Events News

Events Chair, Kathy P, had so much to tell at the last meeting that she asked me to summarize here on the blog.  I'm glad to; it was a lot to take in.

YARN CRAWL -- April 25th.  Going to West Bend.  Xpressions Bead & Yarn Shop, lunch at The Idle Hour, to fairgrounds to tour the Fiber Fair, and then home.  $25/person, includes a bottle of water, donuts from Uncle Mike's, door prizes, and carpooling.  We're meeting at the DePere Main St. & Hwy. 41 Exit Park 'N Ride at 8:30 AM.  Contact Kathy at kpotter(at)new(dot)rr(dot)com to sign up NOW.

SUMMER PICNIC -- will be Thursday, June 11 at Echota Gardens in DePere.  We will have a sign up sheet at the May meeting.

KNIT AWAY DAY -- October 17th at GB Botanical Gardens.  Cost is $20/person at this point.  Kathy will finalize details later.

YARN BOWLS are in at Paintin' Pottery & Bead It.  No date was set; we'll do that at the May meeting.  (I hope this happens soon, I'm excited to make and have a yarn bowl.)

TIMBER RATTLERS' STITCH 'N PITCH -- not a Guild event, but it's Wednesday, June 3.  Cost is $14.50/person in Box seats and includes $4 in Snake Bucks.  Since it's Dollar Night there won't be a picnic.  Contact the T-Rats for more info.

That Was Fun

The March meeting featured three members teaching Tabletop Techniques.  It's a chance for a member to share something they know and for the rest of us to either learn something new or brush up an old skill.

Julie D taught us how to read charts which intimidate a lot of knitters.  She had a very clear and non-scary handout, and even told us how to transpose a flat chart to knitting in the round.  The owl baby hat she had for a sample made me want to rush home and make one, but it has to get in the queue.













Vicki J showed us how to join yarn so it doesn't show.  I'll have to practice the Russian join which involves needles and concentration.  She also demonstrated my personal fallback option, spit splicing, which is very effective but not very ladylike.






Julie L and Marsha A taught us three different cast-ons.  I knew the Knitted one but it was the Chinese Waitress cast on that had everyone working hard to follow all the steps.  It makes a very flexible cast on but it takes some concentration.  It was fun to learn, Julie and Marsha always make things fun.

 
If you know or learn a technique you can teach the rest of us, contact Program Chair, Andy T, eastconsitgirl(at)gmail(dot)com, she'd love to hear from you.  Really, you can do it, it isn't that hard and we're a friendly and willing audience with a sense of humor.

Disclaimer:  all links are to YouTube instruction videos,not videos of Julie D, Vicki J, Marsha A, or Julie L lovely and competent as they are; I don't have that kind of skill.

Just a Reminder:  March is membership renewal month ($15/year) so contact Membership Chair, Mitzi K, mitzi(at)new(dot)rr(dot)com if you haven't renewed yet.

Getting Ready for the March Program

Did you read the newsletter to see what we need to get ready for the meeting tomorrow night?  I gathered up my yarn, needles, and notions this morning and thought I'd put a post together to help you remember too (and make myself read through the newsletter one more time to make sure I'm not forgetting anything).

Julie L & Marsha A are going to teach us a few cast on methods so we'll need needles in a favorite size and a small amount of yarn to practice with.



Julie D is going to show us how to read charts (don't be scared, you can do it) so bring yarn and needles of any size, although skinny and small might not be the best choices.



Vicki J is going to show us ways to join yarns (without knots, I'll bet).  She asks us to bring a small swatch -- garter stitch of about 20 stitches and a few rows, some contrasting yarn, a sewing needle with a sharp point (not the usual tapestry needle we use for sewing up and weaving in tails), little scissors, and a sense of humor.


I'm excited to learn new things, aren't you?  Bag up a few pairs of needles, some scraps of yarn, and come tomorrow night.  This will be fun.

Mug Rugging or Coaster-ing Into March

Are you making a coaster or mug rug for the March 12th meeting?  I've got one done but want to make more.  Here is Julie's challenge in her own words,  "Any size, any color, any shape, any stitch.  Attach an index card with your name and information about your cast on, stitch pattern, and bind off.  I'm encouraging you to try something new, but if you have a favorite that's okay too.  Check our BLKG library or any of the online resources for ideas.  We'll display them and share them along with our regular show and tell."

My first attempt at Linen Stitch

As soon as I read that, I searched on Ravelry for coasters and found almost 250 free ones, then I searched for mug rugs and found eight more.  And that's not including crocheted ones.  If you can't find one you like in all of those, you've got your eyes closed.

A coaster or mug rug is a chance to try a stitch or technique you've always wanted to try but haven't wanted to devote a big project to.  This might even be your chance to learn to crochet or beef up your skills so you can add crocheted edgings to your knitting projects.  So grab some scraps of cotton yarn, a pair of needles (or a hook), and cast on!  Come on, play along.  Have a bit of fun in the suckiness that is early March in Wisconsin.  (The opinion expressed in the previous sentence is solely the opinion of the author and in no way reflects the opinions of the rest of Bay Lakes Knitting Guild, besides it's snowing today.)

**Remember, this is the meeting that our Design-a-Thon entries are due so bring $5 per entry.  Andy asks that you have the name of the piece, the gauge, yarn type, stitch type, fiber content, and where the idea came from so that the labels can be ready for the judging at the April meeting.  I'm sure that there will be places on the entry form for that information.  We don't have to have the pattern completely written this month but your pattern is part of your entry even if you don't want to be included in the  pattern booklet.