Merry Christmas

Christmas meets Knitting

Goals for the New Year

The new year is approaching faster that I can cast on for that next project. What projects will you be knitting this next year? Using the lot of yarn you bid on and won at the Trash to Treasure night to knit a sweater which will probably end up as a vest? Or maybe a pair of socks for each family member in time for Christmas next year? Ok, so you decide two socks this time is too much, so you decide a single Christmas stocking is more likely to get finished. Maybe you want to learn a new skill, like spinning. Try a new pattern, new stitch or experiment with a new yarn? May I offer a challenge to you all? Teach knitting to a young person. And knit in public, it's a great conversation starter. I wish you all a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Amy Singer was Here!

Amy Singer

Amy Singer was here!

Amy Singer was our special guest at our November meeting last Thursday. Most everyone knows that Amy is the editor of Knitty.com.

Amy presented a lecture on All About Knitty. The Stockinettes in turn gave Amy a Knitty Fashion Show spotlighting all the Knitty patterns the Stockinette members have knit over the years.

Amy's response to the Stockinettes fashion show...

"A Parade of Knitting...I quite liked it!"

Amy said we were the "first guild to do a Knitty Fashion Show". Way to go Stockinettes!

Amy also taught a series of Plug & Play Shawl classes over the weekend for the Stockinettes.

Lambtown USA!

Lambtown USA 2010

Where there's "fiber and fun" there are sure to be Stockinettes!

The Camellia City Stockinettes were out in full force today at the 24th Lambtown USA Festival.

Lambtown USA is a one-day festival all about lamb and wool.

Let's have a look at all the fun at the festival!

Fiber Friends!
(Sharon, Terri, Kay & Diana)

Many Stockinette shoppers were spotted in Madden Hall for the Fiber Fair.

Yes, there were lot's of wonderful vendors selling hand dyed and hand spun yarn.

Julia with Fig Tree Alley

Julia with Fig Tree Alley a sponsor of our Guild had a booth at the Fiber Fair in Madden Hall.

Lizette Hopkins with Spin Glitz

President Lizette Hopkins was also a vendor in Madden Hall with her company Spin Glitz.

Her booth is always fun and everyone always loves her giant knitting needles!

Fiber Fanatics
(Mary & Doris)

Mary and Doris were spotted out in the Fiber Breeds area checking out all those beautiful wool coats! They said they have a tradtion of coming to the festival every year!

Also spotted shopping at the show were members Sally Gray, Cheryl Taylor, Lisette Davis and Nancy Jane Campbell.

Parri Shelby with Spin A Yarn is also a Guild sponsor and had a mini showroom at the Fiber Fair. She is currently looking for a new retail location for her store Spin A Yarn. We look forward to hearing about her new location soon.

Besides fiber...the best part about Lambtown USA are all those adorable lambs and alpacas!


Hope to see you at Lambtown USA next year!

Congratulations Betsy!

Royal Vines Scarf

Here's to another Stockinette success story!

Congratulations to our very own Betsy Coyne!

Betsy just had her Royal Vines Scarf published in Knit Picks!

Shown in Stroll Tonal Sock Yarn

Betsy designed a beautiful lace scarf in a ripple type pattern with a garter stitch border all around. The lace pattern is easy to memorize and knit in fingering weight yarn.

There are four choices of fingering weight yarns to choose from at Knit Picks. Betsy's scarf knits up beautifully in both tonal or solid colors. The Royal Vines Scarf photographed is knit in Stroll Tonal Sock Yarn. One 100 gram skein makes a generous size scarf.

Be sure to check out Betsy's website Cultured Purl for more of her knitting designs.

Congratulations Betsy!

(All Photographs from Knit Picks)

Vendor Night

Linda, Marianne & Daniella

Vendor Night at the September Guild Meeting was a smashing success thanks to all the fabulous Vendors and the Stockinette shoppers!

President Lizette Hopkins breezed through the business portion of the meeting reminding all the Stockinettes that "there is shopping to do"!

As for official business, Amy Singer from Knitty.com is coming in November. Mark your calendar! Amy will be a special guest and speaker at the November Guild Meeting on Thursday, November 4, 2010. Sign ups for Amy's Modular Lace classes will take place at the October meeting.

Now for some shopping fun...here are some photos from Vendor Night!

Designer Yarn Bowl

Vice President Cindi Unmack invited Auburn studio potter Marianne DeMartini to be a Vendor. She is coincidentally also member Daniella Z.'s friend! Marianne makes beautiful handmade pottery. Her beautiful Yarn Bowls were the hit of the night!

You can see her work in the First Saturday Open Studio in Auburn or in her Etsy Shop Adventures in Clay.

Cindi & Betsy

A real treat of the night was the booth where Stockinettes Cindi Unmack of Left Coast Yarns & Betsy Coyne of Cultured Purl combined forces.

Betsy & Cindi collaborated together on a lace scarf kit inspired by camellias, in honor of the Camellia City Stockinettes. Cindi dyed a special edition of her fingering weight yarn in a pretty camellia colorway.

Michele & Sheila

Members Michele & Sheila were returning Vendors and had their fabulous fabric hanging circular needle holders and clever needle roll-up holders to store your dpns. What a wonderful product to organize all your knitting needles!

This year they also sold vintage needlework magazines.
What a treat to step back in time (1914-1943) with Needlecraft, Ladies Home Journal Companion and American Needlewoman magazines from that era!

Julia & Fig Tree Alley

New business member Julia from Fig Tree Alley had a booth, too.

You could tell from her professional display that she has done craft shows before.

Her hand-made buttons were a big hit for all the knitters. Her sheep buttons were just adorable!

Linda Greene

Multi talented member Linda Greene had a booth,too. She is one talented needlework lady. She knits, crochets and does beautiful embroidery work. Her booth had a very lovely vintage display and nice array of one-of-a-kind handmade items. Notice how nicely she coordinated her outfit to match her booth!


What a Night!

With all the shopping fun it was obvious everyone had a wonderful time at Vendor Night. Member Annemieke Y. summed it up best with her recent post on the Stockinette Ravelry Group:

"This was my first vendor night and I thought it was awesome. All the vendors were very unique and I thought there was something for everyone. I myself may have made a purchase or two."

Thank you to all the Vendors and Stockinette Shoppers for making Vendor Night a smashing success!

Feel free to contact the Vendors directly if you would like to make additional purchases!

It's Time for UK Knit Camp

Have you heard the news?

It's time for UK Knit Camp in Stirling, Scotland August 9 - 14, 2010.

Even though Scotland is clear across the pond...the Camellia City Stockinettes are going to be well represented.

Attending UK Knit Camp this year are: Cindi, Doris, Jude and Jill B.

Local Sacramento Designer Joan McGowan-Michael has also traveled to UK Knit Camp as an instructor.

We wish all the Stockinettes safe travels and can't wait to hear all about their knitting journey to Scotland. Click here to read all about the special events happening during Knit Camp.

After Knit Camp, Doris and Jude will be travelling on to Shetland Islands visiting museums along with Jamieson & Smith . How lucky are they?!

For more information on UK Knit camp visit British Yarn.

It's California State Fair Time!

Sandi says... Welcome to the State Fair

Hey everybody...it's California State Fair time

July 14 - August 1, 2010.

The Camellia City Stockinettes held their annual knitting display in the Creative Arts Building on Wednesday July 21st.

Kathy & Lizette proving...

Knitting is cool!

Thank you Guild Member Fair Volunteers for showing the public

just how "cool" knitting can be!

Out & About

Close-Knit Friends at Knitique

Paige, Shirley and Bonnie

Caught on camera Wednesday at Knitique were close-knit friends Paige, Shirley and Bonnie out Shop Hopping!

According to the Stockinette ladies they were doing their own sort of Shop Hop at Rumpelstiltskin, Babetta's Yarn & Gifts, and Knitique.

Paige and Bonnie recently recruited their friend Shirley to the Guild. Welcome Shirley!

Also Out & About

Another group of Stockinettes, Lorna, Sheila, Michele and Daniella spent a beautiful day up at Donner Lake on Wednesday at an event sponsored by Kelly of Lake Tahoe Yarn Company. The event featured Diane Soucy of Knitting Pure & Simple.

Daniella said "it was so nice sitting under the trees knitting". She really enjoyed meeting Diane and says she "is so down to earth". She loved that there were samples from Knitting Pure & Simple to admire and try on.

Daniella also reported that the ladies saw another Stockinette member Lisa from Folsom there, too. They all had a great time and look forward to next year's event.

Close-Knit friendships are just one of the fabulous benefits of being a Camellia Stockinette!

Let's Make a Sock Yarn Blanket!

Sheila's Stunning Sock Yarn Blanket!

The July Tuesday Night Program was another fun filled night for the Stockinettes! The program agenda this month was learning how to make mitered squares to make a Sock Yarn Blanket.

The program night was led by Cindi Unmack. Cindi's very own Sock Yarn Blanket has inspired many other Stockinette Knitters to join the fun of knitting a Sock Yarn Blanket.

Here's what Michele C. had to say about the Program:

Tuesday evening’s program started with the “Great Wee Ball Swap”.

Everyone put their “wee balls” on the table, looked around, started pointing and the ooos and aaahs began. Who knew there were so many beautiful sock yarns to choose from; every color you can imagine. Everyone walked around the table selecting “wee balls” for their own projects and couldn’t wait to get started knitting them.

Cindi explained the concept of a mitered square, explained how to get started and everyone took off. After making two squares Cindi demonstrated how to pick up stitches and add in the third square. There was quite a bit of discussion on whether the blankets should have “innees” or “outees” but everyone knew what they wanted. By the end of the evening some ladies were already pulling out their sample squares and starting a “project.”

Cindi had patterns for other mitered square project (think slippers, socks and scarves).

It was an evening filled with fun and we can’t wait to see all those mitered square projects at the August meeting.

Thank you Michele for your fabulous report!

Close Knit Friends &

Sock Yarn Blanket Knitters!

Knitting a Sock Yarn Blanket "is fun and addictive" according to Sheila's Ravelry project page! Sheila and her fellow Stockinettes friends Kimberly and Michele all caught the Sock Yarn Blanket bug from Cindi Unmack a few years ago!

Thank you to Cindi Unmack for leading another fun filled Tuesday Night Program.

Special thanks to Michele C. for bringing her sock yarn blanket and for offering help teaching during the program.

Special thanks to Sandi Benward for bringing "wee yarn balls" donated by Babetta's Yarn & Gifts for everyone to take at the program night.

Sock Yarn Blanket

So are you ready to being your very own Sock Yarn Blanket now?

Cindi Unmack and the Stockinette Knitters were all inspired by Shelly Kang's Mitered Square Sock Yarn Blanket.

You can find the free pattern on Ravlery and read Shelly's tips "All About the Blankie" on her blog.

Trash to Treasure

Let the Bidding Begin!

The July Guild Meeting is probably the most fun meeting of the year because it's also the Trash to Treasure night.

This year's Trash to Treasure was another fun filled event thanks to all the fabulous donations and the evening's auctioneer Lorna Miser!

This year there were twelve Trash to Treasure lots and four raffle drawings. The yarn lots went for as low as $9.00 to well over $30.00. All the money raised goes directly to the Stockinettes Library fund.

Divvying up the Winnings!

Kendal was the big winner of the evening. She was the lucky winner of two yarns lots and one raffle lot,too. Way to go Kendal!

As in former years, some Stockinettes formed a team and bid on a lot together. Catherine, Jude and Lisa (photo above) were the lucky high bidders on the pink yarn lot. They scored some really beautiful yarns in lovely shades of pinks. Congratulations ladies and kudos on your Stockinette teamwork!

Other lucky winners on the raffle lots were: Daniella , Chris and Phyllis. These lucky ladies won raffle lots filled with books along with various knitting accoutrement's. A big score for any knitter for just a $1.00 raffle ticket!

Sheila & Michele

A great big thank you to Sheila and Michele for organizing

another fantastic Trash to Treasure night!

Knitting With Wire!

Knitting With Wire

Have you ever knit with wire? Yes, you can actually knit with wire. The Stockinettes learned all about knitting with wire at the June Program Night.

Beth Callahan (our very own talented bead knitter) taught the Knitting With Wire class. The Guild supplied all the wire and beads and the Stockinettes supplied all the fun!

Wire Beaded Bracelet

The project for the program night was to learn to make a wire beaded bracelet.

According to Stockinette Annemieke, it was a very interesting program and she really enjoyed it! She went on to say that Beth gave a wonderful introduction and was a thorough teacher.

Annemieke says this program was a great stepping off point for making more wire jewelry. She went home and immediately got on Ravelry to find more patterns and books for making wire jewelry.

Thank you Beth for another fun filled and fascinating program night!

Sac-Sierra Shop Hop Winner!

Support Your Local Yarn Shop!

Who is Dale Spears? Well according to Lisa at Auburn Needleworks, Dale Spears is the lucky lady who won the 2010 Sac-Sierra Shop Hop Grand Prize. Dale shopped all four days and visited every yarn shop.

Congratulations Dale Spears!

1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats

1,000 Fabulous Knit Hats

by Annie Modesitt

Hot off the Press!

This just in from Stockinette Terry Morris aka The Sailing Knitter:

It's here! The new book by Annie Modesitt is now on Amazon.com Take a peek inside the book at the Contributors pages...see all the Camellia City Stockinettes Guild members!

Whooo hoooo! I see: Lorna Miser, Sandi Benward, Beth Callahan and me, Terry Morris. I can't wait to get my hands on this book and see all the beautiful and fun hats.

Congratulations ladies for having your hats
published in Annie's new book!

Knitters in Public!

Knitters in Public

There's only two days left to show the world your love of knitting for WWKIPD. Have you been seen knitting out in public?

Spotted today and caught on camera is this lovely group of Stockinette knitters knitting out in public at their local La Bou.

Pictured left to right:
Mary, Annemieke, Cheryl, Sally and Nina.

Thank you Stockinette ladies for doing your part to show the world
just how cool knitters are!

WWKIP Time!

World Wide Knit in Public

Attention all Stockinettes...it's time for World Wide Knit in Public!

This year World Wide Knit in Public is anytime from June 12th through June 2oth. So grab your needles and your fiber friends and show the world just how "cool" knitting is!

Check the Stockinettes Ravelry group for the latest update where many of the Stockinettes plan on meeting to knit in public.

According to Cindi Unmack VP of the Stockinettes, there will be a WWKIP event on Saturday June 19th at Sacramento's Fremont Park along with the Sacramento's Naked Knitting Group .

Fremont Park is located at the corner of 15th and Q St. The Naked Coffee shop is nearby, too, for refreshements.

Hope to see you out in public knitting!

Sac-Sierra Shop Hop Time!

It's Shop Hop Time!

Mark your calenders, it's "Shop Hop" time.

June 3 - 6 marks the annual Sac-Sierra Shop Hop. This year there are 15 Yarn Shops participating. Many of the shops are advertisers and supporters of the Camellia City Stockinettes. This year's Grand Prize is $750.00 in prizes and certificates. Wow...surely any knitter would love to win that!

To begin your Shop Hop, visit any participating shop and pick up your official Shop Hop Passport. Get your Passport stamped at each store you visit. You must visit all 15 shops and have your passport stamped at each shop to be eligible for the Grand Prize.

So grab your fiber friends and shop 'till ya drop!

Sac-Sierra Shop Hop Stores

Auburn Needleworks, Auburn

Babetta's Yarn & Gifts, Fair Oaks

Fibers, Grass Valley

Fig Tree Alley Fiber Arts, Sacramento

Filati Fine Yarn, Rocklin

Knit-Witz Boutique, Stockton

Knitique, Elk Grove

Lake Tahoe Yarn Co., Truckee

Lofty Lou's, Placerville,

Meadow Farms Studio, Nevada City

Reynold's Knittin' Pretty Yarn Shop, Woodland

Rumpelstiltskin, Sacramento

Sierra Knitting Co, Cameron Park

The Urban Sheep, Modesto

The Yarn Shoppe, Elk Grove

Stitch N' Pitch!

Doris, Dinger & Jude

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

The Stockinettes had a great time at Raley Field for Stitch N' Pitch on May 5, 2010. Many Stockinettes and even husbands were there to cheer on the Sacramento River Cats.

This wonderful event by TNNA (The National Needle Arts Association) is a fun way of combining two great American past times, baseball and the needle arts.

Fun Times At The Ball Park!

Nina, Beth & Cindi

"Yes, we are ready for some baseball!"

Susan & Sheila

"Bring on the fun and the knitting!"

The Stockinettes Section

Yes, there was knitting!

The Stockinettes were greeted at the Raley Field gate by our very own Lorna Miser. Lorna presented special Stitch N' Pitch seat cushions and goodie bags to ticket holders who purchased through the Stitch N' Pitch event.

All in all, it was a fun evening...even though the River Cats lost.

Happy Mother's Day!

Stockinette Mother Daughter Duos:

Andrea & Adrienne

Kathy & Wilma

Happy Mothers Day!

Thank you to all the mothers, grandmothers
and great grandmothers who have taught us to knit!

Double the Fun!

Paige & Bonnie

"Double the Fun" Knitting Pals

Double Knitting is Double the Fun!

Have you ever tried "Double Knitting"?

The Stockinettes had a chance to learn this fun technique at the April Tuesday Night Program. Stockinette Sandi Benward taught the program. Sandi's teaching style made the class informative as well as "double the fun" for all the Stockinettes in attendance!

Double Knitting Program

Taught by Sandi Benward

It was standing room only for this Tuesday Night program. Many Stockinettes were eager to learn this fun technique.

The Program proved to be so popular that Sandi even started up a Knit Along on the Stockinettes Yahoo group. She is providing help and support to help everyone finish up some fun "double knit" projects!

Have any questions...just email Sandi!

Sandi Benward

Wearing her "Double Knit" projects!

Thank you Sandi for teaching us a new technique and for another fun Tuesday Night Program!

April Meeting

April Monthly Challengers

Let's Get Green!

In honor of April's Earth Day, the Guild took on a

"Knitting Green Challenge"!

In keeping with the environmental "green" theme, the Monthly Challenge for April was to use recycled materials and create something new. Many Stockinettes took on this challenge and were quite creative in the process!

April Challengers

Recycle - Reduce - Reuse

It was fun to see the many creative ways that knitters can recycle, reduce and reuse. Some knitters cut up existed knit garments and re-purposed them into handbags, skirts and blankets. A few knitters even frogged (ripped out) existing sweaters and re-knit the yarn into a new sweater (see photo above). Now that sure is being "green"!

Recycled Sweater Bag

Check out Phyllis' adorable felted sweater bag! She really got her creative juices flowing. She felted a sweater and then made up her own pattern creating her one-of-a-kind recycled sweater bag. She ended up with only a few sweater scraps left..so she saved on old sweater going to the landfill. Nice job Phyllis!


Junior Members Are Welcome

Sheila and her Granddaughter

We had a cute little visitor at our April meeting...

Sheila's granddaughter!

Did you know that the Guild offers a Junior Membership?

What a wonderful way to keep our needlecrafts alive by exposing young people to needlecrafts. If you have a young family member or friend that would be interested in a Junior Membership, please contact Doris or Jude in Membership for details.

Thank you to each and every guild member for taking on the "Knitting Green Challenge".

Let's all do our part to Recycle-Reduce-Reuse!

Giving Thanks!

Beth Callahan, Michele Wong Synergex President & CEO,

Cindi Unmack & Lizette Hopkins

Thank you, Synergex!

by Beth Callahan

It’s very hard to think of a way to thank a company as generous as Synergex. For the past several years, Synergex has allowed the Camellia City Stockinettes Knitting Guild to use corporate meeting spaces for guild project nights and workshops.

Since knitters like to give back to the community with knitted projects, they decided to make a donation of knitted chemo caps -- on behalf of Synergex – to one of Synergex’s corporate charities, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Michele Wong, Synergex President & CEO, is a national LLS board member, and her husband Tony is a local LLS board member.

The Stockinettes created over 100 caps of differing shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns – some for men, some for women, and some suitable for teens and children. Created of the softest, most cloud-like fibers, the caps are intended to cover and sooth the tender scalps of patients undergoing hair loss due to chemotherapy.

Current Stockinettes president Lizette Hopkins presented the hat collection on behalf of herself, last year’s president Lorna Miser, and grateful Sacramento knitters to Michele Wong. Stockinettes co-vice presidents Cindi Unmack and Beth Callahan were also in attendance. Michele accepted the hats, and will personally deliver them to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society patient services team.

Chemo Caps donated by The Camellia City Stockinettes

Cindi Unmack said it best...

"It made me so proud of the Guild to see all those hats!"

Knitters Love Crochet!

Knitters Love Crochet

The Stockinettes put down their knitting needles and picked up crochet hooks for the March Tuesday Night Program. Jude Tarrant led the program teaching Crochet for Knitters!

Jude teaching crochet edging

Jude taught the basics of crochet and how to use crochet as a decorative edge to knitting. The best advice Jude gave the knitters that evening was "find yourself a good crochet instruction book to use for reference"!

Lizette helping the ladies

Lizette Hopkins is also an experienced crocheter. She also helped many of the ladies learn the basics of crochet and how to crochet knit squares together for afghan making.

Jude made crochet fun for knitters!

Jude and Lizette made learning crochet fun and easy. We are so fortunate to have so many talented and experienced members in the Camellia City Stockinettes.

Get ready for the April Tuesday Night Program...Sandi Benward will be teaching Double Knitting. See you there!