The cutest thing I’ve ever seen was taped to a telephone pole in Portland. The flyer, pictured left, advertised a lost homemade sock. The owner was desperate to find it, because the socks were “a present for Jesse, and there is no more yarn. I REPEAT, NO MORE YARN!!!” Aside from being adorable, this poster illustrates just how precious the gift of a hand-knitted item can be.

To that end, and with fall chills creeping into the air, why not sign up for a class at the Knit Café (1050 Queen St. W.)? Aside from their weekly Stitch and Bitch sessions (Tuesday nights until 10 pm), they host a variety of classes for knitters of all skill levels.

A Knitting 101 class with set you back $96 plus materials, and you’ll learn basic knitting skills. At the end of it, you’ll have finished at least one scarf, a hat, and an arm-warmer. Happy Fall, sexy significant other who will be forced to wear these first-try items out of guilt and love for you! They also offer item-specific crash courses if you’re just in it for a one-off party trick. These include scarves ($30), shawls ($50), baby blankets (FREE with purchase of materials), hats ($30), and, once you’ve tried all of those, a workshop on fixing mistakes. ($30)

For intermediate knitters, learn how to make your first sweater ($100 incl. materials), or a pair of mittens ($50). For those of you who’ve been wielding knitting needles for years, take an advanced sweater design class ($96), a sock class ($72), a sock MASTER class ($72), an introduction to lace ($50), or knitting in colour ($30). They also have crochet classes for beginners.

For these and all other Knit Café classes, check out their online calendar, call them at 416-533-5648, or stop by the store!

~ Haley Cullingham