I received a few emails from Sally with information on some fun things going on downtown for knitters:
The DSO has made a special offer to knitters, your very own main floor section and a special price $25.00 (that's a savings of $24.00!) also if you bring your ticket in to City Knits within a week of the concert you get 20% off your purchase! Here is the link for the order form. http://www.cityknits.com/pdfs/DSO%20Knitters%20Order%20Form.pdf
Also this Tuesday (yes, tomorrow) the Knitty Gritty TV show will be videotaping a segment on knitting the People Mover with City Knits from 6-8pm. Sally will be there knitting away in the first car of the Fox 2 People Mover join her if you can, and (maybe) become a star!!!!
And don't forget our very own Sally will be performing in Nightnotes at Hagopian Rugs on Woodward in Birmingham this Friday evening advance tickets are $15.00 and they are $20.00 at the door. Bring your knitting and enjoy beautiful music as you stitch away. Here is the link for ticket info.
https://www.detroitchamberwinds.org/nightnotes_main.html
I have heard that a good time was had by all that took part in the field trip last Saturday to Mt Bruce Fiber Festival (and lots of purchases made) Many thanks to Chris for taking charge and getting everyone there and back.
There will be another trip next month to the Washtenaw Fiber Fest, details will be given out at next weeks meeting. There will also be info on the Shop Hop on Nov. 10th given out, Suzanne has graciously offered to be in charge of that trip and it promises to be a whirlwind day of fun and shopping!
I have heard from a reliable source, that we had more new members join last month so make sure you say hi to all the new faces! Don't forget to bring swatches with you next week to the meeting we will be learning how to seam. Happy Knitting!!!!
Field Trip
Hi Everyone,
Just a friendly reminder that we have a field trip to Mt Bruce Fiber Fest coming up this Saturday September 29th. Chris Hamel has graciously offered to be the point person on this trip and she will be calling the people who signed up at the last meeting to remind them about times and meeting place etc.
Want to go and didn't sign up? Leave a post in the comment section so we know you are planning on coming; we don't want to leave without you! And then meet Chris at the Anderson Middle School Parking Lot at approx. 8:45am (plans are to leave at 9:00am) Admission is $6.00 plus money for gas to the driver, we can't predict or be responsible for purchases!
Don't forget October's meeting on our new day at our new place: Tuesday October 9th, 7:00pm at the Berkley Community Center. This months meeting will be on seaming so bring some knitted swatches with you to practice on. There will also be information on the field trip to the Washtenaw Fiber Fest in the end of October and the Shop Hop in November.
Whew, lots going on see you there!
Just a friendly reminder that we have a field trip to Mt Bruce Fiber Fest coming up this Saturday September 29th. Chris Hamel has graciously offered to be the point person on this trip and she will be calling the people who signed up at the last meeting to remind them about times and meeting place etc.
Want to go and didn't sign up? Leave a post in the comment section so we know you are planning on coming; we don't want to leave without you! And then meet Chris at the Anderson Middle School Parking Lot at approx. 8:45am (plans are to leave at 9:00am) Admission is $6.00 plus money for gas to the driver, we can't predict or be responsible for purchases!
Don't forget October's meeting on our new day at our new place: Tuesday October 9th, 7:00pm at the Berkley Community Center. This months meeting will be on seaming so bring some knitted swatches with you to practice on. There will also be information on the field trip to the Washtenaw Fiber Fest in the end of October and the Shop Hop in November.
Whew, lots going on see you there!
Time Flies and Fly Balls
Time honestly does fly. I've completed my first (only half) week of school, and Fall is officially here! That means BSKG meetings are beginning again. You should be receiving a phone call from a board member just as a reminder, but in case you haven't. . .
Guild meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We've changed from the 3rd Tuesday, just to keep us a little further away from holidays and other busy times. . .
We've moved our meetings to the Berkley Community Center on Robina, just barely South of Catalpa. . .The Community Center has given us a VERY reasonable price for room rental, and have promised not to bump us around from room to room like we were at the middle school last year.
SOOOO. . .our first meeting is THIS TUESDAY at 7pm. See you there!
Fly Balls. . .
Today is the Tigers Stitch and Pitch game. If you've got tickets and want to car pool. . .meet us at Anderson Middle School around 11:45 and we'll share the cost of gas and parking as well as gossip and laugh all the way there and back!
Guild meetings are on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We've changed from the 3rd Tuesday, just to keep us a little further away from holidays and other busy times. . .
We've moved our meetings to the Berkley Community Center on Robina, just barely South of Catalpa. . .The Community Center has given us a VERY reasonable price for room rental, and have promised not to bump us around from room to room like we were at the middle school last year.
SOOOO. . .our first meeting is THIS TUESDAY at 7pm. See you there!
Fly Balls. . .
Today is the Tigers Stitch and Pitch game. If you've got tickets and want to car pool. . .meet us at Anderson Middle School around 11:45 and we'll share the cost of gas and parking as well as gossip and laugh all the way there and back!
Vote for the Coffee Beanery!
The Coffee Beanery is in the running for the Best of Detroit contest at clickondetroit.com
Follow this link, or go to http://www.clickondetroit.com/ to vote (Look on the side bar for vote for the best or something like that. . .). Unfortunetly, it's a two step process. . .vote, then check your email to confirm your vote. . .But do take the time to vote, they've been so gracious and kind to us.
Knitting pictures coming soon!
--t
Follow this link, or go to http://www.clickondetroit.com/ to vote (Look on the side bar for vote for the best or something like that. . .). Unfortunetly, it's a two step process. . .vote, then check your email to confirm your vote. . .But do take the time to vote, they've been so gracious and kind to us.
Knitting pictures coming soon!
--t
Totally Off Topic. . .
Well, I never got around to taking pictures of my finished Pi or my blocked Pacific Northwest shawls. . .and I'm 2 clues behind on the MS3. The theme has been revealed, it's Swan Lake. . .ask Kim for the details.
Meanwhile, I'm headed on vacation again, this time to the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. . .my favorite place to spend the 2nd week in August each year. It's a bit like Brigadoon, in that it appears for one week each year only to disappear into the woods for 365 days until it reappears.
While you knit on, here are some pictures of the quilt blocks I made for the community quilt that will be raffled off on Saturday night.
See you next week! For those of you heading to the people mover on Tuesday--have fun!
--t
Knitting with Grandma
A different sort of post today. . .hope you like it. Pictures of the completed Pi tomorrow (or soon, I promise!)
--Tanya
“I’ve never met you before, but I think I could love you right from the start,” my grandmother said to me in the month before her 96th birthday. I had spent 600 miles knitting in the front seat of a pickup truck as we drove to the upper peninsula of Michigan to see her, and I knew that it was more than a probable chance that she wouldn’t remember me. I had planned the visit to. . .well, I’m not sure why I planned the visit. I just knew, somehow, that it was important for me to see her.
My Grandma had spent weekends with me as I grew up. Every month or two, she’d come and stay with us when she had time off of work. When she came, my bed became hers, and I’d sleep on the floor of my room. In the winter, she’d trace my hand before I left for school in the morning, and half of a pair of mittens would be knitted for me by the time I came home. In the spring, she’d be using up odds and ends of yarn making granny squares for afghans.
I remember, sometime around third grade, my Grandma put knitting needles in my hands for the first time. She carefully showed me how to make a stitch, and then would knit a row for me when the stitches became too tight on the needles. I would balance the needle under my armpit or between my legs, since I couldn’t figure out how to manage holding two sticks and a piece of yarn on my own. Knitting was not, for me, the new yoga. I made tension seem like a death grip. Knitting was not a hobby I’d pursue.
Grandma taught me, too, how to crochet a granny square. My 6 foot, 9 inch father found the granny square blanket (MY granny square blanket) was too short for him to lie under while watching TV. As Grandma crocheted squares to make it longer, my middle school fingers carefully chose rainbows of yarn to make four blocks that were crocheted at a radically different tension than hers, but none-the-less, were the cornerstones of the addition to my afghan. Even today, the 1980’s acrylic rainbow squares are easily identified by my eyes as the ones she included in her multi-colored scrap work.
As an adult, I’d visit my Grandma at her home and we’d play scrabble. Her closet would be filled with 30-50 pair of mittens, hats and baby blankets that would be donated to her church mitten drive each winter. She’d pull them out and show me all of the sizes and colors she’d made. I’d usually be donating a large bag of acrylic yarn to her that I’d found at a garage sale so she could make more.
On one visit she said, “Tanya, I’ve made each of my grandchildren an afghan except you. What colors do you want yours to be? Let’s go and pick out the yarn.” In addition to the functional items and careful use of scrap yarn, my Grandma made “ripple stitch” afghans.
“Grandma, you made me a granny square afghan,” I replied.
“No, I want to make you a GOOD afghan, “ My Grandma pushed.
After long conversation, I convinced her that knitting wasn’t my thing, but that I remembered learning to crochet with her and that was the type of afghan she could make me if she wanted to make me another. On my next visit, I was presented with a granny square afghan. Grandma’s eyes were failing, the traditional black borders were sometimes navy blue, but the work was for me. It reminded me of the time I’d learned to crochet and of the rainbows on the afghan in my cedar chest.
In my mid thirties, the fun fur scarf illness hit. Remembering how to cast on and create a knit stitch from my youth, suddenly, everyone in my life was receiving a scarf for Christmas. Somehow, the tension issues had resolved themselves for me. This “new” craft for me was social, relaxing and SO engaging! I spent hours looking for a pattern for mittens so I could make some “just like Grandma”. My Grandma had been moved into a nursing home, and I hadn’t seen her for years. I knew she was in the beginning stages of dementia, and I’d probably never get to knit with her or learn the lessons of knitting she could have taught me years ago.
Last month, I sat across the table from her and showed her pictures of my youth. I reminded her who my cousins were and pointed out her children in the pictures from the 70’s. I pointed to a picture of her in one of the albums, “I must have been a lot older then,” she told me. She enjoyed looking at the photo albums, but kept eyeing the sock I was knitting as we talked.
“That’s a nice sock.” She said.
“Thanks, Grandma.”
“You know I like to knit too.”
“I know, Grandma, you taught me to knit when I was a little girl.”
“I did?” She asked with surprise, and then turned to the resident sitting next to her and proudly told her, “She says I taught her to knit!”
Grandma showed me her knitting, a small, two inch square that was to be a “scarf for the needy” she told me.
I took a few pictures of us together and had them developed the next morning and carefully wrote the caption, “Mae with granddaughter Tanya, July 2007” at the bottom.
Grandma looked up when I walked in to see her and wanted to know who the pictures were of. She read the caption, but somehow it didn’t register that the picture was of her and I. She read the caption again, and we talked for a few moments.
“I’m going home today—back downstate,” I said, “I love you Grandma.”
“Thank you,” she said, struggling for words, “I’ve never met you before, but I think I could love you right from the start.”
It might be that my Grandma has said that before when lost for words to say to others who express affection to her. My Grandmother turned to her knitting as my eyes filled with tears and I left. Her mind had forgotten me, but her fingers remembered the stitch that she’d done for so many years and her garter stitch scarf began to grow. I think I’m going to imagine that her heart remembered me and said exactly that same phrase to me when she laid eyes on me for her very first time in November of 1969.
“I’ve never met you before, but I think I could love you right from the start.”
--Tanya
“I’ve never met you before, but I think I could love you right from the start,” my grandmother said to me in the month before her 96th birthday. I had spent 600 miles knitting in the front seat of a pickup truck as we drove to the upper peninsula of Michigan to see her, and I knew that it was more than a probable chance that she wouldn’t remember me. I had planned the visit to. . .well, I’m not sure why I planned the visit. I just knew, somehow, that it was important for me to see her.
My Grandma had spent weekends with me as I grew up. Every month or two, she’d come and stay with us when she had time off of work. When she came, my bed became hers, and I’d sleep on the floor of my room. In the winter, she’d trace my hand before I left for school in the morning, and half of a pair of mittens would be knitted for me by the time I came home. In the spring, she’d be using up odds and ends of yarn making granny squares for afghans.
I remember, sometime around third grade, my Grandma put knitting needles in my hands for the first time. She carefully showed me how to make a stitch, and then would knit a row for me when the stitches became too tight on the needles. I would balance the needle under my armpit or between my legs, since I couldn’t figure out how to manage holding two sticks and a piece of yarn on my own. Knitting was not, for me, the new yoga. I made tension seem like a death grip. Knitting was not a hobby I’d pursue.
Grandma taught me, too, how to crochet a granny square. My 6 foot, 9 inch father found the granny square blanket (MY granny square blanket) was too short for him to lie under while watching TV. As Grandma crocheted squares to make it longer, my middle school fingers carefully chose rainbows of yarn to make four blocks that were crocheted at a radically different tension than hers, but none-the-less, were the cornerstones of the addition to my afghan. Even today, the 1980’s acrylic rainbow squares are easily identified by my eyes as the ones she included in her multi-colored scrap work.
As an adult, I’d visit my Grandma at her home and we’d play scrabble. Her closet would be filled with 30-50 pair of mittens, hats and baby blankets that would be donated to her church mitten drive each winter. She’d pull them out and show me all of the sizes and colors she’d made. I’d usually be donating a large bag of acrylic yarn to her that I’d found at a garage sale so she could make more.
On one visit she said, “Tanya, I’ve made each of my grandchildren an afghan except you. What colors do you want yours to be? Let’s go and pick out the yarn.” In addition to the functional items and careful use of scrap yarn, my Grandma made “ripple stitch” afghans.
“Grandma, you made me a granny square afghan,” I replied.
“No, I want to make you a GOOD afghan, “ My Grandma pushed.
After long conversation, I convinced her that knitting wasn’t my thing, but that I remembered learning to crochet with her and that was the type of afghan she could make me if she wanted to make me another. On my next visit, I was presented with a granny square afghan. Grandma’s eyes were failing, the traditional black borders were sometimes navy blue, but the work was for me. It reminded me of the time I’d learned to crochet and of the rainbows on the afghan in my cedar chest.
In my mid thirties, the fun fur scarf illness hit. Remembering how to cast on and create a knit stitch from my youth, suddenly, everyone in my life was receiving a scarf for Christmas. Somehow, the tension issues had resolved themselves for me. This “new” craft for me was social, relaxing and SO engaging! I spent hours looking for a pattern for mittens so I could make some “just like Grandma”. My Grandma had been moved into a nursing home, and I hadn’t seen her for years. I knew she was in the beginning stages of dementia, and I’d probably never get to knit with her or learn the lessons of knitting she could have taught me years ago.
Last month, I sat across the table from her and showed her pictures of my youth. I reminded her who my cousins were and pointed out her children in the pictures from the 70’s. I pointed to a picture of her in one of the albums, “I must have been a lot older then,” she told me. She enjoyed looking at the photo albums, but kept eyeing the sock I was knitting as we talked.
“That’s a nice sock.” She said.
“Thanks, Grandma.”
“You know I like to knit too.”
“I know, Grandma, you taught me to knit when I was a little girl.”
“I did?” She asked with surprise, and then turned to the resident sitting next to her and proudly told her, “She says I taught her to knit!”
Grandma showed me her knitting, a small, two inch square that was to be a “scarf for the needy” she told me.
I took a few pictures of us together and had them developed the next morning and carefully wrote the caption, “Mae with granddaughter Tanya, July 2007” at the bottom.
Grandma looked up when I walked in to see her and wanted to know who the pictures were of. She read the caption, but somehow it didn’t register that the picture was of her and I. She read the caption again, and we talked for a few moments.
“I’m going home today—back downstate,” I said, “I love you Grandma.”
“Thank you,” she said, struggling for words, “I’ve never met you before, but I think I could love you right from the start.”
It might be that my Grandma has said that before when lost for words to say to others who express affection to her. My Grandmother turned to her knitting as my eyes filled with tears and I left. Her mind had forgotten me, but her fingers remembered the stitch that she’d done for so many years and her garter stitch scarf began to grow. I think I’m going to imagine that her heart remembered me and said exactly that same phrase to me when she laid eyes on me for her very first time in November of 1969.
“I’ve never met you before, but I think I could love you right from the start.”
FRUSTRATED!
Sorry for the screaming, but it's 5 am and I've been up knitting for awhile. Joanie and the neighbors surely wouldn't appreciate the volume I've pent up, so you get to hear me rant.
I was unable to sleep well and woke up far earlier than my usual "I can't sleep early mornings"--I found out I have no brake lights when Joanie followed me home from the Coffee Beanery last night. I had big plans with a 6 year old this morning that are going to have to be rescheduled so I can resolve the safety issues, so I'm a bit upset. Wondering how a well planned day is going to be messed up can really screw with your sleep schedule, you know?
What does a knitter do when upset? KNIT!
I picked up my Pi shawl and began working on the edging, hoping to get it finished today. I was peacefully listening to some podcasts and making REALLY good progress. A few minutes ago, I picked it up and I could actually see the light at the end of the tunnel! I counted the stitches and I had only (ONLY) 182 stitches left to bind off! That's 18 repeats of 20 rows! NEARLY DONE! Just for kicks and giggles, I went to count how many repeats I'd already done. . .
Yup.
Found a mistake.
8-10 repeats back.
Right about the place I began knitting this morning.
(Insert scream here.)
Jumped into the pond and frogged. . .
Too bad I didn't just stay in bed and pretend to sleep this morning. At least now I'll have something to do when I'm waiting for my car to be fixed (There's a recall that involves the brake lights that I thought didn't apply to me--why I think I'm immune, I have no idea--you'll be able to find me at the dealer later today. . .)
Hope your knitting goes much better than mine today.
I was unable to sleep well and woke up far earlier than my usual "I can't sleep early mornings"--I found out I have no brake lights when Joanie followed me home from the Coffee Beanery last night. I had big plans with a 6 year old this morning that are going to have to be rescheduled so I can resolve the safety issues, so I'm a bit upset. Wondering how a well planned day is going to be messed up can really screw with your sleep schedule, you know?
What does a knitter do when upset? KNIT!
I picked up my Pi shawl and began working on the edging, hoping to get it finished today. I was peacefully listening to some podcasts and making REALLY good progress. A few minutes ago, I picked it up and I could actually see the light at the end of the tunnel! I counted the stitches and I had only (ONLY) 182 stitches left to bind off! That's 18 repeats of 20 rows! NEARLY DONE! Just for kicks and giggles, I went to count how many repeats I'd already done. . .
Yup.
Found a mistake.
8-10 repeats back.
Right about the place I began knitting this morning.
(Insert scream here.)
Jumped into the pond and frogged. . .
Too bad I didn't just stay in bed and pretend to sleep this morning. At least now I'll have something to do when I'm waiting for my car to be fixed (There's a recall that involves the brake lights that I thought didn't apply to me--why I think I'm immune, I have no idea--you'll be able to find me at the dealer later today. . .)
Hope your knitting goes much better than mine today.
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