Summertime for Knitters!

Summertime in Minnesota is our reward for slogging through a Minnesota winter. Although temperatures so far are cooler than normal, we know that any day now it will be time to put away the woolen projects and break out the cotton, linen, and soysilk. Knitting on the beach by a Minnesota lake—it doesn't get any better than this.

MKG's monthly meeting, on June 17, is a "Share Your Shawl" event; on July 15, our annual (indoor) summer picnic; and on August 19, we hear from bestselling knitting-mystery writer Monica Ferris. Join us from 7 to 9 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at the Textile Center in Minneapolis (click here for a map). See the MKG calendar for more details about upcoming meetings.

And, for those in the Duluth area, our Northern Lights affiliate group meets the week after the Minneapolis one, on Wednesday May 28, June 25, July 23, and August 20, at Portman Community Center, 4601 McCullock St., from 6 to 8 p.m. See the MKG calendar!

Other fun events you won't want to miss: National Knit-in-Public Day on June 14, the Stitch 'n' Pitch Day with the Minnesota Twins on July 20, and the Minnesota Knitters' Guild's special day at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 21. More details about these events are on our online calendar. And we're working on a new charity-knitting project, Project Little Lambs; bring your afghans for newborns to our July meeting. Read more on our Community Service page.

Got Socks?

MKG is on Display this Summer in the Textile Center Community Gallery July 20–Aug 28

The Minnesota Knitters' Guild has volunteered to provide an upcoming exhibit at the Textile Center. We have the opportunity to display items in the Textile Community Gallery, which is along the main corridor of the building. We have selected a summertime-appropriate theme of knitted socks and we need your help! We need lots of knitted socks from members to make this exhibit a success.

If you have clean, blocked socks you would like to display for the MKG exhibit, please bring them to the June 17 Guild meeting. Put the socks in a bag or envelope and label them clearly with your name, address, phone, yarn type and pattern. Items displayed in the Community Gallery can be listed with a sale price if you would like to sell your work. The Textile Center does take 40 percent of the sale price, so keep this in mind if you want to put your socks up for sale. All socks will be returned to you at the Guild meeting in September or October.

Please contact Becky Helgesen, Textile Center Liaison, at housegecko@comcast.net with any questions.

Knitting Meets Weaving

Of course weavers and knitters have a lot in common, but it's not often that we get to explore those commonalities. This fall and winter, the Weavers Guild of Minnesota (which shares an address with the Minnesota Knitters' Guild: the Textile Center at 3000 University Ave. SE., Minneapolis) offers two classes designed to foster cross-cultural growth.

"Spinning for Knitters," taught by Nancy Preckshot, meets Wednesday evenings from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1. In it, you'll learn to use a spinning wheel to make enough yarn for a small project (they suggest a hat, but you can bring in any small-project pattern to plan your work). You can even rent a spinning wheel to take home for an extra charge.

"Weaving for Knitters," which runs Monday nights from Nov. 24 to Dec. 15, teaches you a quick way to use up leftover knitting yarn, since, as the class description points out, "a scarf can be woven on a simple rigid heddle loom in a fraction of the time it takes to knit." It's taught by Mary Skoy. You'll learn to wind a warp, thread it onto the loom, and weave. They suggest worsted-weight yarn or thinner.

The cost for the spinning class is $119 for non–Weavers Guild members, plus a $10 materials fee. For the weaving class, it's $100 for non-members, including a handouts fee. Both classes are limited in size — seven students for spinning, eight for weaving — so it would be a good idea to register early. Call the Weavers Guild at 612/436-0463, or go to their Web site, www.weaversguildmn.org .