The 2008 Southeast Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 24 through 26. For those of you who have checked out the web site recently, you already know that Charlene Schurch, that guru of sock knitting, will be teaching all three days! Be sure to mark your calendar for the 2008 event. It is awesome and just keeps getting better each year! I will be teaching the entire weekend with a whole new slate of spinning and knitting classes. The class list should be ready by the end of April, so check it often around that time to be sure to get in the classes of your choice. They fill fast! Check it all out online at www.saffsite.org.
MARGARET’S YARNS - FEBRUARY 2008
Promoting The Creative Process
MARGARET’S BLOG
I can’t promise that I will write in it every day, but I now have a blog. Check it out at: and let me know what you think. I have a few photos of shawls and knitting projects on there now and will be adding more photos and commentary along the way.
FEBRUARY “AID AND RESCUE COMMITTEE” TIMES
The Aid and Rescue Committee meetings allow you to get your knitting challenges resolved, questions answered, new projects planned and started, and meet new people. As Princess Leia points out: “I am NOT a committee!” However, since the best committee has three members, two of whom don’t show up for the meeting, I promise to be the member who shows up and deals with all your knitting issues. The cost is STILL only $5.00. The February “Aid and Rescue Committee” will meet on Monday, the 11th from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Saturday the 23rd from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., and Monday the 25th from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
SAFF 2008!
The 2008 Southeast Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 24 through 26. For those of you who have checked out the web site recently, you already know that Charlene Schurch, that guru of sock knitting, will be teaching all three days! Be sure to mark your calendar for the 2008 event. It is awesome and just keeps getting better each year! I will be teaching the entire weekend with a whole new slate of spinning and knitting classes. The class list should be ready by the end of April, so check it often around that time to be sure to get in the classes of your choice. They fill fast! Check it all out online at CLASSES
Due to space constraints, class sizes are limited to 5 per class unless otherwise specified. Please be sure to register early!
Spinning The Sun, The Moon, and The Stars: $60 (class fee includes fiber) – Saturday, February 16 from 12:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Prerequisites: Student must be able to spin a continuous thread without assistance.
Students should bring: Spinning wheel and accessories (spinning oil, extra drive bands, extra leader thread, etc.); hand cards; ball winder; niddy noddy, one light colored hand towel and one dark colored hand towel, pen/pencil and paper/notebook for taking notes.
Spin around the Galaxy with spinning fibers and lots of sparkle! Learn how to make your yarns shimmer and shine by blending in synthetic and metallic fibers. Learn to place large areas of glowing beauty between the smaller, star-like spaces of your yarn. We will be using hand cards, a drum carder, and our fingers to incorporate these fun fibers into place before sitting down to do some Galactic spinning! Whether you make a fun hat, scarf, or other garment, or some stars to hang around during the holidays (or to celebrate another Mars Rover landing), your projects are sure to get lots of complements! This is the only time this class will be offered before SAFF.
“Things That Go Bump” Knitting: $40 – Saturday, February 23, from 12:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Prerequisite: Student must be able to spin a continuous thread without assistance.
Students should bring: a ball of smooth, light-colored, worsted weight yarn, knitting needles size 7, 8, OR 9 (whichever you normally use for worsted weight yarn), a pen/pencil and paper/notebook for taking notes.
Fear not! This is not about ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties with knitting needles in hand. This is all about that fabulous thing called TEXTURE! Bobbles and Brambles and Bows, Oh My! From Seed Stitch to Cables to Diagonals to Twisted Stitches, all roads lead to a fabulous knitted landscape. This is where we take the Plain Janes of knitting, Garter and Stockinette, and mix them up until they are rockin’ and rollin’! Be bold! Be daring! Mix up those stitches and turn plain into pizzazz by knitting the things that go bump! This is the only time this class will be offered before SAFF.
Make New Friends: Knit Puppets: $45 – Saturday, March 8, from 12:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Prerequisite: Students must be able to work in the round with double-pointed needles.
Students should bring: Homework: With a worsted weight yarn and size 7 dpn (a set of 5 works best), cast on 50 stitches. Join, being careful not to twist stitches. Knit one row, purl one row (repeat twice more). Now just knit around and around until your piece is about 6″ long from the cast on edge. This is the bottom of your puppet. Do not bind off, but bring your piece, still on the needles, to class, along with your yarn (you can bring different colored yarn for the “shirt” and the head if you wish), regular knitting supplies (stitch markers, stitch holders, tapestry (yarn) needles, etc.).
Making new friends is easy when you let your knitting needles do the work for you. Whether you want a friend who is bold and brave, silly or shy, or fun and funky, you can have your heart’s desire simply by choosing the appropriate yarns and accessories. Come and learn how to make new friends and soon you will be knitting them for all your human friends, too! This is the only time this class will be offered before SAFF.
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MARGARET’S YARNS – JANUARY 2008
Promoting The Creative Process
PLAN AHEAD FOR A FABULOUS FIBER YEAR IN 2008
The holidays are here and everyone is busy, busy, busy! However, now is the time to look ahead and begin planning for a fun and fabulous fiber year. Below you will find classes to start off 2008 with exciting spinning and knitting challenges. I will be offering a wide array of classes throughout the year and seldom will a class be repeated, so sign up for whatever piques your interest as soon as it is announced.
MARGARET’S BLOG
I can’t promise that I will write in it every day, but I now have a blog. Check it out at: http://margaretsyarns.wordpress.com and let me know what you think. I have a few photos of shawls on there now and will be adding more photos and commentary along the way.
JANUARY “AID AND RESCUE COMMITTEE” TIMES SET The Aid and Rescue Committee meetings allow you to get your knitting challenges resolved, questions answered, new projects planned and started, and meet new people. As Princess Leia points out: “I am NOT a committee!” However, since the best committee has three members, two of whom don’t show up for the meeting, I promise to be the member who shows up and deals with all your knitting issues. The cost is STILL only $5.00. The January “Aid and Rescue Committee” will meet on January 14 and 28 (Monday evenings) from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
SAFF 2008! The 2008 Southeast Animal Fiber Fair (SAFF) will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 24 through 26. For those of you who have checked out the web site recently, you already know that Charlene Schurch, that guru of sock knitting, will be teaching all three days! Be sure to mark your calendar for the 2008 event. It is awesome and just keeps getting better each year! I will be teaching the entire weekend with a whole new slate of spinning and knitting classes. The class list should be ready by the end of April, so check it often around that time to be sure to get in the classes of your choice. They fill fast! Check it all out online at www.saffsite.org. CLASSES - due to space constraints, class sizes are limited to 5 per class unless otherwise specified. Please be sure to register early! The Trinity Stitch Sweater for Adults: $85 – This class meets 3 Saturdays – January 5 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., January 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and February 2 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Prerequisites: Students should know how to knit, purl, cast on, and bind off without assistance. Students should bring: yarn, needles, stitch markers, scissors, calculator, notepad and pen/pencil for taking notes; homework swatch. Upon registration, students will receive instructions for determining amount of yarn needed and size of needles to use, along with homework swatch instructions.This is the baby sweater that will be in the Spring issue of Spin-Off magazine. Due to popular demand, I am enlarging the pattern for adult sizes. This cardigan is made from the top down so you will be able to try it on as you go to give a perfect fit. In this class, you will learn how to make any sweater from the top down no matter what yarn and needle sizes you want to use, how to incorporate a front band that doesn’t sag as you go, how to make sleeves the perfect length instead of too short or too long, and other tidbits of information that will give you a perfect fit every time. One Top Five Ways: The Magic of Spinning Handpainted Fibers: $80 (this includes all the fiber for this class) – Saturday, January 12, from 9:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. (Absolute Maximum of 6 people) Prerequisite: Student must be able to spin a continuous thread without assistance. Students should bring: Spinning wheel and accessories (spinning oil, extra drive bands, extra leader thread, etc.); lazy kate; hand towel; ball winder; niddy noddy; three bobbins; pen/pencil and paper/notebook for taking notes, your lunch.This is the class that overflowed at SAFF and the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival this year! I am offering it only in January to give those who missed it a chance to enjoy learning to spin the fabulous handpainted rovings that are so prolific these days. Spinning hand-painted fibers can be challenging to get the look you want in the final fabric. Whether you get a soft blend of the colors, a striped effect, or pure color flow takes planning. We will explore five spinning, plying, and finishing techniques for variegated fibers by spinning hand-painted top and discuss various ways to get the look you want in your projects.
