Getting worked up for KAN

KAN August 24th - 26th 2012

I have been busy beavering away getting all the final preparations together for the workshop schedule for Knit August Nights 3.  My delightful web mistress is getting all the final prep done to the website so I can open registrations - but in the meantime I thought I would post a teaser of what's available.

I had a ball in March attending the inaugreal Unwind retreat in the South Island - hosted by Morag McKenzie of Vintage Purls - it was a brilliant weekend & photo's from the weekend can be found here.  If you want to get a taste of what to expect as KAN if you haven't been before - check out the albums for KAN1 & KAN:2

In the meantime - bookmark or pin the KAN website & make sure you join our Ravelry group for the latests in updates, chatter, accomodation & travel match ups.

Friday  August 24th Afternoon 3 – 5.30/6pm
Stream 1	Stream 2	Stream 3
Aviatrix Short Row Knitting The phrase 'short row shaping" need never send shivers of fear down your spine again! Short rows are a great way to get your garments to fit better, and are worked everywhere from socks to bust darts, to getting the back neck to sit nicely. Using the Aviatrix hat or Kina pin cushion as an example we will explore various methods of working short rows and hiding those wraps. Advanced beginners. With Justine Turner	Intro to Knitting in the Round Knit yourself in circles! How often have you searched online & seen patterns now written in the round & passed them over because the thought of DPN’s or those circular needles are just too scary.  Suitable for beginner knitters, and those less confident with circular needles, we will explore knitting in the round on circular needles. We will look at casting on and getting started, magic loop, the jogless jog and other tips and tricks to make seamless knitting a breeze. Beginners onwards With Jessicah Win	Knit Couture Don't just knit, knit beautifully. Learn how to finesse the finer details of knitting to produce beautifully finished garments. This class explores: - appropriate cast-ons to match ribs or other edgings - neat selvedges and appropriate selvedge options for your needs - buttonhole techniques: creation, placement and orientation. - directional increases and decreases appropriate to your aesthetic needs - picking up stitches neatly and proportionally - facings and hems - appropriate and tidy seaming techniques - attractive and functional fastening applications: buttons and zippers and many other techniques and ideas. With Morag McKenzie & Stella Lange

Saturday morning will have a series of 'Intro' sessions.  Ideal for beginners & for those who have been putting off learning a new technique.  A great way to get a taste of KAN without having to attend the entire retreat.

Saturday Morning Shorts 8.30am - 12
Stream 1	Stream 2 - Nanette Cormack	Stream 3 – Sofia Moers
Intro to Continental Knitting This class is a short introduction to Continental Knitting, which is basically just a different way to form a stitch. You will learn how to do knit and purl stitches the continental way. These are the basics, which will open the door to doing increases and decreases, which will lead you to anything else you wish to knit. Continental knitting can be a useful technique to use when doing color work or fairisle knitting. With Claudia Kearn -  90 min	Introduction to Cast – On’s Often we learn one or two basic cast on methods & never think to learn more.  This class is a great way to broaden your cast on horizons or discover the cast-on that best suits you. Beginners & those wishing to be adventurous 60 min	Introduction to Crochet Embracing the ‘C’ word. Learn the basics of crochet.  The stitches, reading patterns & using crochet to embellish your knitting.  A great class for absolute beginners & experienced knitters alike. It is now time to get hooked! 90 mins
	Introduction to Finishing Finishing  - love it or loathe it is the important final step into making your knitted garment perfect.  This class will help you polish your finishing & sewing techniques & have you finishing your knitting like a pro in no time. Beginners onwards 60 min
Introduction to 10st Blanket Do you want to knit a snuggly blanket, with no sewing, fast? An Elizabeth Zimmermann inspired blanket worked in any yarn using only 10 stitches. You start in the centre and work in a sort of square spiral, joining as you go. No sewing up needed!  An ideal blanket to knit for babies, lap-rugs or throw overs -  you decide how big you want to go. This workshop will teach you how to begin and continue the Ten Stitch Blanket. You will need to know how to knit and the principles of slipping stitches, psso and short- row knitting, although these will be covered in the workshop. With Susan Hagedorn – 90 min	Introduction to Blocking It is often an overlooked step once your knitting is completed, but good blocking can make a huge difference to your final garment.  Learn the best ways to block your way to confidence. Beginners onwards. 60 min	Introduction to Amigurumi Cheeky Monkey’s, Perky Penguins & an entire raft of uber cute crocheted animals can be found in the world of Amigurumi crochet.  Learn the basic’s of this crochet technique & open up a world or cute & cuddly creatures. Beginners onwards (if new to crochet, must have completed Intro to crochet class) 90 min

Saturday Afternoon 1.30 – 4.30pm
Steam 1	Stream 2	Stream 3
Introduction to Felting Suitable for those wanting to try their hand at felting, we will create some small felting projects which explore the basic concepts of felting, including prefelt, resists, needle and nuno felting. A hands on, tactile experience! Beginners onwards With Jessicah Win	Knit Couture – Session 2 This is the follow on from Friday afternoon. You pay a single price for this double workshop. Morag McKenzie + Stella Lange	Introduction to Fibre Preparation  Learn how to prepare your fibre in readiness for spinning. Francess will cover all the basic steps, provide insights & help improve your overall spinning experience.  Frances is a witty entertaining teacher – a don’t miss for fibre enthusiasts. Beginners Onwards  with Frances Stachl