Class: Introduction to Spinning

June 5, 12, 26, and July 10 (Fridays) | 6:00-8:00 | $125 | Materials Included

The price of the class is $125, due within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). In addition there is a $200 refundable materials deposit for the spinning wheels, hand carders, and drop spindle that you will be taking home for practice. The refundable deposit can be paid on the first day of class and your check will be returned to you upon return of the materials after the end of class.

Class Description:

This is a 4 week basic spinning class. Participants will learn about different types of fibers and preparation from grease wool straight off the sheep through highly processed roving. You will learn how to wash grease wool, card it, and then spin it on a drop spindle and a spinning wheel.

Week 1: We will discuss fibers and their characteristics that help determine the resulting yarns. Everyone will work with a drop spindle and learn about drafting triangles and how to control the diameter of their yarns. Participants will also begin to spin on a spinning wheel. Home work will consist of practicing on the drop spindle, treadling, and spinning on the wheel.

Week 2: Everyone will swap their spinning wheel with someone in the class. By the end of the 4 week class, you have spun on 4 different wheels! We will continue working with drop spindles and the spinning wheels. We will discuss working with shorter fibers, blending fibers, and spinning ratios. Home work is continued practice on the drop spindle and the wheel.

Week 3: We will set aside the drop spindles and continue with the spinning wheels after swapping wheels. This week we will work on plying techniques: 2 ply, Navajo 3 ply, 4 ply cabling, bouclé, etc. We will also begin discussions of spinning and plying with colors. Homework: keep spinning and plying!

Week 4: Last wheel trade! We will explore the different effects of spinning yarns with fibers colored at different points of the spinning process using different techniques such as carding in colors, adding them during the spinning process, and the effects of plying.

By the end of the 4 week class, you will be able to process fiber, spin and ply yarns. We will discuss the history of spinning, characteristics of different fibers for spinning, and the care and feeding of spinning wheels. The cost of the course is $125 for 4 weeks plus a $200 refundable deposit for the use of the spinning wheel, drop spindle, and hand carders that you will be taking home for practice. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the class if all the equipment is returned in the same condition they were in at the beginning of the class. Or the deposit can be put toward a new or used wheel, including one of the wheels from the class. 4 to 8 oz each of grease wool, washed wool, roving and carded batts will be provided. Additional materials will be available for purchase.

Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Monday Morning Spin-a-long

Don't forget that on the first Monday of the month, from 11-1, you can bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning! This gathering is great for spinners who work at night and can't get to an afternoon or evening gathering.

See you on June 1st??

Davis Family Benefit

Hanks is proud to be a sponsor of a benefit being held on behalf of the Davis Family of Micanopy, who on March 1, 2009, suffered the tragic loss of Hailey, age 9, and Owen, age 3. This benefit will raise money to help cover funeral costs for these dear children, and to pay some hospital bills for their sister Hunter, and their mother Tiffany.

The benefit is this Saturday, May 30th beginning at 1:00pm at the Gainesville Downtown Community Plaza. There is no admission charge! There will be seven hours of music along with raffles and food. Bands include: Babylonians, 8 Track Automatic, Trumpswig, Stava Mala, Tuna Colada, Jaryd Smart, and Michael Lesousky.

Please come out and join your community as we gather to give both emotional and monetary support to the Davis family.

Class: Intro to Fair Isle (Knit a Soap Sweater)

May 30 (Saturday) | 2:00-5:00 | $30 | Materials Included



Each time we've done this class, the students had a lot of fun! If you missed the class previously, now is your chance to learn how to do a quick, fun, fair isle project. This would be a great class for someone who is ready to take an easy leap into colorwork. The project is knit in the round, but don't let that scare you if you've never used DPNs (Double Pointed Needles) before. This is also a great chance to learn that technique!


Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Class: Green Gable (Knit a Tank Top)

June 3, 10, and 24 (Wednesdays) | 6:00-8:00 | $40 | Materials Not Included

The cost of the class includes the pattern and instructional help for knitting one of the coolest tanks I've ever seen (I've made two of them so far).



The cost of the class does not include yarn and needles; however, should you buy the yarn through us we will be giving a 20% discount to students who have signed up and paid for the class. The pattern calls for a yarn that gets 20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, with a US 6 for the body and a US 4 for the ribbing.

For my first one, I used Prism Tencel Tape and got gauge with a US 6 (usually I am a loose knitter, but for this pattern I did not need to go down to a 5). For my second one I used Tahki Yarns Sierra, and while I again used a US 6, I probably should have gone down to a US 5 on that one. For this class I plan to use Classic Elite Premiere - should you also wish to use that we will be placing an order soon, so please contact us to talk about color options. For a change, I plan on using the color green with this one!



Yarns we recommend, should you not have anything appropriate in your stash:
Classic Elite Premiere - 50% cotton, 50% Tencel; 21 sts = 4 inches on a US 6 (in my swatch I got 20 sts/4 inches using a US 5); we have a small amount at the shop if you would like to swatch with this.
Prism Tencel Tape - 100% Tencel; 20 sts = 4 inches on a US 6 (my red one is on display in the shop should you care to check the drape on this)
Farmhouse Yarns Bonnie's Bamboo - 100% Bamboo; 20 sts = 4 inches on a US 6 (keep in mind that bamboo is heavy and does not have a lot of memory - if you use this yarn you will get more of a blousy, loose look rather than form-fitting)
Lorna's Laces Green Line DK - 100% Organic Wool; 22 sts = 4 inches on a US 6 (you may want to swatch with this first, to make sure you don't have to change needle sizes to a US 7). This yarn is easily my second choice after Premiere!
SWTC Bamboo - 100% Bamboo; 20 sts = 4 inches on a US 6. As stated above, keep in mind that bamboo is heavy and does not have a lot of memory - if you use this yarn you will get more of a blousy, loose look rather than form-fitting.

If you are interested in using any of these yarns in colorways that we either don't have, or don't have enough of, please drop by the shop - we have color cards we can show you for all of the yarns mentioned, and we'd be happy to order stock in for you. And as stated above, should you buy the yarn through us we will be giving a 20% discount to students who have signed up and paid for the class (the cost of the class includes the pattern and instructional help).


Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Upcoming June Classes

Please read this first: Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Introduction to Knitting
June 4, 11, 18, and 25 (Thursdays) | 6:00-8:00 | $100 | Materials Included

Introduction to Knitting Hats
June 13, 20, and 27 (Saturdays) | 10:30-1:30 | $75 | Materials Included

Green Gable (Knit a Tank Top)
June 3, 10, and 24 (Wednesdays) | 6:00-8:00 | $40 | Materials Not Included

2009 Afghan: The June Square
June 6 (Saturday) 2:00-5:00 | $15 (materials not included)/$30 (materials included)

Advanced Sock Knitting: Pheasant Run
June 13, 20, and 27 (Saturdays) | 2:00-5:00 | $75 | Materials Included

Introduction to Needle Felting
June 15 and 22 (Mondays) | 6:00-8:00 | $60 | Materials Included

Introduction to Crock Pot Dyeing (Sock Weight Yarn)
June 29 (Monday) | 6:00-8:00 | $50 | Materials Included

Introduction to Spinning
June 5, 12, 26, and July 10 (Fridays) | 6:00-8:00 | $125 | Materials Included

2009: The Year of the Afghan (why we haven't talked about seaming)

A number of people have asked in the shop or sent us messages online asking about seaming up the 2009 afghan squares. We have good news and bad news... the good news is that seaming, while time consuming, is very easy. The bad news is that there are about a million ways to do it (okay, really more like four or five) and the technique that we recommend is the one that works best for you personally. There is not one "right way" that we can tell you - as with most things it's not a question of right or wrong (although I suppose using a technique that didn't hold the squares together technically would be "wrong") it is more a question of more effective vs. less effective. What works best for you.

On Techniques

Knitty.com, the font of all knowledge, has an excellent article on seaming here, and we recommend you read it whether you decide to use this technique or not - it can still help you in other projects.

The forums on KnittingHelp.com also has a thread with a lot of links to a lot of other tutorials here. It's two pages and may take while to get through, but there's a lot of links to helpful information there.

Also, if you're on Ravelry, there are a couple of threads which talk about the pros and cons of the different techniques here and here.

Why haven't you started seaming your squares yet?

Well... because my first six squares (Jan - March; I'm doing two of each) look like this:





As you can see, they're almost all different sizes. What I plan to do is wait until I am done knitting every square I want for my afghan, and then crocheting a border around each of the smaller ones, bringing them to the same size as whichever square turns out to be the largest. I haven't started on this yet as ... well, who knows? My December square may turn out to be the largest of all, and I don't want to have to keep coming back and crocheting on more edging. I'd rather wait until the end. That's my decision - your mileage may vary!

Now starring The Kniterati!

You may already know that Friday nights at Hanks is "UFO Friday" - bring in your unfinished objects and get a little inspiration for your weekend crocheting and knitting. This is a much smaller group than the Sunday afternoon SnB, so if smaller settings are what you prefer, this meeting might be for you. Tea, laughing, and good folks-- and now with even more guaranteed good folks because the former UF Co-ed Crochet & Knitting circle, now dubbed The Kniterati, are meeting on Friday nights after 5!

The Knitterati (who have a group forum on Ravelry) are a group of college-age men and women (both students and recent graduates) who take their crocheting and knitting with a large dose of humor. Like-minded people always welcome (Eddie Izzard fans and Science Fiction geeks especially).

Class: Introduction to Knitting Socks on Double-Pointed Needles

May 25, June 1, and 8 (Mondays) | 6:00-8:00 | $75 | Materials Included

This class is not for the new knitter; but it would be great for someone already experienced with casting on, both the knit and purl stitches, and increasing and decreasing. During the three weeks of this class a sock will be made using double-pointed needles and sport-weight yarn.



Week one will be casting on, learning how to handle the double-pointed needles, and knitting the cuff (homework will include knitting the leg of the sock to the length you would like).

Week two will be working the heel flap and turning the heel, picking up stitches along the heel flap, and doing the gusset decreases (homework will include finishing the gusset decreasing and knitting the foot of the sock to within two inches of your foot length).

Week three will be decreasing for the toe, and the Kitchener stitch closing of the toe.

Homework is required in this class, so be prepared to spend some time outside of class knitting!


Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Class: Crock Pot Dyeing Worsted Weight Yarn

May 23 (Saturday) | 10:30-1:30 | $40 | Materials Included

Curious about what it takes to dye your own yarn? Come find out!

Class members will get approximately 200 yards of a worsted weight yarn which will be dyed in a crock pot.

Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Memorial Day Weekend Hours

We will be open our regular hours over the Memorial Day weekend (10am to 7pm each day). Come join us in the shop for some sittin' and some stitchin'!

Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye

As I'm writing this, we're all stocked up on Superwash Merino in the line we dye at the shop, Perhaps Today is a Good Day to Dye. Get them while you can - they're dyed in small batches and tend to move quickly!

A new color, Apple Harvest (the December 2008 sock club colorway) will be released in about two weeks. In addition, in-store only (this won't be available online, although we'd be happy to ring you up over the phone), we have a new colorway called "One Hit Wonder". The colorway for that this month is green with flecks of jewel tones.

Any of our colorways, if sold out, are available for special orders - with the understanding that there will be at least a three-week turnaround. Just give us a call or drop us a line at the shop if interested.

Class: Knitting vs. Crochet (An Introduction to Both)

May 21 and 28 (Thursdays) | 6:00-8:00 | $55 | Materials Included

Are you new to the fiber arts and don't know which you want to learn? Want to learn the difference between knitting and crochet? Think that you might want to learn both but don't know which one to start with? This is the class for you! We will teach you a little bit about both, and give you the tools to carry on after the class is over.

Week one: learn the absolute basics of knitting, including casting on and the knit stitch.

Week two: learn the absolute basics of crochet, and finish up a little project that will incorporate both of your new-found hobbies.

Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Thursday evening Spin-a-long

Don't forget that on the third Thursday of the month, from 5-7, you can bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning! This gathering is great for spinners who work or go to school during the day and can't get to the morning gathering.

See you on May 21st?

Class: Magic Loop Technique

May 20 (Wednesday) | 6:00-8:00 | $35 | Materials Included

Have you been knitting in the round for a while, on four or five double-points, and feel ready to branch out and downsize to ONE NEEDLE?! You can knit any in-the-round project using the Magic Loop method - socks, hats, sleeves; you name it!


Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Class: 2009 Afghan - The May Square

May 16 (Saturday) | 2:00-5:00
$15 (materials not included)/$30 (materials included)


During 2009 we will be making an afghan. While the patterns will always be free (like the 2008 scarf patterns), we will be offering workshops for those that need a little jump-start. Classes will give you dedicated class time and instruction, a set of needles, and appropriate yarn for the project. Should you already have your yarn picked out, we are offering the workshop for half-price if you provide your own materials.

The May Square is a simple beginning to cables- which are not nearly as complicated as they may seem to the new knitter! While it may sound complicated, it really is a pattern that anyone familiar with casting on, the knit stitch, the purl stitch, and binding off can do.

During the class we will get you started on the May square. We will provide needles and the appropriate weight yarn for the afghan (all squares will call for a worsted weight yarn that gets between 4-5 sts/inch on a US 7-9 needle), get you cast on and the first pattern repeat accomplished. As mentioned above, if you already have your yarn picked out, we are offering the workshop for half-price for providing your own materials.


Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given.

Mmmmm, Malabrigo!

That photo just makes you want to roll in it, doesn't it?!

We got two boxes from Malabrigo last week - goodies inside included Sock, Worsted, and Lace yarns. They're all going pretty quickly, as Malabrigo tends to do - so get what you want before somebody else does!

Class: Introduction to Knitting Socks on Two Circular Needles

May 15, 22, and 29 (Fridays) | 6:00-8:00 | $75 | Materials Included
(There are two spots still available in this class) This class is now full, but we will be offering it again in the future!

This class is not for the new knitter; but it would be great for someone already experienced with casting on, both the knit and purl stitches, and increasing and decreasing. During the three weeks of this class a sock will be made using circular needles and sport-weight yarn.



Week one will be casting on, learning how to handle the circular needles, and knitting the cuff (homework will include knitting the leg of the sock to the length you would like).

Week two will be working the heel flap and turning the heel, picking up stitches along the heel flap, and doing the gusset decreases (homework will include finishing the gusset decreasing and knitting the foot of the sock to within two inches of your foot length).

Week three will be decreasing for the toe, and the Kitchener stitch closing of the toe.

Homework is required in this class, so be prepared to spend some time outside of class knitting!


Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

New patterns!

Here is a random sampling of a few patterns we've gotten into the shop recently -

A sparkly box from Prism

We got a lovely box from Prism about a week ago, and while most of the Saki sold out before we could even get the new colors up on the website, we do have a nice supply of Tencel Tape and Indulgence that you can ogle!

Don't forget that we are happy to order any of the Prism yarns for you, whether they are ones that we currently have in stock or not. And while we wish we could stock every colorway of all the Prism yarns, we'd have to get a bigger store to do that - so don't be afraid to ask us to special order a colorway that we don't have in at the moment.

PS - Many of you already know this, but Prism will put together a kit for any of their patterns; contact us for pricing!

The third Uptown Art Hop

We didn't think it would be possible, but we had an even better time at this event than the last two put together!



The Uptown Art Hop was another success-- of course it was, because any time you involve two plazas, dozens of locally owned business that cater to the arts-and-crafts, demonstrations, live music, and rickshaws... of course you're going to have a great time!

Stay tuned for the next one!

Class: Intro to Cables (Knit a Soap Sweater)

May 9 (Saturday) 2:00-5:00 | $30 | Materials Included

What is a soap sweater? Knit out of 100% wool, it fits snugly around a bar of soap and will felt and shrink as you use the soap.



What will you learn in this class?
- knitting on double-pointed needles
- knitting in the round
- cabling
- cabling without a cable needle
- increasing and decreasing
- grafting

As you can see, for such a simple project, there's a lot you can learn! If you can cast on and do the knit stitch, this is a great one-day workshop for learning new skills.

Classes do fill up early; so please reserve your space in the class by paying in advance as it is unlikely we will be able to accommodate walk-ins. Payment is required within 7 days of signing up for the class or within one week before the class begins (whichever comes first). All classes limited to five people unless otherwise stated. A minimum of 2 students is required for most classes to take place. If the minimum for a class is not reached, we will cancel or reschedule the class and a full refund will be given. Individual classes/lessons available by request (prices may vary). Homework is required in most of our classes; we know that all of you have busy schedules but please be sure to allow time to finish the work needed for classes.

Fiber Tasting - March 27th

Back in March, we had a fiber tasting. What is a "fiber tasting," you ask? It's like a wine tasting, but for spinners.



The theme this time was blends; primarily alpaca blends with some wools and silks as well. In fact, there was an alpaca/silk blend that I have my eye on for sweater quantities! We had a great time-- look for the next one in or around September!

New patterns!

Here is a random sampling of a few patterns we've gotten into the shop recently -

Monday Morning Spin-a-long

Don't forget that on the first Monday of the month, from 11-1, you can bring your wheel or drop spindle and some fiber and sit with others to do some spinning! This gathering is great for spinners who work at night and can't get to an afternoon or evening gathering.

See you on May 4th?

2009: The Year of the Afghan (May)

As many of you already know, this year we’ll be switching from scarves to afghan squares. While we will be using yarn from our shop to make each square, the patterns will be written for any worsted weight yarn that gets approximately 4.5 stitches/inch on a US 8. So feel free to substitute anything you have in your stash (please note that due to the cables in May, which pull in, you should try for more like 5 sts/inch)! At the end of the year you will have twelve squares (more, if you do some of them twice) and while the squares will be interesting enough to keep even advanced knitters interested, it would also be a good project for the new or intermediate knitter who is interested in learning some new skills throughout the year.

The May Square!

New to cables? Be not afraid! They are infinately easier than they appear, and if you’re like all the people we’ve taught cables to in our shop, you’ll quickly become addicted. While there are not detailed instructions in the pattern on how to do cables, you can find an excellent video about halfway down this page at KnittingHelp.com and of course the ever-helpful Knitty.com has a fantastic article here.

There was a bit of a confunction with the May Square; both test knit samples came out just a bit smaller than we wanted. We decided at the last minute to re-write the pattern to incorporate a fourth set of cables in order to match (as closely as possible) the width of the other squares. Thus two of the samples in the photo above only have three sets of cables - the actual finished pattern has four sets.

While we welcome feedback on our free patterns and we try to answer all questions as quickly as possible, we ask that you be patient with us this weekend if we are unable to answer your questions immediately - we have a large, three-plaza wide Art Show tonight, and tomorrow we have three full classes going on in the shop. So if we don’t get back to you with any questions until Sunday or Monday, please don’t feel ignored!

You can download the pattern from our website here, and the Ravelry page for the square is here.

Enjoy!