THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF K2TOG THE KNITTING GUILD ASSOCIATION CONTENTS 1 July 2019 2 TKGA and Program News 3 Professional Knitter Certification Details July 2019 5 TNNA Recap 8 TKGA’s Master Knitter Certification Program: Part II 9 Get Involved!: Warm Up America! 11 Meet a TKGA Member: Gerdina Schwab 14 Podcast Review: Fruity Knitting 15 Knitting Tips, Knitting in the News 16 And the Winner Is... July 2019 The Summer Solstice is upon us! Is everyone (in the Northern Hemisphere at least) enjoying the warm weather? I love to knit on socks and lightweight items in the heat of summer—things that are easy to take to the beach or to the woods! What items do you like to knit in the heat of Summer? In this month’s issue, we have some details on an upcoming new certification program, an article about Warm Up America!, a recap of the TNNA Summer Show that was just in Cleveland, and lots more! Enjoy, stay cool, and Happy Knitting! 1 TKGA and Program News July 2019 July Master Hand Knitting TKGA Scholarship Reminder forward it to the appropriate person. We are available on Ravelry, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well. K2TOG K2TOG TKGA has scholarships available for the Master Hand Participation in social media is voluntary and not a Knitting program as well as for other certification programs requirement for any of our programs. and for all correspondence courses. Up to four scholarships will be awarded yearly. Application deadlines are January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 31. Up to one scholarship will be awarded in each quarter. If you are interested in applying, you must be a TKGA member and you must apply for the Master Machine Knitting scholarship. More information and the application forms are all available on the TKGA website under the Scholarship It is difficult to believe that we are thinking about fall already. Program found under Member Resources. The Scholarship The year has sped by so quickly. Make sure that you check Committee welcomes all applications! If you have any out the Fall 2019 Cast On for a delightful machine-knit dress questions, please contact Binka Schwan at [email protected]. by Kathy Perry and a ski hat by Nancy Jencks. Nancy’s hat is a spinoff from her work on Level 1 of the Master Machine Knitting Program, which requires a plated Reminder of Contacts swatch for one of the swatches. Making her swatch for Level 1 created a fabric that "knit up smoothly on a standard gauge If you have a question or need a clarification concerning the machine," but she faced challenges getting her hat fabric to Masters Program, you can email me directly work the way she envisioned it. She goes into detail at [email protected]. Once you’ve passed Level 1, your describing the small changes she made to overcome those previous Co-Chair is your contact for the Masters Program. If challenges. you are in doubt because your Co-Chair is no longer on the Committee, you are welcome to email me So dust off your knitting machines, share your experiences at [email protected] and I will be more than happy to assist through Cast On or K2TOG, and submit your original you. patterns to Cast On. If you are enrolled in any course (correspondence, mini, or -Katharine Seaman certification) and you need assistance, contact your instructor. Chair, Master Machine Knitting Committee If you’ve lost the contact information, email [email protected] and we will be happy to connect you with the instructor. If you have any questions or concerns and are not sure whom to contact, send your email to [email protected] and we will (Continued on page3 ) Correspondence and Mini-Course Graduates Basics, Basics, Basics Susan Stayer - Yellow Springs, OH Professional Finishing Angela Lakwete - Auburn, AL Marcia Prior - Aloha, OR 2 (Continued from page 2) Let’s learn a bit about the newest MMK Committee member, Kathy Perry! July 2019 July “I learned my machine knitting skills on a Bond knitting machine many, many years ago. That led to designing for Caron International and creating patterns for the “Bond Buzz” - the Bond monthly newsletter. Becoming a member of TKGA, I completed the Master Machine Knitting Program and went on to serve as the committee chair. I teach machine knitting, have written columns for Knit 'N Style magazine, and have spent many years designing for multiple books and magazines. The most fun though, for me, is playing machine knitting with a group of friends that meets once a month at the Senior K2TOG K2TOG Center in Thousand Oaks, California. I thank Arenda, Katharine, and TKGA for welcoming me back to this wonderful network of knitters.” -Kathy Perry The New “Professional Knitter Certification” I know many talented knitters who are not interested in completing the Master Hand Knitting Program due to the amount of research, writing, and designing involved. We are developing a new certification program to meet the needs of those who wish to test their skills without the emphasis on design and pattern writing and, perhaps, pursue a career in the industry. As our certification programs for technical editors, knitting instructors, and knitting judges fill a need in the knitting industry, so will the Professional Knitter Certification. As part of the process for developing this course, I have interviewed designers, sample and test knitters, yarn companies, and yarn shop owners to determine what they would like to see in a certification program. A major need in the knitting industry is for competent knitters who can provide the samples photographed for patterns and shops or test the accuracy of a pattern. The owners of many knitting shops would love to have a list of those wishing to finish garments for their customers. This need requires knitters with many skills—correctly executing knitting techniques, knitting to gauge, interpreting patterns, time management, and an understanding of the best way to finish a project. The program will consist of three modules. Module 1 tests the ability to knit a variety of yarn weights and stitch patterns to a specific gauge, work several swatches to demonstrate the mastery of basic techniques, and interpret patterns to knit swatches for a range of stitch patterns, from simple to complex (and identify possible errors in those patterns). This module also requires a project–a toe-up, striped sock (NO ARGYLES!). The only written work will be answering a few questions which require no research, just observation. Module 2 tests the ability to knit more complex stitch patterns, including colorwork, brioche, and Bavarian patterns; but the focus of this module is finishing. Although there are some swatches for specialized finishing techniques, the knitters will demonstrate their finishing skills by knitting and finishing two baby sweaters: one, a V-neck pullover and the other, a cardigan. (Continued on page4 ) New Guilds and Guild Renewals De Breischool - Netherlands Knerdy Knitters of the SFV - California Front Range Knitting Guild - Colorado Fox Valley Knitters Guild - Illinois South River Knitting Guild - Maryland Minnesota Knitters' Guild - Minnesota Northcoast Knitting Guild - Ohio South Carolina Knitting Guild - South Carolina Shenandoah Knitting Guild - Virginia 3 (Continued from page 3) Module 3 will provide a “real life” scenario where the knitter works with the instructor (acting as a designer) to: bid on a sample knit of a shawl, develop a time schedule for completion, provide progress reports, identify potential errors in the pattern, and complete the project within the agreed-upon time frame. This module will also provide information on developing a resume/portfolio and strategies for finding clients. Upon completion of this module, the knitter will receive a July 2019 July certificate and a letter of recommendation from the instructor. Here are the answers to questions you may have. Is this course just for those interested in a professional career? No. Any knitters wishing to test their skills against the K2TOG K2TOG highest standards of the knitting industry would benefit from this program. Time management is a useful skill for all knitters: those working towards a photo shoot date or those working towards the date of a baby shower. How does this program differ from the Master Hand Knitting (MHK) program? Although both programs test many of the same skills, the focus is different. The emphasis of the MHK program is on design and pattern writing. Level 1 begins the process with the design of a cable swatch, Level 2 reinforces this with the writing of patterns for many of the swatches, and the process culminates in Level 3 with the design of a hat and sweater. Those completing the Professional Knitter Certification will demonstrate that they can correctly interpret and execute the instructions in a pattern to produce items that are “handmade” and not “homemade.” Another major difference is that the candidate will work with an instructor to complete the program. Emails with specific questions are welcomed. The instructor will be a mentor throughout the process. I’m a Master Knitter. Should I get this certification? As a Master Knitter, you have all of the skills tested in this program. The only difference would be the third module; working within a time frame is not part of the Master Program. The level of the reviews for Master work is much more detailed as the standards for a Master Knitter are much higher than general industry standards. I’ve completed Level 1 (or Level 2) of the Master Program. Can I get an exception for Module 1 (or Module 2)? No. None of the swatches/projects in the Master Program are duplicated in this program.