Felted Mitten Class

OK - so I have now taught the first session of my first class. :) Yes, after I moved out of the city. But just as I was about to leave Knit Wits, I made up some felted mittens to try out a new yarn colorway that we had just received (Galway Worsted came out with a "Marl" collection, I chose #603, the teal). We all wanted to see how it felted, so I was the one to knit up some quick and easy mittens to try it out.

I chose a fun-fur yarn to make a fluffy cuff, and then just made a top-down hat to use up the extra of each yarn. So I made a matching fluffy-trimmed hat and mittens set, and we put it on display in the shop to show off the yarn. (pictures to follow later, I promise)

Well, apparently, it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, because everyone who saw it wanted a pair, wanted to buy our demo, or wanted a class on it. All this during my last week employed there! Before I left, we decided that I would come back for a few weekends in October/ early November to teach the class for the mittens.

The best part about this class, is that I completely forgot about it until the night before! I mean, I knew I was driving back to the Beach for the weekend, but it didn't click that I needed to bring a pattern or knit up a demo until Thursday night! So, I drove home after work on Friday, stopped in the store on my way, got some needles and the pattern I used, typed up patterns for all the ladies, THEN knit until about 1am. I realized that if I had given the participants homework, then I probably should do the homework too! Oopsie. Silly me.

Some of the ladies had done the homework, some halfway, and some not - I guess that's about par for the course. But I fear that I may run out of time next week. Next time, hopefully everyone has done the body of their first mitten, and we'll be able to do the thumb in class. Then, I can show them how to start the hat. We were debating if this needed to be a two- or three-session class, and I think you can do it in two if everyone is up to speed. Three sessions might be better for slower and/or less experienced knitters. But we shall see how that goes next week.

Mittens ahoy!