Build a Better Fabric: a workshop with Patty Lyons

We know how to knit, but do we know how to build a perfect fabric? There’s always room for improvement! Does your knitting “row out” (your purl stitch looser than your knit stitch), are you looking for a better way to control your gauge? What about alternative ways to tension your yarn when working with stiff yarn or slippery yarn? We’ll explore ways to improve your knitting technique by looking at the most important fundamentals, like the job of the left needle tip and the right needle shaft, stitch sizing, and even the correct exit path of your stitch. We will explore edge stitches, cast on and bind offs and a huge array of knitting tip. The last part of the class will be open for all knitting questions (that you have put in the “bag of why”), so come with your questions and let’s explore our knitting.

Skills needed: Must know how to knit, purl, cast on, bind off, know simple increase and decreases. Recognize the knit and purl stitch and be able to work them in a pattern without supervision.

Materials:

• Worsted-weight yarn, smooth, light colored.
• US size 8 (5 mm) and 9 (5.5 mm) needles (whichever your yarn choice requires).
• OPTIONAL to experiment with purl gauge: bring needles 2–3 sizes smaller and larger.

Preparation:

Cast on 24 stitches, work 2 inches in plain stockinette (NO GARTER EDGE, just stockinette), enough to get a sense of your knitting style.  Do not bind off, we will be working this swatch.

PATTY LYONS is a nationally recognized knitting teacher and technique expert who is known for teaching the “why” not just the how” in her pursuit of training the “mindful knitter”. She specializes in sweater design and sharing her love of the much-maligned subjects of gauge and blocking.

Patty teaches nationally at guilds & knitting shows around the country such as Vogue Knitting LIVE, STITCHES and her popular classes can also be found online at Interweave, Annie’s and Craftsy where her “Improve Your Knitting Class” was named Craftsy’s most popular class of the year! Patty also runs wildly popular KAL / Sweater classes on her own education platform.

Patty designs and knitting skill articles have been published in Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Knit Purl, Knitter’s Magazine, Cast On, Creative Knitting Twist Collective magazines, and Mason Dixon Knitting, where she also writes a knitter’s advice column called “Ask Patty”. Patty’s designs have also been included in pattern collections from Classic Elite, Noro, Cascade, Sugar Bush, Tahki Stacy Charles and Willow Yarns. Patty is the author of Patty’s Knitting Bag of Tricks: 70+ Sanity Saving Knitting Hacks.