April 2018 Program

Customizing Sweater Fit
For this month’s program we will talk about customizing sweater fit. We’ll start by learning how to take an accurate set of body measurements. We’ll talk about how to use those measurements to make simple modifications to standard printed patterns. Finally, Heddi will show you the CustomFit website from Amy Herzog Designs and demonstrate how you can generate a customized pattern using that site.

Please bring a pencil and tape measure long enough to take body measurements. You should wear a close fitting tank or t-shirt and the foundation garments you would wear under your finished sweater to get the most accurate measurements.

The program will be led by member Heddi Craft. Heddi is a knitwear designer and knitting teacher and has been part of the guild for several years. She recently had a sweater pattern published in I Like Knitting. You can find her patterns on Ravelry and her classes at Knit Sew Make and Santa Cruz Parks and Rec.

This month’s program is the most requested topic that we have had and we are very pleased to offer it as a prelude to our 2018 Knit Along. Please join us for the April 2018 meeting.

Dates and Locations:

The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, April 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave. (Dinner beforehand for those who wish at Jeffery’s on Soquel.)

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, April 19, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland. From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street. Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland. From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona. Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland. Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room. (Lunch afterwards for those who wish at Zachary’s downtown on Pacific Avenue.)

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March 2018 Program

Adding Crochet Embellishment to your Knitted Projects

Our program speaker for March is member Mary Rhodes, a master of yarn use and crochet, who has been a member of the guild for many years.

Mary has knitted and crocheted most of her life, starting with knitting at age 6, then crocheting at age 10. When the Craft Yarn Council started a certification program for teaching the crafts, Mary became certified in both. She has helped people with their knitting and crocheting through the Blaine Street Jail project of our knitting guild, at the yarn shops where she worked, and in classes at conferences in the early years of the Crochet Guild of America. While she doesn’t tend to use much embellishment in her own pieces, she knows that embellishment emergencies do crop up from time to time, and it’s handy to know a few simple techniques – and the simple ones are often the ones that make you look the most clever.

In this program on adding crochet embellishment to your knitting, Mary shows us three embellishments using a crochet hook on knit fabric: Popcorns or bobbles, slip stitching on the surface, and corded fringe. To play along, bring a swatch in stockinette (at least 4 inches to the side, so you have something you can hold on to). A finished and bound off swatch is just fine, but if you leave it on the needles, you can try out adding popcorns in crochet as part of the stitching, rather than adding them as an embellishment later. Mary will have some to share if you forget.

Materials: worsted swatch and appropriate sized hook for your yarn.

Please join us for the March 2018 meeting.
Dates and Locations:
The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, March 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave. (Dinner beforehand for those who wish at Jeffery’s on Soquel.)

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, March 15, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland. From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street. Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland. From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona. Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland. Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room. (Lunch afterwards for those who wish at Zachary’s downtown on Pacific Avenue.)
Please note that both meetings are in the same week this month.

February 2018 Program

February 2018 Program

Knitting Guild of Santa Cruz

February is our month of Yarn Stash and Swap. If you plan a little and take time to go through your stash, you may find some yarn that you either no longer love or do not have enough to use. This yarn may be just the cat’s meow for another member. So, we all swap yarns. This has traditionally been one of the most popular events of the year for members. So, come prepared with yarn you no longer want and your creative mind open.

But this year, our program is more than that. We will demonstrate 5 or 6 ways on How to Wind Your Yarn without a Swift and Ball Winder. What better time to show these than when we have a bunch of miscellaneous yarn? From simple to complex, mind-bendingly easy to extremely inventive, we will demonstrate. This will be a fun month, but please do not use it as a dumping ground for excess, unwanted yarn.

Please join us for the February 2018 meeting.

Dates and Locations:

The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, February 13, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave. (Dinner beforehand for those who wish at Jeffery’s on Soquel.)

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, February 15, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland. From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street.  Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland. From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona.  Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland.  Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room. (Lunch afterwards for those who wish at Zachary’s downtown on Pacific Avenue.)

January 2018 Program

Knitting Guild of Santa Cruz

It’s been a challenging holiday season, with too many cold and flu victims. We are at last on track to present the January meeting to you.

Were you aware that people from other areas of the world knit in different ways? Yet, they all produce knitted fabric similar to what you or I produce using English (“throwing”) or Continental (“picking”).

This month, member Maria Burnett will show us how she knits Portuguese style. Maria will also give us a little information on why she knits that way and on knitting in Portugal. We can then follow her instructions to practice Portuguese knitting in the group.

For this program, there is homework. If you want to participate, please bring a swatch of 20 stitches using your favorite yarn on an appropriate needle. Knit 4 rows in garter, then 4 rows in stockinette, leaving the yarn to start with a knit (WS) row.

Please join us for the January 2018 meeting.

Dates and Locations:

The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, January 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave. (Dinner beforehand for those who wish at Jeffery’s on Soquel.)

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, January 18, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland. From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street.  Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland. From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona.  Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland.  Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room. (Lunch afterwards for those who wish at Zachary’s downtown on Pacific Avenue.)

 

Social Knitting at the Abbey

Knit out the Old and then Knit in the New at the Abbey, December 29th at 10:00

Bring your Knitting grab a drink or pastry and get ready to Knit, chat and catch up!

Dues Due

Hello Guild,

We had such a great turn out for the holiday party. The food was especially good. It’s so great to have that chance for everyone to get together. Being someone who can only attend the night meeting, it’s nice to see all the day meeting folks.

Thank you to everyone who paid their dues at the meeting. If you weren’t there or didn’t have the chance to pay at the Dec. meeting, I encourage you to please bring a check or cash to the January meeting or to mail a check to the guild P.O. Box. We hope that you are enjoying being a guild member and will continue to do so, however, if you aren’t planning on renewing your membership it would be super helpful if you’d let me know via email. That way I wont keep pestering folks that aren’t planning on continuing their membership. The dues is just $36.00 per year. We have some great programs planned for the year ahead, plus not one but two fabulous knit a longs. If one doesn’t appeal to you the other one is sure to.

Send checks to:
Santa Cruz Knitting Guild
P.O.Box 2844
Santa Cruz, CA 95063

Please write “Dues” on the envelop

Thank you,
Guild Secretary
Stacie Rodrigues

December 2017 Holiday Party

You’re invited!!

 

Knitting Guild of Santa Cruz

Holiday Party

Tuesday, December 12, 6:00 p.m.

St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church (see directions below)

We will enjoy our usual fabulous pot luck dinner, conduct a very brief (!!) business meeting, and then have our annual holiday gift exchange! We also have a nice surprise for you.  We encourage you to bring something for our  a holiday charity drive:  Bring a knitted chemo cap made from soft, non-animal fibers, or some knitted knockers made from pima cotton.

5:30  Setup (volunteers welcome, party starts at 6:00)

6:00-7:00   Potluck Dinner

7:00-7:15   Annual meeting

7:15-8:00   Gift exchange

8:00-8:30   Cleanup (we have to be cleaned up and out by 8:30, so volunteers to help will be greatly appreciated!)

– Bring something scrumptious for the pot luck dinner.  We’re not keeping track of who’s bringing what…if there are too many desserts, well, is that really such a bad thing? Finger foods work well.  Plates and utensils, cups and napkins and beverages (alcoholic and otherwise) are provided, but if your dish needs a serving spoon bring one with your name on it. Note: St. Stephen’s has allowed us access to their kitchen, but it is not adjacent to our room.

– This party and meeting is the one time a year we limit it to members only.  During our brief business meeting, we’ll elect officers for 2018.

– For our annual gift exchange, bring a knitting-related gift.  If new, don’t spend more than $15, but re-gifting out of your stash or library (nice quality, of course) works, too.

– Note, too, that if you have your checkbook with you, this is the perfect time to pay your dues for 2018…still at the 2016 rate of $36.

If you have any questions about the party, contact Martha Dexter, 831-600-8834 or mmdexter@gmail.com

Directions to St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz:  It’s between Pottery Planet and Jeffrey’s Restaurant on the same side of the street, the nearest freeway exit is Soquel Avenue/Drive.  Enter the parking lot and go past the church to the back where the lot opens out.  Enter the alcove where the two buildings meet and you will see the Fireside Room.

November 2017 Program

Two Color Rib. Greetings Knitters.  One of my favorite edgings for sweaters and hats is a 2X2 rib using 2 colors; a  sort of 2X2X2. It’s not very difficult, because the manner of knitting it is so logical. The benefits are great.

• It makes a very firm, solid edge that is about twice as thick as a single strand fabric, because you are using 2 strands all the time.
• It wears very well and keeps the bottoms of garments in place.
• And it looks wonderful!

To knit this versatile stitch, bring about 1 oz. each of 2 colors of worsted weight yarn and size 5 or 6 needles. If you wish to do homework, you can cast on 26 stitches, using double or long-tail cast on , with the main color.

Kathy is a long-term member known for her wonderful knitting, amazing adaptation of patterns and creative use of yarn. This will be a very interesting meeting and a good stitch to add to your inventory of special stitches for mitt cuffs and sweater borders.

Also, don’t forget to bring in your completed Fingerless Gloves or photos of them so that we can wrap up the 2017 Knit-Along.

Dates and Locations:

Please note that both day and evening meetings are in the same week this month.

The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, November 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave.

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, November 16, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland.

From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street.  Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland.

From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona.  Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland.  Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room.

November 2017 Program

Two Color Rib. Greetings Knitters.  One of my favorite edgings for sweaters and hats is a 2X2 rib using 2 colors; a  sort of 2X2X2. It’s not very difficult, because the manner of knitting it is so logical. The benefits are great.

• It makes a very firm, solid edge that is about twice as thick as a single strand fabric, because you are using 2 strands all the time.
• It wears very well and keeps the bottoms of garments in place.
• And it looks wonderful!

 

To knit this versatile stitch, bring about 1 oz. each of 2 colors of worsted weight yarn and size 5 or 6 needles. If you wish to do homework, you can cast on 26 stitches, using double or long-tail cast on , with the main color.

 

See you at either the evening or the day meeting.   Kathy Haber

 

Kathy is a long-term member known for her wonderful knitting, amazing adaptation of patterns and creative use of yarn. This will be a very interesting meeting and a good stitch to add to your inventory of special stitches for mitt cuffs and sweater borders.

 

Also, don’t forget to bring in your completed Fingerless Gloves or photos of them so that we can wrap up the 2017 Knit-Along.

 

Dates and Locations:

Please note that both day and evening meetings are in the same week this month.

The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, November 14, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave.

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, November 16, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland.

From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street.  Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland.

From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona.  Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland.  Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room.

October 2017 Program Amended for links

The world of buttons!

Many of us have inherited unique buttons or a button box from relatives. I know that when I look over my own button box, the buttons bring back very fond memories of clothing worn as a child, clothing worn by adults in my life and even buttons used as eyes on toys. Many of these older buttons were made of shell, metal, plastic or Bakelite, among other materials. But in addition to these materials, there are many very fashionable buttons made today in both traditional and modern materials. Dorsett buttons, horn buttons, seed buttons, wooden buttons, ceramic buttons, glass buttons, fabric buttons and oven-baked clay buttons are among the buttons popular today that we will show and discuss.

I encourage you to bring to the October meeting your own button box and knitted items made with buttons used as embellishment or fasteners. What we are especially looking for are buttons used in scarves, cowls, shawls, hats, socks and gloves. We are also interested in why you chose the buttons that you chose for your sweaters.

Link for Dorset Buttons

Handouts from meeting

Dates and Locations:

The NIGHT MEETING will be on Tuesday evening, October 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fireside Room at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 2500 Soquel Ave.

The DAY MEETING will be on Thursday, October 19, from 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at Vintage Faith Church (aka The Abbey), the large brick church at the corner of Mission and Highland.

From Highway 1 North, Highland is the first right after the light at the top of the hill where Highway 1 merges into Mission Street. Parking lot is the first right turn off Highland.

From Highway 1 (Mission Street) South, turn left at the light on Walnut to Escalona. Turn right on Escalona to its end at Highland. Parking lot is across Highland. Enter through the Office; our meeting is straight ahead in The Fireside Room.