handmade by stefanie

Here's a new Craftsy class that has piqued my curiousity: Beyond Basic Broomstick Lace with Jennifer Hansen . The broomstick lace technique uses a knitting needle and a crochet hook to create lacy, airy stitches, creating beautiful fabrics and edgings quickly. This makes it an easy-to-learn technique for knitters and crocheters alike, though knitters will benefit from knowing the basics of crochet to make a smooth transition. You may recognize Jennifer from  Stitch Diva Studios ; in this new class, she covers the history of broomstick lace (also called 'jiffy lace'), which dates back to the 1800s. Beginning with the fundamentals, Jennifer allows students to get comfortable using the needle and crochet hook together before kicking it up a notch with more advanced instruction. In this class, you'll begin with a broomstick lace eyeglasses case and graduate to a broomstick lace cardigan. Jennifer will show you how to work broomstick lace short rows and in the round, h...

Just announced:  Craftsy's Endless Summer Sale ! All weekend long (and ends at midnight on Monday, September 17), all online courses are only $19.99 (or less!). If you haven't taken a Craftsy course yet, it's a great time to give them a try; the average course costs between $30-$50. I admit, I'm kind of a serial Craftsy-course taker.  I learned to crochet via Vickie Howell's Crochet Lab ; Gwen Bortner taught me to Entrelac . I've signed up for Stacey Trock's Amigurumi Woodland Animals , Carol Feller's Celtic Cables , and Felicia Lo's Spinning Dyed Fibers , too. I even signed up for this workshop to make my own lip balms and body butters (I still haven't given a shot to date, but it'll happen...eventually). I hope you find something fun to broaden your crafting horizons this fall. Let me know what class you decide to sign up for!