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February 2016 Newsletter
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Announcements


Save the Date - The Toronto Knitters Frolic returns April 30 & May 1 at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. Workshop registrations are open and filling up fast! Full details are available on the Frolic website.

Bring a Friend in February. Do you know someone who you think would enjoy being part of the guild? Bring them along in February and they can attend the meeting for free. If they would like to purchase a membership for the remainder of the 2015/16 year they can purchase at a reduced rate of $30.

Skills Exchange Workshops: Call for Teachers!
Do you have a technique that you would like to share with your fellow guild members? Send us an email.

YarnOver SleepOver Retreat. April 15-16, 2016 Orillia, Ontario. Choose from 13 different classes over two days from 8 teachers. You’ll find everything from brioche to basic crochet instruction, knitting a gaugeless hat in any yarn to cast-on and cast-off variations, needle felting and machine knitting, can’t-live-without-them tips and tricks for both rookie and seasoned knitters, plus mosaic knitting, dyeing your own yarn, and the inside story on fibres of all kinds. Full details available at www.yarnoversleepover.com 

Message from the President


As President, I am usually the first point of contact for the public, and quite often experiencing moments that warm my heart.  Last month, on the Monday morning before our January meeting I sat down with my morning coffee & checked my e-mail.  A few people sent me a link to an article in The Globe and Mail written by Kim Harris (lives in TO). Thankfully Kim also sent me a link, saying “thought you might be interested”.  Interested – YES – and reached out to invite Kim to our January meeting.  I thought it would be so appropriate, since our meeting was featuring long time members of the guild in a panel discussion.  She came, she read her article, and moved me to tears – again.  Kim stayed for the evening, and I enjoyed seeing the look in her eyes, recapturing that feeling that she had years ago – seeing a whole room of people “knitting” AND paying attention to the speakers – multi-tasking at its best!  (note: they took out the word “knitting” in her article, some edits can be so impactful)
 
Did you miss Kim's article? You can read it on The Globe and Mail site.
 
We all have a story, don’t we?  Something that has touched us, or affected us.  So, I encourage you to tell your story about how knitting has impacted your life, or how your knitting has impacted someone you know.  Please send your stories to Roberta editors@torontoknittersguild.ca for upcoming newsletters.
 
Knittingly  yours, 

Debra Rowland, TKG President

January Meeting in Review


Our January meeting started as most do with a little socializing and shopping at our vendor table.

Vendor Table

Alpaca Avenue adorned the hall in January with an amazing selection of alpaca based yarns, sourced both locally and abroad.  If you missed out, or want to get more of this wonderfully warm and natural fibre, visit Kerstin’s store on Martin Grove Road.  


News and Announcements

Patrick Madden, our meeting MC, called the meeting to order and welcomed the audience. Patrick began by sharing a bit of guild news - which included the announcement that guild membership was now up to 140! Patrick also asked for garments to be submitted for the February Work of Our Hands Fashion Show and to volunteer topics to teach at the March 2016 Skills Exchange mini-workshops.

Guild President Debra Rowland was introduced and spoke of the 2016 Toronto Knitters Frolic workshops and proceeded with member Show 'N Tell and Raffle Prize draw.

Main Event

Special guest Kim Harris, author of the essay A Stitch In Time published in the January 18, 2016 edition the Globe and Mail,  read her essay, which was very touching to hear read aloud. We thank Kim for making time to attend the meeting.

As a lead up to the TKG 20th Anniversary in 2017, Patrick led a panel discussion featuring long time guild members who discussed and recounted the founding and growth of the guild, its impact on them personally and professionally and their thoughts for the future of the guild.

Debra also read a letter to the guild written by the Downtown Knit Collective founder and first President Katherine Matthews, in which Katherine recounted her inspiration and formation of the first guild meetings. Her letter is reprinted in this newsletter with her kind permission. 

Raffle

Many thanks to members Katherine Matthews, Helen Harper, and Suzie Larouche for their generous donations of Purl Diving Peeno Noir sock yarn, Hand Maiden Lace Silk, and The Colours of Australia – Swing, Swagger, Drape by Jane Slicer.  And a special thank you to Kerstin Kerr of Alpaca Avenue for her donation of a Li’l Red Kettle Head Legacy DK, hand dyed by Paula.  Congratulations to all the lucky winners!
 

February Meeting


Work of Our Hands Fashion Show 
This is the meeting when members get to strut their stuff – showing off their fabulous knitted or crocheted garments. Big or small, intricate or uncomplicated, these are the works of our hands and worthy of attention. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Inspire, and be inspired.

February Meeting Vendor: Porch Swing Yarnsomniacs. 
Toronto’s newest yarn store, Porch Swing Yarnsomniacs, will be setting up shop at the February meeting.  Bobbi Jo will be bringing a selection of yarns from Three Irish Girls, Colinette, Crystal Palace, Manos Del Uruguay, Mirasol, and Qiviut from Cottage Craft Angora.  Cash and Credit Cards are accepted.

If you are interested in booking a vendor table at one of our monthly meetings, please contact Cindy O'Malley. 

Upcoming Meetings


February 17th

Innis College Town Hall
2 Sussex Ave.
7:30 - 9:30
Doors open at 6:45 


Work of Our Hands Fashion Show

This is the meeting when members get to strut their stuff – showing off their fabulous knitted or crocheted garments. Big or small, intricate or uncomplicated, these are the works of our hands and worthy of attention. All are welcome and encouraged to participate. Inspire, and be inspired.

 

Next Meeting: March 16th


Skills Exchange

Skills Exchange Mini Workshops You’ll have the opportunity to learn a number of useful new techniques in short 15-minute sessions. It will be a fun and social evening, with many valuable skills being shared by our volunteer teachers. If you have a technique or skill you would like to share, please email Bree.

 

Next Meeting: April 20th


Susan Fohr, Textile Museum of Canada

Susan Fohr is an avid knitter, spinner, sewer and natural dyer who lives in Toronto. Susan will share how her work as a museum educator has shaped her identity as both an educator and a maker.

She is currently the Education Programs Coordinator at the Textile Museum of Canada and formerly an historic interpreter at Black Creek Pioneer Village. She will highlight influential exhibitions and public programming initiatives that have revealed the powerful ways in which traditional craft practices have evolved to address contemporary issues.

 

Visit the Toronto Knitters Guild website for more information on upcoming events.

Local Yarn Shop Classes/Charity Events


We invite all Ontario yarn stores participating in our guild discount program to post information on upcoming classes and charity events in our Ravelry Group Discussion Board. Yarn stores can link to their store website or a Ravelry group page in this thread.

The first thread is active for January - February 2016, and the next LYS News thread will be for March-April 2016.  Yarn Stores are welcome to post classes or charity events that continue into other months of the year.

We anticipate that this will be a "one shop stop" for our group members to view classes or charity events that are available from our local yarn stores throughout the GTA and surrounding areas.


Knitted Knockers


We made our first drop off of 24 knockers to Knitted Knockers Canada this month. They received over 300 requests for knockers during January of this year. Nancy was very appreciative and wanted to thank everyone for their contribution.

According to the sign out sheet, there are still skeins of yarn out there that were generously donated by Romni Wools and Linda’s Craftique. Since the weather forecast is rather chilly this weekend, why not stay inside and knock off a few knockers. To help inspire you, the following is a post taken from Knitted Knockers Canada’s Facebook page:

"There is something unexplainable about these knitted gifts which touches the core of a woman's being. When a breast is taken, a woman is somewhat robbed, mentally, emotionally, physically and psychologically. Thankful as I am for eleven years of life since surgery, as well as the use of a silicone prosthesis all the while, the use of silicone against the chest wall remains an aversion regardless of how many protective layers of fabric is placed in between. Like when wearing a rubber glove, freshness is hardly attainable, or only for a very short while. On the other hand, a knitted or crocheted prosthesis gives a sense of relief to the assaulted area, almost like a kiss. That it is free, underlines the empathy. After eleven years of silicone, I cannot adequately express the relief of something different. Subconsciously, I've wished for this type of solution all the while. Had no idea it was a global wish and how delivered I'd feel. Can't begin to know who to all thank, so thank you all!"
Have a suggestion for the newsletter? Email us at editors@torontoknittersguild.ca.

We are now on Flickr! See pictures from meetings and events!
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