Minnesota Knitters Days 2014

30th ANNUAL

MINNESOTA KNITTERS’ DAYS

SEPTEMBER 26, 27, 28, 2014

Dear Knitters,

Welcome to Minnesota Knitters’ Days!    

We will gather at The Villa Maria around 5:00 in the front lobby for registration, find your room from the chart in the front lobby.  All meals are in Marian Hall in the lower level; our rooms are located on third floor along with our classroom called “The Lakeview Room” starting Saturday morning.  If you can not make it for dinner Friday evening, let me know 2 weeks before camp begins.  (They require an accurate count for meals.)

We will conduct our Annual Knitter’s Auction on Friday Evening.  Please bring an un-identified/anonymous wrapped item to auction that is related to knitting. This “knitting related” item need not be a hand knitted gift, camper’s choice.  Every year we have a wonderful variety of items and everyone seems to have a hard time choosing the item they prefer.  It’s a fun evening getting to know everyone in our group.  

Please bring projects for Show and Share scheduled for Saturday evening.  We would like to see what everyone is creating, for new ideas and inspiration.  This is just for fun, and is not a contest.  Every year we have a “knitting garage sale” of sorts…..so feel free to bring items to sell.  We will find a space for display.

Feel free to bring snacks to share.  The Villa is smoke free. 

The Villa’s phone number is (651) 345-4582, if you need to be contacted during the weekend.  The caller should be prepared to give the receptionist a name and number so you may return the call.  Address is:  29847 County 2 Blvd., Frontenac, MN 55026.  There is a website www.villamariaretreats.org. 

Attn: Dinner is at 6:00 Friday evening cafeteria style.  If you will be late let me know and a plate will be made up for you.  Saturday breakfast is 8:00, Lunch at noon, Dinner at 6:00.  Sunday brunch is 10:00.

Anne Bosch of Blackberry Ridge will be with us again this year with her yarns for sale.  Let her know what you may want to see, visit her website at www.blackberry-ridge.com to check out what she has to offer.  Then e-mail her with suggestions and/or questions that you may have,  

anne@blackberry-ridge.com.

Here are a couple examples of our Weekend Projects:  

 2014 MINNESOTA KNITTERS DAYS

SUSANNA HANSSON

Domino Scarf: Supply/Homework list

SUPPLIES

PRACTICE YARN

Small quantities of smooth, worsted weight yarn in 2-4 colors.

Needles to match your practice yarn. Aim for a gauge of 4.5-5 stitches/inch. Because you are working in modules, circular or shorter straight needles (8-10 inches) are easiest to maneuver imo.

CLASS PROJECT YARN

BETWEEN 2 AND 8 COLORS OF A FINGERING WEIGHT MOHAIR/SILK BLEND YARN.

NOTE: Some people like to do a lot of color play and have many colors on hand, others pretty much know from the start how many and what colors they want to use. If you fall into this latter category, you don’t have to bring extra colors just for the sake of bringing them. However, if you want to be able to play with different color combinations, having lots of color choices available makes playing that much more fun! Just make sure your LYS has a good return policy unless you don’t mind having single skeins of yarn left over.

My scarves are made with a 70% kid mohair/30% silk blend that is available from several yarn companies, the best known of which may be Rowan’s Kid Silk Haze, http://www.knitrowan.com/yarns/kidsilk-haze. There are others as well, including

Kid Seta from Cascade, http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-KidSeta.asp

Kid Seta from Trendsetter, http://www.trendsetteryarns.com/kidsetaspecs.asp

and Silk Cloud from Shibui, http://www.shibuiknits.com/

If you want to add a sparkly or novelty type yarn to your scarf, bring that as well.

NEEDLES TO MATCH YOUR SCARF YARN.

The yarn should be knitted fairly loosely so you get the full “halo” effect. Depending on whether you are a tight or loose knitter, you will probably end up using a needle somewhere between 3.75 and 5.5 mm/US 5–9 so make sure you bring a selection of sizes.

NOTE: I find it easier to work with “grippier” rather than super slick needles with this type of yarn. In my experience, Addi Lace, bamboo, ebony and rosewood needles all work really well.

STITCH MARKERS

Please bring two ring stitch markers (I like the rubber kind because they don’t bounce off my needles) and one safety-pin style marker.

OPTIONAL SUPPLIES

If you have colored pencils to match your yarn, please bring them. If you don’t have any, don’t rush out and buy a set just for this class because I will bring plenty of colored pencils to share.

HOMEWORK

YES.

Using your practice yarn, please make a few (1-3) individual modular squares so that you can begin to familiarize yourself with the technique prior to our weekend. If you are experienced in the ways of modular knitting, you may be able to skip this step.

Cast on 31 stitches using the cabled or knitted cast-on (for videos showing these cast-ons, go here http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/cast-on).

Foundation row (ws): Knit 30 stitches, purl 1. Turn your work.

Row 1: Slip the first stitch knit wise (as if you were going to knit it). Knit 13 stitches. Slip the next stitch knit wise (K) from the left needle to the right needle, knit the next two stitches together (K2tog) and then pass the slipped stitch over (psso). You have completed a double decrease (= decreased a total of 2 stitches). End by knitting 13 stitches and purling (p) the last stitch

Row 2: Slip 1 K, knit until 1 stitch remains and purl the last stitch

Row 3: Slip 1 K, knit 12, slip 1K, K2tog, psso, knit 12, purl the last stitch Row 4: Repeat row 2

Row 5: Slip 1K, knit 11, slip 1K, K2tog, psso, knit 11, purl 1 Row 6: Repeat row 2

Row 7: Slip 1K, knit 10, slip 1K, K2tog, psso, knit 10, purl 1 Row 8: Repeat row 2

Continue as established with one fewer stitches on each side of the center double decrease until you have completed a right side row and there are 3 stitches on your right needle.

Turn your work

Next row (wrong side row): Slip 1K, knit 1, purl 1

Final row (right side row): Slip 1 K, K2tog, psso.

Cut the yarn leaving a 6 inch tail but don’t pull the tail through the loop (put a stitch marker in the loop to make sure it doesn’t come undone)

Please bring your practice squares with you.

QUESTIONS?

Don’t hesitate to contact me at susanna.hansson@oneofsusannas.com

Susanna Hansson 2014

Villa Maria is located between New Frontenac and Lake City on County Road 2.  Coming south from Red Wing on Hwy 61/63, pass through New Frontenac and go 1.3 miles, and take County Road 2 left (North) for 1/2 mile.  Our center is located just after the bridge overlooking the marsh. 

29847 County 2 Blvd
Frontenac, MN 55026-1052
Phone (651) 345-4582
Fax (651) 345-345

ROSTER 2014

1. Nancy Ambrose

  

2. Anne Bosch

3. Marian Bystrom

4. Audrey Caine

5. Jean Christensen

6. Zoe Cohen

7. Betsy Cyson

8. Karen Cyson

9. Kathy Cvar

10. Cathy Ells      

11.  Barb Farrell

12. Betsy Foster

13. JoEllen Haustein

14. Sheryl Hill

15. Teresa Jensen

16. Kris King

17. Rosemary Knapp

18. Kathi Lautt

19. Ursula Mayr

 

20. Carol Reuter

21. Anne Rojas

22. Stacey Ross

23. Rosanne Rowen

24. Beth Schmeling

26. Rachel Sternisha

26. Tammy Vallant

27. Elizabeth Vindedahl

28. Janet Ungs

29. Karen Wanke

30. Instructor: Susanna Hansson

Revised: 9-25-14

30th Annual Minnesota Knitters' Days 2014

    30th ANNUAL MINNESOTA KNITTERS’ DAYS

FRONTENAC, MN

SEPTEMBER 26^th, 27^th, 28^th, 2014

Come and join us at the Villa Maria Retreat Center for the weekend on Lake Pepin, located about one and a half hours south of the Twin Cities!  Enjoy knitting, relaxing and sharing quality time with fellow knitters!

INSTRUCTOR:  This year we will host Susanna Hansson.  Many of you met her here in 2010, when she first joined us and taught Susanna’s Lapland Hand Garments: The Mittens from Rovaniemi.  Susanna has built a reputation as an instructor attentive to student learning and sensitive to student needs.  Her classes and workshops are popular and she takes great care in presenting her material that makes it easy to understand.  

CLASS:  Explore Modular knitting ‘a la Vivian Hoxbro, Danish Domino Knitting; You will learn to understand the directional aspects of domino knitting and you will also gain an understanding of the importance of color selection and placement.  There are many small details that help make your dominos look polished and we will discuss and practice all of them.

We will focus on creating a beautiful feather light mohair and silk scarf as seen in Vivian’s Japanese book of domino knitting.  The scarf offers many opportunities for lessons about color and balance, and it will show you a way of swatching efficiently and accurately without knitting a single stitch!

By the end of the workshop, you should be ready to launch into your own domino project and feel comfortable that you have mastered the construction techniques.

Susanna is looking forward to coming back and sharing Domino Knitting with us this year.

QUESTIONS: Call Sheryl Hill at 651-388-2905 or via e-mail: sherknits@yahoo.com

FEE:  The cost is $325, which includes your room, all meals and instruction.  Private rooms are available for an additional $30 fee.  Please send full payment (or $100 deposit) with your completed registration to hold your space.  (Balance due in September)

REGISTRATION:  The first 30 applicants will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.  Send registration and check to: Sheryl Hill, 285 Motel Avenue, Red Wing, MN 55066.   If camp is full when you register, I will let you know and put you on the “waiting list”. CANCELLATIONS:  If you cancel $50 is non-refundable, the remainder will be refunded if/when a replacement is found from the “waiting list”.

Our group will stay in Marian Hall at the Villa Maria.  Historically the Villa Maria was a private boarding school for girls. Our accommodations are shared rooms with bath/shower facilities on the third floor. There is a separate floor for any male knitters interested in attending.   Most rooms have a private sink and closet included.  There are shared rooms available for two, three or four knitters.  Please specify names in your group on the registration. Our meeting area is a large room with a beautiful view overlooking Lake Pepin.  All meals are included and served cafeteria style in the lower level.  Special dietary meals are available upon request.  The Villa Maria Center is a non-smoking facility.

CAMP SHIRTS - BAGS  Camper’s Choice; T-shirts and Sweatshirts in White, Ash, Stone, Gray Heather, Royal, Red, Forrest Green, Burgundy, Navy or Black; Denim long sleeved shirt; all in sizes small to XXL;  Knitting Bag, a new design each year.   All items will include “Minnesota Knitters’ Days” and Year embroidered on them.  If you would like any of these items, include it on your registration form.

CHECK IN will be from 4:30-6:00 Friday evening before dinner at 6pm. 

QUESTIONS: Call Sheryl Hill at 651-388-2905 or via e-mail: sherknits@yahoo.com

 _______________________________________________________________________

REGISTRATION FORM

NAME____________________________________PHONE_____________

ADDRESS________________________________EMAIL_____________

                                                                       

CITY/STATE________________________________________ZIP_______

OPTIONAL ITEMS:

SWEATSHIRT:  $35               T-SHIRT: $15           KNITTING BAG:  $30   

SIZE (S-XXL) _______             SIZE __________                                                                                          

COLOR ______________         COLOR _______________

DENIM SHIRT:  $35

SIZE (S-XXL) ________                                CAMP ITEM(S) TOTAL       $__________

                                               

                          

                                                                         CAMP FEE ($325)                 $__________        

Sharing Room with:                       

                                                                         SINGLE ROOM ($30)           $__________

                                                                Non-Resident Camper Fee ($175)   $__________

                                   

Diet Requests:                                    

                                                                     TOTAL ENCLOSED                $__________

Friday Night is Knitters Auction night!  Bring a small “knitted related” item wrapped, no tag, for our fun exchange.  You may or may not choose to knit something…..”knitter’s choice”, it’s up to you.

HOMEWORK instructions will be sent to you in plenty of time to complete and bring with you to camp, along with a schedule and map.