-People have to pre-register for classes and pay up front (nice because if the student doesn't show, the teacher still gets the class fee), but harder for people to make last minute decisions if they want to go to the event.
-Teachers get reimbursed for their class fees, so have to provide receipts. I'm okay with that now, but I was told about it 3 days ahead of time and had to scramble to get something together. Directions for this also need to be on the Ithra site to help new teachers!
But the class was fun. I signed up to teach medieval stockings (using the pre-literate stocking pattern by Dame Christian). I had 5 students, and half of them were already knitters. I had a wonderful co-teacher, Angharad Bach, and this worked out well, I took those students who already new some basics, and she took those who needed refreshers and some more basic instruction. We did a swatch stocking (32 stitches and basically a baby stocking).
We did half teaching/half lecture. The lecture ended up being on the history of knitting with a large portion on stockings.
In the end I got great feedback from the students, and the biggest thing was that my class was too short. Which I agree with. The class was 2 hours, and I think it needs to be 3 or 4 hours long. I forget people don't knit as fast as me, and the more advanced students got through the heel, and picking up stitches, but not any farther than that. My goal was to get everybody through the baby sock and onto the stockings, so next time I will plan better. I think I will also just do a small amount of yarn for the next class, enough for the baby stocking, but not for the full pair. That will decrease the cost of the class, and people can then go choose their own yarn. I chose to get yarn for everybody and have a high class fee so that they would have yarn to go and make their own stockings.
I leave you with some medieval knitting I have done. Also, the most amazing pair of pumpkin pants ever.
