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 http://www.bostonknitting.com March-April 2014 Newsletter
2013-2014 Officers:
Gail Press, President ([email protected])
Vivian Bolt, Vice President ([email protected])
Cynthia Scott, Secretary ([email protected])
Jane McKinnell, Treasurer ([email protected])
Rosann Fleischauer, Corresponding Secretary ([email protected])
Dear Knitters,
Ok, I have always loved the winter season but even I have had enough!
It has been a very busy February for me starting with a ten day trip to the north of Iceland to visit
my parents. Yes, I am a Viking for those unaware! I compared the local weather everyday to that
of Boston and it was warmer in my little town of Akureyri than here! As you probably know,
Iceland has a very rich history of knitting. Most supermarkets have a yarn department and every
school child must learn to knit, boys as well as girls. I did spend a day in Reykjavik going to yarn
shops and despite my resolve to not purchase any yarn I just couldn't resist some beautiful hand
dyed sock yarn from Denmark.
I am so looking forward to our Guild retreat at Whispering Pines. We had such a great time last
year! I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to share at our next Guild meeting.
See you then,
Gail
PS - Stay Warm!
Upcoming meetings: 2013 – 2014 Calendar
March 20, 2014 - Annual Yarn Auction 2014
Our activity for the March 20 meeting is the Annual Yarn Auction. This is the Guild’s only fund
raising activity and all proceeds are used to support Guild-wide activities, such as funding for
speakers, coffee service, room rental, insurance, and more. For new members, and those who
have been unable to attend the auction in the past, this is how it works: There are two parts to
the auction. In the morning, after you have had some time to inspect the auction lots, we will
hold a live auction where you have a chance to bid on larger bags of yarn. CC Fitzgerald will
keep a record of the winners and their bids. After the auction is over (and only after the auction
is over), you will be invited into the back room for a “yard sale” - there will be tables of smaller
amounts of yarn and lots of notions, etc. These items will all be priced. When you have finished
shopping, CC will total up your purchases and collect your CASH OR CHECKS. Remember
we do not have the ability to process credit or debit cards - you may ONLY use CASH OR
CHECKS.
How do you participate?
• Take some time to go through your stash and identify yarn, tools and notions, and abandoned
projects that are taking up room but are no longer valuable to you. You can also donate craft
and hobby supplies that you no longer use. Sort and pack your yarns in clear plastic (ziplock
type) bags. For larger amounts, print and fill out the label and seal INSIDE the bag. Do NOT
fill in the Lot # line. Smaller quantities need not be labeled - they will be priced by
volunteers. Admire how much room you have freed up for new yarn!
• Bring donations of yarn and everything else to the March meeting. There will be volunteers
outside the church from 9:00 AM on to help unload cars and move bags indoors. The auction
begins at 10:30 AM - if you want to inspect the live auction lots, please come early.
• While you are inspecting the auction merchandise, make a note of the Lot # of the yarn you
wish to bid on. The auction must move along quickly and our auctioneer will not be able to
give long descriptions of what is offered.
• Now the fun begins - BIB, BID, BID! SHOP, SHOP, SHOP! PAY UP, have lunch, knit and
talk.
• One last reminder...NO BOOKS WILL BE ACCEPTED THIS YEAR!!!
• Label is found at the end of the newsletter
We look forward to seeing you at the Auction!
Submitted by: Alice Gray and Susan Flier
April 17, 2014 - A Baby Shower
From Peter Rabbit to Mother Goose,
Goodnight moon and Doctor Seuss.
Bring a hat, a blanket or a sweater
Tiny fingers, tiny toes … itty-bitty baby clothes.
Join us for a baby shower in honor of MGH!
This meeting will be a celebration and display of items knitted for Mass General Hospital’s
Newborn Baby Nursery. Some babies leave MGH with only the clothes that the hospital provides. Babies need lots of clothes. They need bibs, blankets, sweaters, hats, booties, socks, and more. And they grow fast too. A felted diaper bag would be a good item for the mother. Here are the guidelines from the hospital: • Items include hats, booties, cardigans, and blankets. • Sizes should be preemie, newborn, 1-­‐3 months, 3-­‐6 months. • Items should be made with acrylic, nylon, or yarns either designated for babies or very soft fine yarn such as fingering weight. Yarn must be machine washable. Additional guidelines for the contest: • You may knit or crochet any size up to size 2. There is a baby or a sibling for every item! • Be sure that embellishments are securely attached. • Toys must be constructed of all new materials. More information is provided on the GBKG website. The hand knitted items we donate will
wrap a newborn in warmth and love. (See Outreach Information below.)
Submitted by : CC Fitzgerald
May 15, 2014 – 21st Annual Meeting
Save the Date!
Where: Undercroft Rooms at Trinity Church
Guest Speaker: Sally Melville
Topic: “Why We Do What We Do”
The Importance of Creativity: Sally speaks to what knitting (and any handwork) does for our
soul. It makes us happy, promotes good mental health and even contributes to our economic
recovery. Sally helps us to understand why we love to do what we do and why we should keep
doing it! (more details to follow)
Greater Boston Knitting Guild Meeting Minutes:
January 16, 2014 Meeting
For the first meeting of the year the Guild borrowed the talents of several of our members to
share skills and ideas in the form of workshops. Attendees chose their workshops as they came in
from the cold, and broke into eight groups - with a couple of additional groups working on their
own ongoing projects.
Since our April meeting will have a "Baby Shower" theme, the workshops were a way to get
ideas and build anticipation for that event. In April prizes will be awarded for the most
innovative and beautiful examples from members. Many members are also helping to provide
knitted and crocheted items for newborn patients at Massachusetts General Hospital Blake 13
Newborn Baby Unit, one of the Guild's outreach projects.
The workshops:
1. Simple Baby Hat – Learn to Knit in the Round – Instructor: Bob Jaeger
2. Baby’s First Socks – Learn to Knit Socks – Instructor: Vivian Bolt
3. Baby Sweater – Learn to Convert a Pattern Knit in Sections into a One Piece Seamless
Sweater – Instructor: Anita MacKinnon
4. Little Knit Pullover – Learn a Purl Free Design – Instructor: CC Fitzgerald
5. Dianthus Baby Cardigan – Learn a lacy style with ”nalgar” (raglan spelled backwards)
sleeves. – Instructor: Cheryl Mariolis
6. Booties and Hat – Knit a set of matching booties and hat. – Instructor: Gail Press
7. Diagonal Blanket - Learn how to make a diagonal blanket. – Instructor: Carol Gelb
8. Lucet Cording (Braiding) - How to Start, Continue, and End. Learn a centuries-old technique
of cording (braiding) to enhance your knitted garments. – Instructor: Mary Keefe
Many thanks to Jean Holtey (In Stitches, Weston, MA) and Webs, Northampton, MA. who
donated yarn for the workshops.
Speaking of community outreach, Guild members donated 957 items this past year to Caps for
Kids. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute sends thanks.
Submitted by: Ingeborg Endter, Workshop Attendee
February 20, 2014 Meeting
The sun was out, but the temperature felt as though it were below freezing. A subway ride was in
order. A large group of knitters braved the slippery sidewalks to learn about double knitting. Our
speaker today was Alasdair Post-Quinn; The subject of his talk was the book he has written
called, Extreme Double Knitting, an overview of a unique method of making a fabric with no
“wrong” side and a built-in reversible colorwork pattern.
Alasdair was brought up in a household where there was knitting. He had a very strong interest
in Origami. While he was at Brandeis, majoring in sculpture, knitting made an appearance in his
life once again. It inspired him to explore dimensional properties of knitting.
Alasdair presented a slide show of his work. There were wristlets he called wrist chakras, 4
winds hat design, boxes, and infant socks with contrasting sole pattern showing the bottom of the
foot. A scarf with pattern of a crow was very impressive, and I heard more than one person say
she would like to knit it. Today’s presentation on double knitting was most interesting and
informative.
Submitted by: Cynthia Scott, Secretary
Lemon Walnut Zucchini Cookies by Cynthia Doherty
Voted “Best Use of Vegetable” in the Annual Cookie Contest
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¾ C butter
¾ C sugar
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp lemon zest
1 C shredded zucchini
Preheat oven to 375°.
Stir flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. In large bowl, cream sugar and butter.
Beat in eggs and lemon zest until fluffy. At low speed, add flour mixture. Stir in zucchini and
nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoon on greased cookie sheet. Bake 15-320 minutes. While warm,
drizzle with lemon icing.
Lemon icing: 1 C confectioners sugar
1 T lemon juice
1 drop yellow food coloring (if desired)
Community Outreach Program:
Knitters are some of the most generous people you will ever meet. Often they buy and source
yarn to make gifts for others whether it is family, friends or beyond. Rarely do they knit for
themselves. Congratulations to the members of the Guild who support our community projects.
Our current tallies are:
Caps for Kids – 179
Mass General Hospital -115
Information about Mass General Hospital’s Newborn Family Units:
Blake 13 has twenty-one private postpartum rooms and three nurseries. This patient care unit
admits obstetrical patients after they have delivered their baby. The three nurseries admit
newborns that meet level I or level II criteria as determined by DPH regulation and medical
evaluation.
Ellison 13 is a twenty-bed unit, along with a nine bed Level II Nursery. The patient population
includes high-risk antenatal women requiring hospitalization during their pregnancy for
diagnoses that include diabetes, premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa, renal
problems, and premature labor. The population also includes postpartum mothers and their
infants, and also infants who need specialized level II care.
Post partum women and ante partum women and their newborns are admitted to Blake13 or
Ellison 13. The care for the patients is provided by experienced post partum, antenatal and
newborn nurses in the obstetrics service. The length of stay varies 2-4 days for birth and longer
for medical reasons. The rooms are "Customized" for post partum patients. Patients transferred
from the medical and surgical ICUs after delivery are also admitted on our units. In addition, any
post partum patients that are readmitted for mastitis or infection are admitted to this floor. We
have 13 level 2 beds that support newborns that have medical needs. Many of which are
premature infants or infants who are learning to feed and grow.
The following is a recent communication from our friends at MGH:
Hi Vivian, Thank you so much for your support to our unit and our families. The families are thrilled to receive these gifts. I want to personally thank you and the Greater Boston Knitting Guild for your time and generosity. The gifts for these newborns are precious. Please extend our ongoing gratitude to the Guild. Lori J. Pugsley RN BSN MEd Nursing Director Newborn Family Units Massachusetts General Hospital Another Message: I'm not sure if this is the right knitting club, I hope so. I'm a nurse on the Newborn Unit at MGH and just wanted to thank you for some of the cutest hats we've had. I gave several out to the babies last night, even let a Dad pick one out and he was very excited. They are so cute and the tags are great. Had some from Kathy, Nancy, Joanne and Linda. Just wanted to thank you for your beautiful work. We enjoy working with people at MGH. We also must remember the importance of knitting for our Caps for Kids partners who are very much in need of warm hats. Submitted by: Vivian Bolt, Outreach Coordinator
Photo by L. Darisse
Plymouth Kudo Slouchy Tam (Beret Style Hat) by Kristen Ashbaugh
~ Free Ravelry Download
This is a colorful and hip slouchy hat knit in self-striping Kudo yarn by Plymouth. Kudo is a
blend of Cotton, Rayon and Silk, and comes in a selection of gorgeous colors! This stylish hat is
perfect for every season and makes a great gift that can be knit in just a few hours! It is the
perfect intro-to-lace project. Enjoy this free pattern from Plymouth Yarns and Jimmy Beans
Wool!
Size: One Size, hat measures 16” Unstretched and 21” stretched.
Supplies:
- 1 Skein Plymouth Kudo Yarn
- 1 US size 8 (5mm)- 16” Circular Needles
- 1 set of US Size 8 (5mm) Double Pointed Needles
- Darning needle for finishing
Abbreviations:
CO - cast on
K - Knit
P - Purl
YO - Yarn Over
K2Tog - Knit 2 Together
K1fb- Knit 1 Front and Back (Increase)
Sts- Stitches
Directions:
Set up rows: CO 72 sts onto the Circular needle (I’ve used a long-tail cast on here.) Place
marker and join for knitting in the round. Knit in K2, P2 rib for 1”-1.5” depending on your
preference.
*K1, K1fb* repeat to the end of the round. (108 sts on needles)
Lace Pattern: Row 1: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Rows 2-3: Knit
Row 4: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Rows 5-7: Knit
Row 8: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Rows 9-12: Knit
Row 13: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Rows 14-18: Knit
Row 19: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Row 20: Knit
Decrease Section:
Row 21: *K10, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (99 sts)
Row 22: *K9, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (90 sts)
Row 23: *K8, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (81 sts)
Row 24: *K7, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (72 sts)
Row 25: Knit
Row 26: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Row 27: Knit
Row 28: *K6, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (63 sts)
Row 29: *K5, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (54 sts)
(Knit Row 30 onto 3 double pointed needles ending with 15 sts on each needle.)
Row 30: *K4, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (45 sts)
Row 31: *K3, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (36 sts)
Row 32: *K2, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (27 sts)
Row 33: *K1, K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (18 sts)
Row 34: Knit
Row 35: *YO, K2Tog* repeat to end of round.
Row 36: Knit
Row 37: *K2Tog* repeat to end of round. (9 sts)
Finishing: Cut yarn leaving about 6 inches of tail. Use darning needle to run through each of the
remaining 9 sts and take the double pointed needles off of your hat. Run needle through the
center of the sts, turning the hat inside out and pulling the sts tight. Tie a knot to finish off your
hat and keep sts from unraveling. Weave in all ends. Block lightly before wearing.
Note from the Editor:
I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to this edition of the newsletter. I am always looking
for stories from members about fiber happenings in your lives. I know all members have had
interesting experiences and if you are willing to share, please contact me so we can get them in
the newsletter. Everyone loves to hear about knitting weekends, fiber trips in the US and abroad,
guilds and other groups who meet regularly, courses and classes, etc. The positive feedback I get
from the newsletter is about stories and photos people have submitted. Please email me at
[email protected] about any articles for publication in the newsletter.
~ Linda Darisse, Editor
Critter Hat:
Seen in the Common?
GBKG Website:http://www.bostonknitting.com
The Guild is trying to focus more on our website and depend more and more on communicating
electronically. The Calendar page is updated regularly. We encourage you to check our website
just before you come to a guild meeting for last minute notices. All newsletters are uploaded at
the beginning of every second month. Business members are listed there as well.
Enjoy!
~Ingeborg Endter, website untangler
Plimoth Plantation Community Outreach:
As part of the Guild's community outreach program, several GBKG members knit 17th c.
garments for Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II, and travel to the Plantation once a month
to knit and talk with the Plantation's visitors. The Plantation created a poster to display while
GBKG knitters are on site that shows various knitted items, which are keeping GBKG members
busily attending to their needles (see Jan-Feb 13 issue.) If you would like to join in the fun,
please contact Mary Keefe at 617-522-0235, or [email protected]
GBKG Website
http://www.bostonknitting.com
LOT #___________________
YARN NAME/BRAND_________________________________________________
FIBER CONTENT____________________________________________________
Total YARDAGE_____________________Total WEIGHT_____________________
GAUGE____________________Recommended NEEDLES___________________
LOT #___________________
YARN NAME/BRAND_________________________________________________
FIBER CONTENT____________________________________________________
Total YARDAGE_____________________Total WEIGHT_____________________
GAUGE____________________Recommended NEEDLES___________________