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.

Julie Says...

Thank you for the great turnout for our February meeting. I enjoyed seeing the varied mitten patterns and the various “knit red” items. 

Last month the guild received a generous gift of yarn and needles.  Keep in mind that our “good fortune” was at the “misfortune” of someone else.  Please consider using the items you selected to either teach someone to knit, or use your talents to donate knitted baby hats, mittens, baby blankets, chemo hats and Veteran hats to any of your favorite charities.  Let us know of your donation so that we can track them for guild records. 

Looking forward to our March meeting, I have also completed two coasters of different stitch patterns. I’m also hoping to complete a two color stitch pattern I wanted to try. Hopefully, we will have a varied display of stitch patterns for our March meeting.

Keep an eye out for our next newsletter with two new features!

See you in March.

Julie 

We Thrummed!

I have to confess that I totally forgot to take pictures at last Thursday's meeting so all I have to show are pictures of my own first attempt at thrumming.  It was a fun and interesting lesson. If I ever decide that I need the warmest slippers in captivity now I'll know how to make them.  Laurie B gave us a very clear handout and seemed to be in three places at once helping people.  Thanks, Laurie, it was fun and educational.








Show and Tell was almost all red--red hats, red mittens, a red paperweight, a red sweater, even a red cardinal glasses holder.  (I wish I'd taken a picture of that.)

Many of the hats and quite a few pairs of mittens ended up in front of me for delivery to Annie Jackson Elementary School.  The school secretary was very appreciative when I dropped them off on Friday and said they're probably good for the season.

The smallest hats went to St. Vincent Hospital to keep the tiniest heads warm.  




Thanks for all your efforts, knitters, you show your generous hearts with every donation.

Corrections

Well, I have evidently been in a very deep and foggy fog because things that I put on the blog post the other day are incorrect.

Laurie is not teaching thrummed mittens, she is teaching the technique thrumming, a whole 'nother thing.  In the February newsletter on page 4 are links to all sorts of non-mitten thrummed items.  Who knew?

I also goofed up the dates for committing to and paying entry fees for our Design-A-Thon entries:
   MARCH -- is when we submit our entries and pay the fees
   APRIL -- is when the judging takes place, so April is when entries need to be finished and the pattern written if you're planning to share it
   MAY -- is the awards presentation

I am sorry to have attempted to lead you all astray with flawed blog posts.  I consulted with Andy and got the facts straight so this is the real, true info.  I blame February, it always knocks me for a loop.  See you Thursday.  That's tomorrow.

--Barbara

Program Reminder & Design-A-Thon Entries

At the meeting THURSDAY, 2/12 (that's this coming Thursday, three days from today) Laurie's going to teach us how to knit thrummed mittens.  She was working on one at the December meeting, it's got those little tabs of wool inside that keep your hands toasty warm.

We need to do a little prep-knitting so we're all ready to go when it's learnin' time Thursday night.

Laurie says,  "For the February thrumming technique we will knit a small swatch.
Each person should bring the following:

1) small amount of wool yarn
2) small amount of roving in a contrasting color (about 1/4 of an ounce) if you have it
3) straight or double point knitting needles - any size ok, but recommend size 5 to 7

To save time at the meeting, please cast on 20 stitches and knit 4 to 6 rows in stockinette

stitch.  If you're knitting in the round on DPNs or Magic Loop, cast on 30 stitches and knit 4 to 6 rows in stockinette stitch.

If you do not have roving, JoAnns carries Patons Classic Wool Roving for about $6.99.  One skein provides more than enough to complete a pair of mittens.  I will bring extra roving to the meeting , so do not feel you have to buy a skein of this just to try out this technique!"

(Laurie cautioned me to make certain that if you buy roving it's WOOL roving.  The part-wool stuff slides out of the stitches.)

My fingers are freezing at this very moment.  I could use some thrummed mittens right now... although they might interfere with the typing.  I hear you can thrum slippers and other things to keep you warm too.  See you Thursday, the meeting starts at 6:30.

***Thursday night is also when we need to fill out our Design-A-Thon entries.  Each design entry is $5 so please have the cash ready to give to Andy.  You are working on a design, aren't you?  Just something simple so I won't be all alone?  Please???

****Remember to bring something red that you've knitted--mittens, a scarf, a tea cozy, a dishcloth--something to share at Show & Tell in honor of Valentine's Day and Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association's campaign to raise awareness about women's heart health.

Baby, It's Cold Outside...

So I didn't delay in delivering the latest batch of hats that were dropped off.  Vicki has been using up her sock yarn leftovers to crank out lush and snuggly hats for the elementary kids.  These are amazing hats and they are so appreciated.





Linda B found a bag of Fran's preemie hats that needed delivering so I dropped those off without delay too.








Laurie B made a few pairs of "bigger kid" sized mittens that made the school secretary grateful.

When the wind blows mean like it did yesterday and the temperature plummets, everybody needs a warm hat, scarf, or pair of mittens.  If you've got some spare time and a bit of yarn, consider making something for someone not lucky enough to own a handknit or have someone who loves them make some.

Chemo caps are always appreciated too, especially ones that men will wear, and remember to make them soft and longer than normal to cover newly bare napes of necks.

Thanks for all your continuing efforts; you're a good-hearted bunch and I'm glad to call you my friends.

P.S.  Are you looking forward to learning how to make thrummed mittens at the meeting on Thursday, February 12?  (I'll repost the prep "homework" Laurie asked us to do closer to the meeting.)  Do you have a pair of mittens or mitts or gloves you made (they don't have to be newly made) to bring along to show off?  And don't forget to bring something red you've made in honor of Valentine's Day this month.  I took Julie's advice and swatched some stitches I'm considering for designs in red yarn.  Thanks, Julie, I think that's a brilliant suggestion.