Professional Finishing at TIK

Well, I gotta tell ya, I had the BEST time on Saturday morning. I was the Magician's Assistant* for the Lovely Lisa at TIK for the Professional Finishing course. And a very professional course it was too. I could talk all day about it and not cover it all. (And I could. Talk all day I mean. Do you doubt it?)

So, briefly, (since ya'll got other things to do today I'll bet):

- I met lots of really lovely knitters. There was great chatting, camarardarie and sharing of funny stories of knitting successes and disasters; (Boy, it was sooooo good to spend some time amongst my own kind.)

- I learned exTREMEly valuable tips on finishing garmets professionally, and especially for set-in sleeves, which are probably the most feared things, and up there with button bands for making-or-breaking the finished garment.

- Lisa did a fabulous job, of course. 'Nuff said.

- It was such fun to watch the beaming smiles of the knitters as they realised one-by-one that their seaming troubles are over. Their happiness was proportionally in contrast to the awful dread and litany of disappointments that is the nightmare of seaming. So, they were very very happy indeed.

This is the Holy Grail of techniques. Really.

- I got to see the Knit Picks Harmony needles in person. And I'll be getting some soon for certain sure. They're soooooo pretty!

- I got a copy of The Best of Interweave Knitting. Another knitting book. So?

- AND I got a set of these clever do-dads. Locking stitch markers. Don't know how I lived without them. And almost the best bit? When you open the packet, there's another packet inside to keep them in, with a secure flap-thingy closure an' all. Fabulous.




So many great knitting things in one day. Heaven.

Inspired, I got up the following day and started seaming the set-in sleeve for the Debbie Bliss Ribbed Cardigan. It's going very very very well (whispering now so's not to wake the mischievous Knit Gods). It's such an improvement on my usual ad hoc stitch where you feel like it and hope for the best freeflow method.

Sound bites from the occasion:

• 'This child is going to be wearing this cardigan for 18 years' - an expectant knitter refers to a lovely sweet baby cardigan.

• 'You can hide a lot of things in your armpits' - Lisa, on hiding excess fabric in your seaming.

I strongly urge you to take this course if you've half a mind to. Even if you've read the techniques already, there's nothing like seeing them in action.

Seriously.

Do it.



*If you'd like to imagine her in a top hat and myself in sequins then go ahead. It wouldn't be accurate, but it might add a little theatrical interest.

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