Friday, April 22, 2011

Sock Summit 2011

You might recall that in August of 2009 I made the pilgrimage to Portland, OR, to attend the inaugural Sock Summit.

I worked in the booth of my lovely friends at Signature Needle Arts. I got to knit socks all day long, drinking strong Pacific Northwest-style coffee, next to a team of lovely people, in a giant room full of sock knitters. Just about the dream business trip.


Well, this year, it's going to be even better.

Busier. But better.

For I am teaching!

I am thrilled to be in such great company, sharing the air and schedule with true knitting legends.

My three classes:
Two Socks in One: The War & Peace Method
Challenge yourself! Beat Second Sock Syndrome! Amaze your friends! This class teaches the legendary technique for simultaneously knitting two socks on the same needles – one inside the other, as mentioned by Tolstoy in War and Peace. In the class, we’ll work a pair of mini socks to practice this fascinating technique, and we’ll get you ready to tackle your first full size pair. The design we work is top-down, but the techniques I teach are easily applied to toe-up knitting. You’ll leave with a pattern and full instructions.

Designing Your Own Custom-Fit Socks
Liberate yourself from pattern books and ensure your socks really fit properly! Learn how to create a completely custom top-down or toe-up sock pattern – for any yarn, and any foot – or how to modify an existing one. We’ll cover knee socks, and discuss special fit requirements like high arches, flat feet, skinny and not-so-skinny ankles. I will show you how to deal with pattern stitches like lace, cables and colorwork, and how to manage differences in gauge and fabric stretch. You’ll leave the class with a set of templates and guidelines for all your sock-fitting needs.

Writing Up An Awesome Sock Pattern
You’ve designed a great sock, and now it’s time to write up the pattern to share with other knitters. This class will show you how to write up a sock pattern that any knitter can follow. We will discuss sizing and fit, addressing when and how to provide multiple sizes. I will share secrets for handling pattern stitches, both written and charted, and provide tips for creating easy-to-read charts. I'll also discuss needle choice and configuration (4 or 5 DPNs, 2 circulars and magic loop), covering when it’s best to be specific, and how to convert from one needle setup to another. And of course, I'll share with you the three key tricks to make sure both knitters and technical editors love you!

This one is designed to be a nice complement to Amy Singer's "Making the Next Monkey" class, which talks about how to design a really great sock, and make it attractive for publishing.

I can't wait to see my friends again, share some of my knitting tips and opinions, and expand my knowledge and stash....

More info about my classes here, and about the event here.

Registration will be opening shortly.

2 comments:

Catherine said...

I would love to attend one of your classes but Portland Oregon is not exactly around the corner. Would you post a tutorial for the two socks at one time technique sometime? that would be so great. Could the technique work for sleeves too?

snoringcat said...

After having completed (successfully!) a two-in-one cuff down sock, I decided to try a toe-up pair. I quickly discovered that it is MUCH HARDER to check if you've accidentally joined your socks together, as there is no "hole" at the bottom to use to separate the two socks. I'm proceeding, though, some might say recklessly. Not that it can't be done, it's just not for the faint of heart.