Friday, September 30, 2011

Hearth & Home Wk 3

This week we started the rubber glove cuff. Linda demonstrated how to measure, cut, and start the cuff. There is an error in the pattern that was handed out. Under "Prepare Your Gloves," mark 24 dots instead of 25. Several knitters finished their market bag, and some are working on the background piece for the knit and purl pillows.

Next week Linda will show us how to cross stitch on the pillow pieces. She spent quite some time talking about the Persian yarn for the pillows. Auburn Needle Works is the only supplier of persian yarn in the Sacramento area. Lisa, the owner, is willing to cut the yarn into 8 yd lengths for this project. Two of the colors will take more than 8 yds.

Sneak Peak
A wire basket is one of the future projects. Joanne's carries various colors of wire to choose from.

Linda also mentioned that we will be making coasters out of VHS video tape.





Finger Puppets
We discussed libraries to contact for displaying the finger puppets. The Foresthill library is excited to display them soon. We agreed to split up the finger puppets since it is difficult to see so many at one time. Diana will contact the Auburn library. Linda L. will contact the Granite Bay and Rocklin libraries. Diane will contact the Loomis library.

Presidential Challenge
Linda brought several books and flash cards for ideas. About half of the presidents are already spoken for, but plenty are still left. Sign ups began this week. Linda is thinking about purchasing the yarn for the skin color yarn from our class fund for us to share. The color is Cascade 220 #8021. For more details, see last week's blog.

Reminder
Don't forget about the ATCs and the Big Event next May at Lake Superior.

Show 'n Tell
This darling horse was made by Diane who shared the pattern with the class. She used scraps of yarn left by her students.


Market bags by Sandy, Vickie, Linda L, and Irene

Baby set and market bag by Louise

Projects by Pat

Socks by Cynthia

Persimmon colored market bag by Penny

Live, Laugh, Knit!

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Hearth & Home Wk 2

It was a very warm day. We continued working on the Fruit Flavored Market Bag. Good thing it is made with cotton yarn. Several ladies finished their cute bags. We also went over the pattern for the Knit and Purl Pillow, which will be an ongoing project. We received several handouts:

1. The Knit & Purl Pillow pattern (2 pgs). Note: Linda did not use as much yarn as indicated on the pattern.
2. The pattern for THE CHALLENGE, due May 1, 2012.
3. The Big Event Workshop at Lake Superior, Minnesota, May 21-23, 2012 (flyer was on table, not handed out).

Reminder, there is a $5 materials fee that is being collected. Mark that you have paid at the table.

Next Week's Project
Rubber gloves with cuff. You will need the following items:

Rubber gloves, any color 1 skein of any acrylic yarn or 2 skeins of cotton yarn (Linda prefers acrylic for its stretchiness and washability.)
Small, sharp scissors for cutting into the gloves
Pen or pencil to mark your gloves
Ruler or tape measure
Tapestry needle
Set of dpns, size 7

THE BIG ANNOUNCEMENT (CHALLENGE)
(Pretend that you hear the music played for the President's appearance in the background...) Our next big challenge will be all of our presidents, past and present! We will be using the same pattern that we used for the celebrity icons. Linda brought her knitted doll of Uncle Sam as an example. It will be the same size, about 12 ft, unless the president you choose is taller or shorter. Note there is a correction to the pattern, under Body, the cast on is 32 stitches instead of 16.

The presidents should be knitted well and showcase their personality in some way. For example, Taft was really big and got stuck in a bathtub once, so he can be made really fat with a towel around his waist (this one is already taken); Bill Clinton playing his saxophone; George Washington with an ax for chopping down a cherry tree; Johnson with a 10-gallon cowboy hat; Grant smoking a cigar.

This project is due May 1, 2012. Everyone should use Cascade 220 and size 6 needles so the stuffing will not show. We will use the same doll stands as for the celebrity dolls, and we will discuss how to label the stands at a later date. Any suggestions will be welcome. Linda will have a list for sign ups. The choices will be first come, first serve; and for us indecisive or don't care who we pick, we will draw names for the presidents to knit. Linda is hoping that we will pick about 2 each since there are about 44 of them.

ATCs (Art Trading Cards)
Linda is going to ask Nola if we can do our ATC swap on Dec. 8, which will be during our Christmas party. If so, the ATCs will not be due until the week before Thanksgiving week in Nov. Linda thought it would be a good idea to thermabond the back material on to the ATCs. She is planning on getting a stamp with the information we need to add to the back.

The Big Event
This is the creative workshop led by Nola and Linda at the Bluefin Baby Resort in Minnesota right on the lake. The date is May 21-23, 2012. The cost is $295 which includes classes, breakfast, lunch, and sightseeing. For more information, pick up a flyer on the table.

Show n' Tell

Bags by Rosemary, Cynthia, Karen

Kelly is going to use hers as a lunch bag.

Sandy is going to add a leaf to her bag.

Teri's bag has a double purpose: bag and cap (hee, hee)

Debi is set to go with her watermelon-color large bag.
Knit and enjoy!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Hearth & Home Wk 1

Welcome back to class! It was nice to see everyone. Diana made us delicious ginger cookies. There was a lot of show n' tell, and the photos are below.

Linda gave us the Fall list of projects and a pattern for the fruit flavored market bag that we started in class.


Next Week
The big challenge will be announced!

We will continue the Fruit Flavored Market Bag, and Linda will give us the pattern for the Knit and Purl Pillow. For the pillow, use either Cascade 220 yarn or Fisherman's Wool about 440 yards and size 7 needles. The gauge is 5 sts per inch.


A $5 materials fee is being collected this week and next week.

A Few of the Future Projects

Felted oven mitt, bottle drip catcher, glove cuff


Special Event Sep 21
The Whistlestop Quilt Shop in Colfax is having a "Meet the Author" Day with Lisa Bogart who wrote a book called "Knit with Love, Stories to Warm a Knitter's Heart." Ladies will be knitting a sample square, and she will give each person a circular needle. You must call in advance if you'd like to attend. There are two sessions to choose from. The phone number is 530-346-8482.

Big Event with Nola and Linda
Hooking and knitting at Lake Superior. Details to come.

Spring Class Date
We took a vote, and the first class for the Spring session starts on Jan. 5. The theme for all three sessions this year will be "Hearth, Home, and Me."

New Yarn Shop
Got Your Goat is a new yarn shop located at 2030 Douglas Blvd, Ste 36 in Roseville. It is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 7 pm. The website is gotyourgoatyarn.com.

Artish Trading Cards (ATCs)
Reminder: we will be swapping ATCs with Nola's hookers at the end of October. The cards are the size of a sports card, 2.5 x 3.5, and should include some information on the back. For more details, check the June 2011 blog archive.

Diana's ATCs

Fingerpuppets
Diana has our fingerpuppets and will hold them until the Fall art walk. We may or may not be accepted for this event. Linda suggested that we display them in the ARD office show case.

Recommended Websites
Diane mentioned www.knittingparadise.com
Candi suggested www.sweaterbabe.com

State Fair and Gold Country Fair Awards
Honorable Mention, First Place, and Best in Division

Gold Country Fair Display

Cynthia's socks and project bags

Cynthia's lace shawl

Cynthia's lace scarf

Karen's comfort dolls

Sandy's comfort dolls

Cheryl's comfort doll

Cheryl's felted bag

Louise's baby sweaters

Rosemary's baby sweaters

Pat's felted grape vine bag

Pat's many projects

Penny's baby set for her new grandson

Lynette's scarf made with a yarn called Poem.

Happy knitting!

Sunday, September 04, 2011

Time to Register for Fall Class

Happy Birthday September Ladies! Here is a message from Linda L.

Hello to all the Knotty Knitters.

It's back to school and back to Knitting Class time!!!!!!

KNITTING BEYOND THE BASICS HEARTH, HOME & ME

Online Registration is open at Auburn Recreation District Web-site for our next Knitting Class with Linda Pietz starting on September 15 & ending on December 8.

The theme of our class this semester is Hearth, Home & Me. Besides other projects we will be knitting with recycled materials such as t-shirts, vhs tape, pot holder loops, & wire knitting to just name a few. We hope you will join us for lots of knitting fun & the camaraderie that knitting together brings to everyone.

The following is information from Linda P. to all of you: “I need everyone interested to be thinking about Spring Class dates. I need those turned in the first day of class. E-mail feedback will be appreciated. I hope everyone that wants to is knitting *ATC’s to exchange with Nola’s hookers. Finally, I know what I would like to do this year for the knitting challenge. I am going to announce it the second week of class as I would like sign-ups right away and give everyone time to work on it. It is pretty easy, but timely and fun. Yes, there is a pattern.”

First Week Materials List:
2 skiens worsted weight cotton yarn in green & your favorite fruit color,
10.5 DPNeedles**, 10.5 circular needles 16”, stitch markers, row counter.

*Check the Website for description of Art Trading Cards at http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html & Irenes blog: June class notes at http://knitbeyond.blogspot.com/

**Linda P. has an extra set of 10.5 DPNs & 10.5 Circular Needles 16” if anyone wants a bargain price.

Reminders: Continue working on Comfort Dolls.
Gold Country Fair September 8-11 where our puppets are on display.

Happy knitting! See you soon.