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You are here because you signed up for our Flax Sweater-a-long. Here you will find the details of the Sweater-a-long, the materials you will need, the homework before the first gathering and Frequently Asked Questions...

The Details...

This 4 session get-together is structured to help you along and answer any questions as they come up, but it is not a class in the sense that everyone is doing the exact same thing at the same time with lecture/presentations. It's a fun social atmosphere, with the first meeting discussing the fit of the sweater. You will need a knit swatch before the first meeting.
 
Pre-req: Must know how to knit in the round, purl, increase, decrease, cast on and bind off.

The first meeting is MANDATORY, as we will discuss fit and gauge, after that all meetings are up to you and there are no make-up sessions available. Remember, this is more social/accountability than it is instructional!


There are many different yarns you can use for this pattern...Malabrigo Rios, Malabrigo Worsted, Deluxe Worsted, Uptown Worsted, Etc. Be sure to special order your yarns early if they aren't currently in stock!

We will meet from 2pm to 4pm on the following dates:

Saturday, March 8th
Saturday, March 22nd
Saturday, April 5th
Saturday, April 26th

Materials...

THE YARN
1. Select the approximate size you think you will knit (if you are between 2 sizes, round up)

Sizes: 0-6 mo (6-12 mo, 1-2 yrs, 2-4 yrs, 4-6 yrs, 6-8 yrs, 8-10 yrs, XS, S, SM, M, ML, L, XL, XXL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL, 6XL)

Finished Chest Measurement: 18 (20.5, 22, 24, 26, 28.5, 30, 32, 34, 36.5, 38, 39, 40, 42, 46, 50, 55.5, 60.5, 65, 70,)“

2. Find the amount of yarn you will need for the size you will make (get in touch with us if you have any questions!

Worsted/aran weight yarn

Yardage for cropped length: 200 (240, 300, 400, 480, 560, 660, 800, 880, 940, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1320, 1500, 1620, 1800, 1900, 2000) yards

Yardage for regular length: 240 (280, 340, 420, 540, 660, 800, 920, 980, 1080, 1160, 1260, 1380, 1520, 1700, 1880, 2080, 2200, 2340) yards

THE NEEDLES

US #6 / 4 mm and US #8 / 5 mm
(or as required to meet gauge)

0 to 2 yrs: 16” circular, and DPNs* in each size.
4 to 10 yrs: 16”, 24” circulars, and DPNs* in each size.
XS to XL: 16”, 32” circulars, and DPNs* in each size.
XXL to 6XL: 16”, 32”, 48” circulars, and DPNs* in larger size, 16”, 48” circulars, and DPNs* in smaller size.

THE GAUGE SWATCH

Using the yarn you selected and the larger needle (US8) CO35 stitches and knit a stockinette swatch. After an inch or two, change to another needle size (I highly recommend putting a row of purls or something to mark the change in needle size). If the fabric feels too loose, go down a needle size or two....if the fabric feels too stiff, go up a needle size or two. It never hurts to gauge with 2-3 needle sizes to make sure you get the fabric that you love!!

We highly recommend gauge swatching in the round because the sweater is knit in the round. This is not mandatory, but we have found with larger gauge yarn/superwash yarn you gauge can be different flat than in the round.  Here is a video that might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsn5DqmXA-w

Also, I found a cool new way from Laura Nelkin that you might like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A59F9L4P-E

After you have bound off your gauge swatch, put it in water for 15 minutes, then take out and dry in a towel and lay flat to dry. You don't need to pin out your swatch, but spread it out like you would a finished sweater. 

**BRING THIS SWATCH WASHED AND BLOCKED TO OUR FIRST MEETING**


Things to bring to our first meeting:
- Your washed and blocked gauge swatch
- The knitting needles you used to make your gauge swatch AND 16" circulars 2 sizes smaller. Yes, this may mean bringing a lot of needles. If you don't want to, we have them in stock as well!
- One ball of your yarn wound
- Calculator (chances are you have one in your cell!) :)




Frequently Asked Questions...
Q: Why are there 2 weeks between the meetings, but the last one is 3 weeks?
A: Easter was 2 weeks from the 5th and we will be closed. I figured I would give an extra week to work on your sweater! :)

Q: I can't make it to the 2nd meeting, can I schedule an extra session to get caught up?
A: No, unfortunately there are no make up sessions. We do have private lessons on Tuesdays and Fridays if you need them. This gathering is more of an accountability, fun group, and not a lecture type class. There is nothing to get "caught up" on as what goes on during each gathering is organic and comes from questions/issues that you guys encounter. 

Q: Do I have to knit to a certain point each gathering?
A: No! You will knit at YOUR speed. Whatever point you are at for each gathering, is exactly where YOU should be. If you run into something that stops you up, just bring it to the next gathering and we can work through it together. 

Q: What will you be teaching?
A: On the first gathering we will do the most "class work" as we will be measuring our work and determining the size of sweater that we would like. I will step you through the process and we will cast on the sweater. After that we will discuss topics as you need them. If you have questions about weaving in ends, ask it! If you need help putting your sleeves on hold, we got you! If you don't understand the pattern, we will walk you through it. Each one of these sweater-a-longs take on a different feel depending on who is taking it and what questions arise. Sometimes people have NO questions and just knit the sweater and socialize. Everyone is on their own journey and we will meet you where you are at!

Q: What if I want to knit a different sweater.
A: This sweater-a-long is for the Flax sweater only!

Q: Can I use the Tin Can Knits App for my pattern?
A: YES!!! We will have the printed version available, but highly recommend using the app and we will discuss this at the first gathering.

Q: What if I already know how to knit a sweater?
A: That's fine! This gathering is more social/accountability than it is instructional. We are here for you if you need us!

Q: What if I don't finish the sweater in the time we have together
A: That's no problem. You can finish it on your own schedule. If you need assistance after the final gathering, we can set up a private lesson time (they are $25/hour)

Q: Can I use yarn from my stash?
A: You bet!!! But if you don't have a sweaters quantity in your stash...we are happy to help! If you want to special order, do it SOON!!! Sometimes yarns are out of stock or on back order!

Q: Can I do this if I have never knit a sweater?
A: Yes!!! This is a great first sweater! We just ask that you be familiar with knitting in the round, knitting, purling, increasing, casting on and binding off. Not expert level, but understand what those terms are and you can feel comfortable doing them?

Q: What if I can't knit?
A: We recommend our Knitting 101 class or our learn to knit kit!

Q: I don't want to swatch, can I still attend?
A: Nope, you must swatch...even if this is the ONLY time in your life that you do it!!

Q: Ok, I'll swatch but I won't bind off so I can use the yarn later.
A: Nope, it needs to be bound off, washed and blocked to know how the yarn will behave when you finish your sweater. This is SOOO important if you are using Superwash!