Atlanta Knitting Guild

December meeting wrap-up

2011-12-05T15:10:00.001-08:00

Our December meeting is a festive affair. As usual, we had the presentation of the bears to the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. This year we had an impressive total of over 300 bears. Thank you to everyone for their great work! We also had a young girl scout donate about 100 bears to be dressed for next year.

Guild members always bring plenty of good food to the potluck, and this year was no exception. During the short business meeting, we found out that the workshops in the coming year are already filled up! Way to go!

And, of course, there's always show and tell. This month there were two members with blankets. That's a lot of work!

Happy holiday season and holiday knitting!

Now the Dog Can Laugh

2011-11-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

I'm sure we've all seen pictures of dog sweaters. Some are very stylish. Some make you understand why temperaments change. But I don't think many of us have seen penguin sweaters. Apparently, oil-slicked penguins get cold, and sweaters can protect them until they can have a proper de-greasing bath.

The hero brandishes her knitting needles . . .

2011-11-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

Yet another cute video, this one shot through a microscope lens.
The heroine uses her knitting skills to save the day.

Yarn budget in film school?

2011-11-22T14:36:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to The Little Red Plane, a short stop-action film. Be sure to pay attention to the knitting, both in the figures and in the backgrounds.

Obsessive-Compulsive Knitting

2011-11-21T18:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, we just can't stop, as in this amusing animated short film.
If you are knitting en plein air, do be sure to stay clear of the cliffs.

Tasty

2011-11-16T14:04:00.001-08:00

Just a remind that Alpaca Yarn USA School of Fiber in Alpharetta is having a yarn tasting of Cascade Yarns from 6-8 on Friday 18 November. This is a great chance to knit a little, socialize, and discover a new favorite yarn without the expense of buying whole skeins.

STITCHES South 2012

2011-11-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it is already time again to choose classes for STITCHES South? Mark your datebooks, pdas, iToys, etcetera for 19-22 April 2012.

The brochure listing all those great classes and events is available online today as a pdf download. Registration will open on the 22nd. Remember, some classes fill up quickly, so be ready to register early to get your favorite choices!

November meeting recap

2011-11-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

Our November program on "Taking the Knots Out of Knitters" was a little different from our usual meetings. For one thing, we did quite a bit of standing up and moving around. Our guests, Michael and Miriam Holland from Mei Zhong Yang Style Taijiquan Association, U.S.A. demonstrated some basics exercises from the fields of Tai Chi and QiGong. We learned a little about how to keep our hands and bodies happy while we knit, knit, knit away on those holiday gifts.

There are always lots of beautiful finished objects at show and tell. Here are just a few:

Fabulous color!

Beautiful shawl!

Completed cardigan!

Thank you to Margie for the pictures.

Scarves for Special Olympics

2011-11-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Daniell, Program Services & Grant Manager with Georgia Special Olympics has asked for AKG to help with the knitted scarves given to each athlete at the Indoor Winter Games which will be held Jan 20-22 in Cobb County. They are looking for 2,400 scarves by January 10, 2012. The size of the scarf is 6" by 4-5' long in cherry red and soft navy and the pattern is your choice. Visit the website - www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org, then click for sample colors, under "States" pick Georgia and it gives you all the details. The website will also list where to mail (for out of town knitters) or where you can drop off your scarves in the metro Atlanta area. The shops where you can drop off your completed scarf are: Needle Nook, Cast-On Cottage and The Whole Nine Yarns.

Knitting with Maggie

2011-11-07T16:58:00.000-08:00

Local shop Cast-On Cottage has superstar Maggie Jackson coming the first weekend in December. You may be familiar with her innovative book, Maggie's Ireland. There will be a fashion show on Friday evening and workshops on Saturday and Sunday.
From their newsletter:

Friday, 2 December
Refreshments 6:00 PM
Fashion Show 6:45 PM
Tickets: $10
Please join us for an informal Fashion Show presented by Maggie. There will be approximately 40 designs for your review. Refreshments will be provided starting at 6:00 pm followed by the Fashion Show at 6:45 pm. Space is limited and tickets must be purchased in advance.

Saturday, 3 December
OH NO...NOT ANOTHER SCARF
10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Cost: $125 includes lunch and materials fee (enough materials for a project)
By the end of this class, Maggie hopes the piece you make will NOT go towards a scarf but to one of the other design options she will show including a table-runner, a pillow, a purse, a shawl a wall hanging, etc. Maggie will have you thinking 'outside of the box' by making holes in your work, cutting yarn in the middle of a row, just to retie leaving knots to the front of the work, joining her re-known tubes and working a Ladder Stitch. She will also show some finishing techniques for the project. Maggie will offer her advice on what she has learned from being a Fashion Designer doing Ready-to-Wear for 25 years, selling to well-known high end department stores and having a staff of 45 knitters. Samples of these stitches will be shown on garments to stretch your creative thinking.  Bring Needles size 7 or 8 US, preferably wooden, bamboo or plastic to work with the linen and other yarns and scissors.

Sunday, 4 December
WEARABLE ART
10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Cost: $125 includes lunch and materials fee (enough materials for a project)
This class is a combination of various small squares which can be put together after class to make a scarf or put towards a larger project. We will make knitted and fabric bows on a square, a ruffle stitch square with a tube and 2 colored picot tube, knotting yarns to make a loopy stitch, to name a few. Samples of these stitches will be shown on garments to stretch your creative thinking. Bring Needles size 7 or 8 US, preferably wooden, bamboo or plastic to work with the linen and other yarn and scissors.

NOTE: Save $25 if you attend both the Saturday and Sunday classes. Total cost to attend both sessions will be $225. Call us today at (770) 998-3483 to reserve your space!

Fight Second Sock Syndrome

2011-11-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

One of the most common maladies amongst intermediate knitters is Second Sock Syndrome. You've graduated from scarves and hats and moved into the exciting world of sock knitting. The yarns are amazing -- so many independent hand dyers make magnificent sock yarns. And the range of patterns and books is tantalizing. And the projects are portable! And functional! And you can even knit socks for men! What's not to love?

Well, there is this one teensy little problem. You typically need to make a pair of socks. That would be two. Of the same thing. Matching.

If you suffer from Second Sock Syndrome, take heart. Our guild workshop on 11 February 2012 is on making Socks Two at a Time. The instructor is master knitter Pam Cornutt. (You'll remember Pam made the beautiful pooling lace jacket.) Pam is a delightful, high-energy instructor. You'll come out of this class being able to make both socks at the same time so that they match and so that you finish them together at the same time. No more orphaned/widowed socks! Cost is $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members. You can contact our workshops chair to register.

Un-stressful Knitting

2011-11-02T15:22:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow evening is our November meeting. Now that were are enjoying cool autumn weather, this should be a great opportunity to wear those old and dear knits from previous cool seasons.

Here's the description for the program:
De-Stress for the Holidays and make these last few weeks of knitting leading up to holiday gifting less painful and more productive with our soothing and enlightening program "Taking the Knots out of Knitters." Tai Chi and QiGong exercises will help you keep your hands and wrists limber and pain-free and your stress levels in check during the hectic run-up to the holidays. This will be a stand-up and move program as we learn simple exercises and techniques to ease the pain. Be sure to wear comfy clothing that allows freedom of movement.

See ya'all tomorrow!

Extreme Knitting: 1000 Strands

2011-10-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

This is an older YouTube post, but still interesting. Rachel John knits with 1000 strands simultaneously. It's good we have someone out there checking the theoretical and practical limits for us!

More Knitting & Cats

2011-10-19T12:18:00.000-07:00

And for those of you with real, live, yarn-ball-chasing cats, you could also knit your own mice. In this case, the knitted mice help homeless pets.

Knitting & Cats

2011-10-18T12:15:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have already partaken of the opportunity to knit your own dog or knit your own royal wedding, you can now knit your own cat.

Be sure to scroll all the way to the group shot at the end.

Cheer for Children Ball

2011-10-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

Our friends at The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy, which receives the trauma bears each December, is having a fundraiser this autumn. The Cheer for Children Ball will be on Saturday 11 November 2011 from 7:30 to 11:30 PM in the grand atrium at 200 Peachtree. In addition to the other activities at the ball, a highlight will be the raffle of a 2-year lease on a Mercedes-Benz 2012 GLK350 from Atlanta Classic Cars. You do not need to be present to win this beautiful car. The Greater Atlanta Chapter of the American Culinary Federation will be providing the food, so this promises to be a feast.

Continuous Learning

2011-10-14T08:26:00.000-07:00

Kathleen is doing a really amazing job scheduling workshops for our group! As always, you can e-mail workshops@atlantaknittingguild.org if you have any questions.

Domino Knitting
taught by Jean Kammerer
Saturday, 5 November 2011 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
at St. Luke's Presbyterian Church, 1978 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338
$10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members

Domino Knitting, also called Modular Squares, is a technique that can expand the possibilities for color combinations and fascinating patterns. It is a great technique for "take-along" projects using one color yarn at a time on short needles. You will learn basic squares and how to join them into one-of-a-kind designs. The possibilities are very exciting and limited only by your imagination!

Jean Kammerer is our instructor for this class. Jean is a longtime guild member who is a Master Teacher. She has taught numerous workshops for the guild as well as several knitting courses at the Emory University Evening at Emory Program.

Do notice that the location for this workshop is different from our usual meeting location.

Gauge and You
taught by Susan Nease
Saturday, 12 November 2011 from 1:00 p.m - 3:00 p.m.
at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, 4755 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338
Fee: $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members

Students will learn and understand how their choice of yarn and their choice of needles affects the fabric they knit. This mini-workshop is designed for Advanced Beginners and Intermediate-Level knitters: You have knit more than scarves, maybe a few hats, a summer sweater, or some socks, and are branching out into experimenting with yarns and patterns. Example: you see the different types of needles on the market, but which one should you buy? Or, the yarn calls for one size needle, but you look at the yarn and think, "Really?? Are they serious?"

You will begin to understand how the needle you choose affects the fabric you knit. How does cotton yarn look when knit with metal needles? Wooden ones? What about wool or a wool-blend? These are the questions we hope you will begin to answer in this class. You are also welcome to bring some yarn that calls for a needle size you have to wonder "Really? They want that size of needle? What will it look like?" Students will learn that there is no right and wrong when it comes to gauge.

Susan Nease, a long time AKG member is our instructor for this class. Susan is a Master Knitter and the owner of Nease's Needlework who has taught numerous knitting classes over the years. You will definitely enjoy this class and Susan's teaching style. She will enlighten you while you move up to a whole new level!

Embellishments
taught by Charles Gandy
Saturday, 28 January 2012 from 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
at SEFAA Center, Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance, 1705 Commerce Drive NW, Atlanta GA
Fee: $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members

Here is a chance to learn numerous ways to enhance your knitted creations through applied embellishments. We will learn a wide range of accompaniments from frilly ruffles to bobbles to twists and ripples, I-Cords, special finger cords and even beading. We will explore, through a hands-on sampler, how these techniques can make your projects unique and knitted with personality!

Our instructor is Master Knitter Charles D. Gandy. Charles who lives in north Georgia began his knitting career at a very early age. Charles' mother, a knit-wear designer and shop owner, taught him to knit at the young age of four. He designed his first sweater three years later and continues to create today. Charles is a two-time winner in the recent Knitters Magazine: "Think Outside the Sox" contest and is the author of The Embellished Sock: Knitted Art for the Foot.

And a preview of coming attractions:
Metal Shawl Pin
taught by Judy Parody
sometime in March 2012
time & place to be determined
Fee: $35 for guild members, $45 for non-guild members

More Dates to Save

2011-10-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden has several exciting events coming up this autumn.
From their newsletter:

Pick a Noni Bag, Any Noni Bag
5 & 6 November
Nora Bellows (Noni) will be here for a 2-day workshop. We have been ordering the patterns, sparkles, beaded yarn and handles to get ready and working through the details to provide the best class experience that we can for you. The Noni Booth at Market was stunning with the beautiful bags and accessories that she had on display - we will have them here soon in advance of the workshop.

Workshop and Fashion Show with Maggi Jackson of MaggiKnits
2 - 4 December
We will have the fantastic Maggi Jackson of MaggiKnits. There will be a Fashion Show on Friday Night and a workshop on Saturday and Sunday.

Knitbot Trunk Show
Begins 9 December
Also known to you as Hannah Fettig, the designer of the Featherweight Cardigan, Wispy, Breezy and many more, sends her trunk show to us.

Be sure to check their website or ask when you visit the shop to learn more details.

Loving Yarn

2011-10-12T01:24:00.000-07:00

The Craft Yarn Council continues to encourage yarn consumption. (Not that any of us would require assistance.) To this end, they are promoting "I Love Yarn Day!"on Saturday 15 October. As suggested by their website, some of the things you might do that day include:

Create an I Love Yarn Day badge
Teach someone to knit or crochet
Do something for charity
Wear a knitted or crocheted item
Give a gift of yarn
Take your yarn to work day
Host a yarn-a-bration party
Knit, crochet and craft in public

Have a happy day enjoying the very stuff of our craft!

Weekend with Gwen

2011-10-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

We hope everyone had a great weekend taking classes with superstar Gwen Bortner! One of the comments over the weekend is that Gwen has the best handouts. I can't think of anyone to challenge her.

For many of us, the highlight was Saturday, when we got to learn advanced entrelac from the Entrelac Queen herself! We learned how to start with a provisional cast-on, and then work entrelac seamlessly in both directions. When we got to the flap, we learned how to work entrelac back and forth and how to shape. Clever!

A slightly larger than most card case, but you get the idea.

Don't forget, there will be an after-Gwen knit in at the SEFAA Center on Saturday 29 October from 1-4 PM. This will be a great chance for us to share and show off our new skills. There is a limit to how many seats are available, so please e-mail workshops@atlantaknittingguild.org if you are interested in attending. There is no charge for members, but non-members will be charged $2 at the door.

Knit. Learn. Travel.

2011-10-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who would like to see the important places in the world (i.e. the ones with sheep, yarn, & knitting traditions), here is a lovely way to do so.

Jean Moss Knitters' Tours for 2012 are posted at
http://www.jeanmoss.com/tours.html

Lakes & York 13-24 May 2012
This includes tours of various estates and gardens, lectures and workshops with Jean Moss, shopping in various wool shops and farms, visits to fiber-related museums and galleries and mills (including Rowan), lovely accommodations and delicious food. View the amazing itinerary here.

Knit Ireland! 23 September - 5 October 2012
As you might expect, this does include opportunities to learn Aran knitting! There is sightseeing of many kinds including the land (Inishmoor) the culture (Dublin) or the art (Book of Kells). Shopping includes a visit to the Kerry Woollen Mills. And plenty of opportunities to partake of the local cuisine and brews. View this exciting itinerary here.

Jean also has a blog and at http://jeanmosshandknits.blogspot.com.

Busy Weekend Ahead

2011-09-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it seems that everything is happening at once. I'd say that you have no reason to be bored, but ya'all are knitters, so you aren't ever bored anyway!

Atlanta-area Shop Hop
The 2011 Shop Hop began last weekend and runs through this week and weekend. Remember, if you visit all nine shops in the hop, your passport card will be in the drawing for the $900.00 grand prize! Even if you don't have time to visit everyone, there are still plenty of other awesome side prizes to win. And it is always good to know the locations of the yarn shops, as you never know when you will be in a strange neighborhood and suffer a yarn emergency. More information here.

TKGA
Atlanta Knitting Guild is a member guild of The Knitting Guild Association. These are the fine people who publish Cast On magazine and offer various correspondence courses, including Master Knitter certification. We are fortunate that this year's fall show is in driving distance over in Greensboro, NC. Like STITCHES South, this is an opportunity to take classes from nationally-known teachers and to shop, shop, shop! TKGA also partners with Crochet Guild of America (CGOA). If you want to learn more about crochet, this show has a lot of classes that will help you knock out an afghan in no time (with crochet, not knitting). More information here.

SEFAA Open House
Lastly, Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance will open their new home this weekend! Hurray! The new space will be available for meetings and classes. AKG has been very much involved with growing SEFAA from an idea (that didn't yet have a name) to an organization that now has a place on the map at 1705 Commerce Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. The open house is from 1-3 PM. If you attend, bringing a snack to share is much appreciated, if you can. This is a great opportunity to network with other fiber fanatics, and an especially fine opportunity if you are looking to learn about fiber arts outside the world of knitting. More information here.

Gauge and You

2011-09-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Notice that "gauge" is not a four-letter word. And while it is possible to just grab your needles and yarn and dive right in, it is also possible that the knitting gremlins will dive right in as well. Gauge is sort of the knitter's version of the Law of Gravity. You can pretend it doesn't apply to you, but you can't escape it.

To help deal with the fickle gauge monster, AKG is sponsoring a new Mini-Workshop, "Gauge and You" on 12 November. It will be taught by Susan Nease, for advanced beginners and intermediate knitters. It is designed for those who have knit more than scarves, maybe a few hats, a summer sweater, or some socks, and are branching out into experimenting with yarns and patterns. Students will learn and understand how their choice of yarn and their choice of needles affects the fabric they knit. There will be a limit of six participants in this hands-on workshop.

And a quick note here: Thank you to VP of Workshops Kathleen who has already organized an impressive slate of mini-workshops this year! Thank you!

Did You Hear a Bang?

2011-08-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

This e-mail just came from Needle Nook. The important part is that yes, they are open and doing business during their regular hours. And don't park underneath the transformers, if you can help it.

PHONE TROUBLE AT NEEDLE NOOK

Our Phone Is Out Of Order
Our phone has been out since Friday afternoon when a transformer exploded and fell on two cars at the back of our shopping center. We don't know when it will be back on but rest assured we are open our regular hours and here to serve you.

I have my Nook with me and you can contact my by email at the address below. Leave a phone number and we can call you back on our cell phone. Hopefully it will be fixed soon.

Contact Us
email: needlenut@comcast.net
phone: (404) 325-0068
web: http://www.needlenookatlanta.com

Learning from Others

2011-08-27T02:42:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of guild membership -- in any guild -- is the opportunity to learn from others who share your hobby passion. In a guild the size of AKG, there is a whole lot of knowledge just there for the asking at every meeting. Thus, it is a delight to post that our founder, Whit Robbins, will be offering a Tips and Tricks mini-workshop on Sunday 11 September at her home. The list of conventions Whit has attended or classes she has taken would over-fill this humble blog space. I took a version of this workshop from Whit some years ago when I first joined the guild. This is a great opportunity to learn from someone who has been knitting passionately and continuously for a lifetime.

Tips and Tricks for Knitters will help new knitters and those who just need a refresher, save time and avoid costly mistakes. Whit will guide you through several easy ways to make your knitting less work and more fun! Basic skills will be reviewed including increasing, decreasing, slip stitches, yarn-overs, correcting mistakes, gauge, blocking, joining yarns, and so much more!

Whit is a Master Knitter and Master Teacher who has shared her expertise with us for many years. You will leave this class with much knowledge and so much more confidence!

E-mail Kathleen at workshops@atlantaknittingguild.org to reserve your spot!!

Date: Sunday 11 September 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Bring your lunch)
Place: Home of Whit Robbins
2498 Echo Drive NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
Fee: $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members

Jump in the Pool

2011-08-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

We've been having a lot of fun this summer with intentional pooling. Pooling or flashing can be a touchy subject amongst knitters. Some people love the interesting almost tie-dye effects, others will go to great lengths with stitch patterns and gauge swatches to avoid pooling. Some pooling produces gorgeous stripes or even faux argyles, while other patterns produce the notorious "clown barf" effect. With so many hand-painted self-striping yarns available, it helps to understand whether and when a yarn will pool, and how to make that work to the best effect in your project.

AKG is sponsoring Mini-Workshops coming up this Saturday 27 August on intentional Pooling. We are delighted to have the class taught by Eve Borkenhagen. Eve is a member of our AKG Board and will unravel the mystery of pooling. Pooling is a technique using careful and deliberate planning to create a vertical stripe effect in a hand knitted garment using colorway yarn. It is especially beautiful in lace patterns and can create a work of art in certain garments.

In the Pooling Mini-Workshop, students will learn how to map out the yarn, match the colors correctly and make adjustments to keep it all in place.

Email Kathleen Pickens at workshops@atlantaknittingguild.org to reserve your spot!

Prerequisites:
1) Beginning to Intermediate knitting skills.
2) Check out Gladys We who has free patterns on Ravelry and on her blog at www.yarnfloozies.blogspot.com. Gladys has posted beautiful free patterns using the intentional pooling technique.

Date: Saturday, August 27, 2011
Time: morning class from 10:00 am - 11:30 am
or afternoon class from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Place: St. Patrick's Episcopal Church
4755 North Peachtree Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338
Fee: $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members

Remember that results of the pooling knit-along will be featured at our September meeting!

Industry Standards

2011-08-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Craft Yarn Council helps to establish and maintain industry standards for knitting and crocheting in the United States. For example, they have worked to establish a numerical system for identifying yarn weight and encouraging manufacturers and pattern publishers to use that standard system. They've updated their web pages recently. In particular, in addition to standard abbreviations you'll also find standard chart symbols, information on how to read patterns, how to take body measurements, and definitions for skill level. This is a good resource that you may want to bookmark.

Follow this link.

Treasure Trove

2011-07-25T05:59:00.000-07:00

The internet continues to be an amazing resource for knitters around the world. We can look up a pattern on Ravelry, find information on yarn when we've lost the ball band, and download a new lace chart instantly. There are plenty of videos, blogs, and other helpful sites when we get stuck on a technique. And there are even reference libraries!

Winchester School of Art has made .pdf files available of various nineteenth and early-twentieth century knitting publications from the collection of Richard Rutt, author of A History of Hand Knitting. Apparently, Montse Stanley's knitting collections are also housed nearby, making the University of Southampton a prime location for conducting knitting scholarship. If you have a few moments, indulge your curiosity by following this link to more than five dozen free downloads of old time pattern books.

Upcoming Mini Workshops

2011-07-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

One of the main purposes of our guild is educational. To that end, we have a couple upcoming workshops to expand your knitting skills.

Shadow Knitting
Saturday 17 September 1-4 PM
Shadow Knitting is a technique that alternates rows of light and dark yarn transforming into a color pattern. The effect can be stunning. In the Shadow Knitting Mini-Workshop, students will make a beautiful evening bag with simple knit and purl stitches while learning the basics of this magic technique.

Jean Kammerer is the instructor for this class. Jean is a longtime guild member who is a Master Teacher. She has taught numerous workshops for the guild as well as several knitting courses at the Emory University Evening at Emory Program.

Cost for the mini-workshop is $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members.

Beginning Entrelac
Saturday 13 August 1-4 PM or
Saturday 24 September 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM.
If you are taking Gwen Bortner's "Entrelac: Beyond the Basics" workshop on 8 October, you need to be fluent in basic entrelac knitting. If you are feeling a little rusty, this workshop is your opportunity to warm up.

Students will learn the basic entrelac shapes by knitting a small stockinette square in the yarn of your choice using the appropriate size needles for that yarn. You will have an opportunity to learn how to knit backwards. We will discuss alternate approaches for the shapes and adaptations such as incorporating stitch patterns and joining in the round.

We are delighted to have the August 13 class taught by Master Teacher Linda Fetter. Linda is a very special person to the guild and has been a member of AKG since its inception. She is an exceptional teacher and has taught numerous workshops for the guild and classes at local yarn shops.

The cost for the beginning entrelac mini-workshop is $10 for guild members, $15 for non-guild members.

You can download registration forms and get more information on the workshop portion of the AKG website.

July Show & Tell

2011-07-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

As always, plenty of knitted goodness at the July meeting. Not as common, quite a bit of felted goodness as well. We certainly had a lot of fun playing with ArtFelt.

If you are working on the intentional pooling knit-along, here's a little project to inspire. The "argyle" pattern forms by almost stacking -- being off by just a stitch or two, so that the colors overlap but slowly migrate.

There were several lace shawls. This is Lynn showing off her first lace! There's a reason classic patterns like feather and fan are classics. Not too hard to work, and the results are nearly always lovely.

More Crochet and Knitting Art

2011-07-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

You've seen some of these before, but this time there's a lace piano, too.
Follow this link to Woman's Day.

October Superstar

2011-07-04T02:21:00.000-07:00

Of course, one of the great advantages of being in the guild is being able to take workshops with nationally-known knitting superstars at a budget-friendly price. Gwen Bortner, author of Entrée to Entrelac, will be at Atlanta Knitting Guild the first weekend of October. In addition to speaking at our Thursday 6 October meeting, Gwen will be teaching workshops all weekend. Here's the lineup:

Friday morning, 7 October 9 AM – noon
Start with the Finish in Mind
Many times what happens at the end is greatly influenced by what happened at the start. In the case of knitting, this is particularly true. Decisions we make starting with the cast on selection and on through the knitting of the project greatly influence the look of the final project. Start by learning the pros and cons of decisions we make in the knitting of a garment. Next, gain hands- on experience developing skills we typically associate with “finishing.” Finally, get answers on fixing problems “after it is too late.”

Friday, afternoon 1 – 4 PM
Sneaky Shaping with Short Rows
Knitted fabric has some wonderfully unique properties when it comes to garment creation. One of the best is the ability to create a three-dimensional fabric through the use of short rows. Short rows can be used in a variety of ways including sock heels, shoulder shaping, bust darts and even interesting stripes. Learn the basics of short rowing, practice techniques for minimizing any holes and explore the many options that short rows offer.

Saturday all day, 8 October 9 AM – 4 PM
Entrelac: Beyond the Basics
If you understand the basics of entrelac, have completed a project or two, and are ready to see what more the technique can offer, then this is the class for you. Learn alternative methods for starting entrelac including one that is completely invisible. Gain insights on creating a variety of shapes and forms with entrelac fabric. Explore the differences between entrelac worked flat and seamless entrelac. All the while, you’ll gain hands-on experience and create a small envelope style bag.

Sunday, 9 October 1 – 4 PM
Help and Tricks for the Intermediate Knitter
So you have some knitting under your belt and you have arrived at that nebulous level of intermediate. How do you move on from intermediate to advanced? Do you have questions but have never quite found the right class to ask them? Are you sure the advanced knitters know something you don’t? If so, this is the class for you. We will provide a variety of helps to help you take your knitting to the next level and along the way provide some tricks that you may not have thought of yet.

Friday and Sunday workshops are $30 each for members, or $35 each for non-members. The all day Saturday workshop is $60 for members and $70 for non-members. Remember, slots are filled on a first come basis, so be sure to sign up right away if you see something you want!

Back to School, Part 3

2011-07-03T02:20:00.000-07:00

Just a few days after Sally Melville is in town, The Whole Nine Yarns will be hosting Gwen Bortner! Gwen will be teaching several classes that are different from the ones she is teaching for us in October.

Saturday 17 September all day is Entrelac Mix and Match. This is a chance to try out designing with entrelac using fabric types other than stockinette or garter. Gwen does have a few examples in Entrée to Entrelac. Class will include a discussion of what adjustments you'll need to make, and the challenges with using certain stitch types.

Sunday morning 18 September is Knitting in Both Directions. This is the class for learning how to knit back backwards -- back and forth, without turning your work. This method can improve your speed, and it can also make certain patterns easier to work.

Sunday afternoon's class is Introduction to Sweater Design. If you've ever seen a stitch pattern you wanted to use on a sweater, but just weren't quite sure how to do it, here's your chance to try. You'll learn basic pattern drafting, measuring, how to use the swatch, and the basic rules of shaping. You'll leave class with a basic pattern!

The Saturday class is $120, and the two Sunday classes are $65 each. More information and compete descriptions can be found at The Whole Nine Yarns blog.

Back to School, Part 2

2011-07-02T02:19:00.000-07:00

Local shop Knitch is bringing superstar Sally Melville to teach on Wednesday and Thursday, 14 & 15 September.

Wednesday morning is Emergency Measures, a workshop about what to do when something goes really, really wrong! This covers not just fit issues, but also color choices, edgings that don't wear well, laundry disasters, even running out of yarn.

Wednesday afternoon's workshop is First Choices, Basic Shapes, which shows you how to make good choices before you being, and covers some basic pattern drafting so you can alter patterns to look marvelous on you.

Thursday's workshop is all day covering the topic Making the Most of Your Yarn Collection. This class covers some design issues, such as how to combine colors, different yarns, or even which stitch patterns to use with which weights of yarn. But this class will also cover how to arrange and use your stash. And it will show you how to use a few skeins to knit something wonderful that doesn't look like oddball knitting. The Wednesday classes are $65 each and the Thursday class is $120.

Find more information including complete workshop descriptions at Knitch.

Back to School, Part 1

2011-07-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

It may seem a little early to be talking about school, but there are a lots of learning opportunities coming up in the next few months. The posts over this holiday weekend will fill you in.

First up: the local spinning guild, The Peachtree Handspinners, is having a weekend retreat on 5-7 August at the Lyndon House Arts Center in Athens. Plying the Arts will feature classes from 20 different teachers over three days. The cost for most sessions is $35 or $45, and you can have lunch provided to you on Saturday or Sunday for $6 each day. Classes cover spinning, but also knitting, weaving, dyeing, kumihimo, and needle felting. This is a beautiful venue and a wonderful range of classes and a market! The downside? Registration closes on Tuesday 5 July. See the brochure and register online by going to www.worldinaspin.com.

ArtFelt Fun

2011-06-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

If you've just downloaded your annual renewal and membership form, you'll notice there is a questionnaire. One of the questions is regarding how often you take mini-workshops and what kinds you would like.

Workshop project made by an AKG member.

Our June mini-workshop was with superstar Karin Skacel. And the workshop wasn't about knitting, but rather was about playing with fiber and getting instant gratification. For those of you who get caught in the holiday gift-making maelstrom, may I suggest you scribble the word "ArtFelt" into the margin of your December day planner page?

Karin brought lots of inventive and beautiful samples. This lovely shawl in browns incorporates commercial ribbon yarn! So you can even use some of your stash in you ArtFelt projects. You can add all sorts of interesting things to your project. Karin had little snippets of yarn that we added to create a speckled lining to our projects. If you have sparkly threads, or even beads or sequins on threads, you could add those to your project to add bling.

Some of the samples Karin brought used fiber in strips to create open spaces -- very modern and deconstructionist! You can be very free and inventive in the shapes and designs you make with ArtFelt. This technique is very much like drawing or painting with fiber. If you layer some of the colors, you can get effects that resemble marble or abstract painting.

Karin did share some important pointers:

Keep your fingers away from the felting needles! Sharp! For delicate work, use one needle to hold fibers in place while you stab with the other needle.
Use a straight edge to turn over frizzy edges and needle them tidy.
Be sure to overlap all the fibers. They felt better that way.
Fibers shrink more in length than width. In the striped scarf (below, left), the ruffle formed because the long stripes shrank more than the sideways ruffle.
Corollary: Be sure to layer background fibers in both directions so that your project will felt evenly to the desired shape.

In the picture at left, Karin shows us how a properly felted project does have some strength. A finished felted project should hold up over time.

There will be some leftover beginner's kits available for $10 at the July meeting. These would be great to tuck away in your craft closet for those last-minute gifts. Each kit will make a small project, such as a sleeve for an MP3 player or cell phone, as did in the workshop. But you could also make a pocket for circular knitting needles, a tall sleeve for straight or double-pointed needles, or a fold-over for tapestry needles. For non-knitting gifts, you could make a dice bag, a fingernail file sleeve, a pocket-pack for tissues, sunglasses case, photo case (for those who still carry printed photographs), or business card case.

June Show & Tell

2011-06-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

My apologies that as your intrepid blogger, I'm a little behind schedule. (There was a vacation involved.) I did want to share some of the photographs from our June meeting, which featured Karin Skacel.

First up, Debra with the Ginkgo Shoulderette Shawl in madelinetosh tosh merino light. Debra worked a few extra rows of the repeat to make a larger and lacier shawl. The result is a lace shawl with its own glow.

Diana (on left) is the knitter. Vicki is modeling. This was Lion brand with stainless steel. The cowl/wimple has its own structure, yet is still delicate and romantic. I am thinking this could be a stunning alternative to a bridal veil, especially for a later-in-life second wedding.

Gay Lynn brought her Christmas box. There were many things in it, including several socks from the Skacel 20 years of Trekking knit-along. Gay Lynn reminded us that it is better to have a box of ready knitted gifts just waiting. I've chosen to post the picture of the blanket because we have an intentional pooling knit along this summer, and I think it is nice to take inspiration from someone else's pooling project.

Lois retired last year, which has been just great for those of us who like seeing freshly-knitted lace. I believe she said this latest work had 1700 beads in it.

Karin Skacel brought all sorts of excellent goodies to show off. I thought this yarn, Blick Fang from Zitron, was rather interesting. It is merino with just a hint of nylon, and spun with a lumpy-bumpy texture. The saturated color contributes to the "wow" factor.

Party at the Silos

2011-06-17T10:18:00.000-07:00

Elyse and Bill have been wonderful members of Atlanta Knitting Guild for several years. They are nearly always at meetings, bringing us new temptations each month. And Elyse has even served on some committees.

Many of you know that their store, Only Ewe and Cotton Too, has moved to a new location, The Silos Marketplace, 12315 Crabapple Road, Alpharetta, GA 30004. Tomorrow is the Grand Opening celebration! This means a party with refreshments, door prizes, and knitting and crocheting with friends. The new shop has more space and great lighting, which translates to more yarn and good spots for classes. So if you have time tomorrow the 18th, do drop in and congratulate Elyse and Bill on six years in business and a snazzy new location!

Knitters & Women's History

2011-06-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting post about knitters, women's history, and the National Women's Hall of Fame.

World Wide Knit in Public Week

2011-06-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

As promised at the beginning of the week, here are some of the local yarn shops that are offering events for World Wide Knit in Public Week. Enjoy these many opportunities!

Inside the Perimeter, Needle Nook is hosting their usual shindig from 11AM - 2PM at Artuzzi's Restaurant. Drinks are provided, and you are welcome to order lunch. There will be door prizes and discounts!

Up north in Alpharetta, Milton, & Crabapple, be sure to check out the new location of Only Ewe and Cotton Too at The Silos. This in the same shopping area as Alpine Bakery. There will be festivities, and probably opportunities to knit great yarn and eat tasty treats!

In East Cobb, Lovin' Knit already has a yarn bombed tree. This shop will also be hosting Knit in Public Day events.

If all else fails, you already know that SEFAA is planning a yarn bombing in Freedom Park near the Carter Center from noon to 3 PM. Or you can just knit in public somewhere and e-mail the evidence to this blog. Happy knitting!

SEFAA Yarn Bombing

2011-06-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Because our membership year runs from May to May and World Wide Knit in Public Day falls in June, Atlanta Knitting Guild rarely does a coordinated Knit in Public Day. In addition to the many local shops offering festivities, there are a couple options.

The first is that AKG encourages our members to Knit in Public on Saturday 11 June. If you can, take a picture and send it here to blog@atlantaknittingguild.org. We'd love to see where you were and hear about your experiences!

Secondly, our friends at Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance are hosting a yarn bombing in Freedom Park (near the Carter Center) from noon to 3 PM also on 11 June. The information:

Bring small pre-made creations in any fiber technique and/or work on-the-spot. We'll combine, stir, and stitch together all contributions into a semi-permanent (one month) fiber art installation. For your comfort, plan on bringing snacks and drinks and chairs/blankets to sit on, sunscreen and bug spray. The spot has shade but no air conditioning.

Meet on the multiuse path near the intersection of Highland Ave and Albion Ave. You can park at the Carter Center. If you come from the Connector and take the Freedom Parkway exit, keep right at the exit for Carter Center/Moreland Ave and exit left for the Center.

If you have any leftover acrylic yarn, this is a great opportunity to use a hardy fiber outdoors!

Come back to the blog on Friday to see a list of the shops participating this year in WWKIP Day.

June Bear

2011-06-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Debra who continues to invent new bear clothing designs each month. This one is a lot of fun -- mitered squares! Mitered squares are especially awesome in yarns with a color-change, as the color will pool up in a little square in the corner. You can get the same effect by changing yarns if you prefer to stash-bust. The modular technique allows you to knit a large project on short needles, because you are only working one little section at a time. If you hate counting to over 100, you may really like modular construction. And if you join modules as you knit, there is little weaving in of ends. Modules can also be addictive, because you think, "I'll knit just one more, then I'll start dinner." The next thing you know, you are watching the 11 o'clock news and dinner never did get done.

For the bear vest, Debra has you start at the middle of the back and work outward, joining as you go. You'll need to sew just two tiny seams at the shoulders. The lapel collar is created simply by folding back the corners of two miters.

A little technical tip on the miters. Miters are formed by making a double decrease every right-side row in the center of your stitches. Yes, the center! You have two choices on how to deal with those three central stitches. If you are working in garter stitch and want to maintain the horizontal ridges of purls, work the central three stitches as slip 1 knit-wise, knit the next 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over. This will place the center stitch on the bottom of the stack, with the left stitch in the middle of the sandwich and the right stitch on top.

If, however, you would like to emphasize the miter with a rib of knits running diagonally across your work, work your decrease instead as slip 2 together knit-wise, knit the next stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over. This is sometimes called a centered double decrease. This decrease will put the left stitch on the bottom, the right stitch in the middle of the sandwich, and the center stitch on top. If done in stockinette, you'll get a clear line of knits running across the work. If done in garter or some other patterned stitch, in order to maintain the miter line you'll need to remember to purl that center stitch in the middle of knitting across on wrong-side rows.

A final note: the shape of mitered squares varies somewhat based on stitch pattern. If you work in all stockinette, you'll get more of a diamond. If you work in garter, as Debra has chosen, you'll get squares. If you choose to play with stitch patterns, be sure to swatch to see what sort of quadrilateral you get. Many people like this technique in garter ridge stitch, which is two rows stockinette (knit right side, purl wrong side) alternated with two rows garter stitch (knit right side, knit wrong side). The courses of garter ridges emphasize the unusual construction. And some people enjoy working in two colors, alternating out and back in one color, then out and back in the other, just carrying the unused color up the side of the work.

Whatever you do, enjoy experimenting with this fun technique!

Crochet Gone Wild

2011-05-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

While we may be a knitting guild, that doesn't mean we aren't supportive of other forms of fiber art. Follow this link to see crochet gone wild -- all over the interior of the artist's apartment.

Artistic Felt

2011-05-25T02:49:00.000-07:00

You may recall that our November 2010 program with Karin Skacel had to be postponed. Well, Karin will be here for our June meeting, so the wait is almost over.

Karin will share information about Skacel and Addi history, then give a presentation on the companies which Skacel represents, along with photos of their facilities, employees, etc., and how Skacel works with them. Also, she will tell us how a new product (whether it be yarns or needles) is created from start to finish (the designing of a yarn, color selections, etc.), ending with the creation of Artfelt.
We will also have several mini-workshop opportunities to play with Artfelt and become comfortable with how to use it on Friday and Saturday, 3 & 4 June. The finished project is a phone/camera case or an eyeglass case. The photograph above is two Artfelt kits for making handbags. If you are a spinner, then you are really in a conundrum. To felt or to spin?

There are some advantages to felting. It is definitely fast -- even faster than crochet. And it is easier to design across the whole project. If you like color work, Artfelt gives you a lot of freedom with where and how you place color. You can also layer colors, creating a background but also laying lines and shapes on top of it. If you have studied the traditional arts of drawing and painting, this method of making decorative fabric should suit your skills.

For more inspiration, you can follow the Artfelt blog here or look at some samples on Flickr here.

Finally, there will be a potluck dinner with Karin on Friday 3 June from 6 - 9 PM at the home of Margie Steiner, who is also graciously hosting all the workshops. If you are interested in attending the potluck or one of the workshops, contact programs@atlantaknittingguild.org.

SEFAA Fiber Garage Sale

2011-05-20T09:37:00.000-07:00

Since AKG is a member of Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance, I thought it would be good to remind everyone that tomorrow (21 May) is the first annual Fiber Garage Sale. It will be 12-4 pm at the North DeKalb Cultural Center (Rooms 2 and 4). Here's some of what SEFAA president Suzi Gough has to say:

Look for yarn (of course!), fabric, tools and equipment, books, ethnic textiles, finished art work and more. There will also be refreshments for sale, fellow fiber folk to hang out with, and drawings to enter. We have a weaver, a spinner, and a basketmaker, several knitters, some ethnic textile folk, a retired millinery designer and textile artist who is clearing out her studio and….. Lots of different things, all very interesting!

This is not only a good opportunity for stash enhancement, but it is also a chance to meet fiber artists outside the sphere of knitting. If you have been interested in other textile arts, here is a chance to tickle your curiosity.

AKG and STITCHES overlap

2011-04-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to remind everyone that tomorrow will be a great day for visiting our local shops. Don't forget that you can meet Habu Textiles founder Takako Ueki at Knitch, or meet Malabrigo Yarns owner Tobias Feder at either The Whole Nine Yarns or Needle Nook.

When you are in the marketplace this weekend at STITCHES, be sure to show some love for these AKG affiliates:
Eat.Sleep.Knit in booths 429 and 528.
Fiber Charmer in booth 618.
Gale's Art in booth 233
Purdy Thangs in booth 326
Sassafras Creations in booth 124

And if you are taking classes, we have two of our own teaching.
Jolie A. Elder is teaching class #342-3 "More Than One Way to Skin a Sweater."
Rebecca Ewing is teaching class #117-3 "In Loving Color."
Both classes are Saturday afternoon from 1:30 to 4:30 PM.

Malabrigo Merriment, Part 2

2011-04-03T00:34:00.000-07:00

Tobias Feder, owner of Malabrigo Yarns, will be visiting Needle Nook on Wednesday 13 April from 4 - 7 PM. He will be bringing along a trunk show of luscious Malabrigo goodness! Time slots are available every 30 minutes, but you need to make a reservation in order to attend. The newest Malabrigo book will also be in stock and available for purchase and autograph. So if you can't sneak up to Woodstock during the day, you can head into town after work.

Knitted Art

2011-04-01T00:21:00.000-07:00

A group called The Materialistics makes truly impressive fiber art. Here is a link to reproductions of art masterpieces. Many of these involve knitting, although some use other fiber arts.

Hokusai: The Great Wave
Made by Sylvia West, Susan Davies and Tim West
Techniques: appliqué, knitting, crochet, silk painting and woodwork.
Photo credit: Maureen Wilson

Thanks to the Bard for spotting this.

A Very Good Cause

2011-03-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

Diana mentioned this in the most recent newsletter, but it bears having a link here, too. XRX is currently having a fundraiser to help Sue Nelson, who is a member of the XRX editorial department and someone many of you have probably met at STITCHES. Sue has been fighting ovarian cancer. She has exhausted the current treatment options, but has been accepted into a trial at Colorado University. Because the trial is experimental, insurance coverage is iffy. Plus, Sue will need to fly back and forth to Colorado, as well as sometimes stay there for extended periods of time.

To raise money to help Sue and her family pursue this course of treatment, XRX is raffling off The Great American Afghan. This is The Object Itself that was knit and photographed for the book. A chance costs $10. The winner will be drawn sometime after 6 PM on Friday 8 April 2011. Follow this link to learn more. Follow this link to go straight to the online store where you can buy a raffle ticket.

Thank you everyone for your compassion.

Gangsta Knittas

2011-03-26T00:35:00.000-07:00

"Yarn bombing" is part of a movement to humanize and beautify the urban environment. Follow this link to learn more.

Thank you to Linda F. for the link!

Malabrigo Merriment

2011-03-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe Habu and Japanese patterns are interesting, but just not your particular thing. Maybe you'd rather roll in colorful wooliness south of the border? As an alternative activity on Wednesday 13 April, you could instead go to The Whole Nine Yarns to meet Tobias Feder, owner of Malabrigo Yarns. Tobias will be able to autograph books and he'll bring along a trunk show of lovely, sensual Malabrigo goodness. Many of you have been smitten with Rasta this winter, so here's your chance to thank Tobias personally for making yarns that look like Tiffany stained glass.

How Do You Habu?

2011-03-23T12:14:00.000-07:00

At our February meeting, Rhoda showed off some finished garments and kindly explained how to read Habu Textile patterns. Habu is a Japanese company, so their elegant minimalist patterns are written in a schematic form. The nice part is, you don't have to read Japanese. But the schematic is a little different, so Rhoda walked us through the basics.

If you've caught the Habu bug and would like to try more, then you will want to clear your calendar on Wednesday 13 April. Habu Textiles founder Takako Ueki will be teaching workshops at Knitch. In addition to the workshops, students will also enjoy a private trunk show of Habu Textiles garments. This is a chance to try on the garments and experience for yourself the clean lines and unique textures. For more information, follow this link to Knitch's class & event listings, then scroll down.

Happy 35th

2011-03-17T08:09:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to long-time Atlanta Knitting Guild member and affiliate Needle Nook. This weekend the shop celebrates 35 years in business! There will be door prizes, free giveaways, and a trunk show amidst the celebration this Saturday and Sunday. And we've also heard that Arlene is recovering very well and getting around like a real a pro now that she has new knees. So while you are out running around in this beautiful spring weather, drop in on the party at Needle Nook.

March Bear Challenge

2011-03-14T11:05:00.000-07:00

In January you had a chance to try knitting in the round. In February you got to try cables. For March, we have a pattern that involves short rows.

Short rows are a wonderfully useful technique in which only part of the fabric grows taller while another part does not. Short rows are most often encountered in sock heels, but you can also use them to shape sleeve caps or bust darts. In this month's pattern, short rows are used to shape the bottom of a pair of trousers. This is a great little knit for those permanently-seated bears. Jean has even incorporated a little hole so the bear's tail can peek out.

And a reminder, Jean could really use dressed bears for the table at STITCHES South in mid-April. If you have a bear and can dress it by the April meeting, or even just bring it to STITCHES, that would be very much appreciated! Jean and Debra are continuing to keep track of bear donations, so just be sure when you drop off you finished bear that your name is listed for the contest. As always, bear pattern can be downloaded from this page of the AKG website.

Combat Knitting

2011-03-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to a wonderful Washington Post article about US service personnel knitting in Afghanistan.

(Link courtesy of both Woofgangpug and the Bard.)

Craft Show Gathering

2011-03-09T11:30:00.000-08:00

The American Craft Council is hosting a major show this weekend at the Galleria. Ya'all already know how to find the Galleria, because that's where STITCHES South is! The show will feature more than 200 craft artists in a wide variety of media, not just textiles. Admission is $13 per person or $20 for a 3-day pass. Friday night after 5 PM, admission is just $5.

But here's the cool deal. If you show up for the Friday night Stitch 'n' Bitch and bring your yarn and knitting needles, then admission is free after 5 PM! There will also be a group of us teaching the uninitiated how to knit. This is a chance to show our knitting pride! See you there!

Claudia Hand Paint Trunk Show

2011-03-07T10:03:00.000-08:00

Atlanta Knitting Guild has a new affiliate: Eat Sleep Knit. Erin was at our meeting this month, and I'm sure everyone made her feel very welcome. Those of us in Cobb County know this as the "secret" shop with weird hours in the industrial park. Erin has primarily built this as an online business, hence the peculiar location. She has chosen to specialize in hand-dyed and hand-painted yarns. And if Eat Sleep Knit carries a particular yarn brand, she carries that yarn in a full range of weights and colors.

It is also nice that Eat Sleep Knit has joined at this particular moment. This Wednesday the 9th, Eat Sleep Knit will be hosting Claudia McLean of Claudia Hand Painted Yarns from noon until 2 PM. Claudia will be bringing a trunk show of multicolored knitted goodness. Now is also a good time to mention that there is a Shawl the Love contest sponsored by Claudia Hand Painted Yarns. Information on categories and prizes is available here.

Here are the directions:
Eat Sleep Knit
1600 Wilson Way SE Suite 9
Smyrna GA 30082
770-432-9277
Take I-285 to Exit 15 and go north on South Cobb Drive.
Get over in the left lane immediately.
At the first light, turn left on to Highlands Parkway.
Staying in the right lane, drive about a mile.
Turn right on to Wilson Way SE. (This is after you pass the lake on the left.)
Drive to the "end" of the street -- it is a really weird loopy not-quite cul de sac. You can pause at the end of the road to get your bearings.
The 1600 building will be ahead of you and slightly to the right. (If straight ahead is twelve o'clock and directly to the right is three o'clock, this building is at about one o'clock.)
Suite numbers ascend left to right.
If you have a GPS device, the front door is N33° 50.006′ W084° 30.492′. (My Garmin was okay with the address until I got on to Wilson Way SE.)

Campaign for Wool

2011-02-22T08:35:00.000-08:00

HRH the Prince of Wales is a true friend to knitters and shepherds worldwide. The campaign was started at the beginning of 2010, and is international, extending beyond the United Kingdom to include industry associations in Australian, New Zealand, Norway, and even the International Wool Textile Organisation. The goal, of course, is to raise awareness of the versatility of wool.

The home page at http://www.campaignforwool.org/ reminds us that wool can be used not only for clothing and accessories, but in home furnishings and even building materials. So I guess the Yarn Harlot was right when she talked about using stash to insulate your home! If you download the presentations, you will discover wool has wonderful properties such as:

Green: Wool is produced naturally by allowing sheep to graze. This is a sustainable method of farming that has been practiced for hundreds of years. It is not only good for the sheep, but it is good for the land and the natural species that share habitat with the flock. Sheep are sheared annually and harmlessly. Wool products often have a greener manufacturing footprint than comparable synthetic products. When wool products do wear out and are discarded, wool will decompose safely in only a few years. And wool itself tends to lock up carbon dioxide which has been identified as a contributor to global climate change.
Durable: Wool can last hundreds of years. It can be bent thousands of times without damage to the structure. Quality wool goods -- whether clothes or home furnishings -- will wear better and last longer, making them a good investment. This is not only good for your budget but good for the planet, because you won't have to replace wool goods as often. And the small amount of oil in wool can help repel spills, as well as protect from dirt and grease damage, which means wool products will continue to look good while they last.
Safe: Wool tends not to burn, and will usually self-extinguish when removed from the flame. This is good in homes, but also good for people in dangerous lines of work who might be exposed to open flames. Synthetic fibers can melt on to the skin and cause injury beyond just the simple burn. Synthetics can also give off noxious or toxic fumes when they burn, but wool is much less dangerous when it burns. Wool carpets tend to be non-slip, so they can be a safer choice for someone with mobility challenges.
Breathable: Wool can absorb and release humidity. Wool in the home can help maintain a more consistent environment. Wool clothes keeps you warm or cool, as need be. And wool can absorb water without becoming cold or damp. In building materials, the insulating qualities of wool are consistent across a wide range of temperature and humidity.
Clean: The microscopic structure of wool causes it to trap dust in the home, which can be easily vacuumed away later. Because wool clothing will absorb moisture including perspiration, wool can reduce personal body odor.
Quiet: In the home, wool can reduce sounds and echos from room to room.

In addition to educating us all on the wonderful properties of wool in fashion, interiors, and building materials, The Campaign for Wool has also staged some out and out fun. Last October the Savile Row Field Day involved setting up a couple corrals of sheep on Savile Row in London to remind consumers of the advantages of wool garments. Wear your woolens with pride!

Periodic Table

2011-02-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

A link to a Knitter's Periodic Table of Fibers.
How many are in your stash?
Gotta knit 'em all!

How Does Bronze Stay Warm?

2011-02-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

Something about metal statues outside in the cold elements just doesn't sit right with fiberistas.

The crochet is by Olek, a Polish artist who lives in New York City. The sculpture, of course, is Arturo Di Modica's Charging Bull. More information at CNN.

Or follow this link to see more found fiber art in Lexington Kentucky. The sculpture installation in Thoroughbred Park is by Gwen Reardon. Someone has made sure the horses and jockeys don't catch a chill while they snatch victory.

And of course, you can always check out Waiting for the Interurban by Richard Beyer. The group sculpture in Seattle is rarely naked, regardless of the time of year. Just search in Flickr or Google images.

Raising the question, does our local Buckhead Triangle Park sculpture The Storyteller by Frank Fleming need some knitted love?

Filling Out That 2011 Dayplanner

2011-02-09T13:00:00.000-08:00

Just a couple reminders:

1. Advanced registration for STITCHES South ends tomorrow, the 10th. That means prices go up. If you haven't registered yet, get thee over to the STITCHES South portal page. Registering online is very easy. Furthermore, there are extended descriptions of the classes and the homework is listed, so you can plan accordingly before you register for a class.

2. Lucy Neatby is coming to the Atlanta area! Lucy is booked through 2014, but she will be here at The Whole Nine Yarns in Woodstock on 6, 7, & 8 May. This is Mothers' Day weekend. In fact, a special Mothers' Day Tea is planned on Sunday. Classes are filling up very quickly. You can find the complete list here. You can also call the shop at 678-494-5242.

February Bear

2011-02-08T11:49:00.000-08:00

Once again this month we have a new pattern for teddy bear clothes. This month's pattern is for a cabled vest. If you haven't yet learned how to cable, you really must treat yourself. Cabling is so much easier than it looks, and non-knitters tend to think that a cabled garment means you are a very skilled and accomplished knitter. This is what we like -- a technique that provides a great finish without a lot of work.

Not only did Debra write this pattern and knit a sample, but she even includes graded sizes for 9-, 11-, and 13-inch bears! As always, the pattern will be available for download on the AKG website in the Trauma Bear Patterns page of Community Service section.

Craft a Guild

2011-02-07T11:43:00.000-08:00

A local knitting guild is a wonderful resource, but what if you live someplace that doesn't yet have a guild? Nancy Smith Kilkenny has written an e-book and started a website that can help you start a guild or nurture an existing guild. The site is http://www.craftaguild.com/. Nancy interviewed presidents and board members from a variety of craft guilds around the country, including Atlanta Knitting Guild, while she was writing her book. Her site has resources such as a newsletter, links, and a blog -- all to give you ideas about how to keep that guild active and interesting. Nancy's e-book, Craft a Guild is a solid how-to that will walk you through the basics of founding a guild. It contains some things you expect, such as a list of officers, sample by-laws, and a discussion of non-profit status. But her book also talks about some of the less obvious things, such as the need to cultivate good members or deal with change. And the list of ways to kill a guild should be required reading!

501(c)(3)

2011-01-31T13:57:00.000-08:00

Guilds grow. At least, you hope that they do. Atlanta Knitting Guild certainly has. And with that growth has come the need to make a few behind-the-scenes structural changes. One of those has been becoming a full 501(c)(3) organization. Linda F. very kindly took the reigns of the project, and kept at it. Thanks to Linda, we can announce: The Internal Revenue Service has determined that the Atlanta Knitting Guild is a public charity exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501( c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, effective to March 9, 2010, the date of our incorporation in Georgia.

The remainder of this post are remarks from Diana, our president:

As usual, Linda is WAY too humble about the magnitude of her accomplishment. The AKG Board identified the twin needs for incorporation and identification as a nonprofit organization about a year ago, and Linda volunteered to manhandle what we thought was a relatively simple process. How naïve we were!

A year later, and after many, many letters and emails and conversations with the State of Georgia and the Internal Revenue Service, not to mention enough forms to paper the World Congress Center, Linda has achieved her mission. We really need to put her in charge of the war in Afghanistan. She'd either win it or bring Osama Bin Laden home in a knitted straitjacket.

Anyway, it's done! Linda is a true warrior and a wonderful process manager. She is tireless and determined and we really appreciate her--she's done what we've all talked about for years but haven't done. We just love Linda, can you tell?
So what do you do to recognize a major accomplishment? Well, if you're knitters, you give the honoree a piece of knitting jewelry, in this case a necklace by our own Nancy Thompson, former AKG president and designer/owner of Sassafras Creations. You'd have to look closely to know this but the necklace is made of knitting needles and a crochet hook, a 5, and a 0, and a 1, and a C (the hook), and a 3. Now does it make sense?

Thank you Linda!

11 in 2011

2011-01-24T14:16:00.000-08:00

At the January meeting, Jean and Debra announced the "11 in 2011" Challenge. Jean is the driving force behind the trauma bears. Some of our members really get wrapped up in the bear project and let their creativity flow, while others are more uncertain. Jean and Debra thought it would be fun to make a contest out of it. Each month there will be a different project, featuring a different knitting skill. So if you have made a new year's resolution to up your mad knitting skillz, here's your chance to learn. These are all small projects that take up neither a lot of time nor a lot of yarn, and they benefit a very good cause.

The first project, a skirt knit in the round, is already posted on the AKG website. You can access it by following this link. This is in the public area of the website, so you don't even need to log in to download the .pdf. If you are already familiar with knitting in the round, then take this as an opportunity to challenge yourself to learn a new skill, like knitting with double-point needles, try a stranded section, knit it continental (if you're a "thrower"). Or try combo knitting, Eastern Uncrossed, or thumb purling. Jean and Debra certainly welcome any suggestions of new knitting skills you're hoping to acquire.

There is a contest as well. The details haven't yet been worked out, but if you donate dressed bears this year, please be sure that Jean can log your donation. There will probably be some sort of raffle or drawing at the December meeting.

Knitting in the Comics

2011-01-17T14:27:00.000-08:00

There have been a number of knitting references in recent comics. Follow the links and laugh (or at least smile).

Rhymes with Orange on Winterizing (4 January 2011)
Rhymes with Orange on Sweater Patterns & New Knitters (30 December 2010)
Wondermark on Emergency Survival (#491 20 February 2009)

Fun with Skacel

2011-01-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

We're happy to announce that Karin Skacel's visit has been rescheduled for June. So we only have to wait a few more months to get to play with Art Felt.

In the meantime, Skacel has other ways to keep us happy. There is a national knit-along contest celebrating 20 years of Trekking yarn. Each month there will be a new pattern and technique on the KnitPurlHunter website. The contest started on the 1st of January, and runs through the first six months of 2011. Each month features a specific color of Trekking yarn that can be purchased at specific participating local yarn shops. The prizes in this contest are really sweet. The grand prize is a trip to Seattle to visit the Skacel warehouse where the winner will get a $1000 shopping spree in yarn and needles of her choice. Five great prize winners will receive a year of Trekking -- i.e. a new skein sent each month for a year. It's a sort of yarn-of-the-month club that I think would be welcome by any sock knitter. Each month of the contest, there will be at least seven winners. One will win an addi Clicks needle set of her choice -- Turbo, lace, Natura, or crochet . Two will win a stuffed promo bag. And at least four people who have been to the websites will win other random goodies. For full details on the rules and prizes and yarn availability, follow this link.

The second contest is for us AKG members. Karin graciously sent us a generous supply of red Skacel shopping bags. Inside each bag is a skein of Simplicity yarn and a color card. Karin also included a letter with instructions. She is looking for more patterns for this yarn and would like AKG members to submit design ideas. She plans to gather at least five of them into a pattern book! So members, if you'd like to call yourself a published knitter, here is your chance. Karin lays out in her letter what she needs in terms of swatch, drawing, and other information. She needs it all mailed to her by the 4th of February. So as long as we are all snowed in for a couple days, here's your excuse to swatch a little with the new free yarn you just got at the meeting! This yarn is budget-friendly and washer friendly while still being soft and knitter-friendly.

A Late Link

2011-01-05T14:56:00.000-08:00

This video has been making its way around the Internet this holiday.

Notice it took about 400 knitters. And I love the comment that the yarn stores in Norwich ran out of green wool. The project goal is not just beauty and holiday spirit, but also a chance to raise money for a worthy cause -- a group home in Norwich, United Kingdom for people with disabilities.

(Thanks to Linda F. for the link!)

Bev Galeskas

2010-12-31T07:27:00.000-08:00

I thought area knitters might want to know that Fiber Trends founder Bev Galeskas passed away this week. If you don't recognize the name, you are bound to recognize the patterns. The Felted Clogs were amongst her most popular. (Look on Ravelry for over 7000 examples.) They are fun to make and can be worked in a variety of sizes. And they are functional. (I just happened to be wearing mine when I found out Bev was gone.)
If you've been to The Whole Nine Yarns, you've seen various examples of the Felt Flock lurking about the shop. Bev's patterns are not only cleverly designed, but they are also well-written. I've seen shops use Fiber Trends patterns in class projects, especially when newer knitters were learning a technique because you could count on the directions to make sense. Bev also gave many of us the courage and confidence to try felting something on purpose. She will be both missed and remembered.

Alternative vehicles

2010-12-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

In yesterday's post, you saw a yarn-embellished bicycle. Well, it isn't just bicycles that can look good.

The obvious local example is the bug from The Whole Nine Yarns:

But a friend also sent me this photo, of a van:

With the van, I would be a little concerned about tunnels and low overpasses.

Postcards from Amsterdam

2010-12-22T08:37:00.000-08:00

As I, your friendly blog writer, am using the holiday lull to clean up my computer today, I came across some old links that never quite made it up into the blog. Now seems as good a moment as any to share.

Many of you know Betty Salpekar. She is one of our local superstars, although currently she is living just outside of Amsterdam. Her husband's job has taken them on this Netherlandish expatriate excursion. Early in their trip, Betty came across this wonderful bicycle.

I personally love the flowers on the fender.

Alas, Betty's husband wasn't willing to stand around all afternoon, waiting for the owner to return. Can you imagine being a new visitor and coming across something like this? Right away you'd know that fiber artists are welcome here.

More recently, Betty sent me this lovely link that also involves bicycles and knitting. The blog is written by a couple who are touring the world by bicycle. During this precious time of year when we are all invited to be kinder and gentler, to notice the things that connect us rather than the things that divide us, this is a lovely story that reminds us of the power a shared hobby can have, even when a language isn't shared.

Knitting for Cats?

2010-12-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

With great knitting comes great responsibility.
Please, use your talents for good, not evil.
Link to 109 Cats in Sweaters.
Has the SPCA been informed?
Has the dog stopped laughing yet?

Holiday at Whit's

2010-12-13T08:15:00.001-08:00

Yesterday's snow flurries didn't keep a few hardy AKG members from gathering at Whit's house for her annual Christmas block party. The view of the lake was a little different from our usual expectations as the flurries fluttered. There were few finished objects to be blocked, but lots of work on the needles. Everyone brought at least a little something to nibble, so there was a nice spread of cheeses, crackers, and cookies. Joyce brought "lace" cookies that were a Weight Watchers Recipe, or so she claims. I suppose they would be if you ate only one. And during the hectic holiday season, it is nice to have an excuse to just sit around with friends for three hours, watch the lake change in the light, and knit.

Ellen wasn't willing to be photographed from the front, but she was willing from the back. (The front view was better, whether she believes me or not.) She had just completed a Molly scarf with Kauni. Ellen added an extra rib or two to the middle and made the ruffle a little wider so that the overall scarf is wider. With the black and white ensemble she was wearing, this colorful scarf was just the right accent. Ellen rocked! (And she appeared to have to a Swiss-Cheese Scarf in Mini Mochi on her needles. Fabulous!) Sometimes it is nice to remember how a scarf can give an outfit just the right finishing touch.

Bears

2010-12-06T08:14:00.000-08:00

Our December potluck meeting was as good as ever. We donated 213 dressed bears to the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. Local station WSB also sent a camera man to film a little of our meeting and the presentation of the bears. The segment is scheduled to air on Sunday 12 December during the 6:30 AM program "People 2 People." (If you go to the WSB website, you can find the most recent show by choosing from the "Community" menu on the far right of the homepage.) Diana, our president, has also hinted that there may be some sort of activity next year to encourage more participation in knitting the bear clothing. We will have to wait to see what she unveils!

One last reminder, Whit's annual Block Party will also be this Sunday, but at the brighter hours of 2-5 PM. If you plan to attend, do be sure to contact Whit so that she has a head count. As always, Whit will have out her professional steamer, so bring towels and those finished holiday gifts that need a good blocking to give them just the right finish. Even if you don't need to block something, bring a snack food to share (if you can) and come join the camaraderie!

STITCHES South 2011

2010-11-15T07:20:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already, now is the moment to pull out your datebook (or iToy) and highlight 14-17 April 2011 for STITCHES South.

You can download the brochure in .pdf form by clicking the link at the bottom right, or you can view it on Flickr by clinking the link in the upper left. In the midst of all the holiday hub-bub, isn't it nice to be able to curl up with the STITCHES South 2011 brochure, read up on all the great classes, pick out a few (or a few more than a few), sign up, and then fantasize all winter about how great the weekend will be? And the beautiful thing about this is that the weekend will be even better than the fantasy. If creativity is one of the big factors in keeping America competitive in the 21st century global economy, then knitters will have no trouble continuing to do their part. XRX asked teachers to come up with more new and unusual classes, and the teachers responded in full. If you see a class description that looks interesting but you'd like more information, extended descriptions are available online when registration opens.

Opening Day begins with Anna Zilboorg, author of Knitting for Anarchists, Magnificent Mittens and Socks, and other books including Fancy Feet: Traditional Knitting Patterns of Turkey and Simply Socks: 45 Traditional Turkish Patterns to Knit. While the objects may be small in size, they are big in color, pattern, and knitting interest. I hope she brings LOTS of samples.

There are several fashion shows this time. In addition to the usual Friday night fashion show, there is a show on Friday at noon featuring Jean Frost jackets and a show Saturday at noon featuring projects from Knitter's magazine. Teachers á la Carte is still Thursday at lunch. This is a great opportunity to meet the teachers in person. If there is a still-open class you are thinking about or a teacher you are curious about, Teachers á la Carte is your chance to go straight to the primary source.

And the Pajama Party returns on Friday night. Glee!

The weekend wraps up with the Saturday student banquet for all you Show & Tell junkies (myself included) and the Cash Grand Prize Drawing on Sunday at 1 PM. And, of course, the Market is open the whole weekend. Do notice that this year STITCHES South falls at the end of tax season rather than after it, so do be sure to file early if you expect a rebate. You never know who is going to show up in the market with something that isn't normally in stock in the local shops. (I know, it is hard to believe there is anything that isn't normally in stock around here, but I've found a few.)

While you are online registering, head over to this link to register to get a digital copy of Knitter's magazine issue 100. You can also sign up to receive your subscription digitally, which is very useful if your bookshelf space seems shrink. Digital copies are also handy if you want to print out and mark up a pattern so that the magazine isn't dog-eared beyond recognition after a couple months' journey in a knitting bag.

Registration for STITCHES South opens Monday 22 November at 10 AM Eastern time. Early bird pricing runs until 10 February. This gives all those dear hubbies/sweeties out there a chance to indulge their knitters for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Yule or later for Valentine's Day. I suppose they could surprise us for Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Dr. King's Birthday, and Groundhog Day too.

November meeting

2010-11-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

While many of us were undoubtedly disappointed that Karin Skacel couldn't join us this month, the show still needed to go on. And it went rather well. :-)

Many of us were still basking in the glow of beads and lace and our weekend of Sivia Harding workshops. Diana wisely invited graduates of the Moonrise necklace workshop to show off their jewelry.

From left to right: Marian, Linda F, Whit, Jane, Sharon W, and Joyce.

There were questions and prizes including Skacel Acryl-no-Ick yarn donated by Needle Nook, a Friday Night Knitting Club bag donated by Needle Nook, and a skein of Twisted Sisters Petite Voodoo (merino & silk) and matching Japanese Magatama beads donated by Only Ewe and Cotton Too and The Bead Bug.

Show and Tell is always, always, always interesting with this group. Always. Even if there is nothing else going on in the evening (which is never), it is always worth going to the meeting just to soak up the inspiration. Tom from Knitting in the Woods (a campground and knitting retreat) was at the meeting. He and his friend Tim were knitting athletic supporters out of Cascade Fixation, a cotton sock yarn with elastic in it. When I mentioned this to Elyse, she pointed out that Fixation is the only yarn she knows of from which you could knit a bathing suit that would stay up.
But back to show and tell. Tom showed off this breathtaking lace receiving blanket he knit for his new grandson who is due in January. The pattern is Tom's own interpretation of Estonia lace right down to the nupps! Art showed off his very first knitting project -- a scarf in plain blocks of color. He mentioned some of his experiences with changing tension, and many of us in the room nodded in sympathy. Margaret had several beautiful projects including a secret sock knit along with the Nautical Knitter that included lace, beads, and Bavarian traveling stitches. I guess if you make it secret, you don't scare people away until after they've cast-on and are committed. And Becky showed a knitted shawl/tablecloth that her mother bought at an antique store. The dealer said it was crocheted, but it is clearly knitted and so needed to go home with someone who could tell the difference. It looks as if it might even be linen! Hard to believe somebody had given it away. This is why you have to pass at least a little of the knitting skill down through your family -- so that somebody will understand and appreciate your accomplishments when you are gone.

Next month should be plenty of fun with the presentation of the bears and the holiday potluck. Show and tell is bound to feature lots of holiday gifts ready to be wrapped!

Grey's Knitted Anatomy?

2010-11-09T08:14:00.000-08:00

Sorry I didn't come across this sooner, as it would be perfect for Halloween. Better late than never. Follow this link to an anatomically-correct knitted skeleton by Ben Cuevas.

Thanks to Brenda Dayne of Cast-On podcast for mentioning this in episode 93 and providing the link in her show notes.

Change of Plans

2010-11-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

Alas, Karin Skacel will not be coming to Atlanta Knitting Guild this month. We hope to be able to reschedule her and the Artfelt workshops.

We have a great program planned for our meeting on Thursday evening, “Bearly…In Control”. We will have a fun knit-in to help get our bears dressed for presentation at the December meeting. Plus, you never know the surprises Diana & Marian may have in store for us!

Weekend with Sivia

2010-10-13T13:21:00.001-07:00

We hope everyone had a lovely weekend meeting Sivia Harding and taking workshops with her. It should be no surprise if there is a lot of beaded lace turning up in show and tell over the next several months. We are so happy and thankful that Sivia could come teach. She is a delightful person as well as a very talented knitter and designer. Her understanding of how beads add sparks of light to knitting is inspiring. And I believe we all enjoyed looking at the many, many samples of different lace and different types of beads and their effects.

Many thanks to Kay, our VP of Workshops, for her unflinching hard work to make the weekend possible. Thank you to Marjorie for hosting the Saturday potluck dinner. And thank you to Diana for scheduling Sivia, a decision that was made back when Diana was VP of Workshops. Many thanks also to Linda, Whit, Eve, and Diana again for providing lunches and transportation for our superstar. Special thanks to Jane for taking Sivia on an Atlanta-area shop hop. Lastly, thank you to Elyse and Bill of Only Ewe and Cotton Too for providing beads and pattern support throughout the weekend.

At right is a picture of an Aquitaine beaded cuff, which was the Saturday morning workshop in which we learned four different ways to apply beads. Sivia did speak some about pre-stringing beads. She recommended sliding them down the yarn and parking them in smaller groups so that you don't have to pull your yarn through hundreds of beads. She says she does this by spreading out her yarn on the floor and moving the groups of beads. Obviously, her pet is properly trained. She also showed us how to use a very small crochet hook to add beads as you go. The beads that are added to the cast-on edge are a particularly delightful touch to this project. With all the varieties of yarn, beads, and color, it will be a lot of fun to see the differences and creativity in the final projects.

The Moonrise necklace was Saturday afternoon's workshop. This fabulous necklace was so popular that the workshop sold out well in advance.

Some artistic advice and reflections from Whit:

This was my first experience knitting with beads and it was so fun, I can see where this phase of Knitting could be addicting. It was much easier than I thought, and I can actually wear this first project someday.

Tips: Use strong, silk beading thread - not sewing thread. I found that the weight of some of the larger beads seemed to make the thread work out and show, sometimes, so I got the glue gun out to reinforce the beads. (Probably not Kosher, but it seemed to work and saved further sewing). The more beads that are used, the better to hide the base of Knitting, and one can almost not have too many beads on these necklaces as they look richer the more and varied there are. A variety of shapes give texture which is very needed. If one is using all blue and white, for instance, use a contrasting color in a small bead here and there. This will give the project a little Punch!

And some advice from Joyce:

I really enjoyed the class and have now some ability to apply the skills to jewelry in the future. Learning the process to make a curved necklace was valuable and my necklace is quite nice. However, the thread provided, while pretty and sparkly is scratchy and probably will be uncomfortable next to the skin. Sivia did say that any lace weight yarn with some silk would be a better choice for it is softer and more malleable.

Linda F. sent this beautiful picture of her Moon Flowers necklace. She writes, "I learned a lot about mixing beads with abandon, which is my favored style of knitting yarn too. I was so excited by the class, I went home and raided my bead stash to make another necklace and 2 bracelets."

We hope everyone in our guild enjoyed an equally inspirational weekend.

On the Origin of Yarn

2010-10-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

I find that knitters appreciate the process of making yarn, whether or not they also make their own. Here in the South we have two autumn events related to the origin of yarn. These are especially good events for spinners and animal lovers.

Coming up in a couple weeks on 22-24 October is the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. This well-established annual event is at the WNC Agricultural Center in Fletcher, North Carolina (near Asheville). The class workshop schedule includes knitting classes as well as spinning, dyeing, crocheting, and felting. The market includes plenty of hand-dyed yarns from independent dyers as well as equipment and roving for spinning. There are live animals on site, including angora rabbits, sheep, mohair goats, llamas, and alpacas. I've even known people to buy a fleece while it is still being worn by the animal!

The second event is a newer one, but nevertheless quite welcome in the neighborhood. The Georgia Alpaca Association is holding the Royal Alpaca Challenge on 6 & 7 November at the International Horse Park in Conyers, Georgia. (This is where the equestrian events were held during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.) If you've never been to an alpaca show, this is a great opportunity to meet these sweet animals in person. Alpacas come in two basic varieties (suri and huacaya) and a myriad of natural shades of white, black, grey, and a lovely full range of browns from cappuccino to caramel to chocolate. In addition to a market where you can buy alpaca products, there is also a knitters' lounge for fiber demonstrations and a silent auction. And, of course, if you are looking to get into the alpaca business, this is a place to show, buy, and breed animals.

Both of these events are opportunities to learn more about the materials we love and to support the regional breeders who raise our favorite animal fibers.

What is it about food?

2010-09-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

We've explored this topic some in previous posts here and here. The topic reappears in the knitting news.

Knotted Pumpkin Pie by Ed Bing Lee seems appropriate for early autumn.

These examples by Ed Bing Lee are knotted (more like macrame) than knitted, but still interesting and inspiring.

Or you could check out this book from Japan:

More amazing pictures from this book can be found on Fleegle's blog here.
Even more photographs of knitted, crocheted, and knotted food can be found here, including a crocheted lobster, fruits and vegetables, and many baked goods.

What is it that we so love about using yarn and craft skills to depict food we can't eat? It seems that in the late 20th/early 21st century United States we've developed quite a tradition of enticing depictions of food in photography, television, print, and even decorative arts. It seems that not only is there "food porn" but there is even a sub-genre of "food craft porn."

Of course, one of my all-time favorites is this witty concoction by Debbie New that turns the problem on its head:These are actual licorice laces knitted as if they were yarn. [See Elaine Rowley, editor Socks, Socks, Socks (Sioux Falls SD: XRX, Inc. 1999) p. 95.] Knitting you can eat, instead of food you can't eat.

Thank you to this quarter's TKGA newsletter and Linda F. for the links.

Shop Hop Reminder

2010-09-24T08:29:00.000-07:00

The annual shop hop begins tomorrow (Saturday 25 September) and runs through the weekend, the week, and next weekend ending on Sunday 3 October. As always, there are fabulous prizes donated by the participating shops. The drawings for those prizes are open to all shoppers, even those who don't make it to all ten shops. There is also a grand prize of $1000 in gift certificates (a $100 gift certificate to each of the ten shops) for one lucky yarn connoisseur who visits all ten shops. The shops are:

Cast-On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden (in a new location)
Knitch (in a new location since last year)
Main Street Yarns and Fibers
Needle Nook
Only Ewe and Cotton Too
Rare Purls Yarn Boutique and Knitterie (a new participant)
Sheepish
Strings and Strands
The Whole Nine Yarns (in a new location)
Yarn Garden

Remember you'll need to spend $1 to buy a passport (this covers the cost of printing) and then spend $10 in each shop in order to get your passport stamped. If you have your yellow 2009-2010 AKG Membership Directory, you can pack it in your car in case you need the phone numbers for the participating shops. (Remember the addresses are correct for seven of them, but outdated for Cast-on Cottage, Knitch, and The Whole Nine Yarns).

Happy hopping!

Moving & More Moving

2010-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

A reminder if you are planning to go shop hopping -- two long-time guild merchant friends have moved recently. In both cases, you will find easier and better parking. What is it with us knitters and the need for parking?!?

Cast On Cottage and Needlepoint Garden has moved a short distance from their previous home in downtown Roswell to a convenient space with better parking.

Their new address is
Coleman Village
860 Marietta Highway
Roswell, GA 30075
Phone number remains the same:
770-998-3483

If you visit Woodstock, you'll find The Whole Nine Yarns has left the spot near the gazebo. The shop is now a minute south down Main Street and on the right if you are driving from the old location. Once again, the new location has more space and, especially, more parking.

Their new address is
8826 Main Street
Woodstock GA 30189
Phone number remains the same:
678-494-5242

Best wishes to everyone in both shops and special wishes that the new locations may turn out to be even better than imagined.

Easy Sock Blockers

2010-09-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have seen Deborah's sock blockers at a recent meeting. These are surprisingly inexpensive and easy to make from wire coat hangers. In fact, Deborah says that the cheaper hangers actually work better! She also advises to be sure to use coated wire hangers. You don't want any nasty rust stains on your fabulous hand-knit socks. Follow this link.

The hook at the top makes it easy to hang socks up to dry or to position them around the premises for display and admiration. Remember, you're just saving other people the trouble of getting down on the floor for a better look.

Thank you to Linda F. for the information!

What's in a name?

2010-08-10T14:41:00.001-07:00

Color expert Margie Deeb returned for an encore presentation at our August meeting. During her presentation, there was a contest regarding the most unusual colorway name you've encountered. There were a number of excellent submissions including:
Zombie Barbecue by Lorna's Laces
Frog in a Blender -- a Knit Picks Bare that was hand dyed
Bruise, a roving by Pigeonroof Studios

But the winner was Ro, who recalled "The Crotch on Those Pants is Insane!" by Yarntini. It is gray. You can see it in the sold section of Yarntini's etsy store here. Yes, somebody bought it.

We're gonna need bigger needles

2010-07-13T07:05:00.000-07:00

Sometimes stunt knitting is about complexity. Sometimes it is about size, both very small or very large. In the case of Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma, who is knitting sort of updated bean bag chairs, the size is very large. I'm not sure what size those needles are. 50s? 100s? And we won't begin to take guesses about the yarn, which she sources from New Zealand. She has a strong interest in the origin of things, and also in the environment.

To see pictures of the finished urchin pouf chairs (garter stitch in naturally-dyed colors) and to read more about her work, follow this link. You can also see more of her work on her own website www.christienmeindertsma.com/, especially in the "Projects" section.

Crocheted Food?

2010-07-08T19:42:00.000-07:00

Kate Jenkins
Smoked Haddock
Crocheted lambs wool, 2010
23.5 x 23.5 cm (9.3 x 9.3 ins)

Okay, you can't eat this crocheting, but some of it does resemble food. Or, at least, it makes you think about the origins of what we eat and how we present it. The artist is Kate Jenkins, the exhibit is "Come Dine with Kate," and the work is on display at the Rebecca Hossack gallery in London. Follow this link and click on the small icons to view larger images or on the arrow > key at the top of the right column to progress through all the work.

News From TNNA

2010-06-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

Do you read Knitter's Review?

For me the answer is, yes, sometimes. This week's posting, by Clara Parkes, is about news from TNNA, The National NeedleArts Association, or rather from its semiannual trade show. That's the show that shop owners from all over the country attend to learn about new trends in the fiber world.

So what got my attention this time? Well, good news and ... uh, some news that the jury's still out on.

The good news: Karin Skacel of Skacel, who will be our guest here in November, showed a new yarn that supposedly guarantees matching socks. Now, I'm the queen of socks that mostly don't match in terms of color.

Before you laugh, let me remind you: it's easy to match up socks made of one color yarn. But not so easy with a yarn like Zauberball. Like these:

Or the ones at the top of the page. Great socks, don't match.

And for me, no problem. It's the Lucy Neatby in me. But .... it's tempting, mighty tempting, to think about having a matched set.

As for the not-so-great news, Novelty Yarns Are Back. Maybe. The industry is calling them Fashion Yarns because they know we all have stash bins full of eyelash yarn we don't know what to do with. But I'm open-minded. Bring it on .... what can YOU do with novelty ... er, fashion ... yarn?

Diana Baber

Member Question

2010-06-23T08:38:00.000-07:00

I'm going to occasionally use this forum to respond to member comments and questions, because I think it's a better place than the newsletter or the website. It's a good way to share information on a more immediate basis that's not critical enough to send out in an email spam. In fact, I'd love to have this be an interactive forum, so let me know if you have other things you'd like to know about.

Anyway, here's a question I got this week from a long-time member (used with her permission):

I have one comment about the newsletter. The columns go from one page to the next instead of continuing on the same page. It is very difficult to read & not miss anything. It should read like newspaper columns. Can this be changed? I hope so.

And here's the answer I sent to her:

At this point, the newsletter is a "work-in-progress." There are several things going on:

(1) Our VP for Communications and newsletter editor is Jane Higdon, She's doing a fabulous job and has become a very valued member of the executive team. We're very lucky to have someone so enthusiastic to handle what is essentially a difficult job for the following reasons:

(2) We previously did the newsletter in Publisher and published it as a PDF, which we were emailing as an attachment. Most people do not have the Publisher software and are not familiar with it.

(3) At the same time, we've experienced major problems with emailing the newsletter as an attachment--even a PDF--because of email limitations. Some people's spam filters pitch the emails back, our email programs won't send out more than 5-10 at a batch, we're seen as a "spammer" by email programs like Bellsouth and Verizon because we're mass-mailing with attachments, etc., etc.

(4) So we've ended up using a program called Constant Contact which can email a newsletter in large batches. (We email to about 350 members and affiliate organizations.) This part of the system has worked very well and we get few complaints about WHETHER it's been received. Constant Contact is a relatively inexpensive and relatively uncomplicated program to use and that seems to fit our all-volunteer, ever-changing workforce. It is also being used by a number of our affiliates and other organizations, so people are familiar with it.

(5) Where we do get complaints is in the format of the newsletter, which I'll be the first to admit is not ideal. It's a template that Constant Contact can handle and that's the best I can say for it. Some members say it's difficult to read because of the pagination, as opposed, for instance, to WORD and Publisher where you can use columns within a page and then move on to the next page and start over. There are also issues with which articles are forced to the top--not always the ones that you would print "above the fold" in a traditional format.

(6) I would love to see more people read it online at the website but many of our members don't use computers and/or email for various reasons. We still print a few "hard copies" and mail them and that's an expense and a hassle too.

(7) Actually I think it's easier to read online but many of our members want to print it out at home and that's where it gets a little hairy.

(8) Basically what I see is that we are living in a world that communicates online and we're still very much paper-oriented. Our members who want a paper newsletter mailed to them want just that and don't want to hear about email or online. Our members who live online are impatient with paper and don't want to deal with it. Most of us are somewhere in the middle. Postage and printing costs keep going up as we keep trying to walk the tightwire between all our members. In the meantime, we have a whole generation coming along that won't have any idea what it means to "dial" a phone or to "hang up" either, but that's another whole issue.

Bottom line: we're working on it. Our focus this year is going to be improving communication (meaning getting timely and complete information to our members in several ways) and getting members involved and engaged.

Okay, who's next with a question? Send it to me at president@atlantaknittingguild.org and I'll answer it one way or another--either personally or here.

Diana Baber
President

More Knitting in Public

2010-06-21T09:37:00.000-07:00

Guild affiliate Rare Purls in Duluth is celebrating their first year of business. In addition to a sale they are hosting a party and a contest.

Rare Purls' anniversary party is on Friday 25 June. Rare Purls shares space in their century-old grand house with a first-class restaurant, so this is an opportunity for camaraderie as well as knitting fun and good food. The Knittery is a separate nice space adjacent to the shop and restaurant. You can just sit, unwind, and knit in public all you like.

The contest is to see who can be the most creative with a mystery skein. Winners will receive prizes that have been furnished by Cascade Yarns. To enter, purchase $25 of yarn during the anniversary sale and pull a skein out of the grab bag. The only rule is that this skein must be the primary yarn in your entry. Projects will be judged on the most creative use of the mystery skein. Entries must be brought to Rare Purls by July 14, 2010. A distinguished panel of judges (Chef Eric, Luke, and Kay) will review the entries and prizes will be awarded on Friday, July 16, 2010. The project entires will be posted on the Rare Purls website.

Visual Warmth

2010-06-19T01:53:00.000-07:00

This one has been up for awhile, but it is worth sharing. This is a video using knitting to visualize the warm heat of natural gas. It was made for Natural Gas Belgium. You can also see a making of video here. I particularly love the knit-covered sneakers, children's playset, shower head, and tea kettle complete with knitted gas flames and steam.

Knit in Public

2010-06-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

World Wide Knit in Public Day has been expanded to a full week. You can find more information at the official website here. This year's dates run from this Saturday the 12th through next Sunday the 20th, which is also Fathers' Day.

Several AKG affiliates will be hosting events. There is something for everyone!

Needle Nook will be knitting in public on Saturday the 12th from 11AM to 3PM at Artuzzi's. Meet at the shop and then the group will proceed to the restaurant. There will be shop specials for participants.

Only Ewe and Cotton Too will be knitting in public on Saturday the 12th from 10 AM - 5:30 PM. There will be tables and chairs on the porch, and of course there are several good restaurants close by the shop including an Irish pub. There will also be public knitting indoors for those who prefer to get out of the heat. And they now have Wi-fi!

Knitch will be knitting in public on Saturday the 12th beginning at noon at the Park Tavern in Piedmont Park. This is a lovely green setting in the heart of Atlanta. Good food and drink available.

The Whole Nine Yarns will be knitting in public on Saturday the 12th. Knitters can gather at Parkside (the park in front of the shop) or inside the air conditioned shop in Woodstock from 10 AM -4 PM. There will be specials all day!

Noble Knitters will be knitting in public on Saturday the 12th. They will be gathering around 11:30 at California Pizza Kitchen or around noon on the benches at Barnes & Noble at the Forum, 5141 Peachtree Parkway in Norcross, 30092.

June meeting

2010-06-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Scarf-a-Palooza program turned out extremely well! Who knew there were so many interesting things to do with a scarf? Marian plans to put together a file of the free patterns.

Some of the highlights:
Jan S. showed off her design for a Contemporary Ascot Scarf. She also showed a hurdle stitch scarf and coordinating hat. Jan is the prophet of Hurdle Stitch, always glad to show off its excellent qualities!

Margaret H. showed off many scarves, including a couple unusual ones from Knitting New Scarves by Lynne Barr. Congratulations to Margaret for completing the Drifting Pleats Scarf, which is a very interesting knit! Margaret also showed a scarf with knit-as-you-go fringe, so that you don't have to cut strands and all on at the end.

Ro C. provided probably the most informative presentation of the evening. Ro showed a couple scarves that used intentional pooling to very good effect. She drew out several very nice poster-sized diagrams that explained how to tell if a skein will pool. And she talked about getting a skein to pool the way you want. We may see if Ro would be willing to teach a workshop on this technique. Her beautiful scarves made you want to try this technique right away! (To see her projects, follow this Ravelry link. She is RoInGa.)

Pam C. showed off a Cat Bordhi mobius scarf. Pam had even added an i-cord edging and grafted the beginning and end together for a truly seamless look. Pam was working on another mobius that used two skeins of yarn, one knit clockwise and one knit counterclockwise.

Linda F. had at least four cute shoulder wraps for summer. These are made by casting on about 30 or 40 stitches, and increasing at the end of every row so that the shape gets wide very quickly. Linda had even added some crocheted eyelash-yarn borders. These are very cute and quite appropriate to Atlanta weather.

Nancy B. had worked some patterns out of Knitted Scarves, Stoles, and Shawls by Nancy Wiseman. One of these started with a provisional cast-on in the center, and was then worked outward so that when worn, the leaves in the lace pattern are all falling down. The center area even had an interesting pattern of its own!

Lois M. hailed the benefits of the skinny scarf. She had a cute one made from Crystal Palace Squiggle. These could be as narrow as i-cord. They also can be used to make jewelry, and can be combined with beads or even a left-over earring.

Betty B. showed a scarf made from a Classic Elite ball band pattern. Sometimes it pays to look at those free with the yarn patterns!

Claire G. displayed several of her knitting in the car scarf patterns. She does these because afghans are too big for in the car, but she wants something that isn't too complicated so she doesn't lapse in her job as navigator. As with many of the other presentations, it is very interesting to see the same pattern worked in different yarns. Sometimes it almost looks like the projects are unrelated!

My camera battery died so I only got one shot of show and tell. Debra D. completed the Fallen Leaf Frilled Triangular Scarflette. Stunning! (Follow this Ravelry link to see more pictures.) Other projects included two beautiful striped blankets that Linda W. made as baby gifts for a friend who has suffered several miscarriages but is finally having good luck. And Elizabeth C. had a not-quite-finished double-knit baby blanket with cute animal motifs. (Ravelry link.) Truly an heirloom!

Scarf-a-Palooza Preview

2010-06-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

For those of you coming to tomorrow night's Guild meeting, I hope you're bringing your scarves to show off. Several members will stand up and talk briefly about their favorite scarf patterns and the personal modifications they've done. The rest of us will (hopefully) show off during Show and Tell time.

Personally, my very favorite scarf pattern is the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf by Karen Baumer. I've made what seems like dozens of these, though it's probably fewer than that. You can also find it on Ravelry. Either way, it's free and uses one skein of sock (fingering weight) yarn.

But the one above is one of Candace Eisner Strick's patterns for her Merging Colors yarns. It's called "Arioso," and unfortunately only comes as part of a kit. (But it's so worth it! The yarns are fabulous!) The colors change as you knit--in this case they go from a burgundy-ish red to a deep royal blue at the other end. With a little luck I'll remember to bring it tomorrow night to show it off.

Anyway, I hope I've inspired some of you to bring a scarf or two to show off. Even if you can't, the program should inspire you to get out your holiday gift lists and your needles and yarn.

Some STITCHES pictures and more

2010-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to Tiina Veko, who has posted her STITCHES South 2010 pictures on Flickr.

A sample:

Elizabeth greeting a visitor at the Trauma Bear Table.

The AKG booth.

Many people winding yarn.
The swifts and ball winders were much appreciated!

Once again, AKG had a noticeable presence. We had a booth again right near the front of the market, as well as a table to display the trauma bear project. The bears are donated each December to the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. We added to the booth posters of both the centerpiece flowers from STITCHES South 2009 and the scarecrow from 2007. We gained 25l new members during the weekend -- welcome aboard! We asked for minor donations if people used the swifts and ball winders. The winders were very busy! We passed those donations ($150) along to the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children. So we were able to support a worthy charity.

Outgoing president Linda Fetter welcomed visitors at the Thursday morning opening presentation. Presidential Nominee (now incoming president) Diana Baber greeted the crowd at the Friday fashion show and also assisted at the registration desk. Diana, Nancy Barke, Ellen Rosentoski and Donna Wickenden participated in the student fashion show on Saturday. AKG affiliates in the marketplace included Only Ewe and Cotton Too, The Whole Nine Yarns, Sassafras Creations, Purdy Thangz, Gale's Art, and Knit Witch. AKG members who taught classes included Rebecca Ewing and Jolie Elder. Many, many members took classes, participated in contests and the Ravelry chocolate fountain party, and won prizes. (Alas, where is a photo of Jan Stephens at the pajama party?)

A huge thank you to all the people who make STITCHES South possible. This includes the fine folks at XRX, Inc. who put on the whole show, publish Knitter's magazine, and published beautiful books. But this also includes the generous sponsors who make the party even more fun with their prizes. Thanks go out to Skacel, Cascade Yarns, Trendsetter Yarns, Universal Yarn, Mission Falls, Kolláge Yarns, and Prism. We hope all of you had as much fun as we did!

2010-2011 Executive Board

2010-05-09T11:20:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to the ladies who have stepped up to serve on the 2010-2011 Atlanta Knitting Guild executive board. As pictured above from left to right they are: Secretary Ava Navin, Past President Linda Fetter, Treasurer Leslie Gassman, President Diana Baber, SVP Programs Marian Rose, VP Programs Eve Borkenhagen, Communications Jane Higdon, VP Workshops Melissa Brown, Membership Valerie Cross, Chair Emerita Whit Robbins. Not pictured: SVP Workshops Kay Mather.

Having a large knitting guild gives us knitters many special opportunities, but it also takes a lot of behind the scenes effort. We've added an extra section on this year's membership form, asking members to indicate at least two areas in which they would be willing to help out in the coming year. The best way you can show the board that you appreciate the effort they put into keeping all the tax and business stuff straight, paying the rent and expenses, getting speakers for programs, booking superstars for workshops, sending out the newsletter, and keeping good records of this is to volunteer to help with the little things. Come early and set up the room. Stay late and run the vacuum. Bring munchies. Write a blog post. Post a meeting reminder on our Ravelry group. Take a few pictures of show and tell. Knit something for charity. Set up and take down the balloons during STITCHES South. Or just give our new president your name and number and let her know that, if something comes up, you can step in and help.

Life after Stitches South

2010-05-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

Has everyone recuperated from Stitches South? Have you started working on any of your purchases, or you still just admiring them?

Don't forget the AKG meeting this Thursday. In addition to the election of officers, it will be Market Night with our local affiliates offering bargains galore. You might find the perfect yarn for that intriguing project in the book you bought at Stitches, or the perfect coordinating yarn to go with the new stash yarn you couldn't resist at Stitches, or the new yarn you need for the new technique you learned at Stitches.

Some Key STITCHES South 2010 links

2010-04-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

These were mentioned last night at the AKG meeting, but here they are so you can find them. Be sure you are already logged on to Ravelry before clicking.

There is a generic, "I'll be at STITCHES South 2010."

There is also the Ravelry Party on Thursday night 8-10:30 in ballrooms 3 & 4. This is just after the Market Preview.

And there is the Pajama Party in the Renaissance Waverly lobby on Friday night after the Fashion Show and dinner. Contests for Wackiest Pajamas and Coolest Handmade Slippers.

To indicate that you are attending, click the large square "I am attending" button towards the upper right side of the screen. If you are already logged as attending, there will instead be a bright Ravelry rose-colored button that says "I am attending." You can also check your status by choosing "Groups & Events" from the "My Notebook" menu. Then choose the "event calendar" tab in the upper right. If you are signed up, they will appear in your personal event calendar list.

See you all there in just two more weeks! Rolling in alpaca glee!

April Meeting rescheduled to April 8

2010-03-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that the April meeting will be on the 2nd Thursday of the month. Easter falls at the beginning of April this year, so St. Patrick's is using our regular meeting space during Holy Week and can't rent it out to us on the 1st. We'll see everyone on April 8th! The program is titled "The Best Knitting Superstar Class I Ever Took!" We should get to hear some tricks and tips. And this may help you make last minute decisions about those STITCHES South classes.

Needle Nook Ovarian Cancer Fundraiser

2010-03-26T17:36:00.000-07:00

Needle Nook is holding their third annual sidewalk sale to help support Ovarian Cancer research. There will be tables set up outside with crafters and vendors selling their wares. You could find some great gifts for Mothers Day, Fathers Day, birthdays and anniversaries, and maybe something special for yourself. A portion of each sale will be donated to Ovarian Cycle. There will be a bake sale, and a raffle with a hand-knit shawl and a Knit Witch yarn bowl. Raffle tickets are on sale now.

See you there.

Saturday April 10, 2 - 6 pm