Dedicated to advancing the art of knitting through the sharing of ideas and techniques, education and community involvement.
Announcements
Bring on the snacks. If you are a baker, consider bringing a treat for the table for our December meeting. Salty or sweet - all treats are welcome!
Study participants needed! The University of Waterloo is doing a study on mobility and health in Canadians over 45. The study would involves filling out a survey and a follow up 5 years from now. For more information or to fill out the survey click here.
Volunteers needed! We are looking for some volunteers to assist with the raffle table. Many hands make for light work! If you are interested contact editors@torontoknittersguild.ca.
Knit For The Cure. Please donate yarn and knitted hats, scarves, cowls, shawls and blankets which go to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. You may drop off donation items at the Knit For the Cure station at each meeting. Thank you for your generosity.
Message from the President
I wish everyone a healthy, happy, holiday season. Needless to say, a comfy, cozy Christmas. (most of us have that covered!) At this time of the year, we are blessed to have such a wonderful skill to bring smiles and warmth to those around us.
Don't forget to take some time out for yourself (why are knitter's usually so selfless and giving...?) and reflect on how lucky you are.
Our November meeting got us up out of our seats and learning some new skills.
Many thanks to our vendor Patti from Passionknit for her great selection and discount.
We started out with announcements while more than one member worked on finishing up their homework! Show 'N Tell dazzled with beautiful projects from our guild members. Diane, one of our skills instructors, showed off her Orenburg Warm Shawl (by Galina Khmeleva) made with handspan and Marie showed off her first ever crochet project.
After that the skills exchange was underway! With 73 people in attendance for our November meeting the workshop tables filled up fast! We covered short rows, backstich bind-offs, crochet crocodile style, brioche, colourwork and the Russian join. Many thanks to our instructors Trish Denhoed, Diane Martin, Mary Pat McDonald, Pat Concessi, Carol Mather Miles and Patrick Madden.
Join us at our March 15, 2017 meeting for our next skills exchange Mini Workshops. If you have a technique you would like to teach in 20min, please contact guild president Debra Rowland.
December Social and Ugly Sweater Contest
Come out this month for our holiday social! And in keeping with the season - admission is free so bring a friend. The Ugly Holiday Sweater contest is returning. Break out the felt, pipe cleaners and pompoms. Prizes will be awarded for participation.
Our vendor for December is returning favourite, Signature Yarns. Patrick will have unique hand dyed yarns for sale from Prism and Blue Heron plus exclusive kits featuring the designs of Robin Hunter & AvidKnitter. Shop for great deals on select years from Rowan, Malabrigo, Americo Original, Lana Grossa, Trendsetter, IndigoDragonfly and more! Cash and credit cards accepted. We look forward to seeing you there.
Come and enjoy some sweet and savoury treats, socialize and . . . knit!
5 Tips for Making the Ultimate Holiday Sweater
Our 2nd annual Ugly Sweater contest is almost here. Create, borrow or buy. Perhaps you have a “vintage” sweater in your closet? It’s just like “show and tell” with a holiday theme. No Judging, all participants will be entered into a draw for prizes!
For those of you creating your own design here are few tips to get your holiday sweater in shape, without any long lasting damage!
Use wrapping ribbon to make festive bows! You can either feed the ribbon through the knit or pin them on, or use the bows with adhesive already on the back.
Make simple felt cut outs of snowmen, elves, deer or trees (these can also be pinned on).
Go 3D - pipe cleaners are great for creating antlers or arms.
Have some ornaments that didn't make it onto the tree? Some tinsel garland? Add them to your sweater!
Break out the tools and get creative! See you next week!
2016/17 Meeting Schedule
Location & Times:
Innis College Town Hall
2 Sussex Ave.
7:30 - 9:30
Doors open 6:30 p.m. for social knitting
Members: Free
Guests: $8
Dates:
December 21, 2016
January 18, 2017
February 15, 2017
March 15, 2017
April 19, 2017
May 17, 2017
June 21, 2017
Visit the Toronto Knitters Guild website for more information on upcoming events.
TKG Show and Tell Spotlight
Orenburg Warm Shawl knit by Diane Martin
This is the Orenburg Warm Shawl by Galina Khmeleva. It is designed to be worn over your coat. The pattern (Piecework Magazine's 2013 Lace issue) called for three 1000 yard cones of a 2 ply lace-weight Australian cashmere but it didn’t give the actual yardage or weight used. I used my own handspun that was spun over the course of many years. I first purchased 250 grams of Wellington Fibres 50% wool/50% mohair roving in the Camp Fires colourway back in 2008 and spun it that summer. It turned out anywhere from a heavy fingering to a DK weight.
I would have liked to do the whole shawl in Camp Fires, but the colourway was no longer available, so in 2013 I purchased about 240 grams of the Pink Pumps colourway and spun that. It turned out between a light to heavy fingering weight and still didn’t give me enough yardage. This was also an out-of-production colourway, but I contacted Donna at Wellington Fibres and she asked me to send her a sample (if I had any left) of the roving and a sample of my spinning and she ended up replicating the colourway; in 2014, I received approximately 275 grams of the special run.
I started the shawl with approximately 3,600 yards and 750 grams of yarn. All told I used just under 700 grams of fibre and just under 3400 yards of yarn in varying weights. I had 6 yards (2 grams) of the Pink Pumps and 278 yards (64 grams) of the Wellington Campfires colourway left over.
I started knitting the shawl on July 3, 2016 (while on a cross-Canada driving vacation) and finished on October 17, 2016. The shawl was done in sections and then grafted together (Russian grafting - much easier than Kitchener Stitch). Timewise it felt like I was knitting 4 shawls - the knitting just seemed to go on forever. (On previous cross-Canada road trips, I had knit a lace shawl on the way out and most of a second one on the way back.) Once home, I had assistance from 3 cats: one wanted to be underneath the knitting, one wanted to push her head through the knitting, and the third kept trying to push me away from the knitting so she could curl up into a tight ball on top of the shawl-in-progress. As I said at the meeting, this shawl is a test run to see how close my handspun yarn is to the yardage required for this shawl. There is 20 ounces (approx 650 grams) in the freezer waiting to be spun up for the "real" thing.
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