Learning Curves

What a wonderful day I had on Thursday, London Underground notwithstanding. I had been looking forward to my workshops with Jared Flood ( aka Brooklyn Tweed ) for ever such a long time, and wasn't about to let the tube strike detract from that in any way at all.

I was awake at 4:30! By the time I arrived at Paddington, I felt as though I had been up all day :-) The staff at Paddington were incredibly helpful, providing both maps and up to date information. It wasn't their fault that a journey which would normally take 20 minutes took the best part of two and a half hours...............

I took two workshops on Thursday, "Plan Your Own Aran" and "An Introduction to the Hemlock Ring". Take a look at that flip chart - yes, you've got it, maths ;-)

We were given some wonderful yarn with which to swatch. Please note the workspace of a tidy and organised knitter ;-)

Here is Jared showing us one of his wonderful sweaters.


And where Jared goes, the paparazzi follow ;-)

Here is the Cobblestone sweater. You might be forgiven for thinking that it's just a bit of old stocking stitch with a few rows of garter stitch thrown in. It's actually an intricately designed and beautifully constructed garment with very sophisticated shaping on the yoke. I am going to have to knit one of these for Mr A very very soon.

Never was a flip chart so widely photographed!

And don't you just love this photo - these classes were FUN as well as work, and it shows, doesn't it.

Swatching progress. We were practicing shaping, and were introduced to a new method of producing a left leaning decrease known as SYTK that's slip, yank, twist, knit.

Jared is a wonderful teacher, and I have taken a great deal from his workshops. My little head is brim full of ideas and I am full of enthusiasm and oomph!

I love the social side of worshops too, and this one was no exception. The internet has been a revelation to me, and through it I have met people I would never have met, and made some wonderful friends. As ever, Alice ( Socktopus ) was such a generous host, and most of us decamped to the pub afterwards. It was lovely to catch up then with friends from previous workshops, and I am afraid it was gone 11:00 by the time this stop out got back to the Travelodge!

What a wonderful surprise then the following morning to open my curtain to see this view from my window :-) London never ceases to surprise me :-)

My journeyback to Paddington was thankfully uneventful and took the usual 20 minutes. I had the most amazing and wonderful time, and will see some of you again in a couple of weeks.