TKG January 2016 Newsletter

January 2016 Newsletter

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Show Us Your Style. February's meeting will be the Work of Our Hands fashion show. Do you have a knit or crochet piece that you would like to show off? We want to see it! If you would like to be a part of the fashion show send an email to Bree Zorel with a picture and short description of your item by Febuary 3rd.

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.

Are you Knitting some Knockers? The holidays can pull our hands away from our knitting projects, but it you have managed to knit up a few knockers then bring them in to the January meeting.

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.

Update on 1000 Stitches for Syria.
The yarn stores are collecting donated items for 1000 Stitches For Syria until the end of January. There will also be a knit-in and celebration of the effort at the Textile Museum of Canada (55 Centre St) on February 17th from 5:30 - 7:30pm to which completed items can be brought. It will be lots of fun!

Message from the President

I love to make New Years resolutions . . . last year I decided to say nothing negative to anyone. My mom used to say “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. I love to talk, and it was a challenge sometimes to just listen. Over the year my life changed in wonderful ways. This year my resolution is to share the power of positivity. I also believe in Karma, sunshine and rainbows. Good luck to everyone with their resolutions for 2016.

And I begin by frogging! I would like to steal Patrick’s words from our Facebook post. “In knitting as in life, sometimes you make a mistake, must admit you are wrong and start over. We got the year wrong for the TKG 20th Anniversary. It's 2017, not 2016. Thank you Marilyn for pointing that out to us. Moving forward we have a great January meeting featuring Tips & Tricks for Knitters. Please Join us!”

We will also be collecting knitted knockers, and unused portions of Pima Cotton. Remember you do not have to stuff them. Knitting and no finishing required – the perfect project!

Knittingly yours,

Debra Rowland, TKG President

December Meeting in Review

See more pictures from our December meeting >>

Members enjoyed shopping at the Tenderfield vendor table featuring Alpaca yarns from Peru and knitting bags and patterns designed by Bree Zorel. We also had our Knit for the Cure and Knitted Knockers donation knitting station set up, with many wonderful donations for the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation completed by guild members.

Rebecca Kingston of 1000 Stitches For Syria

TKG President Debra Rowland introduced Rebecca of 1000 Stitches for Syria who spoke to the guild of founding her volunteer knitting organization with emphasis on hand made items made for donation to Syrian Refugees being settled in Toronto. Our thanks to the TKG members who presented knitted donations to Rebecca.

December 2015 Show 'N Tell

Three fabulous projects featured:
Amanda showed her Karner Wrap by Americo Original knit using a single skein of their Abrazos and a cozy wrap with picot border. Ramona showed her Downtown Line by Joji Locatelli knit using Madeline Tosh Twist Light.

December 2015 Ugly Sweater Contest

Many thanks to the TKG guild members who participated in our first annual Ugly Sweater Contest.

Entries ranged from kitschy decoration adorned garments to hand knitting projects gone wrong, Christmas garments with sentimental value, and one sweater worn by our newest guild member, who bought her sweater on a trip to Paris, thinking it fabulous, only to be told by her mother that it was ugly! Hilarious!! Her mother was in the audience.

A special note of thanks to our generous prize sponsors for the Ugly Sweater Contest:

December Holiday Social

Our thanks to TKG guild President Debra Rowland for the wonderful Holiday Social she prepared including the assortment of food and beverages enjoyed by guild members after the meeting. Also, our thanks to the many guild members who contributed sweet and savoury items to the buffet. The food was delicious and everyone had a great time socializing and visiting.

January Meeting

While it may not be our 20th anniversary we have invited TKG founding and longtime members to come share their Knitting Tips & Tricks and talk about the history of the guild. There will also be a Q&A session afterwards.

January Meeting Vendor: Kerstin Kerr of Alpaca Avenue.
Kerstin will have a selection of Alpaca yarns that feature such brands as Suri Decadence from Salt River Mills, O Wool Local, Alpaca Elegance from Green Mountain Spinnery, Silver Cloud Alpacas, Highgate Alpacas, and Kitchen Sink Lopi yarns from Legacy Lane. 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

January 20th

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

Tips & Tricks from Long Time Guild Members

Learn favourite tips and tricks from founding and long-standing Guild members. Vendor Table: Alpaca Avenue

Next Meeting: February 17th

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.

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

Guild Member Show and Tell:

This was my first shawl, so it might have been a tad ambitious, but I am a process knitter and enjoy learning new things. The pattern is very well written and easy to follow. If you enjoy the shape but want to use one colour only, I suggest looking at the pattern Imagine When by the same designer, which looks very similar but with some points on the edge. The shawl is done entirely in garter stitch with some yarnover rows for interest. The short row sections made it interesting and I really enjoyed this knit.

I used Madelinetosh Twist Light in Espadrilles and Button Jar Blue. I was inspired by anneleterme’s Let’s Play version in bright summer colours and decided to go big or go home. Most of the beautiful projects are done with at least one neutral colour and these versions are gorgeous as well.

There were a LOT of ends to sew in and if you look closely enough in one of the photos from last meeting you can see where I did a poor job of that. I do get compliments on this whenever I wear it and highly recommend the pattern.

- Ramona Ng (ramonafirehorse on Ravelry)

Pattern: Downtown Line by Joji Locatelli
Yarn: Madelinetosh Twist Light in Espadrilles and Button Jar Blue

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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