Have you ever wondered why clothing made from knit fabrics moved from weekends and the workout room into our daily lives? When you look at knit garments in the store or in a catalog, do some catch your eye while others are "just there"? Have you noticed that some of your knit clothing sits in the dresser drawer, but you’re always reaching for others?

Knit garments are here to stay because they’re easy to care for, they don’t tend to wrinkle, and they are so comfortable to wear.

This three-day class will give you the opportunity to explore knits – how to recognize and choose knits, how to sew them to get good results, and how to design with knits. You will leave the class with a basic T-shirt pattern that fits, as well as a close-fitting bodysuit or camisole pattern, and a notebook of ideas and techniques on how to make knit garments look terrific. Mornings will usually be devoted to lecture and discussion, and afternoons will generally involve more hands-on tasks.

Morning: Recognizing different knit fabrics and knit structures. Inherent stretch properties of knits in comparison to the addition of spandex. The use of darts and other fitting style lines in knits. Matching knit fabrics to different garment styles.

Afternoon: Fitting, pattern work, and sewing.

Morning: Techniques for knit fabrics: stay taping; judging the length of self-fabric bands/cuffs; hemming; finishing options; applying trims.

Afternoon: Fitting, pattern work, and sewing.

Morning: Using your basic patterns with different knit fabrics. Easy pattern variations to make. Designing with knits. Selecting commercial patterns for a knit fabric, including what size to choose.

Afternoon: Fitting, pattern work, and sewing.

There are a number of hotels in the Hunt Valley area. Please visit the Accommodations page for a list. If you will not have a car, some of the Hunt Valley hotels have courtesy van service, and I can also help out with getting you to and from your hotel. There are plenty of nearby restaurants and two grocery stores that have a variety of prepared food.

A table and chair will be provided for each person, and pressing equipment and cutting tables will be provided for all to share. Two weights of pattern-making paper are available at a nominal fee. You will need to bring your sewing machine, sewing tools, a light for your individual work area, and sketching materials.

• A detailed supply list
• A set of instructions for preparing the first mock-ups of your T-shirt and close-fitting bodysuit or camisole, including pattern suggestions. (I would like you to arrive with these completed so we can utilize class time for fitting and fine-tuning your patterns.)
• 2 yards of cotton interlock knit and 2 yards of cotton/lycra for your first mock-ups. (This is included in your registration fee.) Since knit fabrics vary to a great degree, I do prefer that you use the fabrics I send you for your initial mock-ups, which will facilitate my fitting each of you. These fabrics will be available at a reasonable cost during class if you want to purchase more.

Please Note: If you already have a T-shirt pattern and/or close-fitting bodysuit/ camisole, I’ll be happy to work with you on additional patterns and styles that you are interested in developing. In this case, I still recommend making the mock-ups so that we can use these to pin/draw style lines while developing other designs.

For more information and questions, please feel free to get in touch with me: