Course Overview:
The Knitting and Weaving course at St. Pierre and Alix Life Skills Training College introduces learners to the timeless craft of fabric creation through thread work. This practical, creative course blends traditional skills with modern design techniques to empower students to produce high-quality, handmade products such as sweaters, scarves, mats, bags, table runners, and decorative items. Knitting and weaving are not just hobbies—they are marketable skills that can generate sustainable income for individuals and households.
Offered as both a standalone and complementary course to tailoring, fashion, and crafts, this program is ideal for learners who enjoy working with their hands, want to produce unique goods, and aspire to build small businesses in the textile and handicraft sector.
What You Will Learn:
1. Introduction to Hand and Machine Knitting
Students begin by learning the basics of yarn types, needles, gauges, and patterns. They are introduced to hand knitting, starting with simple stitches such as knit and purl, and progressing to more advanced techniques such as ribbing, cabling, and shaping garments. The course also includes training in manual knitting machines, which improve speed and precision.
2. Weaving Techniques
Weaving is taught using both traditional hand-looms and improvised frame looms. Learners understand how to interlace warp and weft threads, explore various weaving patterns, and use locally available materials such as raffia, papyrus, banana fibers, and sisal to produce beautiful and durable items.
3. Pattern Reading and Design Interpretation
Students are taught how to read and follow knitting and weaving patterns, charts, and diagrams. They also learn how to convert ideas or photos into workable designs. Color coordination, yarn weight matching, and finishing techniques are key areas of focus.
4. Repair and Alteration Skills
An essential skill for generating income in local communities, students learn how to repair knitted items, patch woven rugs, tighten loose threads, and reshape stretched garments. This not only adds to their value as service providers but also contributes to sustainability and waste reduction.
5. Decorative and Commercial Products
Learners are encouraged to produce items for sale including sweaters, gloves, hats, scarves, socks, baby clothes, woven mats, handbags, and home décor. They learn the importance of branding, packaging, and preparing products for display in markets, trade fairs, and online platforms.
6. Business and Marketing Skills
Trainees are equipped with entrepreneurship skills, including how to price items, source affordable materials, manage orders, work with tailors and designers, and promote products on social media. They learn how to register small businesses and approach local cooperatives or women’s groups for support.
Who This Course Is For:
- School leavers looking for creative and profitable skills
- Women and youth seeking home-based business opportunities
- Adults interested in local craft production or sustainable textiles
- Individuals interested in therapeutic handwork (knitting has been shown to reduce stress)
The course welcomes beginners, including learners with no prior experience in crafts. All lessons are taught through demonstrations, supervised practice, and guided individual projects.
Practical Experience:
Knitting and weaving are taught through intensive workshops, where students create real products for sale or donation. The institute provides looms, needles, and sample yarns, while students are encouraged to explore local material alternatives for affordability and cultural relevance.
Students participate in exhibitions and craft fairs hosted by the institute, showcasing their work and engaging with customers. These events build confidence, creativity, and marketing experience.
Certification and Career Pathways:
After completing the program, learners are assessed through practical demonstrations and product displays. Successful students receive a Certificate in Knitting and Weaving under the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) framework.
Career and income opportunities include:
- Home-based sweater or knitwear production
- Custom orders for schools, churches, and groups
- Supplying crafts to local or regional shops
- Teaching others through local workshops or community centers
- Collaborating with tailors and fashion designers for fabric accents
Course Duration:
The course runs for 6 to 12 months, depending on whether learners take full-time or part-time modules. Short courses in specific areas (e.g., weaving only or machine knitting) are available.
Materials Required:
- Students are encouraged to bring:
- Yarn (cotton, wool, or synthetic depending on availability)
- Knitting needles (various sizes)
- A notebook for pattern drawing
- Locally sourced fibers for weaving (raffia, papyrus, sisal)
- Shared tools like looms, knitting machines, and blocking mats are provided by the institute.
Success Story:
Martin Obonyo, a former weaving student, now supplies handwoven mats and bags to souvenir shops in Kampala. She trains other women in her village and has turned her once-simple skill into a cooperative that supports over 20 women and girls with limited education.
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