| |
|
A newsletter of the Atlanta Knitting Guild: Bringing Atlanta's knitters together
Next meeting - December 1 - 7:30 p.m.
|
President's message
Susan Duralde
Hello Fiber Friends!
Wow, do we have an exciting newsletter this month!
Our December meeting is one for fun and fellowship. Bring a pot luck dish and be prepared to expand your group of knitting buddies. Wear one of your projects.
December also represents our bi-annual focus on our charity work. We will be doing our final bear collection for the year. Right now, we are about
200 bear sweaters behind last year! Please help! Also, this is one of two months we are accepting donations to the women's shelter. Check out the Knit It Forward section to see what to bring.
We have news about Yarn, the movie. We've set a date - Feb 25 - and a team is coming together to make this event happen. I'd like to call out a special thank you to Ginger Giddens who donated $3200 of top quality yarn for use in a raffle. This will happen at the Yarn event. How about that!?!
Your friends have been traveling to fiber destinations. We've included three articles about their adventures - that will probably make you as pea green as I am. Oh, for the time to travel..... At least we can all live vicariously!! My hope is some of you will find new information about knitting adventures you never knew existed, which you can put in next year's plans or on your bucket list.
Barbara Benson taught a sold-out mini-workshop on analyzing and selecting variegated yarns that was chock full of
valuable info. This is a workshop we must repeat. It was well worth the time and money! Photos are included. Well done Susan Nease on another successful program.
Stephanie Johnson is busy giving us tools to make the library more useful. Read about what's up.
We have news from the Center for Knit and Crochet. You can take a tour of a fabulous knitting technique from Scotland - right from your home computer. I thought it was great.
In Tips and Tricks, Pam Cornutt, our resident Master Knitter, introduces us to TECHknitter, a wonderful how-to blog. Many of us find it indispensable.
Our superstar team is busy locking down dates for
two superstars for next year!! Read about our strategy. We will keep you up-to-date as plans evolve.
We've had wonderful new volunteers step up. Thank you to Claudia Purgason of Yarn Rhapsody for taking on marketing efforts for the movie Yarn. Kendra Fabry is helping with superstars and Jackie Hicks will be our Sunshine Chair. Each are bringing their unique skills and experience. Claudia has a background in marketing, Kendra has terrific organization skills gained through teaching art to wee-ones and Jackie sells greeting cards. Talk about synergy! In addition, Lynne Davidson and Natalie Greene are helping with social media. If you haven't been on Facebook recently, check out all of Natalie's goodies! Thank you Melanie Burns and Shannon Parris for taking over as Co-Chairs of the Yarn Sponsorship Committee!
Please be sure to check out the Sunshine Committee and Honorarium sections so you know how to use these two services effectively.
Kraemer Yarns is offering a discount to AKG members until December 31. Read on for details.
Claire Kooy shares her experience as a novice knitter taking her first class.
I hope the energy and activity of the guild - what we're doing and how we are expanding has you as excited as I am. You have a dedicated and creative board and ever an expanding cadre of Purl Power volunteers making a difference for us all!
Every contribution of time and talent makes a difference. It all adds up.
If you are interested in getting more involved, we'll find a way to plug you in! Just call me at 678.596.7525 or drop me an email at [email protected].
Cheers and happy reading,
Susan
P.S. See if you can find the definition for
Yarn Barf in this newsletter.
|
Newsletter Contents
Here's what's inside
Section 1 - Immediate Info for Dec 1 Meeting
- Hospitality for Dec 1 Meeting
- Program for Dec 1
- Knit it Forward for Dec 1
- Discount on Kraemer Yarns until December 31
- Help wanted for AKG projects
- Request for help from the community
Section 2 - Upcoming events
- Yarn, the film
- Superstars 2017
- Sunshine Committee
- Affiliate News
- Call for Newsletter Submissions
- SC Knitting Guild Knit-in registration
Section 3 - Updates
- Honorarium Fund
- Library
- Treasury
- Membership
- Minutes from November general meeting
- Purl Power
Section 4 - Stories and event reviews
- Tips and Tricks
- Barbara Benson's Varigated Yarn Workshop - A Review
- A novice knitter takes her first knitting class ever
- AKG members in Ireland
- AKG members at SAFF
- Pam Cornutt in knitting and learning in Maine
- Sanquhar gloves - A virtual museum exhibit by Center for Knit and Crochet
Section 5 - Happening around us
- Show and Tell Photos
- SEFAA
- North Ga. Knitting Guild
|
Section 1 - December Meeting
|
Hospitality
Patty Malec and Susan Donges
Our next meeting on December 1st is a potluck Holiday celebration. The Guild will provide sliced turkey and ham. Please bring a potluck side dish to share. (Everyone loves veggies!). We will also provide drinks, as usual. Looking forward to seeing everyone as we celebrate the season!
|
Programs
Pam Cornutt and Ashley Jackson
Upcoming Programs:
AKG Around the World KAL -
We will pick up again in January.
For those who missed the November meeting, Lynne Davidson talked all about her alpacas. Did you know she is a farmer? Did you know she produces beautiful yarn from her sweet beasts? Well, she does. And she tells
great
stories.
Lynne lives on a 14 acre farm called Wandering Fox Farm. She sort of fell into raising Alpaca's as they were a part of the final purchase negotiation for the farm --- Okay, said the seller, you can have the place for $x and some alpacas and a bunch of chickens. Talk about a negotiation taking an unexpected turn!
Lynne brought some of her lovely yarn to sell.
 |
|
|
A friendship started in the AKG |
This month, our focus is on friendship. For many, making knitting buddies is a primary reason for membership - the ability to share our passion with others and to learn from each other. Everyone has a story - a favorite project, yarn or shop. They may have travelled to learn from an interesting artisan.
So, find someone new and introduce yourself. How do you start a conversation with a stranger? It is simple in this group. Try these three questions:
1. What are you working on?
2. Where did you find the yarn and the pattern?
3. Who are you making it for?
The answers to these questions can take you on a wonderful journey. In the journey, you will find a connection and, with that connection, a new friend.
|
|
Knit it Forward
Karleen Buchholz and Carol Hassell
Bears for Georgia Center for Child Advocacy
Click here for information on the Center
GCCA.
Links to patterns are on our website.
Need in December = 153
Current Count = 547
Goal Count by Dec 31, 2016 = 700
Donations in October = 30
Donations in November = 37
- Carol Hassell - 1
- Karleen Buchholz - 20
- Geri Rose Patterson - 1
- Shelly Pirkle - 1
- Jane Higdon Ballard - 1
- Melanie Burns - 1
- Jane Wallace - 7
- Lisa Williams - 3
Preemie hats and blankets for Northside Neo-Natal ICU
Links to patterns are on our website.
- Joselyn Sykes - 1 hat
- Claire Kooy - 2 hats, 2 blankets
- Natalie Greene - 7 hats
Donations to Atlanta Women's Shelter for abused women
|
A Special Offer
From Kim Stout of Kraemer Yarns
 In support of your knitting guild, we would like to extend all of your members 20% off for any online purchase over $20.00 between now and the end of year. Just click "Buy Now" on any of our product pages and use promo code "Guild20" at checkout.
We supply nearly 500 stores in 47 states and have been spinning 100% American made and sourced yarns right here in Nazareth, PA, since 1887. You might want to look at our best selling Perfection Collection, which includes 71 colors in DK, Worsted, Chunky, and Super Bulky. We also have a large selection of roving, alpaca, and some of the finest sock yarn available, as well as a large collection of naturals for dying. We also now offer yarn on cones.
Kraemer Yarns is known for our quality and customer service, and shipping is always free!
|
Help Wanted for AKG Projects!
Can you give a few hours?
Many Hands make light work!
Sunshine Chairman - FILLED! Thank you Jackie Hicks!!
----
Mini Workshops Jr. VP
We need one person. We would like to host three more workshops before May. Our ideas exceed the hands available. Responsibilities: Contact teacher. Book SEFAA for the class. Write a one paragraph description of the class for publication in all media. Send an email with the description to the communication committee to publicize the class. Announce and describe the class at the monthly meeting. Submit a form to Treasurer to pay SEFAA and the teacher.
----
Yarn, the movie, Publicity Chair and Committee Members
FILLED! Thank you Claudia Purgeson for taking the lead on this. Thank you to Lynne Davidson and Natalie Greene for stepping up to help with social media postings.
----
Yarn, the movie, Sponsor Committee Co-Chairs
FILLED, Thank you to Shannon Parris and Melanie Burns.
----
Yarn, the movie, Sponsor Committee Members
We need 10 people. Responsibilities include contacting 10 yarn and other craft store owners and designers, etc., to explain the program, secure their donations and send a thank you note. This can all be done from home as time permits.
Jolie Elder has already done the heavy lifting of identifying potential sponsors and their contact info. In addition, we have a package of info you can email to the sponsors.
The bulk of our money will be raised here.
----
Yarn, the movie, Project Manager
We need 1 - 2 people. We need someone with project management experience to review and improve our project plan. If that person can monitor progress once a week and help identify potential problems and solutions, that would be INCREDIBLE! You are certainly free to pull in a co-Project Manager to lighten the burden and provide back-up.
This project could bring thousands of dollars into the guild if it is done properly. Strong committee chairs are already being locked into place. We have access to GoToMeeting to run virtual meetings with the team. We also have central data storage on google docs to enable the team to post updates virtually, making management easier.
----
Yarn, the movie, Logistics Manager and Committee
We need 5-7 people. This committee is in charge of what happens in the theater on the event day, Feb 25. Duties include set-up/break-down; designing and installing decorations (the event space has tables); determining door prizes (these will be donated in advance), raffle items/sale; distributing prizes (people must be present to win); collecting tickets; manning the AKG table where memberships are sold and info about the guild is distributed; capturing key moments in photos; ensuring a positive, welcoming experience.
|
Community Request for Help
Machine Knitting
Cicely Peace-Edouard would like to hire someone to help with personalized training on her new knitting machine. Can anyone help? [email protected]
|
Call for Newsletter Submissions
Drop us a line!
We need to know what you are doing and seeing. Please send in any of the following at any time to Diana Baber and Susan Duralde.
(BTW - someone send me a description about a new zipper. I cannot find it anywhere on any of my devices. Could you please resend? Thank you, [email protected])
1. Photo of a holiday knitting project, who it is for and the pattern/yarn
2. Brief description of a class you've taken, something knitting/crochet related that you saw and it caught your eye, etc.
3. A picture of a cool tool you just discovered, what it is, what it does, where to find it
4. Whatever you'd like to share
Don't worry about being polished. We will edit.
|
Section 2 - Upcoming Events
|
Yarn - the film
A major event for all fiber lovers!!
Come be a part of a unique and hugely important AKG event!!
This could be:
- A fantastic community event
- A wonderful way to bring in new members
- Our biggest money maker ever!!
What: A documentary about fiber artists taking yarn to the next level. Trailer available at
www.yarnfilm.com
When: Saturday, Feb 25 at 10:30, Tickets go on sale in January 2017
Where: Lefont Theatre, Sandy Springs
Cost: $5 for AKG Members, $10 for non-members
Other: There will be a major raffle of fabulous yarn (value = $3200, thank you Ginger Giddens!) and door prizes.
How?
We need sponsors! please see the attached sponsor package and share with your LYS and any designers and guilds you are a part of.
Yarn Sponsor Invitation. See
Help Wanted in Section 1 of the newsletter for roles we are working to fill.
It is hard to overstate how important this event can be to AKG
|
Superstars 2017
Barb Moore, Dallas Duncan and Kendra Fabry
We are busy at work securing dates for two superstars in 2017. Our growth and solid attendance at mini workshops as well as the 2016 superstar are enabling this effort.
Our idea is to have one come for classes on Saturday and Sunday only. This Superstar will be Charles Gandy. He was a hit at a meeting earlier this year. We are targeting May. Our travel expenses will be lighter given he lives in NC. Attendance may be strong given his local following.
The second will fly in for a full Thursday through Sunday group of presentations and classes. This will occur in the fall.
We have a short list of candidates. As soon as we have dates and experts confirmed, we will share the news.
|
Sunshine Committee
Caring for our members
Many suggested we start a committee to send cards to members who are ill, have lost/gained someone important, have done something special in the knitting world, etc.
We are extremely fortunate that Jackie Hicks has volunteered. She works in the greeting card business! How lucky can you get? This is a passion for her. With her ready stock, she will help us meet the mission and watch our budget as well.
Here's the trick - none of us read minds. So, if you think someone needs a card, please let us know.
Also - please let Jackie know if this is private or if it can be publicized in the newsletter. We will never publish anything personal without permission from the person or responsible loved one.
|
|
Affiliate News
Spring Fling 2017 announces dates.
Spring Fling yarn and craft show will be held on March 31, April 1 & 2 next year. The location is the Perimeter Marriott Hotel near Perimeter Mall. We are looking for craft people to sign up and sell their wares at this show. Anyone who is crafty qualifies for a booth. In the past we have had yarn shops, indie dyers, quilters, woodturners, tote bag makers, jewelry makers, knitting guilds, hand dyers and more man the booths. If you are interested you can go to
www.needlenookatlanta.com
for a sign up form or call 404-325-0068 for more information.
|
South Carolina Knit-In
Registration
Our friends at the SC Knitting Guild in Greenville, SC host a major event each year. It fills up fast because it is a great price-performer. If you've never been to a weekend knitting event, with classes, a yarn market and an entire hotel taken over by knitters, this is the one to try.
It fills up in three days. So, mark your calendars for registration.
Event: February 3-5
Schedule available to view Nov 20
Registration opens Dec 4
|
In Honor of...
Highlighting donations made in honor of a member
We had additional gifts this month. Our current total is $600.
Honorees include:
Margie Steiner
Rebecca Ewing
Barb Moore
Donors include:
Arlene Jacobson
Brenda Mazzocchi
Maxine Watkins
Susan Duralde
Whit Robins
Ginny Lester
Anonymous
Thank you to our donors!
These funds will be used for an event or capital expenditure that benefits all the members. Gifts can be make for any reason to honor any guild member.
|
From our Librarian...
Stephanie Johnson
An exciting change is coming!
We are working to make the library content really useful. We are adding an AKG site to Revelry, which will have our library. When we're ready, you can go to the site and search every pattern we have and then decide which book you want to check out. You will be able to send a message to Stephanie from the library. She can then bring the book to the next meeting for you. Presto! You have the pattern you need! Thank you Jolie Elder for this idea!
AKG members may check out up to four books and one CD/DVD per month. All items are due back the following month.
|
Treasurer's Report
Lee Greenberg
Lee is on vacation in Israel for a month so we will catch up with her report later in December. Please know that we made money with Brooke Nico and the last two mini-workshops. So, our financial position continues to improve.
|
Membership
Elizabeth Halberstadt
Our current paid membership is 150. We added three members in October and had a guest in November.
The Membership Committee is a fantastic learning experience and a great way to meet new friends and members who one sees but with whom one never has a chance to speak. The Membership Committee, or any other Board Position is also a great way to learn about the Guild - its activities and all the opportunities it provides.
It is extremely helpful to have a volunteer at the desk each month. Thank you to Allison Byrd for help in November.
Let me know if you would like to help out. Would anyone like to take a one time or multiple time deep dive? I could really use a partner to help me manage the activities.
|
Minutes
Sandra Crowley
.Did you miss our last meeting? Minutes from the November meeting may be found HERE.(LINK TO A PDF)
|
Purl Power
We couldn't do it without you!
Thank You to:
Allison Byrd - help at membership desk
Lynne Davidson - social media updates
Claudia Purgeson - marketing help with yarn
Jackie Hicks - sunshine
Kendra Fabry - help with superstar
Natalie Green - zillions of posts on Facebook
Shannon Parrie - Yarn Sponsor Co-Chair
Melanie Burns - Yarn Sponsor Co-Chair
Pam Cornutt - donation of needles for Raffle
And a very special thank you to Ginger Giddens who donated $3200 worth of top notch yarn to sell in a special raffle. We are planning this for the Yarn movie event.
All our bear and preemie knitters!!
All our Women's Shelter donors!!
All those who bring goodies for Hospitality each month!
If we missed your name, send an email to [email protected]. Your contributions are important to us!! We are very sorry if we missed you. Always be sure to sign in your contributions at the welcome desk.
|
Section 4 - Stories and Events
|
|
Tips 'n Tricks
Pam Cornutt
In a project where my cast on and bind off will both show, I like for them to match; I just think the final project looks more elegant that way :-)
For 1X1 ribbing, I love to use the ITALIAN CAST ON and then KITCHENER the bind off.
Our own fabulous Jolie has a wonderful video on her blog with the Italian cast on (January 16, 2016)
|
|
|
| TECHknitter |
|
And for the bind off, I want to introduce you to another wonderful source - TECHknitter.
To prepare your 1X1 ribbing for the bind off - grab two more needles and slip the knits to the front needle and the purls to the back needle.
This is the reverse of the transition we all used to go from Rovaniemi to cables :-)
Now you are ready for Techknitter's instructions.
|
Working with Variegated Yarns - Review
Susan Duralde
|
|
|
The devilishly inventive Barbara Benson |
On November 12, Barbara Benson taught 15 AKG members how to analyze and select variegated yarn to meet a specific knitting project. Considering everyone there had been seduced
at least once by a $30 skein of yarn, only to frog it because it looked awful in the pattern selected, or allowed it to languish for lack of a suitable project, the $20 workshop cost was a
bargain!
Contrast and repeat and hue, oh my! Barbara laid out examples of specific types of variegated dying techniques and yarn characteristics that matter. Knowing the peculiarities of each category was a great start. Then we had examples of what each yarn looked like in various completed projects - some disasters, others divine. Now we had guidelines to use in selecting yarns and matching them to projects.
But that wasn't all, Barbara had us work through various techniques to manipulate the yarn to create different effects. Do you know about dimpling? We didn't either. Some techniques were simple, intuitive, and powerful. Some were advanced, creative and out of the box yielding surprising results. If you want to try some of these, check out Barbara's patterns on Ravelry. They are well thought out and ground-breaking. We truly have a master inventor in our midst! (She has a book coming out soon.)
Next time we walk into our LYS, we'll be confident of what we're doing and much smarter with our precious yarn dollars!
 And here's a Tumped Duck (Barbara's Revelry handle and website) term for you: Yarn Barf. That's the knot of snotty yarn that gloms onto your working yarn when doing a center pull. One must stop and clean it up before proceeding.....and yes, it stinks when that happens.
|
|
A Novice Knitter Braves Her First Class
Claire Kooy
I'm a beginning knitter who had a fear of going to knitting classes. But no more!
When I learned about superstar workshops, I was excited, but also hesitant. Would I be able to keep up with the rest of the students? Would the class be above my head? I twiddled my thumbs for a few months. I wanted to go.....but......
Then, one day I was chatting with guild buddies. They told me, "Go for it!" Though they assured me I wouldn't regret it, I was still skeptical. This was a 'superstar' after all. I took a deep breath and registered.
The night before I was really nervous. Unfortunately, I'd missed the October general meeting when Brooke spoke. That might have calmed the jitters. Sheepishly, I entered SEFAA for my first knitting lesson ever.
Turns out, I had
nothing to worry about. Barb and Brooke greeted me so warmly (Barb's cupcakes didn't hurt either!), that I started to feel excited. Excited! That was unexpected.
Brooke took all the fear out of the class. I could ask questions! I could check in to see if I was doing things right. She answered every question with patience and encouragement. And my classmates were patient, welcoming and helpful. I felt like I was an equal - a knitter on a quest to get better.
Then, there were the charts!! Chart! Quell horror! Somehow, Brooke magically demystified the knitting pattern chart, which, for the life of me, I could never understand before.
I was a different person, a different knitter after the class. I was excited about what I'd learned, but the feeling didn't totally sink in until a week later. I was working on a very simple feather and fan pattern. I was tired and for some reason, I thought I was following the writer pattern, but low and behold, at the end of the row I had six more stitches that I was supposed to have. I'm sure that's never happened to you, right? Riiiight. The pattern came with the chart as well. When I looked at it, instead of the words, instead of confusion, I had a revelation! The chart made so much sense!! It was like a light coming from behind a dark cloud.
Today, I can't read all charts, but I'm not afraid of them. In fact, I prefer them. I'm so glad I took Brooke's class. I highly recommend taking a superstar class, even if you've never taken one before, and
especially
if you are a beginner like me.
|
The Portable Passion - Atlanta Knitters Cover the Globe
Doreen Lewis
Atlanta Knitters are peripatetic purlers to be sure. Like knitters everywhere, we carry our current WIP's wherever we go. These days, Some of us have very well traveled yarn indeed.
A group of 6 Knitters from Atlanta accompanied by 6 companions affectionately known as "The Drinkers" are recently returned from an October adventure on the Emerald Isle where they spent a week touring the southern part of the Republic of Ireland in a private bus with a fabulous driver guide.
 The highlight of the trip was an afternoon spent with Irish designer Kieran Foley at The Constant Knitter LYS in Dubin. Kieran treated our Knitters to a private mini-trunk show while they discussed design, color, and knitting techniques. The Drinkers used this time to earn their appellation with a visit to the Guinness Storehouse (a great destination on its own) for a tour and tastings.
Terrific weather and the proverbial good time were enjoyed by all.
Rumor has it that a trip to Normandy (where there is no knitting) and Paris (where there is) is being planned for Fall 2017 while plans for a return to Ireland coupled a visit to Shetland Wool Week is on the drawing board for 2018." Stay tuned for updates here.
|
AKG Travels to Asheville for SAFF
Susan Duralde
A group of AKG members traveled to SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair) in October. The market is a treat for those who spin, knit, crochet and weave. Everything is available from sheep to shawl -- yes, including those four legged creatures that bleat. There is a market and there are classes. Our own Jolie Elder taught a class.
Our intrepid AKG shoppers enjoyed wonderful weather and the fine dining in Asheville and Hendersonville. Here are some of their photos:
 Booth by 'A 100 Ravens' was one of Delia Jaquette's favorites. "The vendors set up their booth with generous space between displays, allowing for easy browsing. Drop dead color combinations, in both gradients and variegated yarns made it especially hard to choose. You can find them at
www.ahundredravens.com.
 Another booth that caught Delia's eye was Morning Meadows Sundries. "The cream colored yarn in the picture was a blend of 84% cotton and 16% linen, with 700 yards in an 8 ox. skein. And, it was a great deal at $16. Three of my group came home with this yarn. I've already cast on Quince and Comany's Morning Gory Cardigan with the hanks I brought home. With luck, I'll have enough left for a crescent shawl. The Ohio-based company doesn't have a website, but can be contacted at 614.870.8410.
Of course there's a lot going on. Some people go for the animals!
|
|
|
| Angora Rabbit |
|
|
A Fabulous Time and Place
Pam Cornutt
When is the best Sweater Weather?
That would be Amy Herzog's
MakeWearLove in Maine in September.
I flew up to Portland and had a car service scheduled to drive me to Sebasco Resort. When I exited baggage claim, there was the guy with my name on the sign, BUT, it said: 'Pam and Stephanie. Stephanie? I asked the guy and he said they had found someone to share with me. Well, OK... But, originally, I did not book a shared ride because I did not want to be stuck at the airport if someone's plane was delayed, their baggage lost, etc. I wanted to get to the resort and start enjoying
my vacation. And, as far as I am concerned, the transportation portion of a trip is not actually vacation time!!
Well, she did not show up. I gently asked the guy where she was. He said he had talked to her and she was on her way. OK, deep breath - I can be patient. A few (looong) minutes later, here comes Stephanie Pearl-McPhee!!!!! Oh, wow!! That was totally worth a few minutes - I got to share an hour long ride from the airport to the resort with The Yarn Harlot - a
marvelous way to start a long knitting weekend!!!
|
|
|
The Yarn Harlot
|
|
We arrived and I checked into my room and then went to Ledges Pub for lunch - a delicious lobster roll!! I was in Maine after all.
Early registration was from 4-5 so I presented myself promptly at 4. They had yummy goodie bags for all. My favorite items were the MakeWearLove bag (you can NEVER have too many knitting bags) and the MakeWearLove 2016 cup (hot/cold/screw top - nice cup).
We did not have anything planned until after dinner. After registration was over at 5PM, 'our' (knitters') room was empty of people, but it contained all of the sweaters that Amy had brought, which we were allowed to try on. I had a FABULOUS hour trying on all of the different shapes and styles.
|
|
|
Amy Herzog in three of her designs |
At first I was trying on only my favorites and then I thought Pam - what are you doing?!? This is your chance to see what constructions and styles you like BEFORE you spend 100 hours and $200 dollars knitting them!! I tried on all 40-50 sweaters and in the end found two (very related) ones that I really liked. Later I asked Amy about them and both were wool/silk blends (love the drape) and one was in her new book. ((As I write this, I have swatched (and blocked the swatch) for this sweater; I am about to cast on.))
At 7:30, Amy had a welcome talk and introduced the teachers. She also gave us an overview of CustomFit, her sweater pattern program. The way it works is you knit a gauge swatch and enter that information and your measurements for one of her sweaters into the program. Then, the program 'spits' out your personalized pattern!! She also had 'noshes' and they looked so delicious; next time I am going to skip dinner and chow down on those delicious looking noshes! Off to bed to rest up for tomorrow.
|
|
|
| Patty Lyons |
|
Buffet breakfast and everyone was so friendly that I never ate alone. My first class was Patty Lyons' Improve Your Knitting Technique. I have never taken a live class from Patty (I do have her two Craftsy classes) and she was fantastic!! She was energetic, enthusiastic, and so full of knowledge and information that my head almost exploded (and I have taken many classes over the years -- so, I am not a novice). I loved her demonstrations, her explanations, and the three hours just flew by!!
My tension dropped two needle sizes by the end of class, but I am going to wait until I finish my Bohus before I attempt to change my knitting style. Lunch was served and it was yummy; the meals from Thursday breakfast through Sunday lunch were included in the package and all 100 participants ate together in one big room.
Next up was Amy Herzog and Advanced Sweater Construction - another wonderful three hours. We went over upper torso measurements, sweater ease based on construction choice (example more ease is needed for a drop shoulder design when compared to a set-in sleeve design), sleeve cap shaping (so your sleeve cap will set into your armhole without stretching or puckering), and much, much more. Amy is very knowledgeable and her goal is for every knitter to successfully knit sweaters that they wear and enjoy, not sweaters to put on a shelf!
After dinner, we had a participants' Fashion Show and it was a 'hoot'. Patty Lyons' was the emcee and we laughed and giggled the evening away. They had glow sticks that we all played with (I sent a photo of myself in glow stick glasses to my family) and Patty was fabulous in that we all felt comfortable showing off our garments and we all had fun without offending anyone - quite a feat!!
Next morning after breakfast was Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and Knit Smart. I have taken several classes from Stephanie and ALWAYS learn something. The main 'take away' from this class was that the teachers ALL use yarn makers (both vertical and horizontal) rather than the plastic stitch markers that we students tend to use. She explained that the yarn markers do not leave extra (unwanted) space between the stitches and that with both vertical and horizontal markers, it is much easier to make two 'things' (socks, sleeves, fronts) identical.
Use the markers for increases - if you need to increase every six rows, 12 times then flip the marker from front to back or back to front every six rows and do it 12 times. Want to measure your sleeve depth? Put in a horizontal marker across the entire front at the sleeve bind off level and then measure from here. Need to cast on 300 stitches? Put in a horizontal marker and flip it every 25 stitches - do this 12 times and you are golden!!
She also talked about too soft yarns (pilling is your sweater s.l.o.w.l.y disappearing) and yarn twist (if you knit in-the-round with an unbalanced yarn your entire sweater will bias - this is when the sweater NEEDS to be knit flat).
During the afternoon and evening there was a marketplace (IndigoDragonfly and Green Mountain Spinnery were two of the vendors!!!) and the teachers gave some talks and were available to ask questions!
|
|
|
| Green Mountain Spinnery |
|
|
|
|
Fiber in Process at Green Mountain Spinnery |
The next morning was my last class - Bristol Ivy and Knitting Outside of the Box. She had us explore some design ideas and methods (tear sheets, mad-libs); we talked about different shaping methods - what happens if you shape with short rows, how about increases and decreases, what about direction changes? How do you increase for a semi-circle, ¾ circle, a whole circle?? We just played around with original designs.
|
|
|
Bristol Ivy - Ravelry Designer |
Then came the Lobster Bake (!) and Maine blueberry pie. Both were delicious, although the whole lobster was definitely the messier of the two! Finally, Amy gave away several fabulous door prizes (two sweaters worth of yarn, a year of CustomFit, a sweater's worth of yarn dyed to personal specifications by IndigoDragonfly!) and we had a surprise visit from Clara Parkes!!
All in all, a most wonderful long weekend!! Her next class is April 6-9 on the west coast.
|
News from the Center for Knitting and Crochet
To Preserve and Promote Art, Craft, and Scholarship, notes from their newsletter
CKC has "joined forces with The Library Company of Philadelphia
www.librarycompany.org, to begin a key task central to CKC's mission - building a comprehensive database of knitting and crochet collections from around the world."
|
|
|
| Revelry: Inkic's Sanquhar gloves |
|
If you would like to take a virtual museum tour of a wonderful exhibit, check out their website to learn all about Sanquhar Gloves. I found this fascinating!
www.centerforknitandcrochet.org
An upcoming virtual exhibit will feature "The Netherlands Knit in Ceramics, Two Historical Crafts Meet." Stay tuned.
If you are in Washington, DC area Nov 5 - Dec 17, check out the Black Rock Center for the Arts. You will find the exhibit TWIST. Here is the synopsis:
TWIST is a dynamic exhibition and "happening" that places the art, craft, science, technology, and the community experience of contemporary hand spinning, from fiber to finished object, on view with a display of fine, contemporary hand made tools, fiber, art yarns, art, and art-to-wear. SPIN LAB, the exhibition's hands-on activity lab, lets visitors try out spinning tools and fibers, and "Spinning Our Yarns; Telling Our Stories" is a collaborative artwork that will be made from hand spun yarns contributed by spinners of all ability levels from around the United States and the world.
"Learn to spin, make yarns, and add them to the display at community spinning sessions open to all ages and ability levels
|
Section 5 - Happening Around Us
|
| Photos from our November meeting: |
|
|
|
| D.Weinberg - Monster |
|
|
|
|
Ashley Jackson |
|
|
|
| J.Vogin |
|
|
|
|
B.Benson - The Contraction |
|
|
|
L.Mitchell - Zuzu's Petals
|
|
|
|
|
| J.Culpepper - Spice Market |
|
|
|
|
S.Nease - Saturn Embrace |
|
|
|
| J. Culpepper- Architecture |
|
|
If you are a member or know of a member who has news that should be shared with our membership please send notices to
[email protected]. This would include, but not be limited to, birth of a child, illness, death of an immediate family member, etc.
|
News from our friends at the North Georgia Knitting Guild
Sandra Huff
Please note our new location :
 .
|
 |
Atlanta Knitting Guild Board
AKG Officers 2016-2017
|
Susan Duralde, president
Jill Vogin, first vice president
Sandy Crowley, secretary
Lee Greenberg, treasurer
Pam Cornutt, Sr. vice president of programs
Ashley Jackson, Jr. VP of programs
Barb Moore, vice president of workshops, major (Superstars) 2016
Dallas Duncan and Kendra Fabray, vice presidents of workshops, major (Superstars) 2017
Susan Nease,,co-VPs of workshops, (mini)
Elizabeth Halberstadt, VP of membership
Ashley Jackson, Social media/communications
Diana Baber, past president
Whit Robbins, chair emerita
|
Standing Committees 2016-2017
|
Knit it Forward (Karleen Bucholtz - Trauma bears; Elizabeth Halberstadt - Preemie hats)
Susan Donges and Patty Malec, Hospitality
Stephanie Johnson,
Library
Shannon Parris, Drawing
Welcoming committee (Open)
Affiliate liaison (Open)
Dallas Duncan, Photographer
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
