STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

In honor of the upcoming Trailing of the Sheep Festival, all things wool and the nip in the air, the Hailey Public Library is offering a free five-part “Learn to Knit” class during October.

Master knitter and Sun Valley Needle Arts owner Patricia Lirk will teach beginners the basics, while offering intermediate knitters tips for knitting even better.

The classes will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. every Tuesday night during the month of October beginning Oct. 3. Though free, space is limited so participants should register by emailing Kristin.fletcher@haileypubliclibrary.org. Participants will provide their own yarn and needles. 

“We always offer something special to support Trailing of the Sheep and what better than a class on knitting!” said organizer Kristin Fletcher, the library’s programs and engagement manager. “Each evening Patricia will teach a necessary skill--knit, purl, increases and decreases, cast-ons and bind-offs, and how to add on more yarn. The last two classes will focus on creating a personal project with the skills learned.”

Lirk first leaned to knit through a store she worked at 30 years ago and has been hooked ever since.  She opened her Ketchum store in 2010 and shares her talents teaching classes for the general public, girl scout troops and attendees at local conferences.

For more information, contact the Library at 208-788-2036.