Class rosters for SSK classes have been posted here. If you have any questions or need to change anything, just let Laura know and she will take care of you. Just 30 more days!
Author Archives: Laura
2015 Classes
Class signups will begin Friday, May1st until the minute before classes start at SSK. We will do our best to let you know what class(es) you will have by June 1st. Class rosters are posted in the SSK group on Ravelry by time slot.If you have questions about anything to do with classes, please email or pm Laura and she will help you.
Hint: If you use the thread text search feature for your ravelry name, it makes it easy to find your classes.
How signups work:
Your SSK fee includes one class at no additional cost from one of our amazing teachers. We will ask that you choose your top three classes, and we will do our best to accommodate your request based on demand/class size. In the past 2 years, every single person who was attending SSK at the time of class signups was able to get their first choice class. That’s something I am hopeful will happen again this year.
Additional classes may be available for an extra cost. If you decide that you would like to add a class at anytime, just let Laura know via email and she will do our best to make that happen.
A special note about spinning classes: If you would like to take a spinning class and are unable to bring a wheel with you, we will have 4-5 wheels available for rental. We ask that you let us know on the class form because that may affect which session of class you will be able to take.
Here are the classes being offered at SSK 2015:
Sarah Anderson (spinning)
Materials fees will apply and are the responsibility of the attendee. The fees are as follows:
Take Control of your spinning: worsted $17
Take Control of your spinning: woolen $17
Spinning Soft Core yarns $20
Take Control of your Spinning: Worsted
“Drafting” refers to the way the spinner manipulates or draws out the fiber as twist
enters it to create yarn. Different drafting methods produce very different yarns even from the same fiber and different fibers may require different techniques. In this class we’ll work on drafting techniques that spinners of all skill levels will appreciate including diameter control, understanding twist, drafting for worsted yarn producing a yarn compatible to an existing yarn & finishing techniques.
Student level: Students should be comfortable with their wheel and able to spin a continuous singles.
Bring to class: Spinning wheel in working condition and 3 bobbins. If you have a flick card or handcards, bring them also.
Take Control of your Spinning: Woolen
“Drafting” refers to the way the spinner manipulates or draws out the fiber as twist
enters it to create yarn. Different drafting methods produce very different yarns even from the same fiber and different fibers may require different techniques. In this class we’ll work on drafting techniques that spinners of all skill levels will appreciate including diameter control, understanding twist, drafting for woolen yarn producing a yarn compatible to an existing yarn & finishing techniques.
Student level: Students should be comfortable with their wheel and able to spin a continuous singles.
Bring to class: Spinning wheel in working condition and 3 bobbins. If you have a flick card or handcards, bring them also.
Spinning Soft Core Yarns
Fluffy and light, soft core yarns are delicious. In this class you’ll learn the basics of spinning soft core yarn with top, locks and batts. These yarns can remain a singles or be plied but no matter what you do with them, they are lovely and warm.
Students should be able to spin a continuous thread.
Supplies that students should bring: Spinning wheel in working order, lazy kate and 3 bobbins.
Mary Jane Mucklestone (knitting):
3 Essential Methods for Shaping in Fair Isle
Maybe you love the look of Fair Isle but feel limited by the complexity of adding in shaping to your projects. Well Mary Jane is here to walk you through three different ways to add shaping in easy and creative ways. You’ll work up a swatch in class to test all the types.
Prerequisites/Experience: Knit/purl; cast on/bind off; increase/decrease; experience with Fair Isle knitting in the round.
Dominate Your Yarn! Understand Yarn Dominance in Stranded Knitting.
Ever been terrified by the words yarn dominance? Discouraged from continuing stranded knitting because you think your stitching looks wonky? Mary Jane takes the fear out of yarn dominance and through simple exercises and practice we’ll determine our own personal yarn dominance and set our fears to rest. On top of that, we will have fun!
Prerequisites/Experience Knit/purl; cast on/bind off; increase/decrease; experience with Fair Isle knitting in the round.
Two Color Knitting – Let’s Begin!
In a relaxed setting, I’ll introduce you to the world of stranded colorwork, often called Fair Isle knitting. In this technique class you will lear the basics, covering several methods of holding your yarns, how to introduce new colors, what yarn dominance is, how to avoid tangled yarns, weaving in those pesky ends and finishing techniques. This class is for absolute stranded knitting beginners and those looking to brush
up on their technique. We will begin knitting a stranded colorwork headband or hat. Skills covered: Left-handed, right-handed and combination style stranding. How to introduce new colors, understanding yarn dominance, weaving long floats, weaving in ends, finishing and blocking.
Prerequisites/Experience: Solid knowledge of knitting and purling and how stitches are mounted on the needle. Some experience with knitting in the round.
Gale Evans (Dyeing)
NOTE FOR ALL STUDENTS ENROLLING IN A DYE CLASS: Please plan on wearing clothing and shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty or getting permanent dye on. Materials fees will apply and are the responsibility of the attendee (start at $12 and goes up based on how many items you dye)
Create your own gradient Dyeing
In this class, we will be using the microwave and acid dyes to create shades of color in small skeins. Students will have the option of doing one color from light to dark or shading from one color to another in 5 to 7 mini, superwash DK skein arrangements. Written dye recipes for future,at-home gradients as well as full instructions for the general use of acid dyes will be given by Gale.
Minute Microwave dyeing
Using the microwave and simple acid dyes, create your own wonderful, faux-shibori style silk scarves and complex, multi colored yarns. Gale will show you three different silk dyeing effects that literally takes seconds to do in the microwave. But wait there is more… Yarn can also be dyed in wonderful ways too. This class is designed to show you how easy,quick and fun dyeing can be. Written instructions on what is taught as well as how to use acid dyes will be provided by Gale at the start of the class.
Susan B. Anderson (Knitting)
Exploring Shawl Shapes and Design
~ Simple and clear instruction for creating and designing your own shawl from scratch!
Grab that languishing ball of fingering weight yarn or a favorite skein you’ve been saving for just the right project, your needles, and a pencil and away you’ll zip designing your very own shawl in one of 7 selected shawl shapes. In class you’ll get in-depth instruction on designing your own shawl, instructions on exactly how to create the shape you are going for be it crescent, triangular, long-ended for extra wrapping, half-hexagon, assymetrical, semi-circle, or more! Your shawl may have lace, garter stitch, stockinette stitch, many textures, stripes, beads, etc.
The sky is the limit and you’ll leave with an excellent understanding of how to design your own shawl from scratch from cast-on to bind-off and everything in between!
Provided in class:
Different options for casting on the shawl
Instructions in recipe form for creating 7 different shawl shapes
Charts for several different stitch counts that can be included in your shawls
Edgings ~ many clear options
Bind offs ~ many different options
Optional: Beads and a flosser to add beads to the shawl in the body, edging or on the bind off. Make sure the beads fit on the yarn you have selected. Bead size 6/0 will usually fit on fingering to sport weight yarn.
Materials:
Yarn:
How big do you want your shawl to be? It’s really up to you how much yarn you’ll need!
Here are some guidelines:
100 grams of fingering weight yarn with at least 400 yards (This could also be several balls of different colors.)
OR
300-600 yards of a sport/DK/worsted weight yarn
Needles:
For fingering weight: US size 5-7
For heavier weight yarn go up a size or two:
Worsted weight: US 8
DK weight: US 7
Sport weight: US 6-7
Owl to Egg Workshop
Egg to Owl: Topsy-Turvy Toys Made Simple!
Susan B. Anderson
Owl to Egg is a brand new unreleased exclusive pattern for my SSK 2015 workshop!
Come to class ready to zip through a nearly seamless (there are only two small and quick seams that are more like tacking down. I promise!) Topsy-Turvy Toy. I have been longing to design an Egg that turns inside out to find an adorable Baby Owl inside. SSK has brought that longing to realization so it’s here! Adults love these reversible toys as much as the kids.
In class we will talk about toy knitting tips and tricks that apply to toy making in general. We will have large group discussions, small group technique demonstrations, and plenty of individual attention. We will cover simple seams, picking up stitches right on your toy for seamless part knitting, face embroidery, stuffing and gauge issue discussion for toy knitting, and more. You will leave class a much more motivated and confident toy knitter!
Homework:
Complete the Egg Pattern that will be sent out to students in June 2015 .
Materials:
Yarn for the class and pattern is worsted weight.
Yarn suggestions:
Quince & Co. Lark
Cascade 220
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted
Quince & Co. Owl
Any other worsted weight yarn!
Bring to class:
50 yards of yarn for the Egg (made before coming to class)
50 yards of yarn for the upper owl body, head, ears and wings (I used brown)
50 yards of yarn for the lower owl body and face (I used cream)
30 yards of yarn for the owl feet and beak (I used orange)
Note: Bring any colors you would like! Your owl and egg can be as colorful and crazy as you’d like ~ stripes are welcome, too.
Black embroidery floss
Yarn Needle
One sandwich baggie of fiberfill
Scissors
Suggested Needles: US size 5 dpns, a set of 4
Note: Magic Loop can easily be used but the pattern is written for dpns. It’s up to you!
Gauge: From 5.5 to 6 stitches per inch will work best in Stockinette Stitch
Skills needed:
~To cast on and work in the round on small numbers of stitches on double-pointed needles (unless you are using magic loop but the pattern is written for dpns).
~ Simple increases and decreases.
We’ll work on the rest together.
Three Wee Sheep
Class Level
Intermediate
Description
Technique Requirements: Knit/Purl; Cast on/bind off; Increase/Decrease; Working in the round; must be able to work in the round on double-pointed needles starting on a small number of stitches.
Description: Three Wee Sheep is a workshop focused on seamless toy construction and experimenting with several textured loopy stitches. While working on a bottom-up seamless wee sheep there will be lots of toy-knitting tips and tricks discussed and demonstrated. There will be lots of individual, small group and large group attention in the class. The class includes pattern for an adorable tiny sheep (2.5 inches tall), and 2 additional and slightly larger sheep patterns will be provided for everyone. Some students prefer to work on something a little bigger. Some may even finish the small-scale project during class while learning lots of toy-knitting information at the same time. Students will work hard, learns lots and have tons of fun at the same time. Students will leave being much more confident toy knitters!
Homework: Check gauge and bring necessary materials. Gauge on worsted weight yarn: 6 sts per inch in stockinette stitch on US size 5 needles or size to obtain gauge.
Supplies to bring:
MOST IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Please bring 100% wool, worsted weight, that has a grip to it. Yarns like Shelter, Cascade 220, Quince & Co. Lark, tweedy yarns, Rowan Felted Tweed are all good suggestions. The loopy stitches are more difficult with a slippery, super wash yarn especially when it is blended with other slick fibers.
Around 100 yards of worsted weight wool yarn in selected sheep colors (More than one color is fine for faces and legs. The sheep doesn’t have to be cream or black, colorful sheep are welcome!).
US size 5 double-pointed needles, set of 4;
a large baggie of poly-fiber fill;
black embroidery floss;
yarn needle;
scissors;
detachable stitch markers;
ruler or tape measure.
KALing Along
Did you know that we have a Ravelry group where you can earn lots of doorprize tickets for SSK 2015? We do! It’s located here.
We will be having a Knitalong (KAL) for our wonderful teacher, Susan B. Anderson’s patterns in the months of February and March. You may pick any of Susan’s patterns and join us for a fun time.
Official Type Stuff:
The KAL will run from February 1st-March 31st, 2015. Projects must be cast on February 1st or later. Projects will be eligible for tickets if posted in the correct format to the SSK Ravelry group by 11 pm central time on March 31st.
Posting format:
Please post the following for your entry to count:
- A picture of the finished object
- Name of the pattern used
- Yarn used including yardage.
Door prize tickets will be awarded in the following way:
1 ticket per 100 yards completed. For example, a sweater that took 1,053 yards would earn 10 tickets
2 additional tickets if you use yarn from one of our wonderful vendors.
The vendors for SSK 2015 are:
2 additional tickets if you use handspun. Handspun may be spun by you or someone else and must be used for 50% of greater of your project. The spinning portion of the project may be completed ahead of time.
2 additional tickets if you post an in progress photo in the photo thread that includes one of the accessories made by one of our vendors (For example, a bag from the Fat Squirrel, Tangerine Designs or other vendor)
Team Competition:
The team that has the most team members participate in the KAL will receive 2 extras tickets for each team member that participated. For example, if team 1 has 7/15 members participate and team 2 has 8/15 members, each participating member of team 2 would receive 2 extra tickets. In the case of a tie, the team that has the most total tickets earned will win.
If you have any questions, let us know! I can’t wait to see what y’all knit up!
PS Susan B Anderson is having a shawl kal in her Itty Bitty Knits group on Ravelry and has a coupon code for her shawls patterns that is good until Jan. 31st.
Sign Ups are closed!
Thank you everyone for your interest! Signups for the 2015 event are now closed. We will be notifying everyone by October 10th. If you are placed on the waiting list and no longer are interested in attending, just let us know and we will remove you,
May the odds be ever in your favor!
SSK 2015 signups are here!
SSK is returning to the Scarritt Bennett Center for 2015! The event will be held from July 15th -19th.
There are two options for participants. The first is the event with lodging on campus. The second “daypass” option is for people who are finding their own housing or live local.
Option 1 (full event including lodging):
Total cost for option 1 is $575.
What’s included in the $575?
- Lodging at the Scarritt Bennett Center Wednesday-Saturday. Please be aware that while you do have your own room, you will be sharing a bathroom with 1 other person. These are less fancy than your standard hotel room, but do include wifi.
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Snacks Thursday-Saturday. Cupcakes on Wednesday. Breakfast on Sunday. We do accommodate people with different dietary needs.
- 1 three hour class with either Susan B Anderson, Sarah Anderson, Mary Jane Mucklestone, or Gale of Gale’s Art (you can take up to 3 additional classes at an added cost)
- An awesome goodie bag with lots of neat stuff!
- A chance to win awesome doorprizes.
- Entrance to a market with lots of cool vendors!
- Getting to hang out with tons of cool knitters and spinners who love all the same things you do!
- The Tasting Room, SSK Games, and Try It on Room
- Fun knitalongs, random prizes, and other fun stuff in the Ravelry group.
Option 2 (daypass):
The cost of option 2 is $350
This includes all of the above EXCEPT lodging at the Scarritt Bennett Center.
To sign up for the onsite lottery (option 1), click here. The daypass option (option 2) is here. Sorry signups are currently closed
Both of the links are entries into the lottery for the event. We wish we had room for everyone, but if we do have more than 146 total entries, a random drawing will occur for spots. Sign-ups will close September 30th at midnight cental US time.
Good Luck everyone! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
Teachers, Classes, and a Contest
Leslie and I are proud to announce all the teachers and the multitude of classes that are being taught at SSK 2014. We have created a page with all the information here. Class signups will occur in April, 2014.
Until March 1st we are running a contest in the SSK Ravelry group about what you are most excited about for SSK 2014. All the details are here.
We are less than 6 months away from the event! We can not wait!
Did you know that we have a Ravelry group where you can earn lots of doorprize tickets for SSK 2014? We do! It’s located here.
We will be having a Knitalong (KAL) for our wonderful teacher, Amy Herzog’s patterns in the months of January and February. You may pick any of Amy’s patterns and join us for a fun time.
Official Type Stuff:
The KAL will run from January 1st until February 28th, 2014. Projects will be cast on January 1st or later. Projects will be eligible for tickets if posted in the correct format here by 11 pm central time on February 28th.
Posting format:
Please post the following here for your entry to count:
- A picture of the finished object
- Name of the pattern used
- Yarn used including yardage.
Door prize tickets will be awarded in the following way:
1 ticket per 100 yards completed. For example, a sweater that took 1,053 yards would earn 10 tickets
2 additional tickets if you use yarn from one of our wonderful vendors. Vendors are listed here.
2 additional tickets if you use handspun. Handspun may be spun by you or someone else and must be used for 50% of greater of your project. The spinning portion of the project may be completed ahead of time.
If you have any questions, let us know! I can’t wait to see what y’all knit up!
2014 SSK Lottery Signups are Here!
SSK is returning to the Scarritt Bennett Center for 2014! The event will be held from July 16th -20th.
There are two options for participants. The first is the event with lodging on campus. The second “daypass” option is for people who are finding their own housing or live local.
Option 1 (full event including lodging):
Total cost for option 1 is $575.
What’s included in the $575?
- Lodging at the Scarritt Bennett Center Wednesday-Saturday. Please be aware that while you do have your own room, you will be sharing a bathroom with 1 other person. These are less fancy than your standard hotel room, but do include wifi.
- Breakfast and Lunch Thursday-Saturday. Breakfast on Sunday. Daily snacks. We do accommodate people with different dietary needs.
- 1 three hour class with either Laura Nelkin, Amy Herzog, Lori Rhone of Deerfield Creations, or Malia Jackson aka Rhymeswithmaria on Ravelry (you can take up to 3 additional classes at an added cost)
- An awesome goodie bag with lots of neat stuff!
- A chance to win awesome doorprizes.
- Entrance to a market with lots of cool vendors!
- Getting to hang out with tons of cool knitters and spinners who love all the same things you do!
- Fun knitalongs, random prizes, and other fun stuff in the Ravelry group.
Option 2 (daypass):
The cost of option 2 is $350
This includes all of the above EXCEPT lodging at the Scarritt Bennett Center.
To sign up for the onsite lottery (option 1), click here. The daypass option (option 2) is here.
Both of the links are entries into the lottery for the event. We wish we had room for everyone, but if we do have more than 146 total entries, a random drawing will occur for spots. Sign-ups will close September 30th at midnight cental US time.
Good Luck everyone! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us!
Vendor Applications for 2014
Are you someone that has a wonderful shop to sell fibery goodness? Know someone that you think would make the perfect SSK vendor? We are now taking vendor applications for SSK 2014! We talk quite a bit about the vendor process and what you can expect as an SSK vendor during the last 10 minutes of episode 173 of the Knitgirlls (You can find the episode here). The link to the vendor application can be found here and if you have any questions, please contact us!
Is it July of 2014 yet?
Homework, Materials, and Classes
Today is the last day of continuing education for me and that means SSK is 6 weeks away! Classes have been updated (with the exception of people who have gotten in since last Wednesday). If you have any question or would like to change your class selection, please email Laura and she’ll take care of you.
Now that you know what classes you are in, here are the homework and materials needed for each class:
Gale Zucker’s Photography classes both require the same equipment. Students should bring a digital camera (point & shoot or DSLR ) memory media (an sd card or whatever is needed for the camera to record images on) freshly charged batteries and spare batteries, and their camera manual. They should review the manual before class so they know how to turn the flash off, how to change exposure settings and what the symbols mean on their settings. They should also bring a finished project and some yarn or fiber that they want to work on photographing.
For Jacey Bogg’s Back to the Draft Class, we are providing the fiber. You will need to bring a wheel or borrow one from us (let us know if anything with your wheel status changes, so we can plan accordingly) and a lazy kate.
For Jacey’s Big Spinning Class, we will be providing most of the fiber, but you will need to bring 2-4 oz of additional fiber, a wheel or borrow one from us (let us know if anything with your wheel status changes, so we can plan accordingly) and a lazy kate.
For Susan B. Anderson’s Fair-Isle Hat Class, you will need to bring stitch markers, tape measure, tapestry needle, scissors, and yarn: worsted weight, preferably wool (a few suggestions: Quince & Co., Shelter, Cascade 220, Brown Sheep)
150 yards of a Main Color (MC)
100 yards of a Contrast Color (CC)
(You can bring several contrast colors if you want a more colorful hat)
Needles: US size 7 sixteen-inch circular needles OR size to obtain gauge and the same size set of 4 double-pointed needles
Gauge: 5 sts per inch in stockinette stitch
Homework for the Fair-Isle Hat Workshop
Select the size hat you would like to work on during class: 0-6 months (6-12 months, 1-2 years, child, small adult, medium adult, large adult). 13 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) inches in circumference. When selecting a size, I prefer my hats to have 1-2 inches of negative ease so they fit snugly on the head but this is up to you and your preference.
Come to class with 64 (72, 80, 88, 96, 104, 112) stitches cast on with your main color yarn on the 16-inch circular needles. You should be ready to join to begin working in the round. Note: The smaller the hat size the farther you will get on your hat during class if that matters to you!
For Susan B. Anderson’s Baby Cardigan Class, you will need to bring scissors, a yarn needle, waste yarn, tape measure, waste yarn, 4 stitch markers, and yarn: worsted weight, 300 yards for the 2 smallest sizes, 400 yards for the largest size*Samples knit in Quince & Co. Lark (100% American wool; 50 grams/134 yards), 2 skeins for sizes 0 to 12 months, 3 skeins for 1 to 2 years
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm), 24-inch circular needles, set of 4 double-pointed needles or size to obtain gauge
Gauge: 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch, 7 rows per inch in stockinette stitch
Note: If you are planning on making the Tiny Sweater/Cardigan Ornament-size or the Doll-size cardigan you will only need a small amount of worsted weight yarn and double-pointed needles sized to get 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch.
For Amy Christoffer’s How to Mod Class, you will need to bring notebooks paper (graph paper is recommended, but not required), a pencil or two, a calculator, a tape measure, and if you have a specific pattern that you would like to mod as a reference (optional).
For Amy Christoffer’s Finishing Class, you will need to bring notebook paper (graph paper is recommended, but not required) a pencil or two, a calculator, and a tape measure. You will also need:
2 identical Swatches: washes and blocked. At least 6″x6″ (bigger is fine), knit in stockinette stitch (No edging, just plain old curls-up-at-the-edge St st) knit in a smooth yarn with a gauge of 4-5 stitches per inch. Bigger swatches are fine but not smaller. Smooth yarn means something easy to work with with clearly defined stitches, fiber content does not matter but no eyelash yarns or anything too sticky (hard to unravel), slippery (too easy to unravel) or busy (we want easy to read stitches).
The yarn used to knit the swatches (enough for seaming waste yarn and to add a button bands and edging to the swatches) and at least 2 sets of needles (the size used to knit the swatch and a size or 2 smaller, if possible more is better) and a tapestry needle.