Knitters’ Knews Vol. 34, Issue 7 March 2014 The Madison Knitters’ Guild meets the second Monday of each month September through May. Doors open at 5:00 pm • Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. • Bishop O'Connor Center, 702 South High Point Rd, Madison, WI th The March 10 Meeting Features Gwen W. Steege, March Meeting: Author of Knitter’s Life List 5:00–6:30 pm: Doors Open Sign up at the Hospitality table, Senior Acquisitions Editor at Storey Publishing, Gwen has check out the Library, visit edited close to 200 books over the past 25 years. Her vendors, peruse Community first books were mostly gardening and cooking titles, Projects and seek out Knit Aid including collaborating with a pastry chef to write The 5:45 pm : Knit Connection Search for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie. About 10 years What are You Knitting? ago, Gwen began acquiring, developing and editing books Gather in the Dining Room. on knitting, crocheting, spinning and weaving. This dream 6:30 pm: Meeting Starts job offers the opportunity to be completely immersed in Business Meeting, Guest what is not only a professional, but a personal, passion. Speaker, Break, Show N’ Tell, Her work has led to developing delightful relationships Door Prizes in Auditorium with knowledgeable and talented designers and authors across the country, with the result of deepening her own In This Issue: knowledge of many different fiber crafts. March’s Speaker – 1 The humbling, yet inspiring fact is that each time she learns a little more, she Message from the discovers how very much more there is to discover. This led to the development President – 2 of The Knitter's Life List. Born out of a casual conversation about why couldn't knitters have "life lists," just as birders do, the book profiles the major figures in Library Notes – 3 the fiber world, and suggests dozens of places to visit, techniques to learn, patterns Peek at April’s Meeting – 3 to try, books to read and ideas to explore. Gwen's hope is that readers will Membership Count – 3 discover ideas that intrigue them and inspire them to check off and add to the lists, Submissions Wanted – 3 transforming the book into a tool for further exploration. She'll describe how the Meet Our Vendors – 4 book came about and a bit about how her own "life list" News from Neighborhood has changed and evolved over the decades since she Knits – 5 first learned to knit. She will explain that though the book isn't about patterns or techniques, it includes a February Guild Meeting broad overview of yarns and fibers, ethnic and historical Minutes – 6 styles, and most important, interviews of key figures in Knit-In Classes & Critter the fiber world whose work has had a major impact on Drive – 7 us all. She'll also give examples of some of the fun lists Upcoming Events – 8 that she developed to challenge readers to explore Neighborhood Knit Class books, movies, festivals, museums, and much more. Listing – 8 These lists have made her, and she hopes others, Treasurer’s Report – 8 become aware of how thoroughly knitting and other fiber arts are woven into our Community Projects and lives. This is not intended to be a static book—nor a static talk—but a prompt to Free Pattern – 9-10 develop and check off one's own "bucket list" of fiber opportunities to enjoy. Ewe and Janine – 10-11 – Barbara Rottman, Programming Chair Sponsors – 12 MKG Knitters’ Knews 1 March 2014 Message from the President: I don’t know about you, but I do best with deadline knitting. It gets me focused on one project and enables me to see every possible minute that can be used for knitting! My most recent deadline was created by the Apostle Island ice caves. I’ve long wanted to see this natural wonder that occurs every winter just north of Bayfield but for the last five years, the ice along the Lake Superior shore never froze enough for safe passage. As of today, 95% of the lake is frozen so cave viewing is on. Only one problem: my husband, Gary, really didn’t have a warm enough hat. For his nightly dog walk he just wears a baseball cap. That was not Apostle Island Ice Caves going to do for a mile walk out on an open lake. remark she’d like to learn how to knit because hand- I checked Ravelry for possible patterns and gave him knit items seemed warmer. I knit back at the hotel several choices. He picked Elizabeth Zimmerman’s and the next morning during our wait for breakfast. Maltese Fisherman’s hat from the Knitter’s Almanac. And I knit on the drive to the caves, weaving the final Thankfully our library had a copy. I lucked out again ends as we pulled into the parking spot in the park! because The Cat and Crow was one of the February vendors and had beautiful bulky yarn by the Three Our daughter, Carleigh, had braved Minnesota Irish Girls. It knit up quickly—but unfortunately my blizzard aftermath to join us on this adventure. It was math was not adequate to accommodate my with great pride that I realized that all three of us substitute yarn choice and a larger head. The hat was were wearing hats that I had knit. I realized how too small. What do I like most about knitting? You can perfectly Melanie Falick’s forward to KnitLit had redo without any loss of yarn! captured the moment. In it, she notes knitting can express so many emotions but that it “most often But now I was down to one week before our trip. expresses love.” Gary saw hat two in progress and suggested maybe he needed to go shopping. No fear I said, it will be Back to where I started… Deadlines. Don’t forget: done. And it was. I knit while there was light on the the deadline for Knit-In class registration is March 10. trip up to Bayfield—once even requiring Gary to pull You have a few more days to finish Monona Library off at an exit so I could do a size check. I knit during critters for the collection at Knit-In and qualify for the our wait for dinner, which sparked a waitress to drawing for a free MKG membership. There’s plenty of pattern ideas on our website under Community Projects—and if you knit fast, kits will probably be available at the March 10 meeting. Hope you’re collecting patterns to fuel yarn purchases at Knit-In Marketplace. I already have set aside a blanket pattern for a new baby cousin and am hunting for a silk blend for Amy Singer’s Tuscany Shawl. Be a good friend, tell other knitters about Marketplace. All are welcome. A mere $5.00 provides access to 26 vendors from near and far! Knit on! – Mae Knowles, President Owl Hat, Sixteen Cables Hat, Maltese Fisherman’s Hat MKG Knitters’ Knews 2 March 2014 Library Notes: This month the library is happy to add two books by our March speaker, Gwen Steege. Her new book The Knitter's Life List and Knit Christmas Stockings will both be available at the end of the March meeting. Also new this month is Boy's Knits by Katya Frankel, featuring some hard-to-find, stylish boys sweaters. From The Knitter magazine out of the UK, is the new book Knitting Masterclass, a collection of some of the best patterns from the periodical. Finally, we are adding the book Shibori Knits by Gina Wilde, thanks to a kind donation by Jan Fuss. The Japanese technique of shibori felting involves the manipulation of knit fabric through folding, squeezing and wringing to produce beautiful textile art. Please stop by the library table for more information on making donations or volunteering. Don't forget, library books are due back one month after check-out. – Marijka Engel, Library Chair Sneak Peek at the April Meeting: Join us on April 14 as we hear from Josh Scott, co-founder and COO of Craftsy, an online community of 1.5 million makers, just like you! Josh met his Craftsy co-founders while he was the General Manager of New Category Expansion & Vice President of Product for ServiceMagic. Prior to joining ServiceMagic, Josh led the product and marketing teams for a number of venture funded start-ups and managed small business buying at eBay, helping it grow into a $4.7B line of business for the company. Prior to eBay, Josh was a consultant at Bain & Company. Josh received an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley and a BBA from the University of Michigan. Knitters’ Knews Submissions Wanted: Membership Update: Besides providing information on the Madison Knitters’ Guild meetings, other MKG events, current news and class opportunities, we’d love to hear your stories and share photos of past Guild events. Please tell us We are now how long you’ve been a member, your favorite Guild memory or two, what the Guild has meant to you as a knitter, or any other MKG related news. Also, the April newsletter will inlcude a memorial for the members who Members have passed away this past year, but we need your help to ensure our list is complete. Please send us the names of those you’ve lost; photos are strong! also welcome. – Cynthia Robey-Duncomb, Knitters’ Knews Chair MKG Knitters’ Knews 3 March 2014 Meet the Vendors for March: Bleating Heart Haven is a cottage business/fiber farm located in rural New Holstein in northeastern Wisconsin.