The Irish knitter has traditionally used her knitting needles as a paintbrush to portray a picture of her feelings in her work. Each one of those beautiful patterns has a significance, and when put together in a sweater for her loved one to wear, the knitter conveys her feelings by the meanings of the patterns, creating not only a work of art, but a personal expression of her caring for the one she loves. This class will cover all the basic traditional patterns that Irish knitters used to make those wonderful sweaters. It will let you know the meanings and feelings behind the patterns so that you will be able to design and create that personalized and special sweater. You will learn to “read” the sweater as you are working, so that you won’t have to rely on a chart or pattern. This way, you can just enjoy the knitting and the satisfaction in the act of creating. In the class, we will work on samples of all the patterns, and then put them together in a sampler. You will go home with instructions for each of the patterns and samples of each. Also, you will begin a sampler which can easily be turned into a pillow top or wall hanging. Students must know how to knit and purl.