December 2009

Thanks to Judy who hosted our holiday guild meeting at her home.  There were wonderful dishes to pass.  Jenny brought her home made goat cheese – yum!  Mita gave out hand knitted wash clothes, and Mary made soap!  Everyone needs to feel and smell this good!

Youngest member Laura (4) delighted all by teaching us one is never too young to spin as she explained to us how to get the roving into the bobbin from the opening and start spinning.  Her older sisters were equally impressive with their knitted items.

As we sat around the fireplace with either knitting or spinning in progress, after sharing a great meal, one could only feel the warmth of the wonderful heritage we are all drawn to.

 

October Meeting

Our group is growing!  We had two new members join, welcome Debbie and Jenny!  It was so fun because they knew some of our members already (had purchased sheep) and some of our members knew them from a very progressive local society of wool festivals with classes, harvest festivals, and a local yarn shop (LYS) with a love of wool!  Most active members were in attendance.  We were missing Martine.

A lot of members have been working on new items for the Alpaca Warmth Project.  There were also some wonderful yarns being made from sheep that our members own – very exciting so see local agriculture thriving.  It was also fun to see some of the dyed wool showing up.  Thank you Edith and Mita for hosting that dyeing session!

Next meeting is on November 12th at the Metamora library.

 

Famous guild member?

Wa are all anxiously awaiting the outcome of Judy’s trip to the Christian Authors conference.  She has written a wonderful book and it definitely should be published!  Let us know as soon as possible!

SEPTEMBER

Members in attendance were Judy, Tress, Diane, Martine, Mary, and newest member Julie.  Julie owns an alpaca ranch and has donated her wool to the Alpaca Warmth project.  Several members brought in their spun and knitted/crocheted items to turn in.  Tress blew us away with her Norwegion style mittens and hat to donate!  Thanks so much!

OCTOBER 8th MEETING

We are still meeting at the Metamora Library.  They are such great hostesses!  We have been blessed with some new spinning books too.  We have had help ordering in some pattern books from other librararies as well.  Next meeting is on October 8th.

In November I would like to suggest a joint guild meeting between the Imlay City Guild and ours for a visit to Zeilingers. This would be a day trip.  More information to follow.

 

Alpaca Warmth Project

One of the local Alpaca Farms, Bucks Meadows, has started the Alpaca Warmth Project. They are donating yarn for those who wish to make items for the Lapeer community homeless.

Attached is the flyer Alpaca Warmth Project

 

March 2009

The move to the Metamora library was a big success.  The room is perfect for us.

Edith and Meta came, even though they were anxiously awaiting the phone call from Edith’s son on the impending birth of her first grandchild and Meta’s first great grandchild!

We had a lot of activity:

Tress wears her knitted alpaca sweater.

Click on any picture to get a bigger image.

Pictures from top left:

R1P1 – A young library patron was curious about Edith’s dyed wool.
R1P2 – Edith is drop spindling silk
R1P3 & R2P1 – Judy is knitting a Noro sweater
R2P2 – yumminess on Judy’s wheel
R2P3 – June spins
R3P1 & P2 – Sherry spinning some of her own sheep’s very, very soft shetland
R3P3 – Local product – Tress’s sweater

Tress wears her knitted alpaca sweater.

I thought the sweater deserved a bigger picture than the gallery shows.  Tress brought a guest/now a new member, Patty and is wearing the sweater she made from one of Patty’s alpaca’s wool.  Isn’t it gorgeous!  (PS:  Tress made me cut off her head!)

 

February 2009

We met at Diane’s home.  Mostly everyone was working on local wool, or wool that they had some “story” to tell about.

Edith had little baby mittens in a Norwegian pattern that she was knitting.  They were beautiful and elegant looking.  Tress showed us a pattern of sock she had started from a Knitty pattern – very unique!

June is looking forward to spring shearing of her Lincoln and Baby Doll – anyone interested in this wool, email us for contact info for Windy Oak Farm.

 

New Year – Renewal of Fiber & Friendship

We have had a rough go of the weather, and health, and not being able to gather as a group for some time.

As we grow in strength of numbers, and knowledge about our art, we take the time to share in our families, friendships, workplace stories, and the community with laughter, friendship and joy.

See everyone soon!

 

September 2008 Meeting

The gathering was more like the cool weather meetings we’ve had.  Most everyone was there with the exception of Mary and Kathy.  We missed you!  We actually got a lot of knitting and spinning accomplished.  Sometimes that cool weather makes all the difference.

An online Ravelry friend came by for her first meeting.  Welcome Tress!  And two others who were expected for their first meeting did not arrive.  Could it have been that the recent three day non-stop rain that washed out the bottom of Diane’s driveway prevented them from making it up the driveway?  We’ll find out in October when Judy is hosting.  Hopefully the driveway will be back in order for the Nov. meeting.

Upcoming events:  June is going to have her booth at the Sheep Stuff Wool festival.  Diane will be demonstrating spinning at the Tractor Festival in Imlay City the same weekend.

 

August 2008 Meeting

We were a very busy group in August so the meeting was a tad small. Due to some appointment conflicts, the meeting was switched to June’s house. What a treat. We got to meet her sheep! We petted them, learned their names and felt their fine, fine wool.

We did not get much spinning or knitting accomplished, but we looked at patterns in magazines, did a lot of sharing pet stories, family stories and life’s on overload stories. Sometimes summer is for relaxing…

See you all at the September meeting at Diane’s.

 

July Meeting 2008

We had a really great meeting. In attendance was Judy, June, Edith, Mita, Mary and Diane. Sherry was absent working on a benefit dinner and Cathy couldn’t make it either. The discussion ranged from all the different ways to cast on knitting and how our grandmas and great grandmas taught us to the economy and recent bank bankruptcy, fuel mpg in cars and our work. We eventually got to knitting a little and spinning a bit too.

Diane brought a question for the experts based on a question posed to her on Ravelry: What is the difference in knitting into a yarn over and knitting into the back loop of a yarn over? Edith came to the rescue with a wonderful explanation of the two techniques and how the yarn lays one way and the twist of the other. If you want the full explanation you can check out Diane’s blog.

The subject of the guild logo came up because we found out Mary is an artist. She advised us to keep our ideas simple and uncomplicated for a logo. She listened to our ideas and said she’ll work on one.

Mary showed us some of her weaving, a hemp dish towel and a bamboo shawl. Both were quite beautiful and the designs looked very intricate. She informed us she will have a vendor booth at the Lavender Festival in Romeo this weekend and will be demonstrating weaving.