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Category: Loopy Academy

Loopy Academy Grad School!

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Remember back in your school days when you took general classes in high school? And then maybe you went to college and majored in something cool? And then maybe you decided you wanted to really dial down into a certain part of your major, so you went on to Grad School?

Well – it’s time to dial down into your knitting “major”, and focus on an area of interest. We are happy to share our new school year challenge – Loopy Academy Grad School!

Everyone can join in! (No need to have completed Loopy Academy prior to Loopy Grad School)

We’ve taken our Loopy Academy assignments a step further for Grad School, to help you explore different techniques within your graduate program. This challenge will have two semesters, lots of fun challenges and contests, and lots of cool things to learn. First thing first:

Which area would you like to focus on and learn more about this semester? After you’ve chosen what you’d like to major in, check out the assignment options below.

If your major is Socks, pick three of these projects to complete this semester:
* a pair of socks with a Fish Lips Heel
* a pair of socks with an Afterthought Heel
* a pair of socks knit from a charted pattern
* a pair of socks by Hunter Hammersen or Cookie A
* a pair of socks with stripes in more than 2 colors (not self-striping yarn)

If your major is Shawls, pick three of these projects to complete this semester:
* a shawl with a picot edge
* a shawl out of worsted weight yarn
* a shawl with an applied (knit on or crocheted on) edging
* a shawl requiring a center graft
* a shawl done using 2 or 3 different colors

If your major is Sweaters, pick three of these projects to complete this semester (two of the three can be child sweaters if you’d prefer):
* a sweater with a colorwork yoke
* a sweater worked bottom up
* a sweater that is steeked
* a sweater that includes a lace pattern
* a sweater that has cables in the pattern

If your major is Accessories, pick three of these projects to complete this semester:
* a colorwork cowl
* a cabled hat
* a grafted infinity cowl
* a 2 color brioche pattern (cowl, hat, scarf)
* a pair of lined mittens

If your major is Home, pick three of these projects to complete this semester:
* a set of 3 felted bowls (in graduated sizes)
* a circular afghan
* a colorwork pillow
* a stuffie with parts that need to be sewn together
* a knitted or felted bowl of knitted items (4+ of the same type item – ornaments, fruit, snowmen, little monsters, etc)

*Your challenge is to complete your three chosen assignments from one category (socks or shawls or sweaters or accessories or home) between September 1 and December 31, 2019.

  • Minimum yardage requirement: 300 yards per project.
  • Photos of each completed project need to be uploaded to our Grad School Photo Gallery by midnight 12/31/19.
  • To qualify for Loopy Graduate Points, the yarn for your projects for first semester needs to be purchased from The Loopy Ewe anytime after 9/1/19. Points will be awarded during the month of January, 2020.
  • Once First Semester has been completed, we’ll debut five new challenges for each major on January 1, for your Second Semester assignments. Again, you’ll get to choose three of the five options to complete.
  • Your projects all need to be completed within one category in the semester, but you are welcome to change your category for second semester if you’d like.

Of course you want people to know that you’re in Grad School, right? (You’ll have to let them know you won’t be available for things like cooking or working or running errands, because you have Grad School Homework to be focusing on.) We have Loopy Academy Grad School pins for your project bags! They’re cute and they have a clutch back so they stay where you put them.

We have a Loopy Academy Grad School thread started up today on Ravelry, so you can share ideas, comments, thoughts, etc. We also set up a Loopy Academy Grad School private Facebook Group for people who’d like to chat there. It’s always more fun to see what everyone is doing, and to have a group where you can ask questions and get opinions on patterns, colors, designers, etc.

You’ll earn Loopy Reward Points for your total yardage completed during your semester. (You’ll need to notate your yardage in each photo you upload, please.)

You’ll earn 75 points for every 300 yards. So if you complete one 300 yard project during the semester, you’ll earn 75 points. If you complete all of your projects and do a total of 900 yards between all three, you’ll earn 225 points. If you are doing higher yardage projects and use (for example) 2100 yards in your projects during the semester, you’ll earn 525 points. (Limit three Grad Projects per semester per person, because we have to do all of the figuring manually on our end!)

So are you ready?
1. Pick your major
2. Pick three projects
3. Order your yarn
And go!

Sheri and The Loopy Ewe Crew Professors

P.S. As you are getting your yarn order in, you’ll also want to check out our September Scissors (Pumpkin handles!), NeedleMinder (sweet sheep), Sewing Kit (Wine Tote), Yarn Kit (Another Way Scarf), all just up today.

Loopy Academy Assignments (Join us!)

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This is an ongoing set of challenges that are designed to encourage you to try new things with your knitting or your sewing. There are 8 semesters and we’ve grouped them into Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior years. There is no fee to participate. If you’d like to participate, leave us an order note when you order your supplies (or email us) and tell us what year and semester you’re going to be working on.

You can see photos of completed projects in our Loopy Photo Galleries. Click here for Loopy Academy Yarn.

How does it work?

– The program runs by semester. You can participate in the fall and/or in the spring.
– Each semester needs to be fully completed during those four months. (Supplies purchased, project started and finished, photos uploaded. If you get waylaid, you’re welcome to start over with new projects and new supplies the next semester. Part of the challenge is completing these things in a four month time period.)
– You don’t have to go in order. You can do one semester and then skip a semester and come back in the next year. Or you can do two semesters at a time! Your decision. We’ll keep track of which semesters you complete and will reward you with gifts or points when you have completed your Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior years.

Dates and Deadlines

Fall Dates and Deadlines: purchase your supplies from The Loopy Ewe on September 1 or later. Start and complete all three projects over the next four months. Upload photos showing each of your completed projects to our Loopy Photo Galleries by December 31 of that same semester.

Spring Dates and Deadlines: purchase your supplies from The Loopy Ewe on February 1 or later. Start and complete all three projects over the next four months. Upload photos showing each of your completed projects to our Loopy Photo Galleries by May 31 of that same semester.

Rewards for successfully completing a year (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior): for each semester successfully completed, you’ll be earning 500 Loopy Reward Points.

Assignments: Loopy Academy – Yarn

Freshman Year Semester 1 
(Each project must use a minimum of 175 yards)
1. A cowl in a multi-colored or self-striping fingering weight yarn.
2. A hat from a designer new to you, in a sport or dk weight yarn.
3. A pair of mittens in a solid or semi-solid worsted weight yarn.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 75

Freshman Year Semester 2
(Each project must use a minimum of 175 yards)
1. A project that has stripes of two or more colors in the design. (Not self-striping yarn.)
2. A project that has been felted or fulled.
3. A project that includes slipped stitches in the pattern.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 75

Sophomore Year Semester 1
(Each project must use a minimum of 225 yards)
1. A pillow in a worsted or bulky weight yarn.
2. A project that has textured stitches in the body.
3. A project that has cables in the pattern.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 100

Sophomore Year Semester 2
(Each project must use a minimum of 225 yards)
1. A project that includes both a solid and a multi-colored yarn in the same project.
2. A pattern that includes twisted stitches.
3. A pair of socks knit top down or toe up (whichever you are least familiar with.)
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 100

Junior Year Semester 1
(Each project must use a minimum of 250 yards)
1. A pair of gloves will full fingers (no fingerless mitts)
2. A toy using more than one color of yarn. (You can add knitted clothes or make a set of toys to get the yardage required.)
3. A project that incorporates bobbles or popcorn or nupps in the pattern.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 125

Junior Year Semester 2
(Each project must use a minimum of 250 yards)
1. A project that uses beads.
2. A project that uses colorwork or fair isle (at least 2 separate colors used in the same row.)
3. A project with buttonholes and buttons.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 125

Senior Year Semester 1
(Each project must use a minimum of 275 yards)
1. An asymmetrical project (uneven hemlines or edges)
2. A project that contains some entrelac.
3. A project knit from one or more charts.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 150

Senior Year Semester 2
(Each project must use a minimum of 275 yards)
1. A sweater or vest (can be child-sized as long as you use 275 yards)
2. A project that uses the Brioche Stitch.
3. A project that uses Laceweight yarn.
Total Reward Points for successful completion: 125

FAQ’s

Q: I am new to Loopy Academy. Can I start with Senior Year Second Semester or do I have to go in order?

A: You don’t have to go in order. You can start with any semester you want to. It’s totally up to you. Any time you do complete a semester of a year (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior) you 500 Loopy Reward Points.

Q: What if I want to do more than one semester at the same time?

A: You can do that as well!

Q: I completed one of the three project assignments last fall and then got busy with other stuff. Can I finish the other two projects this semester and have it marked complete?

A: To get a complete for the semester, all of the projects need to be started and finished in the same semester, with yarn purchased during that semester. Getting them done during the 4 month semester time period is part of the challenge, just like school. If you don’t finish a semester, you need to start over with new yarn and new projects. (Luckily there is no limit to the number of do-overs you’re allowed!)

Q: I am going to do this semester, but then I’m busy in the fall and won’t be able to do Loopy Academy again until a year from now. Do you have to do it every semester?

A: Nope. You can hop in and hop out as it works with your schedule. We’ll keep track of which semesters you have completed so we know when we owe you prizes.

Q: Is there a way to participate using my stash yarn?

A: For Loopy Academy, we do require you to purchase the project yarn from us during the semester you’re completing.

Q. I need more pattern ideas. Where can I get them?

A. Log onto Ravelry and pop over to the Loopy Groupies. We have started threads for Loopy Academy so you can talk about what you’re thinking and get some new ideas.

We love seeing your projects and look forward to continuing to celebrate your completed challenges, year by year!

Sheri and The Loopy Ewe Crew

Loopy Academy Catchup (and New Loopy Fall Challenge Preview…)

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Happy September! For the first time in four years, we aren’t headed back to knitting school (Loopy Academy) this month (but we do have another challenge starting on Tuesday – see below!) We finished four years of Loopy Academy Yarn Challenges in May, and congratulations to all who graduated. That was a wonderful accomplishment and we loved being along with you for the rid.

Loopy Academy is something that will always be available for you to participate in.

We designed the program to encourage you to learn new things and strengthen your knitting (or sewing) skills, We know there are new knitters and sewists coming along all the time, so the challenges are all still available. We will continue to award prizes for finishing, as long as you meet the requirements. You can find out about Loopy Academy challenges here.

You can catch up on any semester. Just remember, supplies need to be purchased from The Loopy Ewe September 1, 2018 or later, with completed project photos uploaded to our photo galleries by December 31, 2018.

Since we started Loopy Academy Fabric a year after Loopy Academy Yarn, 2018-2019 is the Senior Year for quilters and sewists, and the challenges for Fall Semester Senior Year are listed below.

Loopy Academy Fabric, Senior Year, Fall Semester

  1. Bag or project with multiple zippers. (1 yard+ required)
  2. Paper pieced project. (2 yards+ required)
  3. Project with diagonal blocks. (3 yards+ required)

As with all semesters, required fabric amounts need to be purchased from The Loopy Ewe September 1st, 2018 or later, projects need to be completed and photos uploaded to our Loopy Photo Galleries by December 31, 2018. In order for your semester to count as complete, all three projects need to be finished during this timeline. (If you get waylaid, you’re always welcome to start the semester and all three projects over in the spring with new supplies.) For more details, check this blog post:  Loopy Academy Info

You can see photos of completed Loopy Academy projects in our Loopy Photo Galleries. It was so fun to see you all try new things and complete so many projects!

We do have a new Loopy Fall Challenge starting up this month!

We’ll be debuting that via the blog and newsletter on Tuesday, September 3.  Here’s a sneak peek at the new logo. Any guesses as to what our new theme is? Get ready to get some things done and have FUN!

Have a great rest of your weekend, and we’ll be back on Tuesday with the Loopy Fall Challenge news!

Sheri and The Loopy Ewe Crew

P.S. Our new Loopy Fall Challenge involves knitters and crocheters. Not doing Loopy Fabric Academy? We are bringing back our Monthly Fabric Mixers for our quilters and sewists! The September Fabric Monthly Mixer Challenge is to make a wall hanging, table topper, mug mat or quilt that has a fall theme. This can mean fall colors, fall topics, or fall pattern/fabric names. You can use any fabric that we carry at Loopy (and a little bit of your other stash fabrics, too). Upload a finished photo by October 1 so we can see what you came up with. We’ll share some of them on our Instagram page with #loopykudos!

Loopy Academy, Spring Semester!

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The new Loopy Academy Semester starts today, and we can’t wait to see your project photos start rolling in! We’ll get right to the assignments, then will give more details below.

What is Loopy Academy?

It’s a program we started in 2014 to help knitters learn new things through semester challenges. Each year is meant to build upon the last year, although you are welcome to jump in and start with any year or semester that you’d like. You might find some assignments that are outside your comfort zone – but that’s one of the great things about Loopy Academy. You get to stretch and try things you may not have done before! (Our Loopy Academy for Sewing started in 2015, so we’re a year behind with the sewists.)

 

Senior Year Spring Semester for Knitters (yardage requirement: 275 yds. or more per project)

  1. Sweater or Vest (can be child-sized, as long as 275 yds. are used). Click here for some options for sweaters.
  2. Project that has the Brioche Stitch in it. Click here for some options using Brioche Stitch.
  3. Project that uses Laceweight yarn. Click here for some options using Laceweight yarn.
  • The Ravelry links are a starting point. Please be sure that the pattern you pick does meet the yardage and Academy requirements!

 

 

Junior Year Spring Semester for Sewists (yardage requirement: 3 yds. minimum per project)

  1. Crazy Quilt or Crazy Wall Hanging (including embroidery stitching). Here are some crazy quilt ideas from Pinterest.
  2. Project that includes a linen or linen blend. Here are some linen quilt ideas on Pinterest (but of course you can make a linen garment, too.)
  3. Project with curved or angled seams. Here are some curved quilt block ideas on Pinterest.

 

Here’s how it works:

  1. Purchase your yarn or fabric supplies from The Loopy Ewe, any time today (February 1) through the end of May for the semester you are doing this spring. You don’t have to purchase all three project supplies at once, and you don’t have to officially sign up. But do leave us an order note on your order for Loopy Academy, so we know you’re one of our students this semester!
  2. Start and finish all three challenges for the semester between 2/1/18 and 5/31/18 and upload pictures of them to our Loopy Academy photo galleries on our website by 5/31/18.
  3. When you have successfully finished both semesters of a particular year (Freshman or Sophomore or Junior or Senior), you will be awarded a finishing prize at the end!

For previous semester project assignments, check here and here.

FAQ’s

Q: I am new to Loopy Academy. Can I start with this Senior Year Spring Semester or do I have to go in order?

A: You don’t have to go in order. You can do any semester you want to. It’s totally up to you. Any time you do complete both semesters of a year (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior) you earn a fun prize from us.

Q: What if I want to do more than one semester at the same time?

A: You can do that as well!

Q: I completed one of the three project assignments last fall and then got busy with other stuff. Can I finish the other two this semester and have it marked complete?

A: To get a complete for the semester, all of the projects need to be done in the same semester, with yarn or fabric purchased during that semester. Getting them done during the 4 month semester time period is part of the challenge, just like school. If you don’t finish a semester, you need to start over with new yarn and new projects. (Luckily there is no limit to the number of do-overs you’re allowed!)

Q: I am going to do this semester, but then I’m busy in the fall and won’t be able to do Loopy Academy again until a year from now. Do you have to do it every semester?

A: Nope. You can hop in and hop out as it works with your schedule. We’ll keep track of which semesters you have completed so we know when we owe you prizes.

Q: Is there a way to participate using my stash yarn or stash fabric?

A: For Loopy Academy, we do require you to purchase the project yarn/fabric from us during the semester you’re completing.

Q. I need more pattern ideas. Where can I get them?

A. Log onto Ravelry and pop over to the Loopy Groupies. We have a thread for Loopy Academy so you can talk about what you’re thinking and get some new ideas.

Not into Loopy Academy? Be sure to check out our Great Loopy Knitting Challenge and Great Loopy Sewing Challenge, which runs from January through May. (Yes, you can double-dip and find projects that count for both, to get more points!)

Have fun shopping for your school supplies, and we’ll get your orders shipped out as quickly as we can!

Sheri and The Loopy Ewe Crew