March will be a very exciting month for classes.

Traditional Sock Knittingwhen: Sat. March 6th, 13th and 20th
time: 10:30am—12pm
cost: $30
Instructor: Teresa Harmon This class is for intermediate knitters. We will be learning the techniques for knitting socks on double point needles. This will be a 3 session class.
Materials needed: 100g sock yarn and #2 or #3 dpn.
Maximum participants will be 6 people. Reserve your place today by calling Unwind at 342-9276

Beginning Knitting Class
when: Tue, March 2nd and 9th
time: 10:00a—11:30am
cost: $35
You will learn to cast on stitches and knit in the first session. In the second session we will touch on purling and binding off.
Materials included: Size #10 US needles and 100 g worsted weight yarn, instruction booklet, and tote.
This class will be 2 sessions.
Maximum 6 participants. Reserve your place today by calling Unwind at 342-9276.

Beginning Knitting Class
when: Tue, March 16th and 23rd
time: 10:00a—11:30am
cost: $35
You will learn to cast on stitches and knit in the first session. In the second session we will touch on purling and binding off.
Materials included: Size #10 US needles and 100 g worsted weight yarn, instruction booklet, and tote.
This class will be 2 sessions.
Maximum 6 participants. Reserve your place today by calling Unwind at 342-9276.

After Knit & Purl
When: Mon, March 15th
Time: 2:30pm
Cost: $20
So you’ve got the knit and purl stitches down. Now how do I read a pattern, or increase and decrease? What if I drop a stitch?
This class we touch on all of the above.
Materials needed: US#9 or 10 needles, 50 gram scrap yarn.

Great American Afghan Knit Along
When: Sun, March 21st
Time: 3:00pm—6:00pm
Cost: The class is free, I only ask that you purchase your materials from Unwind.
We will be knitting the Great American Afghan. This is an intermediate project. I have ordered all the yarn in the colors that the pattern book calls for and will put together kits. Each kit will contain the yarn needed to knit 6 squares. Each month we will get together on the 3rd Sunday. To complete this project in a year we will need to knit 2 squares each month. We will officially meet on the 3rd Sunday, but if you want to just come in and hang out on Sundays afternoons or Wednesday evenings. I’m here. Yarn kits should be available on Tuesday, March 2nd. Note: This is really not a class, but a knit a long. I will help you when I can, but I’m going to be learning a lot of this right along with you.
The pattern book is available for purchase at Unwind, if you would like to join the knit-along, call Unwind at 342-9276.

Everyone’s doing it!
















Michelle is modeling her first cable project, the Provence Cloche'; Pam is modeling her Flare Vest, made out of Paradise; Julie is holding the baby blanket she made using Comfort DK Prints; Cali is modeling her very first knitting project, a neck warmer with a button; and Leigh Ann is modeling her new button slippers.

Tuesday Night Mad-Hatters Group
I wanted a picture of the girls for this article, but I wasn’t able to get it. In January, I had a class for beginner knitters, that met on Monday evenings for two weeks. Only four ladies showed up for the class, Ginger Rice, Cheryl Roush, Shelly Jones and Lynne Martin. Each woman quickly caught on to the concept of knitting, either in the Traditional method or the Continental method. At the end of the second session, they were anxiously ready to start on something new and that new thing was the felted derby hat. We decided to meet again the next Tuesday night. Unfortunately, Ginger hasn’t been able to return, but we’ve picked up Freddie Gaffney who brings a lot of life to the party.
After two weeks of knitting hats and getting them ready to felt. They just weren’t ready to give up on the Tuesday night gathering, so now we are working on a Cable Scarf pattern.
The cable pattern has given them more of a challenge, but I’m sure they will do great. I’m anxious to see their progress this Tuesday night and even more anxious to see what project they add to the queue for our future gatherings.

Marble Slouche’ (slew-shay it’s French)- Pattern

Materials:
1 skein Marble Chunky Sandpiper
US #9 16” circular, US#10 24” circular and US#10 dpn
Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle
Using #9 16” circular needle, cast on 72 sts
Join in round
Knit 2, Purl 2 rib for 2 ½ “
After rib is complete;
INC Row *K 1, M1 tbl (twisted stitch) repeat from * 31 times, K10, ** M1 tbl, K1 repeat from ** 31 times. (134 sts)
Change to #10 24” circular needle, continue knitting in stockinet stitch for 7”
DEC Row K14, K2tog, [K15, K2tog] (5 times more), K14, K2tog (126 sts)
Knit 2 rounds of stockinette stitch
K1, [K2tog across] to last 3 sts, K3 (65 sts)
Knit 4 rounds of stockinette stitch
Change to dpn when stitches are too tight.
K2, [k2tog across] to last 3 sts, K3 (35 sts)
Knit 2 rounds of stockinette stitch
K1, [K2tog across to end] (17 sts)
Knit 2 rounds of stockinette stitch
K1, [K2tog across to end] (9 sts)
Knit 1 round
Run a tapestry needle through the 9 live stitches and pull tight, weave in ends

Did I tell you I'm an author?

Lookie here! My book is being published! It will be available very soon at Amazon.com, so I expect everyone of you to go out and buy a copy!!! (if you want to - no pressure)
Some of you might not be into psycho killers, sex and nasty words, but there is a yarn shop amidst all the kaos. I think my sequel with be more involved with the yarn shop. I might even have to add myself as a character.

Let's see, what else has been going on? I've got a class tomorrow night, 2 at a time socks. It should be fun and interesting, then Tuesday we've got part 2 of the felted hat class.

I just finished knitting another hat for my son, this time I used acrylic because he has the stinkiest head and wool just doesn't work well for him. This way it can be thrown in the washer whenever it starts getting rank.

I decided to model the hat since he isn't around and he is horrible with picture taking. How do you like it? It's the same pattern as the Chelsea Star hat, but I did increase the crown a little bit more so it's kinda slouchy instead of fitting like a skull cap.

Looking forward to next week, I should have lots of new yarn showing up. An order from Berroco should arrive tomorrow and maybe even an order from Knit One Crochet Too. The Brown Sheep order should arrive around Thursday. I recieved a new order from AslanTrends, Santa Fe sock yarn which is yummy!

I've started working on the Easy House Slippers by Liecel Tverli Scully that I found on Ravelry. Since I've got so many people having fun with the felted hats, I thought this might be another fun pattern for them to do. We'll see how it goes.

Geo Mitts

Materials needed:
1 skein Knit One Crochet Too Geologee in #382
1 set of DPN US #7 and US #8
Stitch holder or scrap yarn
Tapestry needle

With smaller needles cast on 32 stitches and divide evenly on 4 needles. Place marker.
Starting with the cuff: K2 P2 rib 14 rows or until measures 2”
Switch to larger needles
R 1 thru 5 knit in the round


Left mitt:
R 1: Knit to last 8 stitches, next st, knit into stitch below. Knit remaining 8 sts of the round.
R 2: K
Repeat last two rounds until you have 40 sts (7 more times)

K 36 sts, slide 4 sts before marker and 4 sts after marker onto a stitch holder or scrap yarn.
Cast on 4 new sts, join in the round. You should have 36 sts on your needle now.


Fingers:
Knit in the round for 1”, change to smaller needles and begin the K2, P2 rib for 1 1/2” Bind off loosely in rib pattern.


Thumb:
Using larger needles, Pick up 4 cast on sts at thumb and one st on each side of thumb sts. (6 sts) Place 8 sts from holder on two needles . K 7 sts, SSK 8th st and 1st picked up st. K 4, Ktog last picked up st and next st. (12 sts)

Knit 2 rounds and switch to smaller needles and begin the K2, P2 rib 1”


Everything will be the same for the right mitt except:

Right mitt:
R1: K 8 sts, k into st below 8th st. K remaining sts of the round.
R2: K
Repeat last two rounds until you have 40 sts (7 more times)

The fingers and thumb will be worked the same on both mitts.

Using a tapestry needle, weave in all loose ends.