November ’22 Meeting Wrap Up

Did you miss this month’s meeting? Here’s a short wrap up.

Trunk Show with PurlTalk Yarns

After a long hiatus, we had a trunk show with PurlTalk Yarns. She not only shared some of her beautiful yarns, but also about her process and inspiration.

Laura generously shared a coupon code with us to use on her website. The code BESTGUILDEVER will score you 10% off your purchase!

(This is the mini skein set Laura shared that she used for her mini sweater bunting. It’s called Shiny Bright Holiday.)

 

 

Program Recap

Photo of a woman with grey hair. She wears glasses and a blue scarf. She is holding a brown fair isle sweaterThis month’s meeting featured Janine Bajus who shared with us her journey with color and inspired us all to find new ways to play with color and find our own color confidence. I’ve never swatched for color before, but after Janine’s presentation, I definitely will in the future!

These are the resources Janine shared during the meeting. Many of the books of her list are in our library! Color-Confidence-Resources

If you missed the meeting or want to watch it again, you can find the recording on your dashboard after it has been edited and uploaded. Remember to login to your dashboard in order to access the video recording.

 

 

Give to the Max Day 2022

Give to the Max Day is Minnesota’s annual day of giving for nonprofits and schools. Your donation will ensure that the Guild can continue booking great programs like Janine’s this month and all the other wonderful speakers we have had on our calendar this year. Funds will also be used for need-based grants to attend Yarnover next year. If your membership dues for next year are coming up, would you consider pairing your renewal with an additional donation to the Guild?

The Guild uses the GiveMN platform for donations year round, but Give to the Max Day is an opportunity for you to show your appreciation for the Guild.

Donate here!

Silent Auction is live!

Get your bids in on some really great lots of yarn in this year’s silent online auction. Bidding goes through Saturday, November 19 and all bids will be final at 8 pm. Yarn will be mailed out November 20-22!

Check out the auction!

We are still collecting items for MoveFwd (Move Forward) through the end of the year.

They are looking for:

  • Hats and mittens
    (sizes to fit kids through adults)
  • Scarves
  • Warm socks and slippers for young adults
  • Lap blankets
  • Cotton washcloths

All items need to be machine washable. Remember to also wash your finished items before dropping them off.

You can also drop off your service knits at the Sip and Knit and Knitting Around Town events. Check the calendar for upcoming dates.

Thanks to everyone who has knit service items this year. We have collected over 1700 items for our partners!

Upcoming Events

Remember to check the Guild’s calendar for all upcoming events!

Sip and Knit

drawing of a pint of beer, coffee cup, donuts, yarn, and knitting needles.

Come and join us December 3 from 10:00am to noon for coffee, beer, donuts, and crafting with friends!

Food & Drink: Venn has espresso drinks, coffee, tea, soda, and juice, as well as beer for purchase. You can bring in your own water. The Guild will be bringing donuts. You are welcome to bring other food as well.

Getting There: The Blue Line 46th Street Station is just outside the brewery. It just down Hwy 55 from Minnehaha Falls and the Grand Rounds bike path. There are Venn specific parking spots to the north of the building and on-street parking.

You can also park at the Fort Snelling Park and Ride and take the Blue Line north 3 stops.

Dogs: Dogs are welcome.

Thanks to Venn Brewing for hosting us!

Knitting Around Town

drawing of a sheep knitting

 

Guild members on the move! Let’s visit a new library in the metro area each month to get together and knit!

Join us at the Eden Prairie Library in the Bluestem Room from 5:30-8:00 pm on December 1.

The dates for 2023 are

January 15 – Sunday
February 18th – Saturday
March 16th – Thursday
April 23 – Sunday

Watch for updates on meeting locations.

Questions or want to suggest a location? Email Meg, vicepresident@knitters.org

 

The teachers for Yarnover 2023 were announced at this month’s meeting.

All of the teachers coming and their bios can be found here: Yarnover Teachers

 

 

 

 

Designer Spotlight

Vincent Williams is the knitwear designer behind Visuvio’s Crafts.  Vincent lives in Georgia and his favorite colors are autumnal – which we are experiencing now.

Vincent’s Ravelry user name is Visuvioscrafts and his patterns can be found on Ravelry

When he isn’t crafting, he’s working with dogs, horses, and playing music.  Join all the crafty vibes on his Instagram site and visit the Visuvio’s Crafts website for cozy creations, monthly Maker Mood playlists, and fun patterns for makers just like you!

Be sure to check out his Website  and see all the designs Vincent has created.

 

The Guild seeks to highlight:

  • BIPOC designers
  • Local designers
  • New designers

Designers should also have:

  • A presence on Instagram
  • Multiple patterns on Ravelry

If you have a designer you’d like the Guild to spotlight, email Rose. And don’t forget that if your designer is chosen, you will receive on of the designer’s patterns!

Mini Roosimine Show-and-Tell

Blond woman wearing a knit hat with rossimine flower details

Did you knit Tanis Gray’s roosimine hat, another project using the technique or have a work in progress after the October meeting?

Nikky would love to share these at the December meeting. Send her at email (membership@knitters.org) to share about your project.

 

 

 

 

 

Next Meeting

Photo of a hand knit sheep puppet with first premium and sweepstakes ribbons from the Minnesota State Fair

Pandemic Puppets with Karen B. Lehman

Making puppets is one of Karen’s favorite things. In June of 2020, during the Covid lockdown, she discovered the Shave ‘Em to Save ‘Em Initiative of the Livestock Conservancy. This program supports the breeders of endangered sheep breeds by encouraging fiber artists to buy their wool. Her exploration has resulted in a series of hand spun, free form, knitted puppets representing each breed she’s explored.

During the Guild meeting she will touch on her puppet making history; showcase the puppets resulting from the Shave’Em to Save ‘Em Initiative; and briefly explore the construction and making of a free form puppet.

 

 

Take care and happy knitting,

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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

Email Me

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)

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imkelliente

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)

Email Me

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.

Email Me
tobel

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.

Email Me

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.)

Email Me
FingerpressArt

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.

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FroggyGirl72

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)

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oneoftheminterns

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)

Email Me
amturk13

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

Bio to come.

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soxanne

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)

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Birdette

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.

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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)

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finchgirl

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)

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katbaro