What the PLARN??? Patty White aka Patty-Joy
PLARN. What is it? How do you make it? What in tarnation do you do with it???
PLARN translates to PLastic bag yARN. There are a plethora of websites and videos that show the "loop method" of making plarn, but oh my goodness, is that not the way to go! It takes too long, is cumbersome, and yields, frankly, lumpy-bumpy and way too bulky, knot-riddled projects that are stiff and leave little room for deliberately-planned "colorwork". Yup! start collecting All The Pretty Bags in anticipation of making things as elegant as a crocheted snowflake or as functional and strong as a market bag or bowls and baskets. The trick is to get rid of those loops! Come join us for some darn good PLARN fun, and you will go home with a little PLARN bowl, to boot! Bonus: the bowl, at least, won't set off alarms at the airport.
Materials Needed: Bags will be provided, or bring a few of your own if you have pretty colors that you like. You will need a pair of sharp scissors, or you can wait for a turn to use mine if you can't get those on a plane. Cutting the bags is quick, so sharing scissors shouldn't be a problem. Also bring a crochet hook, any size you like, as you can cut your bag to a width that will work with your hook. If you're not a crocheter, plarn can also be spun on a wheel and knit with, but I'll be honest here and say that it's easier and has better gauge when it's crocheted.
Offered: Thursday June 20th 11AM Viking Room
Friday June 21st 10AM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 10
How to crochet Brenda Larsen aka bgoofy
Helpers: Amy aka Blueberrybay and Paula akak Polly-Jean
We will teach the basics of crochet. Learn how to chain stitch, single crochet and double crochet. It time allows we may also look at how to read crochet charts.
Materials Needed: A skein of worsted weight yarn, cotton a for dish cloth or other for scarf, and a crochet hook in size H or I.
Offered: Thursday June 20th 1PM Viking Room
Friday June 21st 3PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 10
Double Knitting Mandy Blomenkamp aka Baconfairy
Learn the basics of double knitting, which creates a two layer fabric. This technique makes colorwork easy and reversible! We'll knit up a headband with a simple design. Once you get the hang of it the possibilities are endless!
Materials Needed: Class participants must have an intermediate knowledge of knitting, including being able to knit in the round. Knowing magic loop is helpful! Bring about 100 yards of your main color and 100 yards of a contrasting color in sport weight or DK. Bring a size US 5 or 6 circular needle (a size you would use for a hat, or be prepared to magic loop).
Offered: Thursday June 20th 2PM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 4PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 10
Spindle Saavy - drop spindle basics Kim aka KayStarr
Ever wanted to learn to drop spindle? Here's your chance! Spend an hour with your favorite zombies and learn to make yarn on your own terms. We'll start off with the basics of drafting and spinning styles but I'll pass out a handout of handy spinning terms and resources. Get ready for your next new hobby!
Materials Needed: Bring some fiber (an oz is plenty) and a drop spindle if you have one.
Offered: Thursday June 20th 3PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 15
Baby, You're a Star! Keli McMahon aka SheepDreamery
Have you always loved watching podcasts and wondered how to start one of your own? This session will show you the basics of recording a podcast and getting your awesome self out into The Internet for all to see!
At Home Podcasting Materials Needed: A smart phone with a recordable camera, or tablet with recordable camera, or a laptop with a recordable camera. Those with iPhones and iPads may be interested in buying the iMovie app available through iTunes. A YouTube account is also needed.
Offered: Thursday June 20th 4PM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 7PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 25
Meditation Break Deb Cannon aka DebCQuilts
A mental break, either guided or silent meditation, depending on the day or skill levels of those who come. Deb is a ordained minister, trained spiritual director, yoga practitioner, and Reiki Master in real life and has regularly led meditation groups for several years. While it’s not knitting, it is a time to center yourself so you can go back to the retreat with renewed creative energy!
Materials Needed: She’d appreciate some input on the type of meditation you’d like, so feel free to post in the thread or PM her. She has many guided meditations such as Native American journeying, Universal energy revival, angel meditations, yoga nidra in her back pocket (and on her iPod), and an app if you want a timed silent sit. She can also lead some yoga stretches and poses to revive those sore hands and backs.
Offered: Thursday June 20th 5PM Viking Room
Friday June 21st 4PM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 4PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 25
Fish Lips Kiss Sock Heels Patty White aka Patty-Joy
Have you tried every sock heel design known to man, but still not found one that fits everyone wonderfully, is simple to knit, (no wraps!), and duh...has no holes, even though you don't have to "pick up a mystery stitch in the corner and knit it away on the next round"? Well, then you've come to the right place! Come "Fish Lips Kiss" all your sock heel problems good-bye, once and for all. You can come to just watch and learn, or you can bring socks knit to the heels, ready to give it a go. To have time to knit in class, either baby socks or adult worsted socks are recommended, but not required. Or just bring waste yarn and needles, and knit a practice heel only. It's all good!
Materials Needed: You will need to have purchased the pattern, (to be released soon), to attend the class. But hey...it's only a buck, so no sweat, right? Bring a printed copy of your pattern to class so you can follow along.
Offered: Friday June 21st 8AM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 1PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 20
Tips and tricks Sally Hendricks-Bauer aka SallyFromIdaho
Come join us for some fun. This class is where I offer some of my tips and tricks that I have
discovered over my years of knitting that have been very helpful to me. Some I have come
up with myself and some that I cannot take credit for. I hope to share some of my favorite
tips and tricks such as: How to master the jogless stripe, weaving in
ends while you knit, the long-tail cast on for a large # of stitches, how to do magic loop,
correcting an error without ripping back, traveling with your knitting, and much much more.
I hope that you can share some of your own tips and tricks.
Materials Needed: any size circular needles with at least 32” cable, double point needles if
you have them, two colors of yarn, a crochet needle, a flat swatch any size but not bound
off, we will use it to practice on, a circular swatch or a tube not bound off to practice on, pen
and paper for notes. You can do as little or as much of this as you want but the swatches will aid in you
understanding the techniques you will be learning. I always find it its easier for me to
understand if I can try the technique out.
Offered: Friday June 21st 9AM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 8AM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 25
Intro to Toys with Owl Puffs Jenna Krupar aka RetroLemon
I will be teaching newbie toys makers how to make Owl Puffs. They will get to decide if they want to use DPNs or Magic Loop.
Materials Needed: Participants will need 20 yards of 2 different colors of worsted weight yarn and 1 yard of yarn for the "beak", size 5 needles- either DPNs or 32" circular, tapestry needle, and a US nickel.
Offered: Friday June 21st 11AM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 3PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 25
Finishing Help Ruth Johnson aka RuthieJ
A woman recently paid me $90 to finish a sweater because she loves to knit, but doesn't know how to put her sweaters together. Don't be that woman!! Come to learn a few finishing tips and skills to put your own beautiful knitted garments together. It's really not as hard as you think once you know what to do.
Materials Needed: Participants are encouraged to bring their own knitting projects that need to be sewn together and/or finished. Also bring extra yarn, big eye needles, clips and/or pins for assembling their garments.
Offered: Friday June 21st 1PM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 15
Confessions of a Shawl Addict Josh Ryks aka SwordofaKnitter
This class is as classy as can be! Josh will talk about shawls and why he knits so many of them. He will expound upon the nature of the shawl, why shawls should be knit more, and why shawls are simply one of the most fun things to make (in his opinion of course, but as it's his class, it's his rules, ya know?) Josh will showcase his FABULOUS shawl collection and even allow you to touch it! Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen! He will allow you to touch and even WEAR his shawls! So come on in, draw up a chair, and let's talk about the wonderful addiction of shawl knitting!
Materials Needed: No class materials, simply open hearts and minds and people who want to have fun!
Offered: Friday June 21st 2PM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 11AM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 25
Sweater Recycling Regenia Smalley aka Regie
We will learn how to find and recycle sweaters, saving both funds and the planet.
Materials Needed: Scissors will be needed. Bring a sweater to recycle if you wish, I will also bring along some so everyone can try their hand.
Offered: Friday June 21st 5PM Viking Room
Saturday June 22nd 9AM Viking Room
Max Class Size: 25
Field trip to Ginny's Buttons
Meet in the Lobby to take a field trip to Ginny’s Fine Fabrics and see the infamous wall of buttons
Offered:
Thursday June 20th 3PM Lobby
Friday June 21st 3PM Lobby
Saturday June 22nd 3PM Lobby
Max Class Size: 10-15
$20 Yarn Swap
Do you have a skein of yarn that is practically perfect in every single way, but that just isn’t you? Bring it to the yarn swap and try your luck at getting something that makes your heart sing. Each skein of over $20 will get you a random ticket which determines the order you get to choose from all the skeins brought. It is a yarn lottery!
Materials Needed:
$20 skein of yarn you are willing to part with
Offered:
Saturday June 22nd 2PM Viking Room
Getting To Know You Mini Skein Swap
This swap is a great way to meet new people. Mini skeins will be collected, and then randomly distributed at 9 PM. Find yours and find out who yours belongs to! Simple and Fun. Make a friend. If you put a hank in and you are not present to get a hank, I will give extras to lucky folks that happen to be in the room. While you may not get a hank, but the hank holder will find you :)
Materials Needed:
A mini hank of sock yarn 8 grams should be plenty to add to any sock yarn blanket or make into an ornament :)
Making a mini hank is nice and easy. Watch Episode 79.
Label your hank with your name, Ravelry name and where you are from.
Offered:
Thursday June 20th 9PM Elizabethan Ballroom
Stash Swap and Shop
Attendees/Destashers should bring some of their QUALITY, LIKE NEW stash (fiber, yarn, tools, equipment, etc..) which they no longer need/want and would like to trade or sell. Items should be labeled with a price, description (if necessary) and your Ravelry name. NOTE: This is in addition to and a separate event from the other fun swap activities.
Offered:
Thursday June 20th 6pm - 9pm Elizabethan Ballroom
Saturday June 22nd 6pm - 9pm Elizabethan Ballroom
Dance By Video Recording
Bring your dancing shoes because we are going to record a video of everyone dancing by the camera as a memento of your time at Zombie Knitpocalypse. If you don’t dance, you can waltz by and wave. This video will be available on the Internet to go back and watch after the retreat is over and remember the good times and watch your silly knitting besties.
Offered:
Thursday June 20th 7PM Elizabethan Ballroom
Daily door prize distribution
Materials Needed:
Bring your retreat badge which will have your randomly assigned prize number
Offered:
Thursday June 20th 8PM Elizabethan Ballroom
Friday June 21st 8PM Elizabethan Ballroom
Saturday June 22nd 8PM Elizabethan Ballroom
Pub Crawl
You’ve had a busy day of knitting, chatting, learning, yarn crawling or possibly completing a 5K. Lets hit the town and see some of Rochester’s nightlife.
Materials Needed:
If you plan to imbibe, a valid drivers license and money
Offered:
Friday June 21st 9PM Lobby
Group Picture
Bring your smile and retreat t-shirt (if you got one). This photo will a memento available on the Internet to remember the good times and see your new knitting besties.
Offered:
Saturday June 22nd 7PM