Classes with a picture icon have images on the class detail page
No skill required
Basic Know basic stitches (knit, purl or single crochet, double crochet).
Easy You should know the basics, how to increase and decrease, and have made at least one project.
Intermediate You should have worked with a few stitch patterns and should be familiar wtih basic garment shaping.
Advanced You should have made several garments in various stitch patters and should comfortable making minor changes to patterns. Advanced is fun and challenging for thinking knitters.
Ragga is an Icelandic knitting expert, designer and entrepreneur. After earning a university degree in nursing and spending 10 years in sales and marketing, she decided it was time to let creativity take over and invest all her time and energy on projects related to knitting. She now owns and operates knittingiceland.is and works full time as an instructor, designer, and knitting tour guide. Ragga's firm belief is that knowledge liberates the knitter. That's why she loves to motivate and enable knitters to think outside the charts and beyond the patterns. Ragga's profound knowledge of the Icelandic knitting styles, knitting techniques and laid back teaching style has earned her a reputation as a wacky, wonderful, and wise instructor.
View Ragga's Interview
STITCHES East 2012 Classes
Back To STITCHES East 2012 Class List
Thursday 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
463-3 Intermediate Iceland Upside Down: Learn to knit the Classic Yoke from the Top
Traditionally the Icelandic patterned yoke sweaters are knit bottom up, but Ragga has developed top down knitting techniques for this popular symbol of the Icelandic knitting heritage. Knit a tiny Lopi sweater containing all the elements needed to invert any pre-existing bottom up pattern to a top down one. Techniques covered include German twisted cast on, yoke increases, inverting a pattern chart, stranded knitting with two colors, dividing yoke into body and sleeves, loose cast off, shaping with symmetrical decreases. Participants receive written instructions and a pattern for a tiny top down Lopi sweater, plus an example of a pre-existing pattern turned upside down.
Material fee: $5.00
Friday 8:00 am - 11:00 am SOLD OUT
377-3 Intermediate The Joy of Top-Down Knitting
This class explains the principles behind knitting from the top and the many benefits. Participants knit a tiny top-down cardigan containing all the elements. Ragga explains a few simple rules of thumb that allow the knitter to knit their own sweater or cardigan without using a conventional pattern. The use of stitch dictionaries for a personal result is introduced. Techniques covered: long-tail cast on, calculation principles for a top-down raglan of any size, symmetrical raglan increases (three types), magic loop method, short row shaping for back of neck, loose cast off, incorporating stitch patterns. Participants receive written instructions on sweater planning and calculations, steps and techniques for knitting a raglan or yoke cardigan from the top, and tips on how to personalize their sweater by incorporating stitch patterns.
Saturday 8:00 am - 11:00 am
831-3 Easy Tunisian Crochet: The Basic
This class is an introduction to Tunisian crochet. Basic techniques are covered such as Tunisian simple stitch, Tunisian purl stitch, increases, decreases, binding off and working with simple lace elements. We will also discuss how Tunisian crochet can be used with knitting to create interesting elements of garments.
Saturday 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
223-3 Easy Steek without Fear
The rumors are true! Icelanders knit everything in the round, and they fearlessly steek their cardigans but cringe at the mere thought of knitting a whole garment back and forth. Learn the principles behind knitting in the round using both double-pointed needles and the magic loop method. Two methods of steeking are covered: the conventional one using a sewing machine (demonstration with a ready sewn sample and video) and the increasingly popular crochet method. Examples and tips on finishing are included. Techniques covered include German twisted cast on, continental knit and Nordic purl (optional to practice), connecting in the round, managing dpn's or magic loop for small diameters, stranded knitting with 2 colors, steeks with a sewing machine, crochet steeks, and finishing techniques.
Materials Fee: $5.00
Sunday 8:30 am - 11:30 am
811-3 Easy Tunisian Crochet Reinvented
Tunisian crochet is on the rise again. This time novel techniques such as lace patterns and working in the round are allowing for a greater variation in designs. The test piece for this class is a two colored wrist warmer, worked in the round using a Tunisian crochet hook with a long flexible cord. Participants will get an insight into the possibilities of using Tunisian crochet as design elements in knitting projects.
Techniques covered include casting on, estimating size, Tunisian simple stitch, Tunisian purl stitch, honeycomb pattern, working in the round with one or two colors, and binding off.