Spend Saturday, April 10, with designer, author and decorative artist Kristin Nicholas: Knit in the Round Two Color Fair Isle Knitting and Steeking workshop and book signing. - 4/11/2010 Kristin Nicholas’ workshop on Fair Isle knitting and steeking will be held on Saturday, April 10th, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Lenox Library, 18 Main St., Lenox MA. Kristin will show you how to use double point needles, how to follow a colorwork chart, how to knit with two hands and how to carry your yarn loosely behind your work as you work up a Fair Isle tube. As part of the tube you’ll knit a steek – a traditional way of dealing with openings for sleeves, necklines and cardigan bands – which you will, with Kristin’s help, cut open and finish off. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required. Workshop Description Many knitters are fearful of knitting with two colors in one row. It isn't hard - it just looks it. Kristin Nicholas uses Fair Isle knitting techniques in almost all of her colorful knitwear and accessories. In this workshop you will learn how to cast on with 4 needles, how to easily join in the round using a secret shared by Kristin, how to read a colorwork chart, how to work with two colors in one row, how to carry your yarn neatly and loosely behind your work and how to add in a steek. You’ll learn all this by knitting a two-color tube following a geometric Fair Isle chart provided by Kristin. When your tube is finished Kristin will guide your hand as you use her sewing machine to stitch down your steek so you can cut it open to let your tube lie flat. If time permits Kristin will show you how to pick up the steek stitches, how to add a decorative edge and how to chart your own Fair Isle design including how to center a pattern when the stitch repeat doesn’t fit in evenly with your stitch count. Unfamiliar with what a steek is? A steek is a vertical row of stitches that is added into a piece of knitwear and designed to be cut later to form a cardigan or neck edge, or an armhole opening. Usually found on sweaters knit in the round in two colors, a steek is a traditional way of dealing with openings for sleeves, necklines or cardigan bands. Kristin also uses steeks to create fabulous pillows and interior decorating accessories. When you finish this workshop you will be prepared to knit socks, mittens, gloves and sweaters using the Fair Isle technique. You will also be able to chart your own Fair Isle designs. The workshop is open to knitters who know the basics of knitting: the knit stitch, cast-on and bind-off. There will be a one-hour lunch break. Lunch is not provided. Workshop participants will need to bring: 50 yards or more of two colors of smooth worsted weight (4 sts to 5 sts per inch gauge) yarns. The colors should be high contrast, ie light green and dark brown. set of 5 double point needles in either size 6, 7 or 8 (size appropriate to yarn brought) tapestry needle with blunt point scissors Workshop fee: $65.00 Full payment for the workshop is required at time of registration. Workshop limited to 10 participants. To register for the workshop: By phone: 800-413-6111 or 413-637-8206 By mail: Colorful Stitches, PO Box 2278, Lenox, MA 01240 Pay by MasterCard, VISA, Discover or MA check. Registration closes April 7. Book Signing Kristin will sign her latest book, Color by Kristin, from 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm at Colorful Stitches, 48 Main St., (rear of building) Lenox MA. Light refreshments will be served. In Color by Kristin, the designer takes the mystery out of Fair Isle knitting making it accessible to all knitters. She explains the theory behind using colors to maximum effect, provides an easy-to-follow tutorial on Fair Isle knitting and even shows you how to design your own colorwork charts. Edgings and chart glossaries allow you to customize the 25+ patterns for sweaters, accessories and home décor items. Each project is knit in Kristin’s yarn, Julia. About Kristin Nicholas Kristin Nicholas is an author and illustrator of many knitting and stitching books: Color by Kristin, Kristin Knits, Knitting for Baby, Colorful Stitchery, Kid’s Embroidery, Knitting Beautiful Classics, and Knitting the New Classics. She was named one of Vogue Knitting’s Master Knitters of the ‘90’s and has designed knitwear for Vogue Knitting, Family Circle, Interweave KNITS, and other major magazines. She has also appeared as the knitting expert on the PBS television show Knit and Crochet Now and has been a guest on the Martha Stewart Show. Kristin has her own line of yarns, Julia and Best Foot Forward, distributed to yarn shops nationwide by Nashua Handknits. Kristin lives on a farm in western Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, a herd of 150 sheep and a lesser number of pigs, chickens, cats and border collies. She writes a popular blog, Getting Stitched on the Farm, and her website is www.kristinnicholas.com	Fair Isle Knitting with Steek Cutting Steek Marrakesh Fair Isle Pillows Last Minute Fair Isle Hat and Mitts Hen Party Fair Isle Sweater Color by Kristin Kristin Nicholas