The Grinch. 

The Red Stars are all lit up and ready to walk.

The lightbulbs were near the end and I hope to be one someday.  

Santa Claus brings up the rear in his sleigh.

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving.  I have the stuffing ready, the pie baked, the green bean casserole done, some sweet potatoes ready, and tomorrow morning the turkey will go in the roaster and I have to fix the mashed potatoes and the vegetables.  We are having company tomorrow and it will be nice to share a most American tradition with our visitors from India.

In keeping with the holiday, I found a couple of postcards from a website that features vintage postcard images.

Now, you cannot get much more American than this image!
Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey to be our national bird.
I just noticed the two birds are shaking feet!

The setting for this meal looks very cozy.  I wonder what is in the pot?

The trusting turkey follows the lovely lady away from the farmyard.
I hate to say it, but I believe she does not have good intentions,
as she has a slightly sinister expression on her face...
perhaps her companion is on the table as the main course in the postcard above?

FO Friday and something tweedy

Finished objects!

Goldfish Love's hand-dyed chunky merino.  A prize from the Ravellenic Games.  

DPC x 2  Delores Park Cowl.  Each hank was just enough to make one cowl. 

 The cowls are not blocked, yet.

A teaser, not yet finished, but soon to be--keep watching!
This is a sample for an upcoming class (in 2013) at Amazing Threads.
Design by Marie Wallin and yarn by Rowan.  Mmmmm...tweed...

Wednesday

My class begins soon and I am ready to get down to business (pun intended!).  I am gathering patterns and ideas for my classes at Amazing Threads beginning in January.  In fact, one of my projects is on the needles and progressing nicely.  I stopped by to get some inspiration and my friend, Kathy, was there with a knitting group and I happily joined in.  I spent time looking through the Rowan books and the wall of yarn. Naturally the tweed caught my attention and the pattern Brynn from Rowan Tweed by Marie Wallin will be my first shop sample and what I think will be a great project for a class.  The slip stitch checks are easy and the yarn is bouncy with luscious color.
There will be another polymer clay class at Creative Souls with a focus on faces.  Since the class is in December, snowmen and holiday-themed canes will be fun projects for buttons, beads, and whatever else the students make.  It will be fun to play with clay!  I will post class information soon!

A little shrug in cheery colors.

Ben began his job last week and looks so handsome in his suit and topcoat when he leaves in the morning.  He is looking for an apartment closer to work and will be getting some furniture from us.  Our new furniture arrives tomorrow and I am excited.  Jim and I are frugal when it comes to things like furniture and home improvements.  We just now got the new floors upstairs after living here 13 years.  Other than a new coat of paint on that level (our home is a split-level from 1984) the house finally feels like ours.  A little improvement every few years pays off.  My goal next year is to tend to the shrubs and plants out front.  I am not a gardener, although I appreciate so much beautiful landscaping.  Unfortunately I did not inherit the gardening gene of my parents.  I prefer to paint the flowers and trees on canvas, which would be wonderful...I could have new paintings to put out front every season--no digging required.
Back to change.  I am ready for a change, as this has been a difficult year and I always have hope that tomorrow will be better.  In the past month the decision to go back to school and changing my place of employment are two big steps forward.  I will be teaching at The Shepherdess through December and then will begin teaching at Amazing Threads in January.  I appreciate so much the support and encouragement I received from everyone during the past few years.

VOTE

ELECTION DAY

EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!

Now that it is November...

...it is time to think about Christmas!  I finished the stocking from my stash of Lamb's Pride worsted yarn.  The colors I used were what I had in the worsted weight.  The red was bulky.  I like the unusual color combination.  The fuchsia eyes on the snowmen are a little odd and I will likely duplicate stitch over them.  The stocking is in the window of the shop.  I have the class information with the stocking at The Shepherdess.

Whoops, I put the name on the not-so-pretty side...I will take another photo.
 I was knitting this in a hurry and did not use a technique for hiding the jog.
A stranded project this is a good one for learning the technique of hiding
the transitions between motifs.  This is a good skill-building project.

Class Name: CHRISTMAS SOCK

Class Dates: Tuesdays, November 6, 13, and 20

Class Times: 6 pm to 8 pm

Instructor: Deborah Coder

Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced

Pattern Name or Location: Christmas Socks by Nancy Lindberg, pattern available for purchase

Supplies: Worsted weight sock—175 yards main color, 2 different colors (90 yards each), 16” circular needle size US 8/5mm

Heavy weight sock—150 yards main color, 2 different colors (70 yards each), 16” circular needle size US 9/5.5mm

Class Price: $36.00 Class Location: Red Table

Class Size: 6

Other Information: With this pattern, you can design your own Christmas sock with worsted or heavy weight yarn. There are charts you can mix and a chart for for letters.

In December another good skill-building project is for knitted ornaments. 

Ornaments are fun to knit and make great last=minute gifts.  Leave them plain or embellish them.
The samples are knit with worsted weight yarn.  To change the size of the ornaments adjust the
needle size and yarn weight.  Variegated yarns also work well with this pattern.

  

Class Name: ORNAMENTS (KNIT)

Class Dates: Tuesday, December 4 and 11

Class Times: 6 pm to 8 pm

Instructor: Deborah McQueen Coder

Difficulty: Advanced beginner and up

Pattern Name or Location: Pattern provided

Supplies: Yarn, needles, tapestry needle, and stuffing. Metallic thread, embroidery floss, pompom maker, tassel maker for embellishing.

Class Price: $24.00  Class Location: Red Table

Class Size: 6

Other Information: In this class you will make knitted ornaments. You can use the charts in the pattern to do a Fair Isle motif, or make them plain and embellish with embroidery. We will make twisted cord for the hangers. The size of the ornament depends upon the yarn and needles used.  

Feeling tense?  Relax and learn a new skill--make your own yarn in the Drop Spindle Class!

Making your own yarn is fun and once you get going it is a relaxing activity.
Animal cracker jars are wonderful for storing fiber and a spindle!  

Class Name: DROP SPINDLE SPINNING

Class Date: Thursday, December 13, 2012

Class Times: 6 pm to 8 pm

Instructor: Deborah McQueen Coder

Difficulty: Beginner

Pattern Name or Location: Handout provided

Supplies: Drop spindle (top or bottom whorl), 4 to 8 ounces of wool roving (the shop has a good supply), and PATIENCE!

Class Price: $15.00 + supplies Class Location: Red Table

Class Size: 6

Other Information: This is a great way to try out spinning to make your own yarn. If you spin and 2-ply 4 ounces of wool into worsted to aran weight yarn, you will have enough for a handspun hat or other small project!