Start to Finish: The Magic of Mattress Stitch 2026

IN PERSON REGISTRATION ONLY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS CLASS, PLEASE STOP BY THE REGISTRATION DESK AT LEAST 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE CLASS START TIME.

Class Time: Saturday, April 25, 2026, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Location: St. Louis Community College - Meramec Campus, 11333 Big Bend Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122. Check in at Registration 15 minutes prior to class starting at PE Building for location.

Room: Science West, Room 210

CONTACT NOTE: Failure to provide your email address and/or opt out of marketing updates will result in no communication from the Festival about updates or from your  instructor. Our system does not permit us to reach you through other means. If you choose to decline and do not provide an email address, please ensure that all necessary details have been noted down.

The class fee includes admission to the Vendor Marketplace every day of the festival; April 24 - 26, 2026.

Instructor: Shaina Bilow

In any well-constructed knitted garment, there comes a moment when the truth reveals itself—not in the stitches worked, but in the seams that bind them. As Sherlock Holmes himself would attest, the smallest details often determine whether a piece appears amateurish or utterly impeccable. In this workshop, we investigate one of the most powerful techniques in finishing: the mattress stitch, a method so tidy and invisible it might be mistaken for sorcery if one were not acquainted with its logic.

Students will examine the three primary types of seams encountered when assembling knitted pieces, uncovering when and how each should be employed to achieve a polished, professional result. Like following a trail of clues through fog-shrouded London, you will learn to read the structure of knitted fabric, understanding precisely where the needle must pass to create a flawless join.

In addition, the workshop will reveal a trove of expert techniques—including how to weave in ends so that no errant tail escapes to betray the work beneath the surface. By the conclusion of our study, students will be equipped with finishing skills worthy of the most exacting detective.

Skill Prerequisite:

• Be proficient in basic knitting skills (casting on, knitting, purling)
• Comfortably execute yarnovers, slip stitches, and knit-two-together variations
• Have some experience following written instructions or charts

Ages: High School, Adult

Supplies Included in Class Cost: None.

Additional Supplies Needed

• US size 8(5mm) knitting needle
• Worsted weight yarn
• Scissors
• Large eye bent-tip tapestry needle (such as a Chibi by Clover)
• Scrap yarn in worsted weight in a contrasting color.

Homework

• Before class, students must prepare assigned knitted swatches to use during seam demonstrations. These samples will act as the “evidence” upon which we practice our investigative methods.
• Swatch 1: Cast on 28 stitches. Row 1 (RS): knit 28 sts. Row 2 (WS): purl 14, knit 14. Repeat these last 2 rows for 6" and bind off.
• Swatch 2: Cast on 28 stitches. Row 1 (RS) knit 28. Row 2 (WS): knit 14, purl 14. Repeat these last 2 rows for 6" and bind off.
• Swatch 3: Cast on 28 stitches. Row 1 (RS): knit. Row 2 (WS): purl. Row 3: bind off 3 stitches, knit to the end of the row. Row 4: purl. Repeat rows 3 and for until 4 stitches remain, bind off.
• If you have time and would like to save examples of the seams you've worked rather than pulling them out to practice other seams, work swatches 1 & 2 once more.

Class Policies

• The class minimum is 6 students. If we are unable to fill these spots, we will cancel the class and provide a full refund.
• By signing up for this class, you have admission to Friday Night Vendor Marketplace Preview.
• If a class is sold out, click here to be placed on the Wait List.
• No refunds will be issued after April 1, 2026.
  
• For any cancellations prior to April 1, 2026, a $25 administrative fee will be assessed.