3 hour class: Marlisle Kraai Mitts

An excellent, project-based introduction to Marlisle. The Kraai Mitts are a small project using this unusual technique (a combination of marl and colourwork, aka fairisle) for creating decorative texture and colour shifts with a particular focus on seamless knitting in the round. As an entry point into understanding this novel approach, you’ll cast on a Kraai Mitt, from Marlisle: A New Direction in Knitting, under Anna’s expert guidance. A speedy, engrossing little project inspired by old fashioned leather driving gloves with arrows on the fronts that echo birds in flight or road markings. Knitted in the round, they use increases and decreases to create travelling stitches that mean there’s an interesting shaped chart to follow. The thumb uses buttonhole construction in a way that will likely improve all your future buttonholes!

Suitable for a range of skill levels, but perhaps most exciting for knitters who have experimented with stranded colourwork and intarsia and understand the limitations of these existing techniques.

MINIMUM SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate/advanced beginner

EXISTING KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
– Experience of working stranded colourwork.
– You must be confident working small circumferences in the round in the manner of your choosing (for example using DPNs or the magic-loop method).

SKILLS COVERED
– An insight into the possibilities of Marlisle.
– Following a Marlisle stitch pattern from a chart.
– Transitioning between colours for Marlisle.
– Long-tail cast-on.
– Travelling sts.
– A variety of increases and decreases.
– Approaches to changing between colours.
– Untwisting yarn for Marlisle.

STUDENTS TO BRING
– pencil
– flexible ruler or tape measure for checking gauge.
– An optional copy of Marlisle: A New Direction in Knitting is recommended. Full instructions are provided in class to work the swatch, but not the full hat.
– 4ply/fingering yarn in 2 contrasting, but harmonious colours. At least 50gr of each.
Go for 100% wool, ideally not super wash treated – you want something a little ‘sticky’.
– 3.25mm DPNs or circular needles long enough for magic loop (depending on personal preference and existing knowledge – aka it’s not a good time to try magic-loop for the first time!) or whatever needle size needed to achieve the correct gauge). Students can bring a range of sizes from 2.5mm to 4.5mm, as they may wish to adjust during class, while we are together.

HOMEWORK
Work out which needle size works for you to get:
22 stitches x 40 rows = 10cm x 10cm/4”x 4” over garter stitch using both yarns held together after blocking.

This should be a fairly DENSE, but not stiff, garter stitch using your chosen two 4ply yarns held together.

HOST NOTES
MAXIMUM CLASS SIZE
12

VENUE TO PROVIDE
– quiet space for teaching
– chairs
– tables
– light
– refreshments
– possible use of white/blackboard or flipchart – a big piece of paper of some sort will do.