Upcoming Workshops:

Classes at The Fold – January thru March 2012
To sign up for classes, call 815-568-5730. Payment for classes will be made at signup and is refundable up to one week before the class is scheduled to take place. Teachers do their best to insure that students get all the instruction due them, and sometimes make-up classes can be scheduled.

Basic Crochet – Nan Behrns

Class Fee: $20/session
Tell us what day and time would work best for you to attend this class, and we’ll put a group together to learn how to crochet.

Dyeing

The Primaries – Toni Neil
Saturdays, January 28, February 25, March 31, 1 – 5 pm
Class Fee: $90
This class includes the three classes listed below, the three primary colors in natural dyes. If you’re interested in getting a good grounding in natural dyeing, sign up for all three of the natural dye classes we’re offering this winter and save $15.

Dye Me a River of Red - Toni Neil
Saturday, January 28, 1 - 5 pm
Class Fee: $35
In this class you will learn the basics of natural, safe mordanting and dyeing, as well as trying out several of the red dye extracts available to us from Earthues. Bring your dyed fibers and yarns from this class to our Indigo class on March 26th, and discover the magic of overdyeing!

Sunshine in Winter - Toni Neil
Saturday, February 25, 1 – 5 pm
Class Fee: $35
In this class you will learn the basics of natural, safe mordanting and dyeing, as well as trying out several of the yellow dye extracts available to us from Earthues. Bring your dyed fibers and yarns from this class to our Indigo class on March 26th, and discover the magic of overdyeing!

Indigo Basics - Toni Neil
Saturday, March 31, 1 - 5 pm
Class Fee: $35
Indigo blue is the color we wear every time we put on our blue jeans. Learn the basics of natural indigo dyeing so you can be blue in your own kitchen! Overdyeing with indigo is great fun. Bring your naturally-dyed yarns and fibers from the dye classes earlier this winter and overdye them in our indigo pot.

Knitting

Basic Sock Knitting – Barb Bundick
Saturday, January 21, 1 – 4 pm
Class Fee: $30
Knit a complete miniature sock in class. The students will learn to cast on to double-pointed needles using the long tail cast on, join the yarn together and knit a basic tube. Then they will turn the heel, decrease the gusset, knit down the foot and then bind off using the Kitchener stitch.
Supplies needed: size 4 double pointed needles (set of 5), worsted weight light-colored yarn, a yarn needle (with a big eye) and a pair of scissors.

Basics of Knitting - Norma Henson
Class Fee: $20/session
Tell us what day and time would work best for you to attend this class, and we’ll put a group together to learn how to knit. The first project covered is a cozy hat, and then the class is free to move on to socks or another project of their choice.

Beginning Knitting: Textured Self-Fringing Scarf or Shawl – Carol Cassidy-Fayer
Saturdays, February 4 & 18, 1 – 4 pm
Class Fee: $50
Knitting is a wonderful pastime. It reduces stress, increases creativity and you get the thrill of making something of value with your own two hands! Recent medical studies show that knitting eases the symptoms of arthritis as well as being a useful tool in avoiding Alzheimers. It has also proven to help reverse the effects of post traumatic shock syndrome. Those of us who knit have known for years that it makes us feel good. The Beginning Scarf/Shawl is a great first project for beginning knitters and an excellent way to return to knitting after a long absence. You will learn how to shop for yarn that will add texture and color to your project. Then you will learn the long tail cast on, the knit stitch, how to change colors, and cast off. When you are done you will have a highly textured, beautiful garment that looks a lot more complicated than it is, and your friends and family will admire your handiwork. Come spend a few hours immersed in color, texture, and fun.

Fleecy Mittens – Stefania Isaacson
Saturdays, January 21 & 28 – 10 am – 12 noon
Class Fee: $40, Materials Fee for Mitten Kit: $35
Learn to make the warmest mittens in the world! You knit with handspun yarn and fleece which forms a pattern on the outside of the mitten and a wonderful fleece lining on the inside. Students come away with handspun yarn, fleece for the lining, and original pattern. Please bring size 3 and 4 DP needles.

De-stress from your busy week with Meditative Knitting – Chris Guilian
Saturday, January 28,10am-noon
Class Fee - $15
The intent of this class, is to give us time to go within, which relieves stress. Being quiet is critical to finding our balance, staying grounded, and creating serenity. So we'll knit in silence for the first hour. An hour of silence coupled with the meditative motion of knitting allows us to move from our minds to our hearts. By the end of the first hour, the constant chatter in our minds can be greatly reduced or have disappeared. Then when we talk during the second hour, it's relaxed, respectful, heart-based, all with a feeling of connectedness.
Relaxing music will be playing. We will begin by connecting with a few minutes of running energy around the group. We then knit for the first hour with no talking, just listening to the music and letting go. After that, we can talk, or not, however we are moved!

Intro to Shawl Knitting – Barb Bundick
Saturday, March 24, 1 – 4 p.m.
Class Fee - $30
Learn two basic shawl cast-ons: Emily Ocker's cast on (for circular or square shawls that start in the center) and/or a provisional cast on for triangular shawls with garter stitch edges. Learn to increase evenly and play with a basic lace pattern. Finally, learn a simple knit-on edging. Supplies: #4 double-pointed needles, #4 circular needle (preferably 32"), light worsted weight yarn, stitch markers, crochet hook (whatever size works best with worsted yarn and size 4 knitting needles), yarn needle (with a big eye) and a pair of scissors.

Continental Knitting for English Knitters – Trudianne Temple
Saturday, March 17, 10 am – 12 noon
Class Fee: $25
We can celebrate with St. Paddy today as we English Knitters learn the efficient secrets of knitting Continental style, perhaps with the greenest of yarns! Bring your worsted weight yarns and appropriate needles and Tru will show us the ropes.

Magic Loop – Nan Palmer
Saturday, February 4, 1-3pm
Class Fee: $20
Oh, the joys of Magic Loop! You can use this fun technique for any kind of circular knitting—socks, sweater sleeves, mittens, hats, just to name a few—anything knitted in a tubular shape. Here are two great reasons to try this—fewer intersections between needles (no unsightly ladders!), and no lost double-pointed needles!
You’ll learn the basic technique (much easier than you think!), practice a bit, and see samples of how you can apply this skill to your knitting repertoire. You will also take home a resource list.
Please bring yarn and a circular needle at least 32” in length, in the size to work with your chosen yarn. If you have projects started that would benefit from this technique, bring them along to practice on. This class requires knowledge of basic knitting skills.

Spinning

Basic Spinning - private - Toni Neil
Class Fee: $25/session
At the student’s convenience, we will set up a series of lessons, generally three, within a 6 week period, which will introduce the new spinner to hand spinning, first on a drop spindle, then on the spinning wheel. Call for more information and a first appointment.

Flag Yarns – Toni Neil
Saturday, March 24 – 1 – 4 pm
Class Fee: $35
Learn to make some of the fancy, flaggy yarns that you’ve seen in magazines or yarn store shelves! We’ll add bits of fabric, feathers, snippets of other yarns, and wool locks to our yarn, or you may bring some special material of your own that you’d like to add to your yarn to make a memorable skein!
To benefit most from this class, the student should be comfortable with the spinning process and have basic mastery of her spinning wheel. Please bring your own spinning wheel to class.

Introduction to Spinning – Toni Neil
Saturdays, March 3, 10, 17 – 1 – 3 pm
Class Fee: $75
Beginning with the drop spindle and moving on to the spinning wheel, learn the basics of handspinning, a very relaxing pastime for those familiar with the simple movements that make it easy & pleasant. All materials and tools furnished.

Weaving

Beginning Weaving – Rita Hagenbruch
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday, March 13, 15, 17, 20 & 22 - 9 am – 4 pm
Bring your lunch
Class Fee: $100
Learn what weaving is all about in a beautiful, pastoral setting. For a beginner project, students will weave a scarf or a runner. They will learn how to calculate warp and weft yardage and prepare for weaving. Looms will be available for use, or you may bring your own table loom. We will discuss choice of yarns suitable for weaving and yarns may be purchased at The Fold’s yarn shop. Students will learn how to “dress” a loom and read a weaving draft. They will also learn the process of properly finishing their handwoven.
Participants will need shuttles, scissors, tape measure, calculator, graph paper, pencils/pen, threading hook, and tapestry needle (large eye). If you have a warping board, bring it along, too.

Inkle Weaving – Jean Hervert Niemann
Saturdays, February 11 & 18 – 1 – 4 pm
Class Fee: $50
Learn the basic techniques of inkle weaving in this two session class. The first class will cover basic weaving terminology, making heddles, reading/selecting a pattern, warping the loom and weaving a warp-faced band. The second class will experiment with special techniques including adding beads to make a bracelet, making button holes and weaving a tube.
Supplies to bring: scissors, six-inch ruler, and a tapestry/craft (blunt) needle, inkle loom, belt shuttle
Materials fee: $8.00

The Intertwined Inkle Loom (a compact-sized loom) is available for purchase for $79.00 plus tax or for rent for $10.00 for the two-session class. Please arrange for purchase/rental at least two weeks before the first class. Belt shuttles can be purchased for $10.00 at the time of the class.