Summertime! Summertime!

Summer Camp

First Session: Tuesday, June 14th at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church

Judith will introduce a special charity project you may have read about in the Free Press. A young man named Alex VanHaren (10 years old) started collecting yarn so his mother could make scarves for fellow students in the Oxford School system who needed the warmth. She could not knit it all because the donations were so overwhelming. We can help! Yarn will be provided. 

Camp will continue on the second Tuesday in July and August. 

World Wide Knit in Public Day

June 18th

Have You Any Wool is offering workshops, but even better, a chance to sit and knit at Patrick J's Irish Pub from 1:00 to 3:00. 

Or you could head to Leon and Lulu's in Clawson to knit. A $10 fee goes to benefit Mittens for Detroit.

Michigan Fiber Fest

August 20-21

Organizers of the annual Festival are asking Michigan guilds to help with the Fiber Fest Demonstrations. Since three of our members are some of the "worker bees" (Pat, Ernestine, and Shirley) it would be great if our other guild members could volunteer for two hour shifts between 10:00 am and 4:00 that Saturday or Sunday. 

May 2016

May 2016

by Kathy Stasys

Bargain One

Bargain Two

May is a great month to be a part of the Black Sheep Knitting Guild!

During this May's guild meeting, members sold items from their stash...and bought others' stash. It was a win-win situation for everyone. Sometimes sales were already completed, or at least contemplated, before the meeting formally began. And, of course, there was a lot of window shopping, bargaining, and admiring purchases. 



May is also the annual retreat at the Higgins Lake MacMullan Conference Center. The 2016 Retreat was one of the best. We had great weather for walks in the woods; Donna met a tree branch before crossing an icy stream (barefoot) with Denise and Kathy. Sara and Kelly sat by the lake to knit in the sunshine. Erika brought her new marshmallow stick to Friday night's campfire. Two Mini Coopers caravanned on a hunting expedition for yarn on Saturday. The blue bags are proof of many purchases. Those who stayed back lined up for massages. Ernestine and Karen chose to spin as well as knit. 

2016 Swag

Thanks to Donna's husband for his annual contribution of chocolate. Yum. Thanks, too, to Tanya and Heritage for donating some extra knitting goodies. 

Next year's retreat dates are already set for the third weekend in May. 

We'll be back!

by Kathy Stasys

Guild members enjoyed a full agenda at the April's BSKG meeting.

We welcomed several guests and potential members as well enjoyed two guest speakers.

The regular business included reminders about the May Retreat which promises to be as much fun as ever. The committee procured some fantastic yarns for door prizes. The MacMullen Center also promised great weather again. (Next committee meeting is May 3rd at Panera's.) Anyone interested in attending the Tiger game on June 5th should contact Harriet about tickets. Don't forget your charity knitting; Judith will bring more kits soon.

Participants in the Sneaky Sheep exchange received and presented beautiful "Spring Into Summer" themed items. These are only two of the creative Sneaky Sheep projects.

Our two guest speakers are friends and business partners. Tanya Thomann and Carla Kohoyda-Inglis explained the start to finish process in the creation of their gorgeous yarns. While it is often laborious and time consuming, it obviously a labor of love that produces Welcome Home. Among Carla's tips for working creatively were to collect ideas in a journal or note cards. Follow Pin Interest or snap pictures on your cell phone.

If you missed April's meeting or want more information, go to CraftSanity.com for an audio broadcast or search YouTube for their video interview.

Sign up for Carla's mailing list at cjkoho.com or in her Facebook group. Tanya's mailing list is in her Facebook group or as a pop up on her website MayBeaCrafted.com

The next guild meeting is May 10th and it is also the annual member to member sale of yarn. Good time to do a little spring cleaning with your stash....and to put it into someone else's closet. Because we are having the swap in May, there will be no free table and no raffle.

Point of Clarification: There is no rule about the number of items one may exhibit in Show and Share.

THE BLACK SHEEP KNITTING GUILD RETREAT IS COMING SOON!!!!

THE VERY LAST MINUTE  IS APRIL'S MEETING!!!!

YOU KNOW IT'S FUN!!!!!

DON'T MISS OUT!!!!!

THE WEATHER SHOULD BE GREAT!!!!!


and so is the company you'll be with!

February 2016

And these are a few of our favorite things....

The Black Sheep Knitting Guild had a busy February meeting, but the highlight had to be the members who presented a few of their favorite knit items highlighting vibrant colors and unusual pieces. 

We got down to business when Suzanne S. shared an extensive list of Event and Field Trip suggestions. If you did not get her handout, more are available or look at our site. One late incoming item is a Fiber Day that the Wool Gatherers is sponsoring on April 3rd from 12:15 to 4:30 at the Plymouth Library. It's free. 

Harriet spoke about Stitch and Pitch and a new date of April 23rd. Suzanne K. gave information about the new approach to Knit Michigan; individual knit shops are accepting items for donation. 

Many picked up their Retreat Registration forms. Please fill them out soon and send the $75 deposit to Harriet if you have not already done so. The FINAL PAYMENT is due at the April meeting. And, of course, raffle tickets are on sale to win your weekend up north just sittin' and knittin'. Heaven.

We have a bit of a shift in the agendas for March and April. Carla Kohoyda-Inglis and Tanya were schedule to speak in March, but due to a conflict, their presentation will now be in April. They will also sell their own unique yarns for purchase. Judith has kindly offered to move up the introduction of the charity knitting project so that we might work on it that night. Bring size 4 straight needles to get started right away. 

January 2016

by Kathy Stasys

As the new year starts, the Black Sheep Knitting Guild continued the tradition of Cast Off / Cast On but in a different format. Donna M., 2015 president, said good bye with suggestions learned from her knitting experience (swatch). Kathy S., 2016 president, asked the members to consider doing something new this year (sit next to someone different).

From the Committee Reports, Diane D., our Recording Secretary asks that anyone who has changed contact information please notify her for our new roster.  Have any yarn you would like to donate to the raffle? Val K. is always interested in accepting those pretty skeins that you aren't going to use. Thanks to those who have donated for January. Sue S. has graciously stepped up to head the Event and Field Trip Committee. Even on short notice, she was full of great ideas.

Be sure to sign up for Sneaky Sheep. This year's theme is "Spring Into Summer" so think cottons, pastels, floaty scarves, light shawls, hammocks. Thanks to Harriet for organizing this, and the Knit Along, again. The Knit Along will now be seasonal.

Retreat is not that far away! Nine people have signed up for the Retreat Committee. The first retreat meeting is Tuesday (January 26th) at Paneras. All those who have gone on the annual trip up north know how fun it is to sit and knit for a whole weekend. Heaven. Hope you plan on coming this May.

So many people enjoyed reading Kim W.'s recent contribution to the blog that the Board decided to invite anyone who has a knitting story to also write a blog entry. Interested? Tell Kathy S. or Tracey K.

Of course, the highlight of the evening was receiving the gorgeous swag. Thanks Tanya for all of your hard work producing such fine products. If you were not at at the January meeting, the bags will be available at the February meeting. Just bring in your money to pay for the bags you ordered. Sorry, but there are no extras for sale.

Finally, thanks to the past presidents for sharing some of their favorite knit items in a Presidents' Day Trunk Show.

The next meeting is February 9th. See you there!

December Meeting

posted by Kathy Stasys

At this month's meeting, Diane D.  announced that the Black Sheep Knitting Guild now has 89 official members. Another good reason to celebrate this holiday season!

Pat K. and Shirley W. donated the beautiful yarns for this month's raffle. Thanks, ladies.

We are still in need of a chair for the Events and Field Trip Committee, so please consider actively involving yourself in the guild. The swag will be available at the January meeting so please have your money ready to pay for the bags that you have ordered. The number of sheepies purchasing swag this year set another record. Sign up for 2016's SS8 will be at the January meeting.

Donna M. explained the process for the Sneaky Sheep. Anyone who wishes to participate will be secretly matched with another member through the online Elfster site. Linda F. suggested the theme of "Spring Into Summer".  Consider knitting items meant for spring or summer wear, or items for the home that are made of cottons, etc.

Guild members elected Tracy K. as our new vice-presidenet in a close vote. Congratulations Tracy!

Tanya T. presented an excellent insight into how the judges evaluate work for the Master Knitting program. (She completed it at the same time that she finished her Masters in Education.) Members who knit two swatches learned how to evaluate their own work as the judges would do for Master Knitting. While knitting the swatches seemed a simple task, Tanya's information taught how important even the basics are for a knitter.

Next month's meeting is January 12th. Happy Holidays!!