North Country Fiber Fair
September 15 - 16, 2007
Codington County
Extension Complex
Watertown, SD
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North Country Fiber Fair |
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2007 NCFF Fiber Workshops Pre-registration is encouraged. Class size is limited for all the classes and we encourage you to pre-register to ensure your class choice(s) will be available. We reserve the right to cancel any classes which does not meet the minimum number of students.
*many of the classes also include a supply fee to be paid to the instructor on the day of the class.* Saturday Classes
SPINNING FOR KNITTING Knitting with handspun is a real joy. To make the most of that pleasure, it is worthwhile to consider the yarn you will spin for a project. In this class, you will learn how to choose fiber(s) and how to prepare and spin them for hand knitting. The main focus of the class will be on practicing the skills needed to have control over yarn production for a purpose. We’ll begin with a discussion of the qualities and production of commercial knitting yarns and what we like to knit with. Since most knitting yarns are woolen, we will practice carding and long draw spinning, producing lofty yarns from fine to bulky. We will also try various techniques for semi-woolen spinning of yarns that are still lofty but more durable. We will finish with a discussion of matching yarns to knitting patterns, needles and the desired look, feel, and durability of the knitted project. Students bring: spinning wheel in good working order, extra bobbins or ball winder, hand cards for wool, pen and paper, index cards or tags for labeling samples; if on hand: mini-combs and /or flick carder; knitting needles of your choice if you want to sample some of your yarns. Carol H. Rhoades has taught knitting and spinning workshops throughout the U.S. and in England, New Zealand, Denmark and Norway. Carol is the technical editor of Spin Off magazine and has translated into English many important Scandinavian knitting books, including Two-Eyed Knitting by Anne-Maj Ling, Domino Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro, and Norsk Strikkedesign by Margarethe Finseth. Carol has been invited to teach workshops and give presentations worldwide since 1994 and is highly knowledgeable in the areas of fiber preparation, sheep breeds, wool and the technical aspects of spinning and knitting garments from natural raw materials.
BEGINNING SPINNING Students will learn the basics of spinning with prepared fiber beginning with “no tools”, then with the use of spindles & wheels. Spinning characteristics of various fibers will be briefly discussed. Samples of other natural fibers will be available to spin. No experience needed to take this class. Some wheels will be available – indicate on our registration if you need a wheel. Melanie Galligher, knitter, spinner, dyer and weaver… She is a knitter from a young age and became interested in spinning 6 years ago, and has not been the same since. She became a member of the Grand Rapids (MI) Spinner and Weavers Guild and then spent a year as a committee member of the MI Fiber Festival. She enjoys the process of spinning, experimenting with fibers and dyeing. This has led her to start her own company called Fiburzzz, producer of Suri alpaca roving and yarn, pewter jewelry and Majacraft Spinning wheels. She has taught Beginning Spinning through the Caledonia, MI Adult Education program. She continues to encourage new spinners for the mental and emotional rewards as well as maybe a new sweater.
EEK-A-STEEK!! CUTTING YOUR KNITTING FEARLESSLY Cut your kitting fearlessly. Learn the age-old method of turning a knitted tube into a cardigan sweater with steeks. Class members will learn how to reinforce a steek, how to cut the opening, how to shape a neckline, and how to pick up stitches along the opening. Members will make a doll-size cardigan sweater from a knitting tube in the class. Handouts will be provided. Class members will need to bring a pre-knit tube to class, Crochet hook to match the yarn you’re using, large-eye blunt sewing needle, scissors, double pointed needles and 10” straight needles in the size used to knit your tube, yarn to match your tube, contrasting yarn of the weight for steek stitching. Homework: Bring to class a knitted, bound-off stockinette tube that is at least 5” long. If you are using size 7 dpn needles and worsted weight yarn, cast on 60 sts, work 6 rnds K1P1 ribbing, then knit in stockinette st until the piece is 5” long, and then bind off. Don’t weave your ends in. If you are using size 3 dpns and fingering weight yarn, cast on 80 sts, work 10 rnds of K1P1 ribbing, then knit in stockinette st until the piece is 5” long, and then bind off. Don’t weave your ends in. You can make the tube in a single color, with stripes, or Fair Isle. Self-striping yarn works well. Kathleen Taylor is a writer, spinner, crafter, wife, mother, grandmother, and life long knitter. She has written 3 knitting books: Knit One, Felt Two (2003, Storey Books), Yarns to Dye For (2005, Interweave Press), and I Heart Felt (February 2008, The Taunton Press). She has also written many magazine articles (most recently: Spindle-Spun Christmas Stocking, Spin-Off, Winter 2006), and has designed many sock and sweater patterns for the Knit Picks yarn company. She lives in Redfield, South Dakota.
FELTED HAT WORKSHOP In this class you will learn to felt wool and create a custom made hat. We will use hot water, soap, alpaca or llama fiber and “elbow grease” to create these wonderful hats. Fiber will be washed, carded and ready to process. We will make the hats using a block that comes in 3 styles, rounded, flat or cowboy style. Finishing techniques will be demonstrated to complete your project. The Instructor will provide fiber, written instructions and other supplies necessary. Students should bring: two large bath towels, sharp scissors, tape measure, ruler and rubber glove if sensitive to hot water. Geri Rutledge lives in SE Nebraska where she and her family are raising Llamas and Alpacas. With her husband, Jim and sons, Dustin and Marshall, they show at ALSA shows across the U.S. and enjoy meeting new friends and seeing old friends as they travel. Geri has been involved with the Camelid industry for five years. She is a ALSA Certified Fleece Judge and is a co-leader of the Star City 4-H Llama Youth Group. Her interest is in the fiber and in designing arts and crafts projects. Geri enjoys teaching fiber classes and she brings the basic teaching tools to get the students started and then leaves it up to the individual to create the individual project.
SAORI FREE-STYLE WEAVING SAORI Free-Style Weaving brings out the inherent creativity of the individual. One’s “inherent creative sense” comes into play while weaving, creating a unique work of art. If you like to have fun, explore, and you want to make something completely original for yourself or as a gift for someone, come weave for a few hours and take away your very own fresh work of art! We’ll bring the materials including cotton and wool thread and a loom for you to use in class. You bring a willingness to explore! Dan and Chiaki O’Brien are the only SAORI weaving instructors in the Midwest. They have had a studio at their in home in Chaska, MN since 2004. They have done artists in residence programs in several schools, for community education, at the International Children’s Festival in St. Paul, and as workshops at MN Children’s Museum. Their dream is to have inclusive classes for people with and without disabilities all over the U.S.
RAKE LOOM WEAVING Students will use a hand held loom that creates a double knit pattern. You will determine the width and length of your project. The loom will be provided. However, students should bring their own yarn to class to use for their first project. You can learn the basics of starting the loom and casting off in a short time. The size of your project can be small for the class or take home to finish. For all of those who may or may not knit and crochet, this is a goof proof pattern for making a knitting scarf! Students should bring: 1 skein of yarn. Also bring scissors and any size crochet hook. Crochet skills are NOT REQUIRED for this project. Geri Rutledge lives in SE Nebraska where she and her family are raising Llamas and Alpacas. With her husband, Jim and sons, Dustin and Marshall, they show at ALSA shows across the U.S. and enjoy meeting new friends and seeing old friends as they travel. Geri has been involved with the Camelid industry for five years. She is a ALSA Certified Fleece Judge and is a co-leader of the Star City 4-H Llama Youth Group. Her interest is in the fiber and in designing arts and crafts projects. Geri enjoys teaching fiber classes and she brings the basic teaching tools to get the students started and then leaves it up to the individual to create the individual project.
NEEDLE FELTING IMAGINARY
CREATURES Mother Nature had to have been a needle felter because this art form lends itself so well to making any sort of animal. We can pretend to be (not fool!) Mother Nature in this class. Have you ever wanted to create a totally new beast and not have any responsibilities for it when you are done? You can make a bird with an elephant’s trunk or a fish that swims through the air and has an airplane rudder for a tail. Your imagination is your only limitation. You may not be able to finish this critter in class, but you should come away with enough experience to finish it on your own and at your leisure. This class is best if you have done some needle felting before, but new, quick studies may enjoy it also. Students should have an idea of the kind of critter they want to leave the class with, and bring along some visual guides like photos of critters with your different parts. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Linda Martin soon learned that in spite of her upbringing, she was not a city person at heart. Deprived of nearly any pet she is now undertaking to over compensate for those lost years. She has llamas, English Lop rabbits, cats, dogs, a couple of chinchillas and a few cashmere goats. She also has two adult foster people living with her, so her time is not always her own. Several years ago, a fiber friend told her to take a needle felting class. Linda learned that Needle felting is so very forgiving and that if she did make mistakes, they are easily yanked out and that area could be started over again. This was the medium for her. She designed a couple of sweatshirt kits and eventually started having a booth at fiber shows. Making soft sculptures is what she really enjoys as well as, helping others get started in this art form. "My art now embodies my love for animals and can, at times, display my love of laughter as many of my pieces bring smiles to on lookers. I hope you enjoy visiting my booth and I hope to see you in my classes."
NåLBINDING - TOOTHBRUSH HANDLE
RUGS
CLASS FULL Learn how to make a sturdy reversible rug from fabric strips using an ancient textile technique and an old toothbrush! Class members should bring a pair of scissors, a 12” ruler, a yard or two of fabric (cotton or cotton blend). Jan Anderson lives in Carrington, ND with her husband of 37 years, one large black dog and one small white cat. Jan is a SD native and has been making Nålbinding rugs for ten years. Nålbinding is a technique for creating fabric by making a spiraling series of interlocking loops with a single-eye needle. It has been called knotless netting, was in use in Norway long before knitting for making warm and durable mittens, stocking and hats. Jan enjoys showing others how to do Nålbinding.
SHORT ROW HEELS DEMYSTIFIED Short-row heels are faster to knit than heel flap/gusset heels, and they’re the perfect style heel to use when knitting with self-patterning sock yarns because there is no distortion of the established yarn patterning. Learn how to knit a no-wrap, short-row heel in this class. Handouts will be provided. Class members will need to bring a sock knitted to the point where the heel begins. Participants should be familiar with knitting in the round using double-pointed needles. Homework: A sock cuff, knitted in any pattern, to the point where the heel is started. If you don’t have a good generic sock pattern, here are two good beginnings: Worsted weight yarn: With size 5 needles , CO 48 sts, join. Work 15 rnds K2 P2 ribbing, work Stockinette st for 6”. Fingering weight yarn: With size 2 needles, CO 56 sts, join. Work 15 rnds K2P2 ribbing, work Stockinette st for 6”. Kathleen Taylor is a writer, spinner, crafter, wife, mother, grandmother, and life long knitter. She has written 3 knitting books: Knit One, Felt Two (2003, Storey Books), Yarns to Dye For (2005, Interweave Press), and I Heart Felt (February 2008, The Taunton Press). She has also written many magazine articles (most recently: Spindle-Spun Christmas Stocking, Spin-Off, Winter 2006), and has designed many sock and sweater patterns for the Knit Picks yarn company. She lives in Redfield, South Dakota.
NAVAJO WEAVING Students will be taught basic skills using sticks to weave a bracelet. Once you have learned the basic pattern, you may advance to belts and other projects. The Instructor will bring a basic set of three sticks and yarn for each participant. This is a simple technique and can easily be taught to a variety of ages. Geri Rutledge lives in SE Nebraska where she and her family are raising Llamas and Alpacas. With her husband, Jim and sons, Dustin and Marshall, they show at ALSA shows across the U.S. and enjoy meeting new friends and seeing old friends as they travel. Geri has been involved with the Camelid industry for five years. She is a ALSA Certified Fleece Judge and is a co-leader of the Star City 4-H Llama Youth Group. Her interest is in the fiber and in designing arts and crafts projects. Geri enjoys teaching fiber classes and she brings the basic teaching tools to get the students started and then leaves it up to the individual to create the individual project.
FELTED PICTURE FRAME Students will use raw or carded fiber to felt into a picture frame. Supplies will be provided but if you have wool from your animal(s) you would like to use, please bring it. Geri Rutledge lives in SE Nebraska where she and her family are raising Llamas and Alpacas. With her husband, Jim and sons, Dustin and Marshall, they show at ALSA shows across the U.S. and enjoy meeting new friends and seeing old friends as they travel. Geri has been involved with the Camelid industry for five years. She is a ALSA Certified Fleece Judge and is a co-leader of the Star City 4-H Llama Youth Group. Her interest is in the fiber and in designing arts and crafts projects. Geri enjoys teaching fiber classes and she brings the basic teaching tools to get the students started and then leaves it up to the individual to create the individual project. Sunday Classes
BLENDING NATURAL COLORED FIBERS Fiber blends offer endless possibilities for wonderful yarns. In this one-day class, we’ll test many combinations of fibers to discover what is important when blending. We’ll examine fiber qualities, such as strength, elasticity, and crimp, shrinkage rate, length, diameter, color and texture, as well as fiber cost and condition. Emphasis will be placed on experimentation during most of the class, but we’ll finish with a discussion of how to make good and quick choices for desired yarns and finished products. Our base fibers will be Polwarth or Corriedale, Coopworth, and Shetland wools blended with various luxury fibers. We will try out several preparations, spinning and plying techniques to see how they affect the blends. We’ll also consider weight vs. volume of fiber, percentages, layering and degree of blending. As we work, we will discuss how to blend fiber qualities for particular effects in yarns and finished products, and how to deal with unexpected results. Students bring: spinning wheel in good working order, extra bobbins or ballwinder, hand cards for wool, pen and paper, index cards or tags for labeling samples; if on hand: mini-combs and/or flick carder. Carol H. Rhoades has taught knitting and spinning workshops throughout the U.S. and in England, New Zealand, Denmark and Norway. Carol is the technical editor of Spin Off magazine and has translated into English many important Scandinavian knitting books, including Tw0-End Knitting by Anne-Maj Ling, Domino Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro, and Norsk Strikkedesign by Margarethe Finseth. Carol has been invited to teach workshops and give presentations worldwide since 1994 and is highly knowledgeable in the areas of fiber preparation, sheep breeds, wool, and the technical aspects of spinning and knitting garments from natural raw materials.
RUG HOOKING Learn how to make hooked rugs with wool in the primitive style. Students will make a 6” round mat of a Jack O’ Lantern. Supply fee to be paid to the instructor the day of class includes the pattern on Monks cloth, wool, hook and material to finish the mat. Equipment and supplies students need to bring to class: scissors and a 10” embroidery hoop. Darlene Hofius and her daughter Tracy Kellen, have been primitive rug hooking for 5 years. They both hook mainly with wool fabric but have incorporated wool yarn into some of their rugs. The pair finds every aspect of rug hooking enjoyable – designing the pattern, dyeing the wool and hooking the rug.
NEEDLING YOUR HANDSPUN So you have handspun yarns? What are you going to do with them? Short rows; miters; 1, 2, 3 ABC, Intarsia, Fair Isle…you decide…then there’s crochet….plenty of techniques and fun to be had. Meet with the Master of design and technique and discover endless possibilities for your handspun yarns. Participants should bring assorted yarns (any weight, handspun, etc.) assorted needles, hooks and knitting tools. Rick Mondragon has been knitting for most of his life (we’ll let you guess his age), spinning for 17 years, and sharing his passion for fiber and color forever. Rick is the Editor of Knitter’s Magazine. He is accomplished in crochet, sewing and tailoring, as well as floral design. “I take raw materials - flowers or yarns, each with its own properties of color, shape and texture and combing them into a whole. Proportion and scale, contrasts and combinations, and mechanics and technique are all tools of my craft. I find power and solace in my passions….”
SAORI FREE-STYLE WEAVING SAORI Free-Style Weaving brings out the inherent creativity of the individual. One’s “inherent creative sense” comes into play while weaving, creating a unique work of art. If you like to have fun, explore, and you want to make something completely original for yourself or as a gift for someone, come weave for a few hours and take away your very own fresh work of art! We’ll bring the materials including cotton and wool thread and a loom for you to use in class. You bring a willingness to explore! Dan and Chiaki O’Brien are the only SAORI weaving instructors in the Midwest. They have had a studio at their in home in Chaska, MN since 2004. They have done artists in residence programs in several schools, for community education, at the International Children’s Festival in St. Paul, and as workshops at MN Children’s Museum. Their dream is to have inclusive classes for people with and without disabilities all over the U.S.
BEGINNING KNITTING Here’s your chance to learn the basics for knitting. By the end of the class, you should be comfortable with knit and purl stitches, casting on and binding off. We will discuss twisted and dropped stitches, gauge, needles, weaving in yarn tails, starting a new ball of yarn and increases and decreases, as time allows. Joan Janes a former piano and elementary school teacher, is a certified knitting instructor with the Craft Yarn Council of America. She has completed the Master Knitting Program with The Knitting Guild of Association and marks submissions for that program. She also enjoys spinning, weaving and quilting.
UNDERSTANDING NEEDLE FELTING We will “play” with several different kinds of needles and fiber from a variety of animals and begin to understand how different needles interact with different fibers, what their limitations are and how many fibers can be used in each of your projects. We can discuss problems you have had and you are encouraged to bring along your piece so we as a group can discuss the possible solutions and their causes. Participants should bring a flat piece of of wool material for embellishing or bring along a photograph of your goal for a 3-dimensional project. If you have colors you want to match, bring your colored roving. Born and raised in Milwaukee, WI, Linda Martin soon learned that in spite of her upbringing, she was not a city person at heart. Deprived of nearly any pet she is now undertaking to over compensate for those lost years. She has llamas, English Lop rabbits, cats, dogs, a couple of chinchillas and a few cashmere goats. She also has two adult foster people living with her, so her time is not always her own. Several years ago, a fiber friend told her to take a needle felting class. Linda learned that Needle felting is so very forgiving and that if she did make mistakes, they are easily yanked out and that area could be started over again. This was the medium for her. She designed a couple of sweatshirt kits and eventually started having a booth at fiber shows. Making soft sculptures is what she really enjoys as well as, helping others get started in this art form. "My art now embodies my love for animals and can, at times, display my love of laughter as many of my pieces bring smiles to on lookers. I hope you enjoy visiting my booth and I hope to see you in my classes."
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Copyright 2007 North Country Fiber Fair.
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