My Fear of Intarsia is Walloped by Sasha Kagan

Sasha Kagan came to my lys this weekend to teach a few classes. I decided to take her intarsia class, because color work (other than stripes) has kind of intimidated me. I never really liked the idea of weaving in all the ends when I was finished knitting a piece. Sasha's method carries the unused color along the back and weaves it in as you knit by wrapping it around the knit stitch. Because the other color is woven in, it doesn't "float" as you carry it along the back. The fabric is firmer and the back looks neater, too.

Of course, as with any new technique, there was a big, "huh?" factor. In between the sighs of frustration, someone commented that she felt like a beginner again. I was really glad she said that! It meant that I wasn't alone (as I crawled along at a snail's pace). I think it really helps if you can knit with both hands. Look Ma! I made me a swatch! The square shows how many rows it took me to "get it" and the top part is the beginning of a poppy. I really like her technique; you end up using a bit more yarn, but it looks neater and it saves you the time of weaving in.

Sasha also brought some samples from her new book, Crochet Inspiration. The book has a number of different patterns and motifs, from granny squares to lace and flowers.