Versa Lace all day class

We love lace! We love the feminine allure of lace shawls and wraps and cowls and scarves. But we do not love the wrong sides of these garments. Phooey! What’s a knitter to do? Did you know you can convert many stockinette-based lace patterns into reversible lace patterns? No, this is not double-knitting, but you should already be comfortable with 1×1 ribbing and lace knitting. In this all-day class we will explore this revolutionary technique by practicing reversible versions of all the basic lace maneuvers. While not every pattern can be converted, you will leave ready to work many of the patterns you already own as reversible lace!

Skill level is intermediate.

Prerequisite: Students should already be familiar with the basic processes of knitting lace including mastery of yarn-overs, left-leaning decreases (ssk), and right-leaning decreases (k2tog).

What you will learn:
Italian cast-on, which is perfect for reversible lace or 1×1 ribbing or brioche
double yarn-overs and how to deal with them on the next row
left-leaning reversible decrease
right-leaning reversible decrease
3-into-1 reversible centered double decrease
3-into-1 reversible double decrease
yo-k-yo double increase
k-yo-k double increase
Y-increase
center-out cast-on
tubular cast-on in the round
beads
tubular bind-off, which is also perfect for 1×1 ribbing
when, if, and how to incorporate purl stitches
how to convert regular lace patterns

Maximum 20 students.

full day workshop (6 hours with a 1-hour break for lunch)

Students receive a handout in booklet form, including the "Juniperus ficus" pattern (normally a paid download on Ravelry) and "Alacrity" fingerless mitts (also a paid download).

No materials fee

No homework, per se, but please be sure you meet the prerequisite (unless you really love being in over your head). If you would like to get a head start, you can set up for the in-the-round cast-on by following these instructions here.

Supplies:
class yarn (worsted weight, plain, light or bright or medium color, non-splitting)
needles appropriate for 1×1 ribbing in this yarn
cable needle or double-pointed needles
a pattern you would like to work reversibly (optional)
needles for working in the round
waste yarn for a tubular cast-on in the round

No special needs for the room set up. A whiteboard or flip chart is nice to have but not need to have. Room set-up should be tables and chairs either facing forward or in a U-shape. I have a projector if the facilities can accommodate it.

The shorter version of this class has been taught at
The Whole Nine Yarns, Woodstock GA;
Spring Fling 2016, Atlanta GA;
Yarn and Y'all, May 2016, Greenville SC;
Georgia FiberFest 2016, Columbus GA;
South Carolina Knit Inn 2017, Greenville SC.

The all-day version has been taught at
Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair 2016, Fletcher NC, and at
The Whole Nine Yarns, Woodstock GA, as a two-meeting class.

The weekend-long version has been taught at
Kanuga Knitting and Quilting Retreat 2019, Hendersonville, NC;
Spring Break 2020 at Kathy's Kreations, Ligonier PA;
STITCHES Expo at Home October 2021, online.

Elements of this class were taught in "A Feast of Reversible Knitting," John C. Campbell Folk School, May 2024.