Ravellenic Games 2012

Let the games begin, no matter what they are called.  USOC Apology  The game is to set yourself an Olympian challenge, cast on during the opening ceremonies and finish by the closing ceremonies.  A few Stockinettes gathered last night to get the ball rolling and watch the athletes walk into the stadium in London.  I'm in the Sweater Triathalon, Jude is doing WIPs Wrestling and Sweater Triathalon, Beth is entered in Shawl Sailing and Balance Beads, and Lisa is also doing WIPs Wrestling which entails finishing a work in progress or as Gigi and Jasmine like to call them PhDs, partially half-done projects.  Our prez cheered us on and the snacks were yummy.  Ever heard of "enhanced Saltines".  I'm not sure that's what Linda calls them but they were great.  

We even have our own badge

If you're on the team and weren't at the kick off, Jude will bring yours to the meeting next week.  There is also an official Ravellenic Badge

 but you have to order those through Ravelry.  They are $6 and a nice souvenir.  I have two from the 2008 and 2010 games on my Ravelry bag.  

If you get the urge to cast on soon and think you can make it by the end of the games, go for it.  Instructions for entering and tagging your project are on Ravelry in the CCS group.  We'll have show and tell for the Ravellenic Games at the September meeting.  

Summertime

The July meeting was full of information on upcoming events.  Many Stockinettes are participating in the Ravellenic Games.  For those of you on Ravelry the group and information about events is here.  If you're not on Ravelry all I can say is hurry over and sign up.  Lisa announced a bus tour to several yarn shops later in the summer and there are lots of knitted squares to make up into blankets.  Details will be in the newsletter.  The yarn bombing at the Discovery Museum was declared a total success and a totally fabulous event.  Thanks to all who participated.  State Fair is coming up and we will be well represented.  Someone take pictures! The challenge for August is to do something new, a technique, a stitch, a garment, something that you haven't done before.  You know, a challenge!

Our librarian hard a work!  Check out our website or the yahoo group for the latest library list.  

Don't forget to bring your "trash" so someone else can treasure it.  Donations accepted at the August and September meetings.  The big event will be at the October 4th meeting.

Next meeting will be Vendor night!  Aways a treat to see Stockinette creativity and be able to take some home for yourself.  Here's some pictures from last year.  Did you happen to see that bag on the lower left hand side on the Yarn Harlot's blog last week?  Scroll to the last picture.  I gave it to her at the Port Ludlow retreat.  The blogmistress is very proud!  

Cindi will be back this year with some very cute project bags.  Be sure not to miss the meeting.  You'll be amazed by what's for sale.  It's not too soon to be thinking of holiday gifts.  

Enjoy the month of July, my personal favorite month next to August.  Have you heard about Craftsy?  Online classes that are supposed to be very good.  Has anyone taken one?  

The bombs bursting in air!

Gave proof through the night that our hard work was still there.........

 

We had visitors from the Crochet Club 

Kids who came by with their needles and yarn and wanted to learn to knit 

Stockinettes 

Cake

And a new Grandma-to-be

And perfect weather and a perfect place to gather.  The display will be up until the end of June so please come on by if you haven't had a chance yet.  One of our members, Debra P. has posted a You Tube Video Here  Thank you, Debra!  That's cool.  

Bombs Away!

It's starting to look like a proper yarn bombing.  Several Stockinettes gathered today to start installing our collective fiber pieces at the Discovery Museum.  Here's a picture of the fence being assembled from yards and yards and yards of 7-inch squares that will later be turned into lapghans.

Other installations were to be seen tucked away in the redwoods.

"All Dressed Up and No Place to Go" 

"Birds of a Fiber"

And from the Fiber Fairies, "Jungle Fiber"

Be sure to come out next Saturday, June 9th at 10 AM to help with the rest of the installation of the fence (flowers to be added) and to participate in Knit In Public Day here at the Museum, located at 3615 Auburn Blvd. in Sacramento.  There's parking and lots of trees for shade, picnic tables, bathrooms.  What more could you want for Knit in Public Day?  Bring chairs, your lunch, and maybe some snacks to share and your knitting of course.  See you there.  Thanks to Beth for the idea of the yarn bombing and to Lucky Lisa for coordinating everything and to all the strippers out there who knit strips and flowers.  Good job, Stockinettes (and Fiber Fairies). 

A Piece of History

Every wanted to be part of getting a book published?  Annie Modesitt is publishing "A History on Two Needles" and is looking for some financial backing.  Check it out as it's kind of like an NPR donation; there are prizes attached, like a free e-edition of the book when it's published.  The pieces are amazing.  Go, Annie!
See the Slideshow and her Flickr stream and her website.  

Busy week!

Busy week for the Stockinettes.  It started out with Stitch 'n Pitch.  Thanks to everyone who pulled that together.  Nice tote bag souvenirs and free hot dogs, chips, and sodas for the seniors (I think that happens every Monday).

Sandi and Jude looking like they threw out the first ball, but they didn't.  

Last Sunday Gwen Bortner came to teach us the joys and beauty of Entrelac.  She had a large trunk show with her and the samples were amazing.  You can follow Gwen on her website Knitability and if you missed the class you can take on online version at Crafty.com I hear that's great and almost like having her there in person.  In the afternoon Gwen taught us how to really take our measurements so that the garments we make truly fit and how to turn those measurements and a  proper gauge swatch into a sweater.  Turns out you can't measure yourself.  You need a partner for that and she had lots of suggestions how to fit that into a date-night activity.  Use your imagination.  Both classes were packed with information and had excellent handouts and resources.  Gwen will also be teaching at TKGA in Reno.  Registration is tentatively set to open on June 13th but check the web TKGA - Reno Event to stay updated. I think any of her classes would be a terrific addition to your knitting know-how bag.  Thanks for visiting us, Gwen!

Elizabeth, Lisa, Gwen, Jude and Doris..............

Monday night found about 15 Stockinettes gathered at Lisa's house to sew together all of the strips we have been knitting for the upcoming yarn bombing at the Discovery Museum.  Fiber Event Discovery Museum  Susan cranked out yards and yards on her machine and we all sewed and chatted and had a grand old time.  We even had the help of a few of Lisa's pets.  We will gather again on Saturday June 2nd at 10AM for the installation that will be up for two weeks.  Knit in Public day will be June 9th at the Museum grounds.  Bring your chairs, umbrellas, water, snacks, and your knitting and sit in the midst of the yarn bombing which is really an art installation.  Hope you made or sewed a few strips and get to see them displayed.  I'll post pictures for sure.  

 Susan manning the ironing board 

 Sewers.  Who said we don't like to weave in ends.

 Measuring the distance - this is about 400 yards.

I helped just by being cute and quiet.  

Leave it to the Experts

Perhaps you've heard stories of copies of "The Principles of Knitting" by June Hemmons Hiatt going on EBay for over $400.  The first edition went out of print in the mid-1990s and was a very hot item indeed. We heard rumors that she was updating her book and here it is!  Principles of Knitting

Currently selling for about $26 from Amazon and so far well worth every penny.  I'll tell you why.  I'm a pretty experienced knitter, self-taught, but experienced.  It's rare that I can't figure something out.  But I have a tool called a 3+2 or a croneedle that I use to pick up stitches if I'm adding a button band or collar or something like that.  It has a crochet needle on one end and a knitting needle on the other end and I never could quite figure out how to get the stitches off once I had picked them up.  I would gingerly knit them off the crochet hook end.

So today, as I went to pick up some stitches, I thought to myself, "Self, let's see what June has to say about picking up stitches" and lo and behold, the truth about this needle appeared right there on page 109.  The trick is that you do a type of long tail cast on so that when you finish picking up the stitches, you just go to the needle end where the end of the yarn that goes to the ball will be.  How could I have been so blind?  I am so wedded to doing a cable cast on that I never consider doing any other kind.  I heard one review of this book that counted her cast-on techniques.  52 of them.  Imagine that.  She has instructions on the Tricolor Braid Cast-On and the Contrast Color Half-Hitch Edge.  How about Wrapped Cast-ons and a Knit Picot Cast-on.  Seriously, this is the book to go to for both experienced and novice knitters.  It's big, over 700 pages and 450,000 words.  It's mostly black and white photos and lovely, clear illustrations for the techniques.  This is a book everyone needs in their personal library, no doubt.  Thanks, June!  Well done.

I don't think this particular croneedle is available any longer from Skacel but a work-around per the suggestion from the nice folks at Purlsoho is to build your own if you have Addi-Clicks.  You can also do the same with  Denise Interchangeables.