In celebration of the launch of Anna Maltz’s new collection of Marlisle patterns, Wild and Woolly is thrilled to announce  a special masterclass with Anna on the technique..

Marlisle (combining marl and colourwork, aka fairisle) is an unusual technique for creating decorative texture and colour shifts with a particular focus on seamless knitting in the round. Marlisle allows patches of stranded colourwork to be scattered around a project without the use of intarsia while avoiding unworkably long floats. It can be used to combine different weights of yarn, throw new light on your stash, overcome frustrations like jogging stripes and can even be used to adapt existing patterns. It’s a fun way to change how you look at knitting.

As an entry point into understanding this novel approach, you’ll cast on a Kraai Mitt, from Marlisle: A New Direction in Knitting, under Anna’s expert guidance. A speedy, engrossing little project inspired by old fashioned leather driving gloves with arrows on the fronts that echo birds in flight or road markings. Knitted in the round, it uses increases and decreases to create travelling stitches that mean there’s an interesting shaped chart to follow.

Suitable for a range of skill levels, but perhaps most exciting for knitters who have experimented with stranded colourwork and intarsia and understand the limitations of these existing techniques.

Minimum skill level:
intermediate/advanced beginner

Existing knowledge required:

• experience of colouwork
• confidence with knitting in the round

Skills covered:

• an insight into the possibilities of Marlisle
• following a Marlisle stitch pattern from a chart
• transitioning between colours for Marlisle
• long-tail cast-on
• travelling stitches
• a variety of increases and decreases
• neat buttonhole construction

Students will need:

• A copy of Marlisle: A New Direction in Knitting by Anna Maltz
• 50g each of 4ply weight yarn in 2 contrasting, but harmonious colours. Go for 100% wool, ideally not super wash treated – you want something a little ‘sticky’.
• 3.25mm DPNs  (or whatever needle size needed to achieve the correct gauge – see homework note below) or circular needles long enough for magic loop – depending on your preferred small-circumference technique and knowledge. Students are welcome to bring a range of sizes from 2.5 mm to 4.5mm, in case you want to adjust during the class.
• 2 contrasting coloured pencils, scissors, ruler or tape measure

NB Anyone wishing to buy any of the materials including the book, will be entitled to a 10% participants’ discount.

Homework:

You need to work out which needle size works for you to get

22 stitches x 40 rows = 10cm x 10cm/4”x 4” over garter stitch using both yarns held together after blocking.

This should be a fairly DENSE garter stitch using your chosen two 4ply yarns held together.