Fall Fiber Fun

Before you know it, the leaves will be flaming on the trees and crunching under our feet. I LOVE this time of year!!! The best part, at least for a Yankee like me, is knowing that this will not be followed by four months of biting winds and slushy snow. I like the change of the seasons but small, short blasts of Arctic air are quite enough, thank you.

On to the fun stuff!

Craft Retreat Dates

The Craft Retreat hosted by the Creative Crochet Guild has dates now! It’ll be held November 6-8 at Camp Concharty in Shiloh. If you need more info, let me know and I’ll get you in touch with Judy, who expertly handles this bi-annual gathering of crafty ladies.

Some Answers on the Fayette Fair

The Fayette County Fair—we finally know when it is! It’ll be held October 15 through 24. We had thought about getting a booth, but the cost is $250, and it bumps to $300 after Sept 25—and I didn’t win the lottery, so…if you’re still interested, call Larry Adams at 770-461-6397 or Geneva Weaver, 770-461-0014.

There was no fee to enter items in the Fair’s craft competitions last year. I expect that will stay the same, but keep watching for more details as we get them.

Looking for Other Cross Stitchers?

For anyone who loves to cross stitch, there’s a group that meets locally at members’ homes. If you’re interested in joining them, contact me and I’ll send more info.

Demo Opportunities Still Open

You can demonstrate spinning and offer your wares for sale at some upcoming events. I’ve been involved in both of these, and I can heartily recommend them as an enjoyable day spinning, sharing the love of the craft and meeting interesting people. And if you have something to sell—BONUS!

The 4th Annual Farm Heritage Day in Pike County—contact Brenda Fayard at fayardb at bellsouth dot net.

Sept 19 & 20 are Buggy Days—another very fun event. Contact Sally Weber at clayshapers at gmail dot com.

Stuff to Click On

From the Peachtree Handspinners Guild group—some inspiration: http://ladiesandgentlemenhome.blogspot.com/2009/08/mega-doily-mention-on-ds.html

The ultimate wedding dress came from several sharp-eyed browsers:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1205007/Shepherdess-bride-marries-stunning-dress-wool-flock.html

South Side ATL Open Knit/Crochet Meets

Places to meet up with fiber friends; times are approximate and drop-ins are very welcome!

Mondays Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville, 7-9pm

Espresso Lane in Newnan, 6-8pm

Two Sisters Knitting Nook in Newnan, 6-8pm

Hastings Books & Music in Newnan, 6:30-8pm

Tuesdays Books A Million in Peachtree City, 7-9pm

Knitting & Crochet Club, Heritage of Peachtree, PTC, 3:30-4:30pm

3^rd Tuesday Creative Crochet Guild, Towne Club in Peachtree City, 7-9pm

Wednesdays Grand Coffee, Tyrone, 10am-12noon (Can anyone confirm this?)

Thursdays Sugarfoot Yarns in Peachtree City, 6-8pm

Ewe Knit in Carrollton, 6:30pm

2^nd Sunday Southside Spinners at Towne Club in Peachtree City, 1-5pm

(knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers, etc welcome)

Please help me keep this current with additional open meets and updated info.

Calendar

September

3 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

5-7 – Powers Crossroads Country Fair & Art Festival, Powers Crossroads, Newnan

12 – Pike County Farm Heritage Day (Fiber demonstrators welcome!), contact Brenda Fayard, fayardb at bellsouth dot net

13 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

15 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

17 – Opening reception for Fiber Artistry – Journey of the Imagination, 7pm, Jacqueline Casey Hudgins Center for the Arts, Duluth; exhibit runs Sept 17-Oct 24, www.artsgwinnett.org

18 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 7pm, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Atlanta

18-20 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild Fall Retreat, Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center, Monticello

19-20 – Buggy Days, Barnesville

19 – Spin In Public Day

19-20 – Shakerag Arts & Crafts Festival, Shakerag Knoll, Peachtree City

19-20 – Old Town Sharpsburg Festival, Sharpsburg

October

1 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

11 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

15-24 – Fayette County Fair, Kiwanis Fairgrounds, Fayetteville

17 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild Meeting, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

17 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Atlanta

20 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

23-25 – SAFF, Asheville (actually Fletcher), NC—a must for fiber freaks!

November

5 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

6-8 – Creative Crochet Guild Craft Retreat, Camp Concharty, Shiloh

8 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

17 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

21 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild Meeting, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

18 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Atlanta

December

3 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

13 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

15 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

19 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild Meeting, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

See something I missed or messed up? Let me know so I can fix it.

 

August News (Posted late, sorry!)

Already August! Whew!

First off, be sure to plan and come by Spinning this Sunday! Elizabeth Ravenwood will be there, demonstrating Navajo plying with a drop spindle. If you haven’t met Elizabeth by now, you’re missing out—she’s one of the most genuinely nice and fun teachers/designers EVER! This is a free demo she’s doing just because she likes us (and we love her)!

Click on the links for the local yarn shops. There are classes getting underway and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to increase your fiber knowhow! Also, Ewe Knit is moving to bigger digs!

BTW, I think there’s a knitting group meeting in Tyrone. I stopped in Grand Coffee in Tyrone (if you haven’t been there, you should try it—they have wonderful Roobios Red Cappuccinos, Lattes, etc—all the taste, none of the caffeine or bad stuff!) and noticed that there was a calendar tacked up on their bulletin board. On a few of the Wednesdays, someone had penciled in “Knitting Group, 10-12.” If you’re in the area at the time, be sure to head that way and report back to us!

Also, as if I haven’t mentioned it to everyone 20 times yet, here’s 21: Go to Daisy Bakery! It’s between PTC and Fayetteville on Hwy 54 between the World Gym and Ace Hardware. You won’t regret it. They have smoothies, coffee drinks, bagels, and wonderful pasties; best of all, they offer samples! I can recommend everything in the place, but be sure to try the Lemon Pound Cake. YUM!!!

Starting this month, the Heritage at Peachtree Needlework Club will be meeting every week. Please feel free to drop in on any of these Tuesdays at Heritage at Peachtree, 3:30-4:30pm to enjoy your favorite needleworking and great company.

Congrats!

Gay Lynn has won the chicken-knitting contest sponsored by Knitch with her darling entry Sally Eggstein & Her Offspring. To see her award-winning work of art, along with others, visit Knitch Knitting and click on the Knitch Blog link at the bottom of the page.

Well Wishes

We got word that Judy Fruscione had emergency gall bladder surgery this week. We’re sending prayers for a quick recovery.

Demo Opportunities

If you’d like to demonstrate spinning and offer some of your wares for sale, here are some upcoming events and contact info.

The 4th Annual Farm Heritage Day in Pike County—contact Brenda Fayard at fayardb at bellsouth dot net.

Sept 19 & 20 are Buggy Days—another very fun event. Contact Sally Weber at clayshapers at gmail dot com.

Stuff to Click On

Maggie sent the link for her new fave spindles by Kevin Rhodes. http://high-lowwhorldropspindle.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=131&limit=1&limitstart=0

Janet sent: “Free patterns for chair cozies…yes, chair cozies.” These are for those ubiquitous molded plastic chairs seen worldwide. Here’s your chance to dress them up and make your chairs uniquely yours while you recycle some of the soda pop bottles (acrylic) extrusions in your stash.

Article:

http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/22/now-knitting-the-chair-cozy

Blog: “The Knitted Chairs” with patterns: http://knittedchairs.wordpress.com/

 

Cro-Kni News to Share

I’d heard rumors…

There is a movement afoot to create a Textile Center here in the area—the Atlanta Fiber Arts Center. Below is an excerpt from the write-up in the Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild’s newsletter. To clarify: CHG has not made any formal decisions yet. In fact, tomorrow’s CHG meeting will include a presentation on the Center and discussions about it.

(Many thanks to Roxie for letting me know about this!)

…Members of the Long-Range Planning Committee have been dreaming big—4,000 to 5,000 sq. ft. with a large meeting room, classroom space, a dye lab, a gallery/sales area, a library, a kitchen, bathrooms, ample parking, and an accessible and safe location. They’ve also been reaching out to other fiber organizations in the Atlanta area with the hope of forming a collaborative that would have the means to make the dream of a fiber center a reality. A collaborative will not only allow resources to be pooled for the benefit of all, it will also enable more comprehensive services to be offered to collaborative members and to the public which will, in turn, increase available funding opportunities.

The first collaborative meeting was held in March when several members of the Long Range Planning Committee met with Jolie Elder, President of the Atlanta Knitting Guild, and Junco Pollack, Associate Professor of Textiles, Georgia State University. It was a small meeting since quite a few organization representatives were unable to attend, but quite a lot was accomplished.  Participants agreed on a name, the Atlanta Fiber Arts Center, and a goal: To establish and maintain the Atlanta Fiber Arts Center—a resource to preserve fiber art skills and traditions, to provide fiber arts education, and to promote fiber arts.

The next major steps are to organize, to find a location, and to fundraise. To see a good example of what the Center could be, visit the website for the Minneapolis Textile Center — www.textilecentermn.org. If you have any questions, ideas or concerns, contact Suzi at 478-934-1594 or sgough at bellsouth dot net.

Notes

Barb is heading up North for a spell, but she reports about her cardiac test:

Everything went well. No blockages. There was a 40% narrowing of one of the arteries but nothing needs to be done right now. Just diet and weight loss—easy!! Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Barb

Trindles, Etc.

Maggie has sent the link for the trindles, for the drop spinners among us:

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=vl_other_1&listing_id=26103708

Kathy Mc says: My husband shared this with me because I have a husky who sheds 24/7 365 days a year.

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=45da79ae-0425-43ed-b6d8-94b8ceae1db5&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:1bc177d5-a07a-4d68-9f8b-92f3ddccf395%2C8dd0552e-29a7-4fa2-8e5b-0c096a7dfc14%2C5be37290-3040-4cb7-92d2-32fa3aa0d369&from=MSNHP&tab=m1233601335183&gt1=42007

South Side ATL Open Knit/Crochet Meets

Lotsa spots to meet up with fiber friends; times are approximate and drop-ins are very welcome!

Mondays Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville, 7-9pm; Espresso Lane in Newnan, 6-8pm; Two Sisters Knitting Nook in Newnan, 6-8pm; Hastings Books & Music in Newnan, 7-9pm

Tuesdays Books A Million in Peachtree City, 7-9pm

3^rd Tuesday            Creative Crochet Guild, Towne Club in Peachtree City, 7-9pm

Thursdays Sugarfoot Yarns in Peachtree City, 6-8pm; Ewe Knit in Carrollton, 6:30pm

2^nd Sunday Southside Spinners at Towne Club in Peachtree City, 1-5pm

(knitters, crocheters, spinners, weavers, etc welcome)

Calendar

June

20 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Dunwoody

20 & 21 – World Wide Knit In Public Day (or Crochet, or Spin, etc.)

23 – Knitting & Needlework Club, 3:30-4:30pm, Heritage at Peachtree, Peachtree City

27 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

July

2 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

12 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

21 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

25 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

July 31-Aug 2 – Crochet Retreat with The Chain Gang, Ellijay, Carrie at kudzu03 at yahoo dot com or Lisa at ladyp34 at gmail dot com or call 678-644-5769

 

May 09 Cro-Kni News

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I’ve gotten such wonderful notes, calls, cards, gifts and prayers to welcome my dear grandson Jace into the world. Everyone’s good thoughts helped the labor and delivery go very smoothly—I’m thrilled to report that Teresa’s health has bounced back and Jace is absolutely perfect! 

Click on www.lexmed.com/babies/4_20_34.htm for a photo of Jace, just about one day old, taken by a professional photographer at the hospital—and yes, that’s Sheldon the Turtle that I knit for him (pattern on Knitty.com). 

For those of you who went to Stitches: How Much Fun Was That? And good news for those of you who couldn’t make it this year—they’ll be back in 2010. Start saving your mad money now for 4 days of fiber bliss. 

The market was a real treat. I found roving: alpaca/silk hand painted called “Stormy Sea,” alpaca/bamboo chocolate brown—and a cool drop spindle that all the chemists were flocking to, because it resembled a molecular construction. I also bought yarn for knitting, crochet and weaving, including a cashmere/silk blend in lavender for a lace scarf, and rayon multicolor perfect for a rainbow-hued shawl. 

There were handmade leather handles and liners for knitted bags and purses, books, needles, hooks, spinning wheels, unusual and discount yarns, book signings, FREE gifts—and a grand prize drawing! Yes, I won $250—third place. First place came away with $750—and that was CASH, folks. 

Oh, and the classes! I took (and LOVED) Cable Variations with Melissa Leapman (and learned from her why a designer’s life is no more of a fairy tale existence than that of a writer) and Fiendishly Difficult Stitches with Merike Saarniit (of Estonian lace fame). Both teachers were fun, informative and very friendly. In addition to the 3- and 6-hour workshops, they offer one-hour classes and demonstrations throughout the day, but I was too busy shopping! 

A Note from Robin

For those of you who haven’t heard, our knitting friend, Robin, has moved to California. Here’s an April 14 note from her: 

We just moved last week. Things were so hectic the last month in Georgia and I had been meaning to come each Tuesday, but the time slipped away with all the last minute things to do. 

The move was a sudden decision. Our house was sold and we were looking for a new place closer to Atlanta. At the end of February, Jack and I came to California for a funeral. While we were out here, we discovered a pet shop for sale in the lovely little beach town of Carpinteria. It is 10 miles south of Santa Barbara. Having family in Southern California was an added bonus. 

Please say hello to everyone on Tuesday. I really appreciate the friendship from the group. When we visit our son in Smyrna, I’ll stop by. 

Take care, Robin Niederpruem 

Heritage Knit Club

We knit with the Heritage seniors on select Tuesdays of the month. In May, we’ll be there on the 12^th and 26^th, 3:30-4:30pm. 

Crochet Teacher Needed

One of our local shops is looking for a friendly, patient soul who’s up for teaching crochet. There seems to be a lot of requests for crochet lessons. Please email me for details at ktvogeltanz at earthlink dot net. 

Fun Stuff

From Janet: Miniature knitting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT5MFdAB7fI 

Weekly Evening Open Knit/Crochet Meets

Lotsa spots to meet up with fiber friends; times are approximate and drop-ins are very welcome! 

Mondays—Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville, 7-9pm

Mondays—Espresso Lane in Newnan, 6-8pm

Mondays—Two Sisters Knitting Nook in Newnan, 6-8pm

Tuesdays—Books A Million in Peachtree City, 7-9pm

Thursdays—Sugarfoot Yarns in Peachtree City, 6-8pm

  

Calendar

May

7 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, www.atlantaknittingguild.org 

12 – Heritage Knitters, 3:30-4:30pm, Heritage at Peachtree, Fayetteville, 770-631-2370 

16 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Dunwoody, www.chgweb.com 

16-17 – Old Courthouse Show, Fayetteville 

17 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

NOTE: Our normal date, May 10, falls on Mothers Day, so we’ve moved back a week. 

19 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC 

26 – Heritage Knitters, 3:30-4:30pm, Heritage at Peachtree, Fayetteville, 770-631-2370 

30 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur, www.peachtreehandspinnersguild.org

 

June

4 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, www.atlantaknittingguild.org 

16 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Dunwoody, www.chgweb.com 

16 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC 

27 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur, www.peachtreehandspinnersguild.org

 

July

July 31-Aug 2 – Crochet Retreat with The Chain Gang, Ellijay, Carrie at kudzu03 at yahoo dot com or Lisa at ladyp34 at gmail dot com or call 678-644-5769 

For an extensive list of upcoming fiber events, etc: www.spinweave.org/news/festivals.html

 

April 09 Cro-Kni News

Happy Easter Week and Springtime to all! 

Spinning this Weekend

Due to Easter weekend, the Southside Spinners will be meeting at Towne Club THIS Sunday. Note that May’s meeting is also bumped back a week to leave Mother’s Day free.

I was planning to demo my spinning at Clayshapers Kiln Opening on Saturday until my weekends got filled up with baby concerns. However, any spinners who would like to demonstrate at Jim & Sally Weber’s home/shop in Milner this weekend should contact Sally at clayshapers at gmail dot com. You can see more about this magical spot at www.clayshapers.org.

Heritage Knit Club

Our next meeting with the seniors to knit is scheduled for Tuesday, March 21. Drop in from 3:30 to 4:30pm at Heritage of Peachtree (across from Gold’s Gym and the Dive Shop on Hwy 54).

Fiber Shops

Sugarfoot Yarns is starting a Beginning Knitting class on Tuesday mornings with Jeanine Waldrin—and don’t miss their Thursday evening Purl Jam! There are more classes coming up soon, too, like Sock Anatomy 101 and How to Read a Pattern. Visit www.sugarfootyarns.com for the details or give Cheryl a call at 770-487-9001.

Two Sisters Knitting Nook is starting a Knit-along this week, the Great American Afghan, on Thurs, Apr 16 at 6:15pm. (Yes, it’s the same evening as the Taste of Newnan, so it’ll be easy to grab a bite to eat on the way.) Call Ashley at 770-683-3809 to learn more.

Crochet Retreat in the Mountains

Our sister crochet group, The Chain Gang, is hosting a Crochet Retreat this summer—July 31-Aug 2 at the Scrapbook Lodge in Ellijay, GA. The cost, meals and snacks included, is $150. There is also a Day-Treat rate for Saturday of $35, which includes lunch and dinner. This looks like a lotta fun—if you’d like more details, email me and I’ll send you a flyer. Or you can contact Carrie at kudzu03 at yahoo dot com or Lisa at ladyp34 at gmail dot com or call 678-644-5769.

Fun Stuff

From Wilma: Knitting For Your Health

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4917058n

From Janet: Psychiatrist knits anatomically correct woolly brain

http://tinyurl.com/995zr4

And: A must see for all sheep and dog lovers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw&feature=channel_page

(the accents are Welsh in case you’re wondering…)

Once Stitches is Over…

What else is there to do? Elizabeth Ravenwood (aka Margaret Heathman) has the answer!

Hi All,

Below is the class description for a class that I will be teaching at SAFF. Again, because I want to time the class and see what kinds of questions I will get at SAFF, I am inviting you to participate at a reduced rate. The SAFF class fee is $44. The fee for this class at my house will be $35. And, there is a bonus with this class that they will not get at SAFF! You can knit either a small tote bag that will work fine just as it comes off the needles OR you can knit it with bigger needles and then felt it! There will be instructions for both tote bags, but you will only have time to knit one of them in class – knitter’s choice.

Class date and time: Saturday, May 2, from 12:30-4pm at Elizabeth’s house.

The Round World of Entrelac Knitting

You have made beautiful entrelac scarves and shawls. Now take your skills to the next level and learn to do entrelac in the round! Caps, sweaters, and tote bags are all within your grasp when you learn the simple differences between flat and round entrelac knitting. Come and learn this technique and leave with new skills and a little tote bag. For those who do not already know how, we will learn how to make entrelac easier by knitting-back-backwards.

Prerequisite Student Skills: Helpful, but not required, to have taken a basic Entrelac knitting class. Students should be comfortable working in the round with double-pointed needles. Basic skills needed: must be able to cast on, knit, purl, and bind off without assistance.

Contact Elizabeth to register at dogyarns at gmail dot com and for homework and materials info.

Calendar

April

Apr 18-June 7 – Georgia Renaissance Festival, www.georgiarenaissancefestival.com, for details. This is worth it just to visit with the Peachtree Handspinners, but I’m sure you’ll want to get a turkey leg and pickle on a stick.

18 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Dunwoody, Carol Strangler presents a program on The Beauty of Bamboo

18 – Clayshapers Kiln Opening, Milner, GA www.clayshapers.org

19 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

NOTE: Our normal date, Apr 12, falls on Easter, so we’ve moved back a week.

21 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

23-26 – Stitches South in Atlanta

25 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

May

2 – Entrelac in the Round class at Elizabeth’s home (see details above)

7 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, www.atlantaknittingguild.org

16 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Dunwoody, www.chgweb.com

16-17 – Old Courthouse Show, Fayetteville

17 – Southside Spinners, 1-5pm, Towne Club, PTC

NOTE: Our normal date, May 10, falls on Mothers Day, so we’ve moved back a week.

19 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

30 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

June

4 – Atlanta Knitting Guild, 6:30 social hour, 7:30 meeting, St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta

16 – Creative Crochet Guild, 7-9pm, Towne Club, PTC

20 – Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild, 10am, North DeKalb Cultural Center, Dunwoody

27 – Peachtree Handspinners Guild, 1-5pm, North Decatur Presbyterian Church, Decatur

For an extensive list of upcoming fiber events, etc: www.spinweave.org/news/festivals.html