Sunday, April 26, 2009

Volume 4, Issue 4, April 19, 2009

Finally…..Spring!
After a week of playground duty and enduring the 70+ degree weather, I believe that spring has finally arrived in Oklahoma! But even though the weather is turning warmer, it is still a great time to knit.

Our meeting this past Sunday was great. We had several new visitors and welcomed several new people back for their second or third meeting. We are so glad to have you as part of our group!

I appreciate Carolyn’s efforts last month at getting us started on our sock project. People were still talking this month about the wonder “sock recipe rings” she made up for everyone. And there were quite a few socks projects going on. Jo Ellyn did a wonderful job with the second segment of our sock making. Next month, we will finish with the toe.

If you are up for a Saturday Shop Hop, we will be meeting this Saturday, April 25th to visit several different yarn shops and have lunch together. ***Must have knitting project to board van*** (smile) Also, don’t forget to mark your calendar for Saturday, June 13th when we “knit in public” at Penn Square Mall. We will meet at the mall at 10:00 am. Be sure to come to the May meeting to learn more about it.

Thanks again for a great meeting this month. I am always so grateful for your support! See you Saturday and in May!

Keep knitting………
Brenda Asher

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Brenda A. opened the meeting at 3:10 p.m. with thanks to Emily and the other officers for taking on last meeting without her. She welcomed 4 newcomers this month (we hope to see them all again) and several of last month’s newcomers returned. We are so happy to have you! Please come again!

There was an announcement made that the Log Cabin Spinners would be sponsoring their annual Fiber Rendezvous at the American Legion Hall Post 111, 101 East 5th Street, Edmond Oklahoma on Saturday, May 9 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be vendors and demonstrations of spinning and weaving. All are encouraged to attend and enjoy!

“What are you working on?” came next on the agenda and the membership was heavily weighted towards socks, but there were prayer shawls, ponchos, leg warmers, the usual sweaters and scarves, and even a latch hook project and a knitted chessboard. Talent abounds in our little corner of the knitting world.

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Executive Reports

I submitted a summary of the minutes for the March meeting. They were accepted without amendment or addition.

Treasurer Judy was unable to attend, but reported through our president that the balance in the account had no changes from the previous month and it remains $848.97.

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Committee Reports

Charity Knitting

Linda P. announced that there will soon be another contest with a prize for the greatest number of knitted items for our charity knitting projects. She explained the charity knitting projects to newcomers. There was discussion of the idea to partner with a school to collect bears to dress for the TKGA Precious Pals program. There will be further discussion after more information is gathered.

Librarian Bethany did not have a specific book to review this month, but reminded that any member desiring a specific title from the guild’s library could notify her and she would be happy to bring it to the next meeting.

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Old Business

The 1st Metro OKC Knitters’ Guild Shop Hop plans were finalized. A meeting place and time, plus the stores to visit were agreed upon. It was agreed that a large circle encompassing L & B Yarns in Norman, SWAK in the City, and the Gourmet Yarn Co. would comprise the itinerary with lunch to be decided according to members present. (As an aside, I attended and had a GREAT time!)

Jo Ellyn announced that there is a small group working towards several TKGA certification levels and invited other members interested to go to the web site to obtain information and application/registration information.

Guild members decided to meet at 10:00 on Saturday, June 13th for Worldwide Knit in Public Day at Penn Square Mall in the area that once was the waterfall area. Knitting will continue until the last knitter has to go home. Whether to disperse to various locations throughout the mall or to remain together will be decided at that time.

In continuing discussions regarding the Guild’s event/seminar plans, several additional ideas were thrown open to discussion. Brenda A. had discovered that one author, Vickie Howell is near to term and might not be available. I shared two ideas for an event, one to have a subject matter expert to come to talk about Travel Knitting, such as the knitting cruises and tours, or perhaps the larger fiber events, such as Madrona, Rhinebeck, the Sock Summit, and the Stitches conferences. Additionally, I offered the idea to invite Ravelry experts to take neophytes and digital immigrants (like me) through all the services that Ravelry offers. Further ideas and discussions are encouraged and will take place as the year progresses.

There will be more discussion of the possibility of doing demonstrations at the State Fair this September.

Brenda requested that Guild members consider if we would like to move meetings from our current location, and if so where we could meet and if changing the day would impact membership. Several other locations were mentioned, the Downtown Library, Rose State College, other library branches; dialogue with the Belle Isle Library will continue. Fresh ideas are welcome.

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Educational Program – Sock Knitting Part 2

Jo Ellyn W. continued our series on sock knitting with instructions and explanations of heel turning. The popular short row heel, the German Strap heel, and the Dutch heel were some of the methods discussed. There were knitted examples of each for a thorough exploration of heel turning.

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Our next meeting will be Sunday, May 17. Please join us for Sock Knitting Part 3.