Next Meeting: March 15 | Doors Open: 6:30 | Location: Innis Town Hall
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS. 1997-2017
Dedicated to advancing the art of knitting through the sharing of ideas and techniques, education and community involvement.
March Skills Exchange
Time to pick up some new skills
6 instructors + 15 minute sessions = inspiration!
General for all workshops: Please bring a standard knitters tool kit: Include Scissors, Tape Measure, Darning Needle, Stitch Markers.
You will have time to attend 4 workshops. Please prepare the following homework before the meeting:
Denise Powell: Easy Invisible Short Rows
Homework: For easy short rows people should come with about 20 stitches cast on, knit a few rows (garter edge) then a couple of rows of stocking stitch. I suggest a Double Knitting or Worsted weight plain yarn in a light to medium colour.
Willow Moonbeam: Continental Knitting
Homework: For Continental Knitting I suggest that people should cast on 20 to 30 stitches in plain Double Knitting or Worsted weight yarns and knit a few rows in garter stitch.
Margaret Winter : Slip Stitch Edge
Homework: Please cast on 15 stitches and knit 1 inch in stocking stitch (Row 1: knit, Row 2: purl etc.). Leave your work on the needle so it will be ready for the lesson.
Patrick Madden: Wet Blocking with Wires"
Homework: None. All materials provided.
Sarah Dawn: "Pick Up and Purl"
Homework: Cast on about 15 stitches, knit a few rows of garter (to stop edge from curling) and then 10-plus rows of stocking stitch. Yarn should be a light colour that's easy for you to see stitches and not knit at a tight tension.
Mary Pat McDonald: Seaming / Sewing Together
Homework: Ideally you will have 2 pieces of knitting that require stitching together. Bring a length of matching yarn and yarn needle with a blunt tip. Otherwise, Knit 2 small swatches with a large tail on one swatch (10 sts x 20 rows each).
Our meeting vendor will be IndigoDragonfly! If we are lucky she will be bringing her 2017 colours! Check out our TKG interview with Kim McBrien below.
Cash or Credit accepted.
Message from the President
Hope you all enjoyed the one glorious "spring" day we had recently.
As far back as I can remember, there is always one warm sunny day in February when you can roll down the car window, crank the radio and enjoy the promise of another spring and a warm summer.
If you have ever suffered from depression, or known the heaviness of that feeling, you know just a little bit of sunshine can make all the difference. It is always worth the wait.
If you are lucky enough to not understand what I could be talking about, know that you are truly fortunate.
I am happy to have survived another winter, and I look forward to spring. And the Spring Frolic. Make sure you mark the date in your Calendar – April 29 and April 30. The Japanese Cultural Centre is the happiest place on earth for knitters. 2 days of fibre, fun and frolic. Enjoy.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.
Knittingly yours,
Debra Rowland, TKG President
TKG Executive Opportunities
Interested in joining our dynamic executive team? Do you have hidden skills that you can bring to the team? A Guild can’t operate without an executive working together to bring programs, events, socials, etc. to our members.
You know you have the time and energy! The TKG needs you to step forward!
At this time, we are seeking nominations for all executive positions, except for the Guild President which will be filled from within the existing executive.
Is there a position that interests you?
Some existing executive members have stated that they are willing to remain on the executive however new recruits are always welcome. We call this succession planning.
Nominations are now open. Please ensure that if you are nominating someone, that they have agreed to have their named put forward.
At our April Guild meeting, we will take a few moments to discuss the results and advise on the next steps. Should there be more than 1 nomination for a position; an election will be held at the May Guild meeting.
Have a question: Contact Carole Adams or any executive member. We’ll be happy to tell you all the wonderful benefits of being on the executive.
Frolic Workshops Now on Sale!
There are many amazing workshops at the Frolic this year! Sign up early and make sure you get into your first choice!
Headed to Fiber Fest? Just a short distance away the Mapiya Yoga Retreat will be hosting a retreat on the weekend of Fiber Fest tailored to the needs of avid knitters / crocheters. Yoga classes will focus on easing shoulder, back, arm and hand tension and they will offer guided meditation and creativity visualization classes. Classes will be scheduled around the hours of the event in Picton so that guests would not miss anything! For more information contact them at mapiyaretreat@gmail.com or at (647) 504-6254
A Dragonfly, a Caribou and a Squid Walk into a Bar
As part of a new series we are sitting down with our meeting vendors to find out more about them. This month we interviewed Kim O'Brien of Indigodragonfly who will be at our March Skills Exchange meeting.
TKG: Indigodragonfly is a great name - how did you come up with it?
Kim: Indigo (the colour in the rainbow between blue and violet) is my favourite colour, and dragonflies always followed me around as a child. So when I needed to come up with a social media name, Indigodragonfly was it. When I started my business, it made sense to keep it as a business name.
TKG: Outside of the potential for world domination, what attracted you to become a textile maven?
Kim: Growing up, I was surrounded by adults who knit, crocheted, wove, sewed, and did needlework of all descriptions. I don't remember anyone specifically teaching me how to do any of this. I just picked up textiles and figured out "how to do it." When I was in university in a very stressful programme, I turned to knitting and stitching to destress. Now I cannot imagine a life NOT surrounded by textiles. How do other people do that?!?!? And of course there is the tactile aspect. I express myself through my hands. I communicate best through colour and texture.
TKG: What is the biggest challenge in running a hand dyed yarn and fibre business? What advice would you have for others that wanted to get started?
Kim: Time. There is never enough to do EVERYTHING you want to do. To execute every idea you have. But oh boy do I try!
Advice: Before you start decide exactly what you want to do, what you want your business to look like and how you are going to do it all. Write it down. And stand by your decisions and your vision.
TKG: What is your favourite type of yarn to work with or your favourite type of knitting project?
Kim: Don't tell the others, but CaribouBaa is my favourite yarn base ever. It's a simple 4 ply superwash merino that feels like so much more. Wait...if I tell you it's my favourite, then there will be no more left for me. I changed my mind. It's the other yarn...
TKG: And favourite type of knitting project?
Kim: I am obsessed with fingering weight sweaters. OBSESSED.
TKG: What is the best advice that you have received as a knitter?
Kim: Life is too short to save good yarn for the perfect project. Knit it. Enjoy it. The sheep will make more.
TKG: Our guild members should definitely be following you on social media! Who are your favourite people to follow on social media?
Kim: Kate Atherley, Amy Herzog and Fiona Ellis, of course! (Yes, I am totally sucking up to them...they scare me ;) ) Norm Wilner and his Someone Else's Movie podcast are also excellent entertainment. And if you want to follow other Indigodragonfly-ites, Ron's twitter is YarnLouie and Victoria can be found at feminafabulosa.
TKG: Anything else you would like our guild members to know?
In honour of the fashion show, we are brining back this newsletter feature! L'Enveloppe has appeared more than once in the Guild fashion shows, in every shape, size and colour.
Not only is it a Guild favourite, but it is also one of Sally Melville's all-time favourite patterns.It is easy to love, but not so easy to describe. Not a shawl, nor a cowl, or a scarf, or shrug or cape. It is, however, fantastic!
If you love Sally Melville, join us for our Sunday Social at this year's Frolic. See the full details here.
February was the Work of Our Hands fashion show, which had members strutting their stuff! We had 98 people in attendance for the meeting, and quite a few guests!
Thank you to our vendor Stitch Please for bringing their fantastic selection of yarns. So much fantastic colour!
This months Show 'N Tell exec member Ramona showed off her Match and Move shawl, Mary Pat modelled a beautiful cowl neck sweater and Trish shared her Sweet Jane sweater . . . all with customizations of course! See all the projects here.
Fashion Show Time!
In order of appearance:
Finnley the Fish by Jane MacFarlane
Fox Cowl by Sarah Gibson
Belle's Favourite Things by Marjolein Winterink
Anhinga 2 by Cindy O'Malley
Snowflakes & Evergreens Fair Isle Cardigan by Denise Powell
Pixelated Pullover by Christine Maggs
Balboa Vest by Jane MacFarlane
Blueberry Blanket by Marjolein Wintering
L'Envelope by Kim Hume
Lucas Wrap by Christine Maggs
Hound's Tooth Scarf by Trish Denoed
Askews Me Dickey by Trish Denoed
First point of Libra by Sarah Gibson
And that is how it went! A Big thank you to TKG members Marjolein, Sarah and Kim for organizing the fashion show, and to all the guild members who participated, and to our guild president Debra Rowland!
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:
March 15, 2017
April 19, 2017
May 17, 2017
June 21, 2017
Visit the Toronto Knitters Guild website for more information on upcoming events.
