Traditional Aran Cable Knitting

 ICC ACADEMY SPRING 2012

Class: Traditional Aran Cable Knitting

Dates: There are two six week sessions.

      The first begins Friday, March 23rd for 6 weeks ending Friday, April 27th.

      The second session begins Friday, May 4th for 6 weeks ending Friday, June 8th.

Time: 7-8:30pm

Fee: $80 for ICC Members* $95 for non-members per session

*dues must be paid up to date

Ages: Adults (16 & up)

Registration:  Pre-registration is required, registration closes the week classes begin. To register please complete the Registration Form on the right side of this page. Please return registration form with payment to ICC by fax at 781-821-8295 or by mail at PO Box 246, Canton MA 02021. Alternatively you can call the ICC at 781-821-8291 and we can sign you up over the phone.

Description of Class: The class is suitable for beginners and more advanced knitters, so if you have never knitted before we will begin with the basics and learn the knit and purl stitches. For more advanced knitters I will teach you the techniques of the Aran cables with patterns including a Double Aran Cable headband to get us started and we will quickly move on to the Aran Cable beanie, the Aran Diamond & Cable Scarf and the blackberry stitch when we learn to make the blackberry tea cosy and blackberry hat. Niamh will also tell knitters the history of the Aran knitting tradition and what each of the stitches symbolize.

What to bring: for the first class knitting needles and yarn will be supplied along with all of the patterns.

Instructor:  Niamh O'Maille (pron. Neeve O’Malley) hails from Galway City, on the West coast of Ireland. She is the third generation of her family to be involved in the knitting business and first learned to knit when her Grandmother Finnegan, aged 80, taught her to knit after school. ‘Each evening on my way home from school I would visit my Grandmother. She was a lovely old lady and sat in an armchair in the sitting room knitting hats, toys and Christmas decorations for her grandchildren. I was fascinated by the detailed work and wanted to learn to knit with her. Some of my happiest childhood memories were spent with my Grandmother in her house quietly knitting. It’s been a lifelong hobby ever since’. It was no surprise that she loved knitting, as her family's business, O’Máille’s on High St. in Galway,  is one of Ireland's longest established knitwear businesses in Ireland. It was founded by Niamh’s grandparents, Séan and Bridget O’Máille in 1938. From an early age she was surrounded by knitwear and has met some of the most talented knitters in Ireland who knit sweaters for the family business.

Galway School of Knitting was founded by Niamh in November 2008 and since then hundreds of knitters, both beginners and more experienced knitters have joined the class. The classes were hugely successful and Niamh has been amazed at how popular the knitting classes have been. Each pattern has been designed by Niamh as she quickly realized one of the most difficult aspects to knitting is reading and understanding patterns. This can be a daunting experience for many knitters so Niamh has simplified the patterns to ensure her knitters spend more time knitting rather than reading, pulling their hair out and ripping! The classes are very sociable and enjoyable and a relaxing and rewarding experience. Niamh has observed many of the knitters in her classes have become addicted to knitting too. Many now complain that they don't have time for housework or cooking and the famous line 'just one more row' is frequently expressed to partners and family!

Registration:
Pre-registration is required. Registration closes the week classes begin. To register please complete the Registration From on the right side of this page. Please return registration form to ICC by fax at 781-821-8295 or by mail at PO Box 246, Canton MA 0201. Alternatively you can call the ICC at 781-821-8291 and we can sign you up over the phone.