This week was VK Live’s second virtual event, and this one was as good as the first!
My first class at this event was History, Methods and Styles of Lace Knitting with Franklin Habit, which was really interesting! He compared Orenburg, Shetland and Estonian laces, considering techniques and conventions of all three styles. We got to look at a bunch of gorgeous lace and learn a lot about various construction styles. It was a lecture class, but the class handout had an example motif from each type of lace, along with a reproduction of a lace pattern from Queen Elizabeth’s (I) stockings.
My second class was a really detailed class on gauge with Patty Lyons. I learned a lot – first that I have been doing gauge swatches wrong, and also that I have been measuring wrong. We did have homework for this class, but then really didn’t do anything with it during the class other than use it to practice measuring. One nifty trick – she doesn’t bind off her gauge swatches, and often doesn’t cast on in the regular way either. She just threads the end of the yarn through live stitches to keep it loose for more accurate blocking and measurement.
And last but certainly not least, Brioche Increases and Decreases, with Michele Bernstein, aka PDXKnitterati! For this class, you are working with one of her hat or cowl patterns that include brioche increases or decreases. Michele shows you how to do the stitches, walks you through the steps several times and in a couple different ways, and answers questions. She also showed us how to fix several common errors people make when working these stitches and coached us through reading our knitting as we went. If you have made a start with brioche knitting and would like to go to the next step, this is a great class!
I was shopping my stash for these classes, and made a questionable choice for this project (the yarns don’t 100% play well together). However, I have decided I’m just going to go ahead with it. I think the important thing here is practicing the skill. It looks OK, not great, but OK. And if I rip it back to start with other yarn, I’m going to wind up buying more, which I do not need right now.
So all in all, another good online learning experience!
Quite A Yarn 
That lace knitting is sp pretty. It kind of reminds me of what tatting looks like. Did you ever try that? I think the 2 yarns look good together.
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I have tried tatting – my maternal grandmother was really good at it, as she was at pretty much all of the crafts 🙂 I never got great at it, but it is beautiful!
The yarns do look good together, but they are slightly different thicknesses. I have gotten farther along with the project today and it seems to be working out OK anyway 🙂
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Is that a lace wrap for Dolores I wonder 😉. Well I am intrigued by the gauge swatch class, I get so confused with whether I need to go bigger or smaller needle and almost always choose wrong and end up knitting 3 swatches!
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Then you may want to consider taking that class next time they do a virtual VK Live again – she addresses all of that information. It was very comprehensive, and I learned a lot! She also does online classes on her website – it is Patty Lyons. Hm – it could be a lace wrap for Dolores! 😉
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Those sound like great classes! I’ll bet you learned lots:)
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I did! Very interesting 🙂
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That sounds very interesting. I now want to know if I’m doing my gauges wrong.
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I kind of get the sense everyone is. But there you have it – live and learn!
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Okay, ignore my comment on your other post :p
They all sound really interesting, I bet you learned a lot. And yay for stash shopping instead of buying more! I find it satisfying in a different way to getting new yarn. Although that’s also fun too!
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Yes, both are definitely fun! But for classes like this, it’s better to just fish around in what I have. 🙂
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I will remember that if I ever manage to get into a class.
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I have to stream a class for my guild, thankfully I don’t have to be in the picture, just hold the device. I may need to find a tripod so I don’t have to hold it the entire time!! Glad you got something out of the format!
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