Class Notes: 2-at-a-time, Top-down Socks

In September, I will be both vending and teaching knitting classes at the Georgia FiberFest. 27 knitting classes are offered, and among these classes will be my three.  I thought it might be of help to anyone who is interested in taking these classes if I elaborated on the classes in a few posts because there has been some information missing from the website and there may be some things in need of clarification. Let's start with socks.

If you've read my posts previously and you know me, then you know that I don't do DPNs and the idea of having to knit a second sock after a first is complete is not in the slightest bit a motivator.  So, of course, the class is 2-at-a-time, Top-down sock knitting on a single circular needle. Now, you may think that if you've never knitted socks before, then this class is not for you; but I say, come on in, the water's fine!  As long as you think you can knit in-the-round, even if you've never attempted it before, you can learn to knit socks 2-at-a-time.  The second-best part about this technique, which involves using the Magic Loop method, is that there are no needles to drop, no stitches to drop. The best part, of course, is that when you are done with one sock, you are done with the other.  After a while, you might get to be so quick about it that, like me, you have worked up a pair of socks in just over a week. It may seem daunting, but seriously it's totally not difficult.  It just requires a little focus at first.  We'll have 3 hours to focus in this class and you will be able to leave the class having finished a complete pair, albeit child-sized, of socks. Doesn't that sound like 3 hours well spent?  The only things that I ask of you in advance is that you brush up on 2 skills: kitchener stitch (because we will need to do some) and casting on using the long-tail method of your choice.  If you are not familiar with long-tail cast-ons, try this:

 Here are the pre-attendance particulars of this class:

Homework:  None. (You gotta' love a class with no homework, right!?)

Supplies to Bring: One solid, light colored fingering weight yarn (anything smooth, non-splitting, and non-fuzzy—at least 200 yards divided into 2 separate balls); one pair of US 3 or US 4 circular needles (42 or 47-inch cable required); one locking stitch marker; scissors.  During this class we will be knitting a child-size pair of socks. 

Don't worry about searching out a circular needle for the class if you don't already have one.  I will have them for purchase in my booth along with quite an array of very lovely sock yarns. It might even be a good idea to bring some of that left-over fingering weight yarn in your stash.  You could bust a little stash and make a pair of socks.