Oh what a wonderful time we will all have . . . this, our eleventh retreat, is looking like a fun, fun, time. Of course, the snow days really threw a twist in the works since June 5 is now my girls last day of school. I made it this weekend as it looked like their last day would be June 2. Leave it to Indiana weather to throw a few snow days/fog days in there and the State Board not grant a waiver. They have two half days June 1 and June 2, now how much schooling do you think they’ll actually get done?? Anyways, this post is about retreat, not a rant about our school system. Let’s see . . .
 Joan McGowan-Michael, White Lies Designs is teaching our handknitting classes this year.ÂÂ
-  Dress You Up starts the sessions on Friday with a class on combining knits and fabric. While the sample is a small dress, the techniques can be interpreted into an adult jumper, lingerie, or even a lovely wedding gown. I think we’ll see more of this style on the runways in the next few years as I had the opportunity to see some photos from Italy a month or so ago taken by Susan Lazear and there was a whole collection of fabric and knits combined. I have a vision of a burgundy-colored bodice knit in a filmy lacy yarn, attached to a velvet skirt, princess styling, a-line. Can you see it? My girls would look just lovely for prom.  I think Susan had one like this in her photos.ÂÂ
- Whip Your Knits! On Saturday, this class will teach just how to shape for the larger bust, or larger belly, or smaller shoulders. Learning how to add designer touches and flatter your figure. Yes, it involves measuring, but do you know how much time goes into knitting a sweater that doesn’t look good on the body once its done and so you don’t wear it? Do you want to wear what you knit and have it look FanTastIc? Take this class!
- Beading Your Knits finished up the weekend on Sunday morning. The inspiration on Joan’s Blog is beautiful, but I know I probably won’t spend that much time adding beads to a sweater — Oh, no, I just had a vision of lovely beads added to a knitted coverlet over a wedding dress; I think Lukinda (my son’s fiance) already has her gown so maybe this will be for one of my girls in 10, 15, 20 years!) — but the class project of a beaded sunglass case sounds do-able. I’d probably make it into a cell phone case personally since I don’t wear sunglasses. But still, the technique will be one useable for many projects down the road.ÂÂ
Look for White Lies Designs upcoming trunk show too! Tomorrow, more about classes . . . . Lea-Ann
Lea-Ann, probably many people think they’d not want to take the time to bead an entire sweater.
However, I’ve also seen students do gorgeous Christmas ornaments, evening bags, and even just trim or single motifs on a tee shirt or hat. I even had a student who beaded the bodice of a silk nightgown for her daughter’s wedding shower and it made what was already a pretty garment into something spectacular!
There really is no end to the applications of this beading technique!
ooooohhhhhh !!!! Christmas ornaments. That’ll be great. I’m always looking for new ideas for projects for the tree. Lea-Ann
Lea-ann, Jan and I are now signed up for the retreat… we are so looking forward to it!! Of course we will be taking all the hand knitting classes and they sound very interesting..