Friday, May 13, 2005

Letter from the President
4/11/05

It was another fun-filled night at the Maryland Metro Knitters Guild meeting on Wednesday, April 6! In addition to showing and sharing our latest projects, we voted for the best bagged hat creation (congratulations, Valerie) and celebrated with Alana as she opened her baby shower gifts. Thanks to a few friends we haven’t seen in a while – Lorena, Lauri, Emily – and to Cassandra, Donna J., Christine, Kathleen, Mady, Marilyn, Suzanne, Jeanne, Laura, Sharon, Valerie, Genia, and Myla it was a terrific meeting.

Announcements
Alana’s little girl is due at the end of May. It seems like only yesterday “she” was just a blur in an ultrasound picture!

The “bagged” hats were donated to Children in Common.

Laura Pacha and Valerie Smith both announced that they are moving out of town. Laura is moving to Georgia in July (her last meeting will be in June) and Valerie is moving to Illinois in June (her last meeting will be in May). They both want to keep in touch with the group, so please keep them in your mailing lists and drop them a line or two every now and then.

Lauri Katz hopes that we all stop by to see her at the Sheep and Wool Festival, the weekend of May 7 and 8. Her booth will be in the main building. Her new email address is: laurikatz@yahoo.com.

Genia showed us the newly designed MMK newsletter. The March ’05 “Chicks With Sticks, Maryland Metro Knitter’s Guild Newsletter” includes book reviews, the President’s letter, yarn shop news and listings, and pictures from the March meeting. Please help Genia continue to make this an exciting and informative letter by submitting ideas, articles, projects, patterns, or whatever else you think is appropriate.

2005 Programs
May – “Tilting At Windmills” – This group project created by Pat Shaforth and Steven Plummer is actually a mini lesson in math and gauge. It includes instructions for 48 individual blocks, which when pieced together will look like a quilt. Please remember to bring size 6, 7, and 8 needles to the May meeting so that we can get started on our squares. Genia is bringing the yarn.

Don’t forget, Genia is always looking for more program ideas. Send her a message if you think of any -- knitgenia@aol.com.

Show and Share
There was lots to covet during show and share:


Lorena showed us a pale green shawl; variegated (brown and blacks) scarf and head band; and a lace scarf (Fiber Trends pattern) in a Merino yarn.

Cassandra is making progress on an afghan that she is giving away in May. As of the April meeting she had started working on the 5th of 7 panels.

Donna J. modeled a newly completed lime green jacket and showed us the latest thing on her needles – a copper-colored cardigan (cables and blocks pattern).

Mady showed us a little boy’s raglan sweater, knitted from the top down with rolled neck, cuffs, and bottom in blue and white stripes and checks.

Marilyn finished her purple wool sweater and started working on an original design with mitered corners.

Valerie is working on socks re-knit in Wildefoote.

Suzanne is working on another project for her husband – a gray wool Fisherman’s Knit (Alice Starmore’s Aran Knitting, “brick moss”).

Jeanne showed us an oversized beret and a small red Faroese shawlette that she is working on.

Alana showed us several completed projects – a yellow wrap baby sweater; alphabet baby blanket; and cable socks, knit without a cable needle.

Laura showed us her wheat socks – Kansas Harvest socks.

Emily is working on Debbie Mumms’ cross stitch kit #72929 – “Patchwork and Buttons Rooster.”

Christine is working on the Gedifra 052 cover sweater using a mix of Katia Ola and Katia Rumba.

Kathleen finished a hat in “Medley” and is working on a sweater in Bemidji wool.

Lauri is working on a side to side short sleeve sweater in pima cotton/tercel stripe of Crystal Palace Fizz and Malizia (Cascade) inspired by Laura Bryant and Barry Epstein’s Ultimate Knitted Tee.

Sharon is working on a top down Sidar denim twist DK shirt.

Genia is working on a summer top from Creative Knitting out of Polo yarn.



Membership
I noticed when I was sending out emails to everyone last week that our membership list is not totally up-to-date. Please let Kathy Graziani know if and when you change any of your contact information: sockmama@comcast.net.