2024 Make-a-Longs
Sun Dragon Make-a-longs are a community event: near or far, we are enjoying the feeling of knowing others are knitting or crocheting the same thing or style! Our make-a-longs are no mystery, there are no fees to participate, but that also means there are no prizes or reward-type enticements: we are a community near and far that participates for the joy of challenge and camaraderie!
This year we hope to build on the success of last Autumn’s Virtual MAL success, and add to the in-person with work sessions. All of our Make-a-longs and the seminars associated with them will be skill-based around a particular topic rather than driven by a single project.
Community ways to share:
General sit n stitch (not MAL specific) happens virtually every Tuesday 7-8 pm on Zoom, the meeting code is our shop phone number: 828 877 3550; in person is Wednesday 10-12, Saturday 1-4.
We have a Facebook Group, Sun Dragon MAL, where we are often posting pictures and asking/sharing advice from MAL past and present. This is a closed group, and it is self regulating, rather than an “ask the expert (Rebecca-only)” format: that means we depend on all members to offer help when they can, and encouragement always!
Send us pictures of your progress and we will put it in our weekly newsletter! Please be explicit that it is ok to share, just sending a photo does not guarantee it will end up being published, we respect people’s privacy.
CURRENT/UPCOMING MAL
Yarn and notions, short list of pattern ideas
Spring 2024: Starting in MArch
Two Color Brioche
Yarn: for the classes, any yarn weight (thickness) and appropriately sized circular needles will work, the needle length may vary depending on the seminar. Remember we are working on skills rather than starting a project, but if you have a particular project in mind once you learn, you may want to practice with that thickness of yarn.
Seminar 1: 2 contrasting colors of yarn, 16” circulars appropriate for working with that yarn, and a stitch marker.
Seminar 2: 2 contrasting colors of yarn, and any length circular that will work with that yarn.
Seminar 3: A swatch knit up in basic brioche flat, at least 20 stitches wide and 3-4 inches tall. Your swatch should still be on the circular needle, and bring/purchase a repair hook or crochet hook appropriate for the needle size.
Seminar 4: Same as Seminar 2, if you are able to start a swatch at least 20 stitches wide that is wonderful.
Brioche is a wonderful knitting technique where when using 2 colors you can have reversible ribbing where a different color is dominant on either side. This make-a-long will focus on skills and techniques, rather than everyone making the same project. Class participants should come with the required supplies or prep work, as we will be working on small sample swatches where you can apply skills you have learned to a project of your choice.
Seminar 1: Brioche Knitting in the Round
This is a wonderful introduction to Brioche, as you will learn the skills using 2 colors where each color has only one “job”, so you can learn the skills in a streamlined format.
Seminar 2: Brioche Knitting Flat
This Seminar is “step 2”, once you learn brioche in the round it is much easier to tackle flat knitting where the “jobs” of each yarn are different depending on what side of the work is facing you.
Seminar 3: Fixing Mistakes in Basic Brioche
Now that you can brioche, what to do if you miss a step on the row before or drop a stitch? Solutions so you don’t have to rip it all out!
Seminar 4: Increasing and Decreasing in Brioche
Using increases and decreases in brioche can create wonderful patterns where the ridges seem to dance over each other. Learn the basic techniques to accomplishing this “in pattern”.
Below is the in-person class schedule, all Saturday mornings. Each class is $30 and does not include supplies, a special 10% discount if you take all 4 ($108, you must pay for all 4 at the first session):
March 23, 10:30-12:30: Seminar 1: Brioche knitting in the Round
April 6, 10:30-12:30: Seminar 2: Brioche knitting Flat
April 20, 10:30-12:30: Seminar 3: Fixing Mistakes in Basic Brioche
May 4, 10:30-12:30: Seminar 4: Increasing and Decreasing in Brioche
Virtual seminars will be the following day, Sunday, 1-3 pm US Eastern time. Zoom sessions will be $25 each, or $90 for all 4, and you will have access to the recordings afterwards. Seminar 1 will be March 24, Seminar 2 April 7, Seminar 3 April 21, Seminar 4 May 5.
After the second class, we will start having make-a-long work sessions on Thursdays 2-4 beginning April 11. These will be times to gather with others working on brioche projects, and to get assistance with your specific project.
No appointment needed: $10/session if you have taken one of our seminars, $20 if you have not: this will not be a time to learn brioche from scratch.
More info on the MALs below coming soon!
Summer 2024: starting in July
Crochet: Corner to Corner
Recommended yarn and supplies
Autumn 2024: starting in October
Lace in Knitting
Yarn and notions
previous Make-a-longs:
Echo Point, Northbound Knitting
Ranunculus, Midori Hirose
Super Simple Log Cabin Shawl, Atty Van Norrel
Montana Bag, Assia Colozzo
Viking Gnomes
Cables
Mosaic Knitting: Pressed Flowers
Granny Squares
Top-Down, Stranded Colorwork Yoke Sweaters