May ’21 Meeting Wrapup

Boy, did we learn a lot about yarn from Jillian Moreno at this week’s meeting. I found myself checking out the number of plies in the yarn I’m using and thinking about how that effects my color work in a new way.

Textile Center Update

The Textile Center will not be making meeting space available to groups for the rest of the year, so we will continue to keep our programming virtually. They have added an ionization unit to the HVAC. They are working to make the rooms and technology work for meetings to be live and virtual. They are currently working on their 5-year strategic plan and the Guilds are part of that. They have already met with Guild leaders for more input and in June we will link to a survey where you can also give yours. Meeting Ticketing

Thanks for going through the learning process with us on this. Members will no longer have to pre-register for meeting. You will receive a link in the monthly newsletter and it will also be available in the members only area of the website here. Non-members will still be asked to pre-register and be given the option to make a donation or join the Guild.

Guild Updates

As things begin to open up in Minnesota, we are looking at our upcoming events as well.

Stitch ‘n’ Pitch – We have reserved our typical section for September 12th. Target Field is opening to full capacity.

Great Guild Getaway – We are hopeful to still have the retreat October 21st – 24th. We are touching base with Camp Knutson. Reservations will open in August if we are good to go.

State Fair Gnome Takeover – After our April meeting some of us were talking about how there were so many Harriet’s Hat entered in the last Fair & how it was fun to see them all around the Creative Arts displays. We thought wouldn’t it be fun if there were gnomes all through the displays this year?! So, we are encourage everyone to enter their knit gnomes in this year’s State Fair. When the premium book is released in June we’ll let you know which categories they would be eligible for.

Website – We are currently meeting with companies to have a new website built for the Guild. The current website is not mobile friendly and doesn’t have all the usability we would like. We hope to have a new site by the end of the year.

Mystery Minis Sale & KAL

Spearheaded by our newsletter editor, Jess Dahlberg, we will be holding a mystery minis sale and KAL. Later this year, you will be able to buy sets of mini skeins from the Guild. In January and February we’ll share patterns for mini skeins and host a KAL. Stay tuned for more details!

With that in mind, we will be accepting donations of fingering weight yarn at our July garage sale. We will even accept partial skeins as long as they are 20g or more. (Normally we do not accept donations of partial skeins.)

Yarnover

Yarnover 2022 is in the planning stages! Mark your calendars for April 29 – May 1st. Our weekend-long convention brings education, builds community , and is completely volunteer run.

We have great, experienced leadership:

  • Registration: Becky Herra
  • Instructor Relations: Anna Turk
  • Vendor Relations: Diane Mountford
  • Sponsorships and Door Prizes: Caitlin Maier

Looking for:

  • Planning Team Assists
  • On-site Volunteers

Contact Janese – yarnovermnkg@gmail.com

Service Knitting

April Drop-Off was a great success!

  • Over 750 hats, mittens, scarves, lap blankets, cowls, and
    fingerless mitts were received and sorted
  • More than 200 skeins of yarn and knitting notions
  • 54 members earned one or more charm markers as a
    thank you

Keep up the good work and mark your calendars for the
next drop-off at the yarn garage sale on Sunday, July 18!

Library Update

You can check books out of the Textile Center Library! You must reserve them ahead of time and schedule a pick-up time. All the details are here.

Recently added

Magazines

  • Making #11 (Dawn)
  • Nomadic Knits #9 (Iowa/Nebraska)
  • Rowan #69
  • Laine Summer 2021

Books

  • 52 Weeks of Shawls
  • Big Foot Knits
  • Color Wheel Knits
  • Evolution

Upcoming Meetings

June 15 – Roxanne Richardson – Decade by Decade, One Sweater at a Time

July – No programming – Yarn Garage Sale July 18

August 17 – Andrea Wong – Intro to Portuguese Knitting

Designer Spotlight

Our featured designer is Betsy Preston.

Door Prizes

Pattern of choice from this month’s featured designer Betsy Preston – Kathryn Brenny and AJ Niehaus

Making Magazine #11 – Dawn – Karen Krewer

Making Magazine Winter Vol. 2 – Gifts – Deepa Nirmal

Color Wheel Knits – Susan Rainey

Big Foot Knits – Ruth Ann McGlynn

Recent Posts

Show & Tell

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Headshot of Roxanne RichardsonRoxanne Richardson is a knitting communicator who lives in Minneapolis. Her YouTube channel explores a variety of knitting-related topics, including knitting history and techniques, and she writes technical knitting articles for Interweave publications. She’s a certified master hand knitter and certified knitting teacher, and she can’t wait to answer your burning knitting questions.

Currently Open

Marketing Director

The marketing director position is currently open. For more information contact the Guild President, president@knitters.org

Kelly

President

(Term 1, Year 2)

A visiting friend from Seattle taught Kelly the very basics of knitting (a twisted loop cast on and just the knit stitch) in 2008 before flying home. Turning to the internet (thanks knittinghelp.com!) Kelly taught herself through a lot of trial and error. Uncontent to keep knitting the scarf she’d started as her first project, she jumped into knitting a pair of striped mittens for her non-knitter, but very knitworthy, twin sister. Twelve years later the mittens are still in her sister’s glove box, and Kelly is usually horrified when she pulls them out and sees the mistakes she made using double pointed needles for the first time. Kelly loves knitting socks and is thankful for the many months of cold weather when she gets to exclusively wear her handknits. (she, her, hers)

Kendra

Secretary

(Term 1, Year 1)

Kendra lives in the Twin Cities and learned to hand knit from her mother in middle school. In the last few years, she has also learned crochet and machine knitting. Kendra enjoys knitting items to donate and challenging herself with new techniques. She prefers knitting in the round with colorful yarn. (she, her, hers)

Rose

Treasurer

(Term 2, Year 2)

Rose learned to knit from her mother at the age of ten. She started knitting on the ends of small paint brushes. She continued to knit off and on through her teenage and young adult years and became a more avid knitter after taking a Norwegian sweater knitting class through community education. Today, knitting has become a passion and she knits for charity, herself, and her family her stash. She enjoys meeting other knitters and learning new techniques.

Open Position

Programming Director

(3-year term)

This position is currently open. If you are interested in volunteering for the Guild board, please contact our president, Kelly, at the email me link below.

Betsy

Service Director

(Term 1, Year 3)

Betsy never had patience for knitting, until she found herself spending a lot of time at little league games and waiting for the last kid to emerge from the locker room after swim practice. With her background in graphic design, stranded colorwork has a natural appeal. Not to mention the practicality of an extra layer of warmth. Betsy has recently begun publishing her original hat and cowl patterns, which are available on Ravelry. (she, her, hers) (See our Service Knitting Page for more information about our current projects and donation process.)

Nikky

Membership/Programming Director

(Term 2, Year 1)

Nikky was first introduced to knitting in 2012 when her visiting sister-in-law taught her the basics of casting on and the knit stitch. A few weeks later, she learned how to purl from her mother-in-law. From there, it quickly became a passion and she has taken on each new project with a desire to expand her skill and discover new techniques. She loves a good mystery (knit-a-long) and knits way more shawls than a single person can wear in a month.

Melissa

Technology Director

(Term 1, Year 2)

Melissa has been knitting for 15 years. She loves socks and sweaters. She is a new member who hopes to use her marketing background to lift up the MKG. While she isn't local to MN, she really loves the atmosphere created by the Guild. Melissa and significant other Al enjoy traveling, wherein Al graciously offers to drive so Melissa can knit in the passenger seat. (she, her, hers)

Anna

Yarnover Committee Chair

While Anna learned to knit at some long-forgotten point in time, her commitment to the craft really began her freshman year of college. Sitting still has never been Anna’s strong suit, and giving her hands something to do while chatting with friends or watching movies in the dorm brought a sense of calm during this new chapter of her life. Once the sense of calm wore off (and no one else needed a scarf), she began trying new techniques, patterns, and projects, and until 2018 was primarily a self-taught knitter. After being intimidated early in her crafting, Anna feels strongly about creating a welcoming environment within the fiber community for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. She enjoys knitting and fiber traveling, test and service knitting, a good challenge (knitting or otherwise), and is likely to have at least 3 WIPs at any one time. She is also learning to spin and ply her own yarn! (she/her/hers)

A photograph of hands knitting green yarn against a black background.Project HandWork is an exhibit of photos by photographer Christopher Dykes. Using flash, a backdrop, and the infinite human variety, Christopher is collecting a series of images of hands at work in the fiber community. Manicures, hangnails, tattoos, wristwatches, cheap yarn, expensive silk, easy socks and exquisite lace all show the human diversity and the compulsion to create.

Yarnover attendees may have their hands photographed for a $50 sitting fee. Each sitter will receive an edited photo via email. The sitting fee goes to Help In Crisis, his local domestic abuse shelter. 

Anne

Librarian

Laura Haave

Great Guild Getaway Committee Chair

Laura learned to knit in 2003 by taking a four-week class during MIT's annual January Independent Activities Period. The class project was a striped hat knit in the round, and since that time, Laura has been a big advocate of 1) helping other adults learn to knit for the first time, 2) hats as a manageable first project, and 3) circular needles for everything. She enjoys thinking about knitting and planning her next project almost as much as she enjoys actually knitting. Laura is highly motivated by knit-alongs and loves to knit in community. (she, her, hers)

Thyra

Newsletter Editor

I grew up watching my mom knit. She tried to teach me as a kid and I never enjoyed it, but after finishing college I found myself with extra time and no hobbies. In the last 20 years I have dove in all the way and love to learn new and challenging techniques. As my fiber love has grown, I have also started raising sheep in order to go from sheep to sweater. I love interacting with the sheep who have big personalities and learning to process and spin the wool has been a great adventure.

Meg

Vice President

(Term 1, Year 2)

Meg grew up surrounded by makers. Her mom, a master quilter, former Home Ec teacher, and 4-H club leader in Duluth, taught her to sew, embroider, and cook. She won a trip to the State Fair as the Dress Review Princess at 13! Another MKG member taught her to knit continental style 15 years ago. Meg can’t sit still and NOT be knitting, embroidering, rug hooking or sewing. Favorite thing to knit? Mittens! She loves taking classes and learning new things – absolutely amazed and inspired by all the amazing knitters in the guild! (she, her, hers)

Get Bentz Farm LogoOur spinning demonstrations are sponsored by Get Bentz Farm. 

After growing up in the city and suburbs, the owners of Get Bentz Farm felt a need to be closer to nature and to be more connected to where their food came from. 

In 2014, they found a farm house for sale and later that year they decided on and purchased their first two Icelandic sheep. 

Once they had a good size flock they began marketing the amazing meat and wool. Initially, they found that many mills in the area do not process dual coated long wools, which slowed down their growth in yarn, but they did find a great market for wool filled bedding products and batting for spinning. 

Today, they have a variety of yarns, batting and roving as well as finished products like dryer balls, sheepskins, and wool bedding. Most recently, they opened their own Get Bentz Wool Mill as well as their own line of yarn – Badgerface Fiber.

Mona McNeely been a certified Iyengar Yoga instructor since 2016 and has studied yoga since 2002.   

She has three grown kids and two, almost three, grandchildren. Her grandma taught her to knit when she was seven. She picked it up again in her early 20’s and hasn’t put the needles down since. She is also an avid spinner and has woven her share of rugs. In her spare time, she volunteers at a non-profit called We Can Ride where they use horses as therapy for people with disabilities. She also works full time as a Treasury Analyst for a fairly large company.  Somehow it all balances out.

Midwest Machine Knitters' Collaborative logo

The Midwest Machine Knitters’ Collaborative (MMKC) is a Minnesota based fiber guild established in 2011. We envisioned the Collaborative as a way to connect with other machine knitters who like to think (and knit!) outside the box. MMKC provides a forum to promote fun, interest, appreciation, education, inspiration, and camaraderie in the art of machine knitting. We welcome all levels of experience, as this is the best way to learn and inspire. We will all become better knitters through collaboration.  https://www.midwestmachineknitters.org/

Kathy

Webmaster

Kathy has always been into crafts, but didn’t teach herself to knit until after college. She really got hooked while living in San Francisco when a friend opened a knitting store. To pitch in, Kathy started knitting up fun (and odd) things for window displays, as well as teaching classes. In the last couple of years, she has started designing her own knitting patterns (many of them available for free on Ravelry!) with toys and mittens being her primary obsessions. (she/her/hers)