OCTOBER 2012 Westchester Knitting Guild g Newsletter© This newsletter is for the exclusive use of members of the WKG. IRIS SCHREIER October 22 Leadership Team 2012  Linda Higham, President, Yahoo Master, 914‐277‐7803 [email protected]  Evelyne Liebmann, Vice President [email protected]  Olive McNeil, Education Director [email protected]  Margie Laury, Programs [email protected] i l @ h  Jeanne Scofidio, Treasurer [email protected]  Joan Ratner, Newsletter [email protected]  Dorothy Freeman, Charities & Library [email protected]  Linda Cramer, Charities [email protected]  Myra Myra Cohen Cohen Meeting Coordinator [email protected] We have a triple threat joining us for our October meeting. Iris Schreier knit wear designer, author, and creator of delicious yarns sold through her company Artyarns will be our guest speaker. Iris’s last book One + One is already in bookstores and her newest book focusing on hats is about to be released. What better way to start the fall knitting season than with a discussion of knitted hats? Hats are both practical, fashionable, and are quick projects that fill our need for the process of knitting as well as the results of that process. Joining Iris will be Michelle Dittelman owner of Sticks and Strings who will be bringing a selection of Artyarns as well as Iris’s books for sale. Be sure to join us for this hi informative i f i and d fun f evening. i Founded in 2002, Artyarns is managed by a team of professionals whose backgrounds include engineering, business, design, and crafts. Iris Schreier, lead designer and fiber artist, is a celebrated knitwear author whose work appears in major knitting magazines, including Vogue Knitting, and has appeared on TV shows such as Knitty Gritty and Knitting Daily. Iris’s previous books, Reversible Knits (2009), Lacy Little Knits (2007), Modular Knits (2005), and Exquisite Little Knits (2004), are most likely in your library. PAGE I OCTOBER 2012 From the President September’s meeting was certainly lively and informative when Melissa Leapman, author of Knitting the Perfect Fit, joined us and demonstrated the art of fully fashioned knits with so much information on techniques and treatments to make our garments most flattering. This month, Iris Schreier joins us once again, this time to present her One + One books with the first book in the series: Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs: 25+ Projects from Just Two Skeins and a sneak peek at the next book: Hats: 30 Projects from Just Two Skeins, due out in November. The One + One series includes accessory projects from different designers, all produced by blending one skein each of two different yarns for unique results. Iris is sure to inspire us with this approach to knitted accessories, just in time for holiday knitting! See you on the 22nd Linda TEACHING KNITTING AT THE TACONIC CORRECTIONAL FACILITY In March, 2005, the Taconic Correctional Facility put out a call for knitters who would be willing to volunteer to teach knitting to their inmates. Four members of the Guild answered the call and developed a program. As you can imagine, there is no budget for the program so not only did we have to figure out the best ways to teach a large group of women, but acquire all the supplies ‐ needles, yarn, and patterns. For the last seven yea s, a os e e y ed esday e e g o e yea , e a e go e o e p so o eac years, almost every Wednesday evening of the year, we have gone to the prison to teach knitting. In the beginning the security guards were less than enthusiastic with our program. We showed up with huge bags full of yarn, binders with Xerox copies of patterns, and fistfuls of needles. We could bring in only plastic needles, and specific colors of yarn, i.e., solid colors only, and not orange, black, blue (any hue you can imagine) and gray. To enter the facility the guards had to go through everything to make sure we were not bringing in any contraband. I’ll never forget the evening the guard told me I could not bring in “this blue yarn.” I looked at the skein and saw it was light green, then looked at the label and Continued on page 3 PAGE 2 OCTOBER 2012 TACONIC CORRECTIONAL FACILITY (CONT’D) read “mint green.” So I naively told him it was not blue, but mint green. He looked straight into my eyes and emphatically stated: that is blue! I realized this was not a negotiable issue so I immediately said, “My mistake; it’s blue. Out it goes.” We have been challenged trying to secure enough yarn and needles for our students. You can ask people only so many times. Guild members are very generous, giving away left‐over or no longer desirable yarn and needles but this is an on going program We contacted yarn no‐longer‐desirable yarn, and needles but this is an on‐going program. We contacted yarn companies and stores; they came through for us also. But we never stop asking because we are always in need. To make things easier for us we decided to limit our students to only small projects. Our most enthusiastic knitters want the world, of course, but we explain the difficulties and ask them to knit hats, scarves, or baby items, and they are so grateful to have the program, they quickly comply. i kl l Many of the women are mothers and find it so painful to have nothing to give their children when they come to visit. Their only source is the commissary but the things sold there are “awful.” Well, now they knit presents for their children. They are so proud of the things they are making and so grateful to have something lovely to give. They have visitors on Sunday and don’t see us until Wednesday, and when they come into the class they are still strutting with huge smiles on their faces. My heart still pounds when I see how happy they are. And the guards? Well, we noticed a change in their attitudes toward us. We were thankful but also curious. Turned out the guards began to notice that the units with knitters were quieter, with fewer conflicts. The knitters can’t wait to get to their knitting at the end of the day; they go back to their cells, turn on a radio and tune out the world around them. So many o e of them have told me it has helped so much to get them through this “experience.” a e od e as e ped so uc o ge e oug s e pe e ce One of the requirements to graduate from the knitting class is to knit an item for charity, usually a preemie blanket. These blankets are 15” square for premature babies; we then give them to the Westchester County Medical Center and the White Plains Hospital. We tell them it’s payback time and they are so excited to be able to do this. Some even knit more than one knit more than one. Graduation is very important for them so we give them a certificate. It’s so rewarding to see how they value that little, symbolic piece of paper. Dorothy Freeman Charity Knitting Coordinator PAGE 3 OCTOBER 2012 BEADWORK TECHNIQUE WORKSHOP Sunday, December 9, 2012 Chappaqua Library / 1 – 4 PM Arnetta Kenney is an Adjunct Asst. Professor at Fashion Institute of Technology In New York City. She teaches knitwear design for three departments there and an evening class for adults. When she is not teaching, she spends time exploring numerous types of handwork. Beadwork is one of her many favorites. s a ds o bead o ec que o s op e p o e e popu a bead ec ques This hands on beadwork technique workshop will explore five popular bead techniques ‐ spiral rope, flat peyote, crochet rope, square bead stitch, and leather wrap bracelets . Each technique will be demonstrated for the class, then you may choose the technique you would like to learn in class, while creating your bracelet. Supplies: Participants must purchase from instructor the kit/kits of techniques they would like to create. Note: Each kit consists of all beads, needles, thread, also a clasp to complete a multiple size bracelet with written instructions. Additional Supplies: Portable light source, magnifier (optional),small sharp scissors, crochet hook size steel US 7, 1.5mm or slightly larger, shoe box top, hand towel , small dish for beads (optional). Demonstration Time: 2 hours Hands on time: 2 hours For additional information and registration, please contact Olive Mc Neil at [email protected] PAGE 4 OCTOBER 2012 UPCOMING KNITTING EVENTS (courtesy: www.Knittersreview.com ) OCTOBER Oct. 11, Stephen West Trunk Show & Book Launch!, The Yarn Co., 2274 Broadway, New York, NY http://theyarnco.com/ Oct. 11‐14, Stitches East, Hartford, CT http://www.knittinguniverse.com/east Oct. 20‐21, New York Sheep and Wool Festival, Rhinebeck, NY http://www.sheepandwool.com/general‐information/index.asp NOVEMBER Nov. 2‐4 , The Rip Van Winkle Knitting Retreat, Winter Clove Inn , Round Top, NY http://countrywool.tripod.com/retreats/rvw_fall_retreat.htm Nov. 2‐4 Northeast Handspinners' The Gathering , Southbury, CT http://www.nehandspinners.org/the‐gathering/ Nov. 3‐4, Fiber Festival of New England, West Springfield, MA http://www.thebige.com/ese/ESEEvents/Fiber_Festival.asp Nov. 2‐4, Ladies Knitting Get Away Weekend, Spruce Hollow Farm, Scranton, PA http://www sprucehollowfarm com/pdf/spjja pdf http://www.sprucehollowfarm.com/pdf/spjja.pdf Nov. 9, 10, & 11, Cornwall Fiber Retreat with guest instructor Beth Brown Reinsel www.cornwallyarnshop.com Nov. 16‐18, Green Mountain Fiber Festival, Wilder, VT https://greenmountainfiberfestival.com/ January 2013 Jan. 18 ‐ 20 Vogue Knitting Live! New York Marriott Marquis https://www.vogueknittinglive.com/ehome/index.php?eventid=46373& PAGE 5 OCTOBER 2012 ANNOUNCEMENTS Knitting News Joan Ratner [email protected] ▪ Dues for 2012 should be mailed to Jeanne Scofidio or given to her at the monthly meeting. ▪ Please bring finished items for charity to the monthly meetings. ▪ Join the WKG Yahoo site by sending a request e‐ mail to Linda Higham at: [email protected] ▪ Please bring donations of yarn and plastic knitting needles for the prison knitting program at Taconic to monthly meetings. ▪ Guests are welcome. There will be a $5 fee for returning guests Calendar Calendar • October 22: Iris Schreier • November 26: Ruth Marshall • December 9: Beadwork Technique Workshop • December: Holiday Party D b H lid P MEETING SCHEDULE 6:00 Knit Together Meetings are held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Chappaqua Library 195 South Greeley Ave 195 South Greeley Ave. Chappaqua, NY 10514‐3398 914‐238‐4779 www.chappaqualibrary.org MEETING ETIQUETTE We are fortunate to have high quality presenters during our monthly meetings. Even if you are not interested in the presentation or mini‐workshop, please be respectful of others and remember  No talking during presentation  Wait until Q&A period to ask questions Wait until Q&A period to ask questions 7:00 Announcements & Show and Tell  Wait for the presentation to end before trying on, or looking at samples Thank you for your cooperation 7:15 Program PAGE 6