2009 Calendar

Please note: This calendar is subject to change.
Please contact the convenor or email the blog author for confirmation.

21 February
crochet workshop [Mavis]

21 March
display: knitted and crochet quilts [Ruth]
talk: the National Quilt Register [guest: Tracey Greenway]

18 April
retail: The Wool Inn [Anita]
workshop: perspective in quilts [Ruth]

16 May
retail: Rex and Evelyn Reynolds
talk: Evelyn Reynolds

20 June
retail: Virginia Farm Woolworks [Jenny]
talk: the 'knitternet' with Kris Howard [Guild webmaster]

18 July
Signatur Knits with Jane Spicer-Smith

15 August
workshop: special guest Jenny Dowde - freeform style knitting
all day workshop, $40 head [members]

19 September
talk: judging and Guild certificates [Faye Elsworthy & another Guild member]
Stash sale: bring any yarn, books or accessories you want to sell or swap

17 October
workshop: knitting socks [Lynne]
all day workshop

21 November
retail: Belissa Cashmere
talk: Bev Cooper [guest]

19 December
retail: Ainsworth books [cash only]
One Skein challenge
Christmas party

December meeting

We welcomed visitors from Ainsworth books and Annemarie Huttermann selling handspun yarn and spinning fibre.
The one skein challenge was held with many great entries. The prize, a $50 Wool Inn voucher was won by Rosie Phillips for her fingerless mitts.

GUILD NEWS

• Reminder: The AGM will be held in March at the Powerhouse Museum.
• Whether members can postal vote has not yet been decided.
• The Corporations Act, which has meant some changes to our Constitution, may not be changed in time for changes to the Constitution to be voted at during 2010 AGM.
• Members have been invited to submit an entry to a Tea Cosy Garden Exhibition to be held at Bundora Homestead (Victoria) from 6-30 May 2010. Enquiries 0411 604 435

GROUP NEWS

• Merrin has copies of a document on storing collections in high bushfire risk areas. Please see Merrin if you want a copy.
• Four books have been donated to the library. They are:
  Easy Beaded Knits
  Crochet for Baby Dolls
  Luxury Knits
  Knitted Trims
• The purchase of a swift and ball winder and blocking wires for the use of our group is still being pursued.

The raffle was won by Merrin.

Our next meeting is 16th January, 2010.
Afternoon Tea will be provided by Diane, Suzanne, Joanne and Meredith.

Enjoy this photo of newest "member": Chiara.

November meeting

We welcomed visitors: Sally, from the Inner City Group; Bev Cooper from Belisa Cashmere and the ladies of the Uniting Church.

GUILD NEWS

• From 2010 a membership fee of $30 will apply to all members, city or country. Junior membership $15 and family $45.
• Credit card payments have not been sorted out yet. Blue Mountains members can pay individually by cheque, make a direct deposit to the Guild account (Merrin has the details) or pay The Treasurer who will then write a cheque for a bulk payment from the group. In any case, members will need to complete the renewal form from the next newsletter. If paying through the group or by direct deposit, please give it to Merrin.
• To enable The Guild to save money, please consider receiving your newsletter online. To do this, please email the email the newsletter editor and let her know.
• Submissions for the Guild AGM (March 2010) must be received no later than two months before the meeting.
• All nominations for Executive positions must be made by January 29th 2010.
• The AGM will be held at the Target Theatre at the Powerhouse Museum at 11am on Saturday 6 March 2010 . The guest speaker will be Tamara Lavrencic, a conservation expert from the Historic Houses Trust of NSW . She will be discussing the care and conservation of treasured items such as photographs, silverware and documents .

 GROUP NEWS

• Welcome to new members to the Blue Mountains Group: Helen, June and Mark.
• Merrin and Diane attended the Love Lawson Festival on November 14th and manned a stall for the Guild. We had many enquiries about our group and learning to knit classes. The Festival was small this year as it clashed with the Kurrajong Small Farms Day and the Glenbrook Festival.
• We would like to start a beginners group and introduce a help session at each meeting . If you have a problem mention it at the beginning of our meeting and then if someone there knows the answer they will come and help you.

BLUE MOUNTAINS GROUP ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

•  The minutes from last year were taken as read .
• All positions were declared vacant and descriptions of the positions given.
• Convenor's Report:
  We have approximately 65 members.
  We have had workshops this year on perspective with Ruth, crochet with Mavis, sock knitting with Lynne and freeform knitting with Jenny Dowd.
  We held a stash sale, a one skein challenge and had many wonderful Show and Tell sessions.
  We have had many special visitors including Tracey Greenaway who talked to us about quilts, Kris Howard who gave us insight into the Knitternet, Jenny Dowde who taught freeform knitting and Faye Elsworthy who talked us through the requirement for achievement certificates and show judging.
  We have had visits from the following retailers, Anita from the Wool Inn, Rex and Evelyn Reynolds, Jenny Dunn from Virginia Farm Woolworks, Jane Slicer-Smith from Signatur knits and Bev Cooper from Belissa Cashmere.
  Many of our members contributed charity knitting to Wrap with Love and the Winterwarm project.
  Our members have entered and won prizes at the Hawkesbury, St. Ives, Castle Hill and Royal Easter shows.
  Some of the Blue Mountains members represented the Guild at the World Record Knitting with channel 7, the Love Lawson Festival, the Darling Harbour show, the Kurrajong Back-to-Back Challenge, World Wide Knit In Public (WWKIP) Day, the Stitches and Craft show at Rosehill, the Mudgee Muster, The 702 Knit-In and the Small Farms Expo.
• Elections
  Convenor: Merrin
  Secretary: Diane
  Treasurer: Ann
• Volunteers
  Workshops: Vicki
  Library: Jo
  Afternoon Tea: Yvonne
  Blog: Lynne

A huge thank you to Marie for our delicions chocolate 10th Birthday cake which was cut by the founding members and enjoyed by members and visitors.

Raffle winner: Ann D.

Next month

Please bring a small plate of food to share for our Christmas party.

Ainsworth books will be here – strictly cash only.

Don’t forget the one skein challenge.

Sock Workshop, October 2009

text and photos contributed by Diane

The sock knitting workshop was a great success in the hands of a very capable teacher, Lynne (pictured here with the sock we were going to knit).  We had visitors from the Up the M4 Ravelry group and the West Ryde group, about twenty-five participants in all. Marie from Lush Yarn supplied yummy candy for us all. We learned how to do a tubular or invisible cast on, knit in the round on our choice of needles, create a heel flap using slipped stitches, turn a heel, create a heel gusset, create a toe and graft using Kitchener stitch. Most finished one small sock and everyone learned something new. There was a lot of laughter and everyone thought it a success. Shown here is a photo of Diane's completed sock as a Christmas ornament.

October 2009

EDITED TO CHANGE SOME INFORMATION RE DIARY DATES - apologies to Stitches and Craft Show for publishing misinformation.

Visitors were welcomed; those from the West Ryde group acknowledged by name.

Two new members of the Blue Mountains group were acknowledged – welcome Olga and Karen.

BABY NEWS
Clare has given birth to a baby girl, born two months early, named Ciara (pronounced Keera).

NEWS FROM THE GUILD

• Renewal forms will be in the next newsletter. The form is slightly changed. The next executive meeting will decide on the new fees format; that is, whether fees will remain split between city and country members or whether a flat fee will be charged. The final decision will be announced in the next newsletter.
• The workshop convenor would like to know who is available in each group to teach and what they can teach. She wants to set up a group of people that can travel to various groups to do workshops. Travel expenses will be paid.
• The changes to the constitution have been delayed. This is due to changes being made by the Office of Fair Trading. The changes will now be voted on at the 2011 AGM.
• The Friendship Book of Knitting was originally published by the Ku-Ring-Gai group. It is now out of print and will not be reprinted. The Guild library owns one copy.
• The President's report sends a thank you to our group for the hospitality shown to our Executive visitors at the last meeting.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

• 26 October 2009 entry forms for Sydney Royal Agricultural Show available
• 13 – 14 November 2009: Small Farms Expo Clarendon; the Black and Coloured Sheep Society will be there selling fleeces and hand dyed yarn. Suzanne’s House of Wool will be there.
• 14 November 2009: Love Lawson Festival will be held at the Lawson Community Centre; 10am – 3pm. We will have a stall to promote the Guild and chat to interested people about what we do. Volunteers (Diane, Kate, Denise, Rosie and Merrin) are asked to bring a chair and be there at 9am. Thank you for volunteering. Other members will be welcome.
• 10 - 14 February 2010: Stitches and Craft Show at Rosehill. "Winterwarmers" will be there. Anyone wanting to contribute hand-knitted woollen clothing for the children of Afghanistan can donate there or at Rosehill in August.
• 11 - 14 March 2010: Craft Expo at Olympic Park.
• 16-20 June 2010: Quilt and Craft Fair at Darling Harbour
• 18 - 22 August 2010: Stitches andCraft Show at Rosehill. Winterwarmers will be at this show - donations of woollen clothing for children in Afghanistan gratefully accepted.

Members are once again encouraged to find out when your local agricultural Show is held and submit knitted or crochet items for exhibition. In this way we help to keep our craft in the public eye.

We have a few ideas for spending our surplus this year they include a wool winder, a swift and a blocking kit. All items will be kept in the library cupboard for use here; that is they may not be taken home.

Monica has offered to help anyone doing their achievement certificates as she has completed hers.

FUTURE MEETINGS
November:
Annual General Meeting and our group’s 10th birthday with a cake by Marie from Lush Yarns.
Retail: Belisa Cashmere will be here to tempt us with yarns and kits.

December: one skein challenge – knit or crochet anything from one skein [any size]; members will vote for their choice and the winner of the most votes will be given a $50 gift certificate from The Wool Inn (Penrith).
Ainsworth Books will be here with a selection of knitting books – cash only.
No afternoon tea roster that month; members are asked bring a small plate of food to share for our Christmas party.

The raffle was won by Kate (BM group).

September 2009

We welcomed visitors from the Executive of the Knitters' Guild of NSW: Carolynn Murtagh [president], Fay Elsworthy and Eleanor Goldfinch; Marie from Lush Yarns; and guests Meredith, Shirley and Helen. We hope we will be seeing you again soon.

NEWS FROM THE GUILD

• There are proposed changes to the fee structure for membership to the Guild. The current structure stands at anyone having a phone number starting with 8 or 9 pays city rates; everyone else pays country rates. Input is requested from all members as to what they consider to be a fair system. You can reply to the Secretary at this address: PO Box 460 Epping NSW or on the website. Members are encouraged to have their say.
• A list of the changes to the constitution will appear in the next newsletter. They can also be viewed at our meetings. Please speak to Merrin. We are waiting on details from the Department of Fair Trading before the changes can be finalised. They will not affect the general day to day running of the Guild.
• We still require many more hints and tips for the Guild anniversary book, please see Merrin .
• There are still places available for the Guild camp in October, three days of eating, sleeping and knitting plus some great workshops. Look at your newsletter for further details.

KNITTING NEWS

We received a letter from Sally Olgivie to thank our group for its donation to the Winterwarm Project. 191 items were collected in Sydney this year. The organisers of the Rosehill Craft show paid for these items to be transported to Melbourne from where they will be shipped to the children in Afghanistan.

The Love Lawson Fair will be held Saturday 14th November, 9am-3pm. This year it does not clash with our meeting. We will be having a stall to show people what we do and interest them in knitting and crochet. Please see Merrin if you would like to help.

Rubi and Lana knitting shop has moved to Berry on the south coast.

Fairfield City Museum is holding a textile exhibition from 29th September to 11th October at the Horsley Drive Fairfield.

17th October - all day sock workshop, 10am-4pm. Blaxland Neighbourhood Centre/Library. Please bring your own lunch. Morning tea is provided and the workshop is free. You will learn how to knit in the round including invisible cast on, knitting tubes with two circulars or dpns or magic loop or straight needles, turning a flap heel and grafting a toe (kitchener stitch). You will need to bring some 8 ply yarn, needles of your choice, a wool sewing needle, scissors, lunch and a sense of adventure. If you are a non-member and would like to attend, please contact the blog author at ellebee57@hotmail.com.

Next month afternoon tea roster: Claire, Dorothy, Desley and Judy.

The raffle was won by Suzanne.

JUDGING AND ACHIEVEMENT CERTIFICATES
After the formal meeting, Fay Elsworthy gave an interesting talk on judging at shows and the Guild achievement certificates. Thank you Fay, your talk so was interesting and informative; we all enjoyed it very much, Here is some of what she told us:

Did you know that the word clue is derived from the word clew which means a ball of yarn?

EXHIBITING AT SHOWS
If your item makes it to the showcase, even if it has not won a prize at least it was not discarded. If you want to be a judge you should have experience in entering things in a show. Fay encouraged everyone to enter our local shows to get that experience and to keep our craft alive. Many judges will write a comment on your entry. This is not to criticise but to encourage you to look at different techniques and/or to join the Guild. Judges may take an observer who wishes to learn to be a judge; that person must have successfully completed the achievement certificates.

Judges and entrants will receive the Show Schedule weeks before the show. Read it and become familiar with it.

The RAS is different to country shows, in that there are two knitting judges and a crochet judge. There are usually two stewards to assist with the judging, they remove all entered items that are not to schedule before the judging starts. The RAS will not allow entries made more than 2 years ago, or entries that that have been worn or that have been washed.

You can wet block an item but you may not use any detergent product on the garment. This is why it is very important for both entrants and judges to read the schedule carefully.

Sometimes at a smaller show the head steward will allow you to move an item if you think that it should have been entered in another category but this will not happen at the RAS. When judging at the RAS the steward will bring one class at a time for judging. Items are looked at inside and out and divided into three piles: probable, possible and reject. The judges then go through the possible and probable piles again to recheck. Then finally the judges go through the probable items one more time. What will stand out will be the tension and the finishing off. The judges have no time limit and will take their time because careful judging is important. Personal preferences in colour and style must be left aside. If judges consider that nothing entered is worthy of a first then no first prize needs to be awarded. Judges are looking for something that you could not purchase but doesn't look home made. Handmade NOT homemade.

What are judges looking for?

• the item is in the right category
• the techniques* used such as: picking up stitches, shoulder shaping (hint: use a three needle bind off)are suitable and well done
• the seams are checked at the neck, sides and sleeves. All loose threads must be darned in.
• whether the material used is suitable for the pattern and that the trimmings used are suitable; this is particularly so in baby garments.
• evenness of tension
• buttonholes and button bands are checked for evenness
• The judges are always looking for something different, the WOW factor.

*Techniques such as: picking up stitches, shoulder shaping (hint: use a three needle bind off), seaming (use mattress stitch and match all patterns), blocking

blocking
Block all your pieces before assembling the garment, spray with water and pin the pieces, never iron them, and then leave them to dry naturally. This will make the stitch definition much better.
dealing with ends
Make sure that you sew or weave in all your threads or Russian splice when knitting to avoid more threads.
entering an original design
If you are entering an original design then you must enter your graph and all design workings with the garment. Do not modify someone else's pattern a call it your own.

Finally always attach a label with your entry.

ACHIEVEMENT CERTIFICATES:
Cost $7.50 each for Certificate I and Certificate II and $15 for Certificate III, this covers the photocopying and postage. Merrin has a sheet with all the details . You can ring or write to Fay with a cheque or money order and the certificate syllabus will be sent to you. A certificate and a pass level (pass, credit, distinction) are awarded at the end of each syllabus.
Stage I - Tension ladders and squares using different yarn weights and needle sizes. One garment is completed and the techniques covered include short row shaping, picking up stitches and casting on and off.
Stage II - more research required at this level. Samples are required but it is not as structured as stage one. A pair of socks or gloves will be completed.
Stage III - History research, you can do all techniques or just one in the categories of Aran, Fair Isle, Gansey, Traditional or Shetland Lace.

August meeting

Knitters' Guild of NSW Executive Business

• A bus trip to Morpeth (an historic town near Maitland) will be held on August 30th to see the Morpeth Tea Cosy challenge. Cost is $40 including lunch. For more information email elaindewey@optusnet.com.au
• The Guild constitution is being amended. Please see Merrin if you have any ideas or suggestions.
• The Guild is in the process of setting up a merchant account.
• The Guild Camp to be held on Oct long weekend still has some vacancies. The Prudence Mapstone elective is booked out.
• A list of knitting hints and tips for the Guild's book is still being compiled. Please give your contributions to Merrin
• The Guild website has an open letter written by the president Carolyn Murtagh regarding membership costs and amending the fee structure. Please have a look.
• If you have not yet set up a logon and would like one, please contact Kris Howard.

Blue Mountains group

• The emergency contact list is being compiled by Merrin. Please give her the necessary details if you have not already done so.
• Five new members welcomed to the Blue Mountains group: Natalie N., Carolyn A., Michelle C., Iris S. and Rosalin D.
• The Blue Mountains Group submitted 29 squares to the ABC Knit-In ,they were taken in by Merrin. Many members donated at various venues. Suzanne did a blanket of 35 squares. Lynne donated four full wraps [a total of 112 squares] to the Western Sydney Institute of TAFE collection for Wrap with Love.
• The afternoon tea roster needs volunteers, please give your name to Merrin.
• We have spare funds; the suggestion was made by Donna that we buy a swift and ball winder for the use of the group. This will be kept in the library cupboard and will not be made available to be taken home.
• Merrin has all the archives of our group organised into yearly folders. We started in 2000 so this year is our 10th birthday. The first meeting November 1999 at Robyn Green's house. The first official meeting was February 2000. We will have a birthday cake for our November meeting.
• Vicki has 2 copies of Spin Control for $24 each from Interweave. She also has the brochure for the new Jane Slicer-Smith book.
• The raffle was won by Karen.

Dates of Upcoming Events

• 19-23 August - Stitches and Craft Show - Rosehill Gardens; Winterwarm items are being collected on Sunday August 23rd.
• 30 August - bus trip to Morpeth to see the Morpeth Tea Cosy challenge. Cost is $40 including lunch. For more information email elaindewey@optusnet.com.au
• until 11 October - exhibition of Silk Ikats - the Art Gallery of NSW

Next month

• stash sale: please bring in any yarn or books that you want to sell or donate.
• Fay Elsworthy will be here to talk to us about achievement certificates and judging at shows.
• Afternoon tea roster: Janette S, Rosie, Michelle and Natalie.

Workshop
A wonderful all-day workshop in freeform (also known as scrumbling) was held by Jenny Dowde. Jenny has published three books and was a very generous in sharing her knowledge and experience with the workshop participants. She also very generously made several samples of her work available for us to admire and touch and encouraged us at intervals to refer to them. Unfortunately no photos were taken as all participants were too engrossed in knitting and/or crocheting to take photos. Thank you Jenny for a fun, well-taught and inspiring workshop.

July meeting

Welcome to visitors to our meeting this month.

Knitters' Guild of NSW news

• The Guild's constitution is being rewritten to bring it into line with the Corporations Act. Any submissions/comments are to be made to the covennor [Merrin] or contact Sally Ogilvie. All changes will be made at the AGM next March.
• Please give your emergency contact details to Merrin. An energency contact list for all Blue Mountains members will be kept at the back of the sign on book.
• Please also check your contact details - phone number and email address - are current.
• The Guild is in the final stages of setting up a merchant account for credit card payments to the Guild.
• More knitting hints and tips are needed for the anniversary book. Please leave them with Merrin.
• An asset register is to be compiled so that the Guild will know what all groups hold, this way groups may be able to borrow from each other for exhibitions.
• The Guild website has a log on members only section . To join email Kris Howard and she will give you a password. Merrin puts up information for our group at this site.

Dates of upcoming events

• July 25th - Spinners and Weavers Guild NSW annual open day - St Pauls Burwood; 9.30-3.30
• August 5th - Knit In for Wrap with Love - Penrith: in the empty shop opposite The Wool Inn 9.30 - 1.30 (coffee and tea supplied)
• August 7th - Knit In for Wrap with Love - ABC building in Ultimo from 7am; also 10 am at Penrith, Windsor and Blackheath libraries.
• August 15th and 16th - Moebius workshop at Epping. Contact June Maddick at the Guild
• August 19-23Stitches and Craft Show Rosehill Racecourse; admission $10
Winterwarmers - Stitches and Craft Show; donations of warm children's clothing for Afghanistan*
• September 20th - Hornsby Bushland Festival - Fagan Park Galston: organic produce, quality arts and crafts
• October long weekend - Guild camp at Kurri Kurri
*If you can't make it and want to donate please bring your finished articles to the August meeting and Merrin will pass them on.

Blue Mountains group

• More names for the afternoon tea roster for the next 4 months. Volunteers please.
• Next month's workshop with Jenny Dowde will go ahead as planned. It is an all day workshop in Room B and starts at 9.30. Morning tea is provided. $40 fee, bring your own lunch. Vicki has space for another two or three so please contact her if you are interested. Bring as many colors as you want and needles to suit your yarn. DK or lighter is preferable. Any questions to Vicki Hughes.

Presentation

Jane Slicer-Smith was our guest retailer. She gave a slide presentation about her company, Signatur Knits, which sells knitting kits and finished garments. It was a very interesting talk about how she got started at art school in the U.K., how she ended up in Australia and started her business at a stall in Paddington markets. She has a background in design working with many of the U.K. woollen mills. She has a team of knitters who produce the finished goods for her. We saw a sneak preview of her new book due to be released later this year. She modelled many of her designs and explained how she designed to suit a figure. Jane showed us many design tricks that make the finished garment much more flattering. We then had a chance to try on garments for ourselves and buy finished or kits and yarns.

The raffle was won by Lynne and Vicki.

Afternoon tea next month: Monica, Anne, Yvonne and Marie.

June 2009

We had a visit from members of The Inner City Group including Lyn, Margarita, Lee, Rose, Fran and Kris. They invited us to join them at their meetings at Customs House library 2nd floor, 11am 2nd Saturday every month. A special welcome was given to Kris, the Guild Webgoddess,who came to talk to us about the internet and its knitting uses. We also had two local visitors, Sue and Elizabeth.

Our retail guest was Virginia Farm Woolworks who brought many lovely yarns and spinning goodies to tempt us.

Guild News

• The new membership forms are green. If you have any that are another color they are out of date so please dispose of them. New forms are available from Merrin or at the Knitters Guild website.


• A Special General Meeting of the Guild was held last month to discuss the changes to the constitution put forward by Vishna to deal with the Guild collection. 43 people attended. After much debate the motion was lost, 28 votes to 15.


• The constitution will be looked at during the next Executive meeting as changes to the Act under which the Guild operates will be enacted this year. Any input to the process should be addressed to the Guild. Information on how to do this will be in the next newsletter and on the website.


• The last Executive meeting discussed the possibility of the use of credit cards to pay for membership, as yet nothing has been decided. Merrin will do a bulk Blue Mountains membership at the end of the year. Anyone who wishes to do so may pay our treasurer then a group cheque will be sent to the Guild with all our renewal forms.


• Hints and Tips for knitting and crochet are still needed by the Guild for their 25 year anniversary book . Please pass on any ideas to Merrin.


• If you want to chat on the Guild website message board please contact Kris and she will organise a password for you.


• Clare Hacker, the newsletter editor, would like to know if anyone wishes to receive the newsletter via email rather than post. Please email Clare to let her know you want to have an electronic newsletter. Her address is newsletter@knittersguildnsw.org.au.


• There is an ad in the latest newsletter for a workshop convener. Anyone who is interested please see Merrin or the Guild website.


• The Knitters Guild Annual camp will be held at Kurri Kurri on the long weekend in October. Places are available for the whole weekend or just one day. There are many workshops to choose from including socks on two circulars. Details will be in the newsletter or you can see Merrin.

Dates of interest:

• Fairfield City Museum has an exhibition called A Conversation With Rain which features new and innovative textile artworks that address environmental issues. It runs until July 5.


• June 24 - 28: The North Shore Craft group are holding an exhibition and sale at the Kuring-gai Town Hall


• 20 September: The Hornsby Bushland Festival - lots of stalls

Events past

• Suzanne reported on the Back-to-Back Challenge held last month at Kurrajong. Monica has all the press releases if anyone wants to read them. A team of seven plus one shearer have to shear, spin and knit a sweater for a man in less than 8 hours. Fourteen teams worldwide compete every year. Tocal won this year in 6 hours, 3 minutes and 20 seconds. Suzanne said they had a good turnout and a good day was had by all.
  A fast knitter is required by one of the teams. Please see Monica for further information.


• Jo-anne went on The Mudgee Muster bus trip. It was not what she expected, she thought that it would be lots of animals, but it was lots of local fiber and crafts in a hall. She said that it was great and they all had dinner with the Mudgee group. A very enjoyable weekend.


• WWKIP Day was held at Lawson with about 7 knitters at the 2FD Cafe, a lovely afternoon. The Inner City held theirs at Darling Harbour with about 80 people attending.


• The first World Knitting record was held in Martin Place. New Idea organized 256 knitters, gave them all a bag of goodies including pink wool and bamboo needles and they all sat and knitted for twenty minutes. The squares that were knitted are to be donated to the Prince of Wales Hospital to be made into rugs for patients. Pictures to be in the next New Idea.

Upcoming meetings

• Please volunteer for the afternoon tea roster - spaces exist from August to the end of the year. Afternoon tea for next month will be provided by Vicki, Donna, Penny and Kate.


• Next month Jenny Spicer-Smith will be visiting. She has a presentation and amazing sweater kits for sale.


• In September we will be holding our stash sale. Bring in any yarn or books that you want to sell or give away.


• August's all day workshop with Jenny Dowde is short on numbers, please contact Vicki if you want to participate $40 per person. Non-members please contact the convenor for information or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Workshop
Our talk from Kris, the Webgoddess, was relaxed and very informative. It included security issues when buying online, the basics of blogs and how to use Ravelry. She explained RSS feeds [helpful if there are blogs you wish to read regularly] and how to set up a Ravelry page. We were given a handout listing internet sites of interest to knitters.

The meeting concluded with Show and Tell with many varied and interesting items finished or in progress.

A voucher from The Wool Inn [Penrith] was won by Lynne and a pack of wool [donated by Evelyn and Rex Reynolds] was won by Mavis.

May 2009

Visitors and an new member, Carol, were warmly welcomed to the group.

Evelyn and Rex Reynolds visited us to show us new patterns and trends and tempt us to buy yarn. It was their 50th wedding anniversary and they were celebrating by visiting us and then having a family dinner in Canberra. Evelyn showed us what is new and interesting in yarn. She had a hat pattern made on the diagonal from multi-colored yarn that was really lovely.

She also brought along a felted shawl that she had purchased at the Bega Wool Festival. It was knitted and felted [technically this is known as fulling].

Upcoming Events:
The Back to Back Challenge is on May 31st at the Turpentine Tree at Kurrajong. Suzanne is seeking sponsorship, all money raised is for children’s cancer research. Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown will be there judging the apple pie contest.

The Craft and Quilt Fair is on June 10-14 at Darling Harbor. The Guild is collecting new women’s undies and knitted squares for the women’s charity in Ethiopia that runs the Fistula Hospital. The squares will be sewn into blankets for the women. Veronica still needs help running the children’s activities. She will be running a workshop 10.30-11.30 daily 1 to 15 kids per class and needs 5 volunteers per day. They will be knitting little dolls with all materials provided. She would like some people to start the dolls. If you can help you get free admission to the Fair. This year’s theme is “warm in winter”.

Worldwide Knit In Public Day (WWKIP day) will be conducted at several venues:

• Darling Harbour on June 13th outside the Craft Fair
  
• at the 2FD Cafe at Lawson 287 Great Western Highway from 11am onwards
  
• at Martin Place in Sydney, where New Idea will be doing a charity World Record Attempt, 8am sharp. This will be sponsored by Spotlight who will supply a bag with needles and yarn to knit squares for charity. More details in New Idea magazine or on their website.

The Nundle Knit-In is on from Monday May 25th to Friday May 29th with Loani Prior at Nundle.

The Rylstone winter warmer competition is on June 6th and 7th.

Jude Skeers will be conducting a workshop at the Guild [Epping] June 15th and 16th.

Members are reminded that there are still vacancies for the Guild Camp at Kurri Kurri on the October long weekend.

Knitting groups
The knitting group, Up the M4meets upstairs at the Red Cow Hotel in Penrith (opposite Penrith station) from 1-3pm on the first Sunday of the month. Good food and knitting company. Another group meets at the 2FD Cafe at Lawson in the morning of the 2nd Friday of the month and on the 1st Sunday of the month.

Congratulations to Monica whose white Shetland shawl received a first place at the Hawkesbury show and her colored shawl a second place.

A teacher from Wilmot public school contacted Merrin asking for a tutor to teach parents how to knit. It will be 9.30 – 11.30 Thursdays and you will be paid. Please contact the school.

June meeting

Jenny Dunn from Virginia Farm Woolworks showing us some yarns and fibres.

Kris, the Guild’s very own Web goddess, will show us how to use the knitternet. She will show us how to find groups, buy things and find patterns. She will also show us how to use Ravelry and how to use the Knitter’s Guild website and sign in feature. If you want to learn how to use Ravelry and have not yet joined, please join before the next meeting.

Anyone intending to attend the Freeform knitting and crochet workshop with Jenny Dowde in August, is asked to pay next month [cash only] $40 per head [members].

The raffle was won by Vicki.

Next month afternoon tea roster is Robyn, Denise and Robyn. A roster for the second half of the year will be sent around at the next meeting.

April 2009 meeting

Guild Business

• Volunteers are are still needed for the Craft Fair at Darling Harbour 10-14 June. If you help for a 3 hour shift your admission to the Fair is free. Contact Merrin for the details
  
• Workshops [Epping]
  
• May – Aran knitting
  
• August – Moebius
  Details are in the latest newsletter.
• Faye Ellesworthy from the Standards Committee would like contributions for a book to mark the 25th anniversary of the Knitter’s Guild. The book will be Hints and How-to’s. Please pass on any contributions to Merrin.
  
• Congratulations to Kate [one of group members] who is now the Guild Secretary - we wish her well in this executive position. Clare [also from our group] continues as editor of the newsletter.
  
• The biannual Guild camp will be at Kurri Kurri on the October Long weekend, detail are in the newsletter.
  
• Pam North from the Southern Group will be holding a fair-isle workshop, one day per month over two months, 10am–4pm, Saturday May 16th and Saturday June 20th. maximum participants: 15; cost $70 [members only] includes morning and afternoon tea. To be held at Kogarah at the Old Schoolhouse, contact June Maddick on 9533 2064 for more information.
  
• The Northern Group is organising a bus trip to the Mudgee Muster 29-31 May. Cost: $250 includes dinner and accommodation at the Best Western. Maximum numbers 30.
  
• The Guild website now has a chat room for members only. Email Kris and get a password. There are only two websites for branches of the Guild and they are the Inner City Group and Blue Mountains Group. The Inner City Group has a members only section that we may discuss setting up with Kris.

Changes to calendar

• June - Kris Howard will visit us to talk about the "Knitternet", show us what is available and how to use the Guild website.
  
• September - "Stash Sale": Please bring along any yarn, books or accessories that you want to sell or swap.

knitters wanted
Nick from Nundle Woollen Mill is after people to knit and write patterns, see Merrin.

other events

• The "Back to Back Challenge" is on at Kurrajong at The Turpentine Tree Sunday 31 May.
  
• Spinning classes are available at the Springwood Arts Centre in Ferguson Road. Contact Suzanne for details on 47587049. Classes are held every Tuesday afternoon from 1.30 – 4 and every Wednesday night from 6.30 – 9. Enrolments and a spinning demonstration on Saturday May 2 at the Arts Centre.
  
• The Hawkesbury Show is on at the Clarendon Showground the first weekend in May. Entries for the show have closed.

Next month

retail visit - Evelyn and Rex Reynolds

Afternoon Tea will be provided by Chesne Jones, Ruth, Lynne and Janette

Anita from The Wool Inn visited and lots of shopping was enjoyed.

Show and Tell revealed an interesting array of articles.

Ruth gave a short talk about getting perspective right when quilting and designing pictures for knitting.

The raffle was won by Janette and a second prize was won by Susan. The first prize winner had the choice of a book or a gift voucher donated by The Wool Inn.

March meeting

We had a very interesting meeting with an fascinating talk from our guest speaker, Tracey Greenway, regarding the National Quilt Register.

Visitors were welcomed to the meeting. The use of a karaoke machine was introduced as some members were having difficulty hearing at previous meetings.

AGRICULTURAL SHOWS AND OTHER RELATED EVENTS

Catalogues for the Hawkesbury Show are now available. The Show will be held at Clarendon 1-3 May.

The Blacktown show had very little knitting on display this year. A suggestion was put forward that if members are considering entering Shows, this may be a good place to start. The categories are fairly basic and entry fee is about $3 . Merrin will get a copy of the schedule for 2010.

The annual Back to Back Challenge is on Sunday 31 May at the Turpentine Tree: 1665 Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong Heights. Starting at 8am till they are finished . Suzanne will be part of a team. It is a great day out with stalls and entertainment and things for children to do . Details of how to sponsor a team member will be supplied by Suzanne next month. This year there will be an apple pie bake off as well.

NEWS FROM THE KNITTERS’ GUILD OF NSW

Kate Venn is now a member of the Knitters’ Guild of NSW Committee.

Clare continues in her role as editor of the newsletter.

Reverend Bill Crewes was unable to appear at the AGM as the guest speaker due to unforseen circumstances but is happy to appear to talk to any branch if requested.

The Guild camp will be at Kurri Kurri in October, more information will be in the next newsletter.

The Executive has not met since the AGM. The Secretary, has resigned since the AGM. A meeting will be held next weekend to elect a new Secretary.

A special general meeting will be held to deal with the archives motion. This is a formality to include the archives in the constitution.

The Inner City Guild has a new meeting place at Customs House library [2nd floor] at Circular Quay 2nd floor. Meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month from 11am; please feel free to drop in.

The Guild will be at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on the last Saturday of the show.

COMPETITIONS
Patons are running a competition until April 30. Spend $30 on Patons yarn and go in the running to win $5000 stash. I have the entry form .

RAVELRY, KNITTING and CRAFT GROUPS

Ravelry is an online community of Knitters with a worldwide membership.

The Up the M4 group on Ravelry has changed its meeting location to the Red Cow at Penrith on the 1st Sunday of each month from 1.30 to 3.30 All are welcome.

A second group is being formed to meet at Two Doors Cafe at Lawson . Details are being finalised.

A craft group meets fortnightly on Wednesdays from 10 am to 2pm at St. Aidan's Anglican Church Hall on the corner of the Great Western Highway and Hat Hill Rd, Blackheath. The next meeting is 1 April. For additional information, contact Carole 4757 1334.

MOVIE DEAL
There will be a special showing of the movie Young at Heart at the Dendy cinema at Circular Quay at 10am on Sunday 22 March. All knitters are invited, entry fee is $3. There will be more showings of special movies, see Kate for details.


Treasurer’s report tabled.

Kate Venn won the raffle.

GUEST SPEAKER:
TRACEY GREENWAY and THE NATIONAL QUILT REGISTER

Tracey Greenaway talked to us for an hour about quilts and the National Quilt Register. She talked on the history of quilts from the earliest examples, through the Middle Ages and finally to the Australian “Waggas”. Her knowledge and enthusiasm were infectious. Tracey brought many examples with her and many members found it very interesting.

Ruth then showed us many example of handmade knitted and crocheted rugs. Merrin had one her mother had made and an unfinished one from the 70's. Tracey encouraged us all to put any quilts that we may have, old or new, on the National Quilt Register for future generations.




NEXT MONTH

Ruth will talk on perspective in quilts and asks that we bring pencil, ruler and paper.

Retail member: Anita from The Wool Inn.

Afternoon tea to be supplied by Carole, Rosie, Penny and Sheila.

February 2009 meeting

New members and visitors were welcomed to the February meeting which was followed by a crochet workshop given by Mavis.

Margaret showed us the results of a workshop on dyeing that she did at Virginia Farm with Jenny Dunn.

News from the Knitters' Guild of NSW:

• two new retail members: The Tuncurry Craft Shop in Manning St Tuncurry and Eaglewood Alpaca at Murrumbateman [between Yass and Canberra], who will soon have an online shop.
  
• Brenda Horne is having a woven knitting workshop at Epping. This is full but the Guild is taking expressions of interest to hold a second. Please contact the Executive.
  
• There is an Aran workshop with Brenda Horne at Epping on March 29
  
• The Guild's October Camp is at Kurri Kurri and is approx $375 per head. It will be held on the long weekend in October. Day rates are available. Applications close in June. Some of the workshops are:
  * Buttons with Phil Bullock
  * Advanced Irish Crochet with Yvonne Fazzolari
  * Turkish Socks with Brenda Horne
  * Socks on 2 Circular Needles with Kris Howard
  * Achievement Certificates with June Maddock
  * Designing Gloves that Fit with Clare Hacker
  
• Craft Show dates for 2009:
  * Craftfest: Homebush Bay, March 6-9.
  * The Guild will be at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on Sunday 12 April.
  * Craft and Quilt Fair: Darling Harbour 10-14 June
  * Stitches and Craft Show: Rose Hill Racecourse, 19-23 August
  
• The Guild AGM is on Saturday 7 March at 11.00 in the Target Theatre, Powerhouse Museum. All members are invited to attend.
  
• The Inner City Group now meets at the Custom House library every second Saturday of the month.

We are going to ask the Guild what we as a group can do for the bushfire victims. Chesne suggested that Wrap with Love would be looking for donations as they have sent many blankets and their yearly needs may not be met. They require a 10 inch square. On Ravelry there is a group called Packages Downunder that is making up blankets as well as collecting handknits such as socks and beanies.

Donna is still collecting for a bulk order from Woolganics, an Australian organic merino company. They have lovely 8ply yarn in many colours.

Our group's list of events will be handed out at the next meeting.

Afternoon tea roster: March - Margaret, Merilyn, Bev and Mirra.

The raffle was won by Carole H.

At our meeting on 21st March, we will have a guest speaker to talk to us about the National Quilt Register. Visitors are welcome.

January 2009

A quiet meeting - lots of knitting and chatting.

Donna has organised a bulk sale with Woolganics to save us money. Australian grown organic wool 8 ply available through Donna a $6 per ball. 50 grams 104 metres. This will be available in February as well, cash up front please.

Vicki to organise 2009 calendar [still under production].

Members are reminded that membership must be renewed by February 20th or a late fee will be incurred.

February 6 is the closing date for the next newsletter.

Please see Ruth if you have some antique or new knitted or crocheted quilts to display. Ruth is putting together a display with the Salvation Army with a view to put these quilts on the National Quilt Register.

Dates of interest:
Craftfest, Sydney Olympic Park: 6-8 March
Castle Hill Show: - 20-22 March
Hawkesbury Show: 1-3 May

The raffle was won by Carol H.