Knitting Workshops Taught by Leigh Witchel

Page last updated: 5/07/08

Our next Beginner Knitting Class will be held on Mondays starting June 2nd.

5/07/08 - There are currently 5 places left in the June beginner session. 

Sign up early (there's a discount!) and don't miss out!

More about the class
How to register and pay

NEW OPTION! - Private beginner lessons - Same classes, but more personal attention and flexibility.

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Leigh Witchel holds a series of knitting workshops that will stimulate and inspire knitters at every level of experience. All sessions are held in Midtown Manhattan.

Workshops include:

Classes currently scheduled

• Beginner Knitting

Other workshops we offer - tell us if you're interested!

• Entrelac, the Basics and Beyond
• Knit your first sock
• Stitches No Knitter Should Be Without
• Second Steps
• Project Coaching Class
• From my heart to yours
• Your first sweater

If you're interested in a class, write me and tell me which class you'd like to attend. As soon as there's sufficient interest, I'll work out a schedule! If you are out-of-town, why not consider getting a group together locally? If I can schedule it and there's sufficient interest, I'll come to you.

Workshop descriptions:

"Beginner Knitting" is a four-class workshop geared at beginners. The two hour sessions (eight hours total) will teach you basic skills. This includes knitting and purling, casting on and off, increasing and decreasing, and completing your first simple project. We'll talk about how to read a pattern, knowing how to shop for yarn and supplies, how to fix mistakes -- everything you need to know so you won't give up in frustration halfway through a project!

We do the shopping for you! The right needles and the right yarn are provided for your first two projects, a warm cap and scarf. All you need to bring to the first class is pad, pen and yourself.

Here's your chance to learn to knit! We'll have a workshop on Tuesday nights. It's four sessions long, and we provide everything you need to make a hat and scarf except for pad, pen, a scissors and tape measure. We'll meet June 2, 9, 16 and finish on June 23. 

All classes will be held from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The class is held in Midtown Manhattan (44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.)

The cost for four classes is $160 and includes two pairs of knitting needles, enough yarn for a hat and scarf (as well as some for learning) and other accessories (crochet hook, yarn needles). All you need to bring is a notebook and pen (and have a tape measure handy). Information on registration and payment. If you have specific questions, please email me.

Early Registration Discount! Pay for the class in full by May 19 and pay only $145!

If the dates are not good for you but you are still interested in a class, please email me with better dates. If enough people want them, I am willing to try and reschedule or to form a second class.

PRIVATE BEGINNER CLASSES:

If your schedule won't work for this session or you want a little more personal attention, consider this option:  The same class, but one on one and set up to suit your schedule.  The cost is $320 for four sessions, please email me first to discuss scheduling and availability.

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Other workshops:

Stitches No Knitter Should Be Without.This class is perfect for advanced beginner knitters wishing to increase their skills and adventurous intermediate knitters wishing to learn how to incorporate their knowledge into design. Originally an all-day marathon, we're breaking it into three evenings to guard against knitter burn out!

The three sessions are:

Cool Textures
• Learn simple textures that give you amazing bang for your buck. Suitable for people with basic skills to give you a repertory of great stitches for sweaters, carves and afghans
Slip Stitches
• Color without hassle. Learn this great technique of multicolor knitting that only uses one color per row. Perfect if you have a yen to make sweaters and even tailored knitwear like jackets.
Beginning Lace
• You know those holes you made by accident when you learned to knit? Make them on purpose! Gorgeous scarves, cardigans and shawls are possible, and these simple laces teach you the basic premise behind it.

Entrelac, the Basics and Beyond.

We will knit a sampler that will bring us from the basic method of entrelac through to some nifty tricks including using texture and color in entrelac, designing with entrelac, including shaping and combining the entrelac sections with sections in other patterns. The class will be in three two-hour evening sessions. The skill level for the class is intermediate. To get the most from it, you should be familiar with skills such as different sorts of decreases (k2tog and SSK), picking up stitches, and working in the round.

All classes will be held from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The class is held in Midtown Manhattan (44th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues.) If you have any questions, just ask.

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Requests from some of my beginner students led to the Project Coaching Class. In four two hour sessions (eight hours total) we will go through the entire process of making a project from the pattern of your choice from start to finish. So if you already know the basics and want to try making your first sweater or whatever you're dreaming about, this is your chance!

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Knit your first sock! We'll do a three-session workshop where you'll make your first sock. You'll learn casting on techniques, heel and toe shapings, and dealing with either double pointed or circular sock needles. There will be three two-hour evening classes. This class requires advanced "beginner" skills. (You need to know how to cast on, cast off, increase, decrease and be already comfortable making a project like a simple hat.) Classes will be every other week for three sessions -- you'll be expected to knit in between classes (to get from the cuff to the heel, for instance) and you need to keep up. We'll use worsted wool for our socks, so they'll go faster, and socks are smaller than a sweater!

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Your first sweater. This class will enable a beginning knitter to knit a basic sweater. You'd pick out your own simple pattern - or we can design a basic one from your measurements. I'll coach you through the process. Classes would be every other week, but be warned: you'd need to keep up your knitting! If you don't have the parts finished we can't talk about putting them together, and so on. Four sessions, once every two weeks.

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From my heart to yours. This fun class in two parts has skills to amuse an intermediate knitter and a lace knitter as well! We'll learn two different heart patterns, the first is your very own concentric striped heart to knit, use it as a patch, felt it or make two for a bag. Inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman's Heart Patch, this one is made entirely differently, using matching decreases rather than short rows, and it forms a colorful series of nested hearts. Part two is a pattern for a heart shaped lace insert that I designed as gifts for those I love. Not only will you go away with these two nifty patterns, you'll have learned about shaping with decreases, grafting in garter stitch, principles behind multiple decreases and the basics of how a lace pattern is created. You should be an intermediate knitter, and be comfortable with lace (the concentric heart requires fewer skills than the lace insert.)

About the teacher:

You're in good hands learning to knit with Leigh. A long-time knitter who began while he was a professional ballet dancer, Leigh Witchel has taught people to knit for close to two decades. A nationally known teacher, he has taught at knitting workshops in the United States and Canada including at Stitches.  His knitting designs have been published in Knit.1, Knitters Magazine and Vogue Knitting.  Mr. Witchel also writes regularly on knitting for Knit.1 and Knit Simple, as well as on dance for several publications and is the recipient of a 2001 Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography.


How this works:

NOTE: If you're interested in any of these classes, but you have further questions about skill level or anything else, just ask me.


Class Size: Each class will have a minimum of three participants and a maximum of six, however, I tend to close the class at five students to assure a bit more individual attention. However, we cannot hold a place in class without a deposit of one-half the class fee and we cannot schedule a class without at least three students with paid deposits. The balance of the fee is due before the start of the first class.

Payment: To register, send a check for the full amount made out to Dance as Ever, Inc, or, if you prefer to pay by credit card via PayPal.

Checks should be sent to:

This is also where the workshops will be held.

Cancellations: If you need to cancel and if you cancel before I have cashed your check, I will simply return it. If I have already cashed your check, I will refund you 75% of the total class fee if it's more than one week before the class, 50% after one week before the class and there will be no refund less than two days before the class. The same refund scale applies to credit card payments through PayPal. If the class is cancelled due to lack of attendance, the people who did attend will be entitled to a full refund; no shows will forfeit the full fee. If I cancel the class, I will refund your entire fee.

Please also be aware that though the check is made out to Dance as Ever, because you are paying the fair value for the class, this is not tax deductible. It's also easiest if you send me separate checks for each class, in case of cancellation.

Once the class has reached the minimum size, I'll send participants further information including directions. For classes where you need to provide your own supplies, I will also give you a materials list and suggest sources. Meals are not included in the workshop cost. Restaurants and delicatessens are nearby, it's recommended that participants buy whatever food or beverage they might need or eat beforehand, rather than during breaks. Smoking is also not permitted anywhere in the building.