Keep informed of exciting knitting events, news, patterns, and tips with the Cable Gram newsletter included with your paid membership to the Minnesota Knitters' Guild.
‘Bohus Radiant Knits’ Comes to Minneapolis in January
Registration began November 10 for the American Swedish Institute's “Bohus Radiant Knits,” a Swedish explosion of color and texture that opens January 23.
Bohus knitting, which flourished under the aegis of the Bohus Stickning knitting collective in Sweden for 30 years (1939 to 1969), is well-known to American knitters through such books as Wendy Keele's Poems of Color. It reminds many people of Fair Isle knitting, since it too features color strandwork on fine yarn, but it uses textured stitches as well, and sports the signature colors of hand-dyed yarn. The ASI event, which runs January 23 to March 29, marks the first time that Bohus couture garments have
been on exclusive exhibit in the United States since the 1964 World’s Fair in
New York.
This exhibit opens on Friday, January 23, at the museum, the Turnblad mansion at 2600 Park Avenue in Minneapolis. During the opening weekend, the ASI offers a variety of opportunities to learn about Bohus knitting and its history, including workshops, lectures, a knit-out in the museum, guided tours, knitting workshops, and a film premiere. A number of special guests from Sweden and the U.S. will be present to share their expertise.
A schedule of the weekend's events (with a link to a downloadable registration form) is at the ASI Web site. Many require advance (paid) registration, and as of this writing at least one event is sold out. They include a lecture by master dyer Solveig Gustafsson and two knitting workshops by nationally known Bohus knitting instructor Susanna Hansson. Yarn kits for Bohus projects are also on sale at the ASI museum shop. The museum is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m, Wednesday noon to 8 p.m., and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. General admission is $6 for adults, with reduced prices for students and seniors.
The Minnesota Knitters’ Guild is a proud sponsor of the ASI exhibit. Check out www.americanswedishinst.org, or call the ASI at 612/871-4907 for Visa or MasterCard reservations, or for more information.
Congratulations to all the Guild members who took prizes at this year’s Minnesota State Fair! Creativity and passion were all on display in the Creative Activities display booths this August. Here are our very own August 2008 winners, along with the official category they won a prize in:
Carolyn Barsness — Adult Sweater, color pattern cardigan Beth Conway — Knit Bag, plain or textured felted Gertrude Daughtery — Shawl or Stole, heavy weight Bonnie Esplie —– Gloves; Socks, color or intarsia Susan Farnham — Socks, plain or ribbed; Adult Sweater, plain cardigan Celeste Grant — Afghan, one piece; Bedspread; Cap or Hat, color pattern or intarsia Joan Grimm — Afghan, one piece Mary Hathaway — Sleeveless Sweater or Vest, plain or texture Mary Heer — Adult Sweater, limited use texture cardigan Shelly Kang — Bedspread; Scarf, light weight; Socks, plain or ribbed Evelyn Kindley — Adult Sweater, texture pullover; Adult Sweater, color pattern pullover Kristine King — Not Otherwise Specified, not wearable Eryka Jackson — Not Otherwise Specified, wearable Kim LaBerge — Child Sweater, dress/suit color pattern or intarsia Shirley Levitt — Adult Sweater, plain pullover; Adult Sweater, intarsia
Paula Mazour — Shawl or Stole, medium weight Shelley Monitor — Mittens, color pattern; Scarf, light weight; Gloves; Adult Sweater, plain pullover; Adult Sweater, texture cardigan; Adult Sweater, limited use texture pullover Lucy Norman — Knit Bag, plain or textured, felted Susan Rainey — Shawl or Stole, light weight; Adult Sweater, limited use color pattern pullover Nancy Ruehle — Socks, texture; Adult Sweater, texture pullover; Adult Sweater, texture cardigan Debra Schlekewy — Scarf, medium weight; Socks, texture; Adult Sweater, limited use color pattern cardigan Ellen Silva — Cap or Hat, color pattern or intarsia; Sleeveless Sweater or Vest, color pattern/intarisa Bonnie Swierzbin — Knit item other than bag, felted Elizabeth Tuckwood — Adult Sweater, plain cardigan Carol Voight — Adult Sweater, limited use color pattern cardigan Elizabeth Watkins — Sleeveless Sweater or Vest, plain or texture Gayle Watland — Scarf, medium weight; Socks, color or intarsia; Adult Sweater, limited use color pattern cardigan; Holiday Sock; Not Otherwise Specified, wearable
To review the complete list of winners, visit the State Fair's Web site at www.mnstatefair.org/pages/results.html. Go to “Creative Activities,” then “Needlework.” The knitters are listed on pages 18 through 25.
Buying books for the MKG library—especially books by inventive knitting designer Cat Bordhi—fulfils a lifelong dream of our new librarian, Nancy Darcy.
