JC Briar

A self-confessed “technique freak” and “skill junkie,” JC dabbles in all kinds of knitting, but has a special fondness for textured knitting and novel construction techniques.  If it involves lace, cables, or seamless construction, it’s sure to catch her eye.  She shares her enthusiasm by teaching at shops and fiber festivals, online through Needlecraft University, and through her book, Charts Made Simple.  Regardless of the topic, she aims to build confidence by expressing concepts clearly and concisely, and by presenting skills and ideas in a digestible progression.  Find her online at jcbriar.com.

Creating a firm and sturdy bind-off edge is child’s play: you just keep a secure grip on the yarn as you bind off.  But what if you need some other kind of bind-off edge?  Take this class and learn about supple and seamless bind-offs for sock tops, bind-offs that blend into ribbing, and decorative bind-offs.

Dozens of cast-on techniques exist: one-strand or two-strand; loose and flowing or elastic and springy; invisible or decorative.  Review your options in this class: try variations on old favorites, and discover entirely new options.  Best of all, gain the familiarity you need to choose just the right cast-on for your next project.

The symbols of a chart take the place of written instructions, telling you what stitches to work.  But a good chart does so much more, showing you what the knitted fabric should look like.  In this class, you’ll learn to read charts, making sense of their symbols and using them to keep your knitting on track and to minimize mistakes.

You can use nearly any stitch pattern for ordinary socks.  But for fantastic socks, you need stitch patterns that have enough “give” for a snug but comfy fit, that allow for easy re-sizing, and that flow seamlessly into coordinated stitch patterns on the cuff, heel, and toe.  Take this class to explore Socktastic patterns, to learn what makes a pattern shine in hand-painted yarn, and to see how to combine basic building blocks and tweak existing patterns to come up with your own Socktastic creations.

So you’ve just come up with a stunning new sock design–now what?  How do you write the pattern such that someone else can follow it?  Take this class to learn how to transform your design notes into clear, complete instructions.  Discover the differences between writing for a magazine or yarn company, and writing for self-publication.  See how style guides and pattern templates can work for you, and pick up tips for specifying gauge and sizing.  Keep knitter confusion to a minimum, and find out when it’s time to call in outside help.