Hello knitters! Here is the recap of the Sept meeting. We had an awesome group of 30-ish knitters and a couple of new guests! A few of our regulars were unable to join us…we missed you!
Show & Tell: Here are some photos of current & FO’s from the meeting!
Program: Fiber Properties
All the years I’ve spent hanging in out in yarn shops has taught me one thing…everyone seems to struggle with substituting yarn when starting a new project. Even the yarn shop owners admit to having a difficult time helping their patrons figure out what the best option might be. Why?
Mainly, I think there are so many variables to consider! Most people understand yarn weight…it’s pretty obvious when you compare a worsted weight with a lace weight yarn. But, we’ve all had one of those projects turn out un-satisfactory…when we were careful to substitute the same weight of yarn. And this can be very frustrating and costly!
Janice and I put together a Fiber Properties cheat sheet (it is posted on our site here) to help us better understand how the different fibers behave. And, it was awesome passing around all of the fibers in Janice’s stash! Of course she has all the rare fibers! You would have to visit multiple stores to find all those fibers in one place!
When planning for a project, I always take into consideration the yarn weight (lace, sport, worsted, etc), the resilience (strechiness), the drape (something many knitters don’t consider, but super important for garments) and how the yarn is spun. THIS IS WHY IT CAN BE SO HARD TO SUBSTITUTE YARN!
Of course, knitters who swatch properly (a large enough swatch, in the stitch pattern & washed/blocked as you will handle the final item) should be able to notice if the fiber is or isn’t going to work well for that project. Especially if you are knitting a sweater or garment. Many of us have had the situation where our swatch has lied to us! Why is this? Take the time to “live” with your swatch. I know it’s hard to wait to cast on, but giving it 2-3 days will allow the yarn to relax and will show you what the final fabric will look like and how it will behave. After all…you’re not just knitting, but creating fabric! Measurements and stitch counts can change.
CKKG Board Elections:
If you are interested in serving on the Board, please email us and let us know. At this time, we have the following positions up for election: Secretary, At-Large (Membership focus) and At-Large (Education focus). Currently, we have accepted the following nominations:
- Secretary – Shara (new member)
- Membership – Lisa Mertes
- Education – Janice
If we don’t receive additional nominations, the new board will take effect in October. We appreciate every member’s help…that is what makes our guild AWESOME! If you want to help, but not commit to the Board…please let us know!
Announcements:
- 2013 Central KS Yarn Hop! Mark your calendars for Oct 17-20th for the annual hop. Details are posted on Ravelry and on the website! We have a carpool discussion on our Ravelry page.
- Charity Knitting: check out our Ravelry thread for organizations looking to help provide kitted items for the community. We plan to update this throughout the year, so the holiday rush doesn’t creep on us! If you know of any charity projects, please post them in the thread!!! Lorrie has a mountain of purple hats! We will accept hats year-round in any color and any size to donate to local charities, hospitals and those in need!
Thank you for the yummy snacks ladies! You really out did yourselves!
The Oct Guild meeting on Tuesday July 8th!
Happy knitting,
Kim
PS – Not sure what a Knitting Guild is about? Grab a friend and come check us out! Find us on Ravelry and Facebook as Central KS Knitters Guild.
Central KS Knitters' Guild 