Continental Knitting

One of the great things about the TKGA Knitting Show is that they attract some of the big names in the knitting community to teach a variety of classes over the course of several days.  I felt fortunate to be able to sign up for two classes with Galina Khmeleva, an expert on Orenburg Lace.  I enrolled in a 3 hour morning class entitled “Continental Knitting: A Variation on a Theme.”  

Galina strongly encouraged her students to hold that left index finger right down on the left needle, rather than pointing it up in the air like you were at high tea.  With practice, it should make a difference in one’s overall speed.  I found that holding it this way was even more helpful to do the purl stitch.  I started to get more comfortable with it in just a few minutes of practice in class.  Another tip: If you use the granny purl stitch (yarn wrapping around the needle clockwise) on the wrong side of the fabric, then you must knit the stitches through the back loop on the right side of the stockinet fabric.  Otherwise, the stitches will be twisted. 

Galina demonstrated the long-tail cast-on, slipping the first stitch (as if to purl with yarn in front) of a knitted row,  and the lacy bind-off.  All three techniques look and work so nicely; they have become part of my usual routine in knitting. 

I did not take a single picture of the students working in class.  It didn’t even occur to me at the time because I was so focused on the tasks at hand.  

So, what pictures can I share with readers today? 

Concentration and working on new techniques take a lot of energy, and you have to refuel every few hours, right?   How about the OUTSTANDING FOOD at the banquet/fashion show in the evening? The presentation of the food was BEAUTIFUL.  Kudos to the chefs at the Grand Sierra Resort!  Check out the orchid on the salad plate.  And yes, I ate it.  The main course…so tasty!  And then the dessert… a work of art!!  Almost too pretty to eat.  Everything was delicious!  Once refueled, I was ready to absorb more beautiful knitting ideas, yarns, and techniques.

Salad

Turkey dinner

Dessert

Fashion Show: A sweater with a pleated bottom section on body and sleeves.