It's BLKG's 5th Anniversary!

1st Anniversary Cake

Unbelievable, I know, but Bay Lakes Knitting Guild has been connecting, educating, and entertaining knitters for five years this month.  I read President Julie's letter in the newsletter this month (thanks, Beth!) that she has fun things planned for the meeting.  (She mentioned a big decorated cookie--I'm in!)  Here's what she had to say:

"I have dug through the Knitting Guild's record book and I've found some interesting things in there.  I'll do a recap of some of the events of the last 5 years.  I'll also have a summary of some of the programs we have done.  My, what we have learned!  Come and enjoy!

We'll have an open forum-type meeting with our regular Show and Tell along with Yarn Crawl Show and Tell.  Can't wait to see the treasures from Xpressions Yarn and Bead and the WI Alpaca & Fiber Fest.

Even if you didn't participate in the Yarn Crawl, I would still like to invite you to make the Like Magic Knit Scarf for an upcoming Show and Tell.  It would be a lot of fun to see the same project made by different knitters."                                                                                                                                                                                                               --Julie Lefevre

I agree that it would be fun to see the same project made by a bunch of us.  I printed off the pattern and checked my Ravelry stash to see what sport yarns I have with the yardage the pattern requires.  (I'm determined to knit from stash all year if I can.)  I've read and reread the pattern and it seems fairly straightforward.  Now all I need are about 325 size 6/0 beads and I can play along.  (Hmm, I wonder if I might have some beads that size... I don't have many beads but I should go look.) Think about playing along too.  This looks like a great "summer" project--because who wants a lap full of wool in the summer?

Are you working on a "stash" project?  (Last month's President's Corner suggestion.)  I resurrected a sweater that I started in 2010.  The back was done, the front almost done, and I had started the cuffs 2-at-a-time.  In her President's letter, Julie said she had a gauge issue with her stash project, had ripped and restarted twice.  I had a measurement issue in that the armholes of the front were about 1 1/4" shorter than the armholes of the back.  Oops.  I thought they were the same until I blocked the pieces, laid them one on top of the other and discovered the problem.  (This is a powerful argument in favor of blocking before seaming up.)  It was an easy fix to frog back the shoulder decreases, slide in a lifeline (for easy measuring), and knit up to where it was supposed to be in the first place, THEN do the shoulder decreases.  I finished the sleeves on Tuesday so the sleeves and fixed front got an overnight soak in wool wash then this morning I patted them into shape to dry.  I had hoped to have it finished for next Thursday's Show and Tell but once the pieces are dry I have to seam the shoulders, knit the collar, then seam the sleeves on and sew the sides, so maybe not a whole finished sweater by Thursday but close.  Not to brag (okay, yes, I'm bragging, I admit it), I resurrected another WIP from 2010 (was that the "year of abandoned projects?") to knit on while the sweater parts dry.