Our Summer of Adventure Continues with Socktopussy

The summer programs have been full of James Bond adventure, and August’s program was no exception.  With the help of Diana and Joel, we were able to tackle the pressing question of the day – to knit socks toe up or cuff down?   I’m not sure we received a definitive answer to the question, but we sure enjoyed the show.  We received some great sock-knitting pointers, including a favorite cast on for to-up socks and how to avoid the “noose” when transitioning between the leg and the instep.

Diana clearly enjoyed her role as Soctopussy . . .

Please don’t forget that we have wonderful resources in our AKG library, including books about sock-knitting.  I especially enjoyed Socks A La Carte by Jonelle Raffino which uses flip charts to create your own sock pattern.

Trauma Bear Project.  On a separate note, we’ve done an amazing job making sweaters for our Trauma Bear project.  Over 52 sweaters were donated in August alone!  Needle Nook has joined the AKG in its quest for sweaters, and it has produced over 30 sweaters.  Keep ‘em coming!

Show and Tell.  As usual, our members create the most amazing knitted projects.

I hope my version of Wingspan looks have as pretty as these FOs.

BTW - the yarn over variation on Wingspan is found on Ravelry.com in the AKG forum.

The picture does not do justice to this beautiful jacket . . .

or this sweater.













And I am in love with these beautiful scarves:

I keep hoping that this sweater is available in my size. . . .












And that I can wear the sweater while curling up in this blanket . . .

See you next month!

A Trauma Bear's Personal Trauma

You probably remember Ford.  He’s one of the spokesbears for our Trauma BearProject.  After the August meeting, I volunteered to take him home and watch him until next month.

Someone in my house discovered Ford the next morning. 

Initially, Ford got lots of love, and even enjoyed watching cartoons with the boys.

I don’t know what happened after I left for work, but when I came home at the end of the day, I found this.

Our president, Eve, received a formal request from Ford’s representative requesting hazard pay.  I hate to admit it, but I think he might have a case.   

I Don't See the Problem Here

Before I begin this post, I feel the need for a disclaimer.  I am not what you call an avid sports fan.  In fact, you may describe me as the anti-avid sports fan.  I watch no sports either live or on TV.  I attend my children’s sporting events to socialize with other parents, take gratuitous pictures of my children, and occasionally keep up with the actual score.

That having been said, I absolutely cannot understand the fuss that was created over a woman in England who was caught knitting in a public place.  Big deal.  It was a sporting event.  Again, I’m not impressed; I knit at all my children’s sporting events.  (See disclaimer, above.)   The event was televised.  This merely means that, if she drops a stitch, she can watch the heated exchange on instant replay.  Yet, this knitter made international news. 

The BBC taped this knitter knitting during a heated moment in a Wimbledon match. 

Responses to this woman’s activities have been mixed.  Some people feel that she should have abandoned her seats since she clearly doesn’t care about the tennis match.  Other commentators were confused as to why she was knitting a sweater during the summer.  Knitters have vigorously defended her actions, noting that multi-tasking is possible, wondering how many people were Tweeting or otherwise engaged in cell phone activity during the match, and commenting that people are supposed to knit sweaters in the summer BEFORE they are needed in the fall. 

Personally, I do believe that this knitter hoped to attract attention to her activities.  After all, bright pink yarn does make a statement.  I’m sure she had a pair of socks or some other project with less conspicuous yarn somewhere in her stash.  Yet, she boldly chose to go with the bright pink.  I also don’t think she was that “into” the match since she was videoed doing a row of purl stitches.  I would argue that, if she were that excited about this match, she would have found a project that involves a simple garter stitch pattern. 

Regardless of her knitting selection, I give this knitter a tremendous amount of credit.  She joined her family for a spectacular sporting event without missing a stitch.  You go you knittin’ girl! 

A Beary Special July Meeting

Happy Weekend Everyone!

July’s AKG meeting was awesome. The food was amazing (I’m still working off a few extra pounds). The company, of course, was fantastic.

I was surprised, and excited, by the evening’s activity – knit a sweater for a trauma bear. I have to admit that I have not exactly been an active participant in the Trauma Bear project for The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. Bear patterns seemed a bit ambitious, especially since I am short on time and long on projects. Thursday’s bear sweater pattern may have turned me into a believer. We were all challenged to knit a Bear Sweater by the end of the evening. The pattern is the 25-row Beary Easy Sweater pattern written by Diana Rishel (OC Knitter). While I wasn’t able to finish the sweater during the meeting, I sat down and finished the sweater before bed on Friday. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

I absolutely can see this becoming a go-to pattern for days when I need a mindless and fast knitting project. And, if I get really ambitious, I may even try to convert the pattern in to a baby sweater pattern. Please send me pictures of your completed sweaters so that I can display them on the blog.

Congratulations to Susan D. who was the first to complete her sweater! And thank you to all of our vendors who donated yarn to the event: Blue Heron Yarns, Cast On Cottage, Interlacements, Lovin’ Knit, Needle Nook, GGH Cumba, Only Ewe & Cotton Too, Rare Purls, Sheepish, Thunder River Alpaca, Yarn Garden, and the Buffalo Wool Company.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Membership Renewal: Please complete your registration form and pay your dues ASAP to be included in this year’s directory.

Stitch and Pitch: What would summer be without the joys of the boys of summer? That's right - Stitch and Pitch with several Atlanta area guilds (including the AKG) at the Atlanta Braves is back. We are reserving space for Guild members and their companions to Stitch while the Braves Pitch (and if the Umps are blind, we may even complain in a rhyming way - wink wink, nudge nudge). The game is scheduled for 7:10 pm Saturday night, August 18, against the LA Dodgers, an "A" level team. We will be seated in the Club Pavilion, and the $40 ticket cost includes $10 in food and beverage credit. If you want to join us, please e-mail mailto:programs@atlantaknittingguild.org.

Superstar Workshop. Finally, do I need to remind you that Kathy Zimmerman is coming the first weekend in October? During her stay, she is teaching five fabulous classes: Knit to Fit, Finishing Finesse, Intro to Combining Lace and Cables, Slip-Stitch Sampler, and Ruffles, Frills and Edgings. The classes cost $40 each for members ($45 for non-members), and they are already half-full. Don’t miss this opportunity! Complete your registration form today! Have a great week!

You Only Knit Twice

Last month our June meeting featured the topic "You Only Knit Twice" -- i.e. double knitting. We were visited by double-agent for double-knitting Ivanna Knitsalotskya, who unraveled the mysteries of making secret little pockets for hiding microfiche flash drives and SDHC cards. Don't forget that August and September will feature "Live and Let Dye" and "Socktopussy." Our July meeting is our annual patriotic potluck. Be sure to bring size 7 or 8 knitting needles.

Show and tell was particularly spectacular.

Yes, that's really a yarn-bombed chair!

A large and delicate shawl.

Here's a split-square shawl. This is basically two triangular shawls worked together. The split allows the finished shawl to hang nicely and stay on the shoulders.

This last one is a textured blanket. While it shouldn't be a terribly difficult knit, it is a striking fine design.