November 2012
Stitchin’ Times
Publication of the Cactus Needles Knitting Guild |
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November 2012
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Program Highlights
By: Martie Warden September – The CNKG Website Questions come up all the time about the guilds website, so to help members have a better understanding of how the site works Martie put together information on how to up-date information, what to use the site for and how to find information on the website. Some exciting news…we can now add our PINTEREST, Facebook, Ravelry, and if you have one, you’re Blog URL. These are hotlinks! Thanks to Cara and Jon for making this possible. Martie had handout for members that explained everything that was discussed during the program. If you missed the meeting and didn’t get a handout, and you would like one…let Martie know she can get one for you.
We had our Birthday celebration in October! Members shared some of their favorite memories, and stories about the guild. We truly have a wonderful organization and some very charitable people in group. It was fun hearing stories from members who have been with the guild for a long time! Thanks to everyone who shared stories and memories…and the cake was yummy too!!
The Pragmatic Knitter: Attached/Applied I-Cord by Georgia K. Green
How To Apply/Attach an I-Cord as Edging Around a Knitted Piece Using the same size needle that you used for the knitted piece, but preferably in circular or dpn style, pick up 1 stitch for each stitch or ridge (ridge = 2 rows) of your knitted piece. On the other end of your same circular needle or on a new (another) dpn [or straight needle, if you must], cast on 4 stitches, using a method that will be easy to graft later. (I like the cable cast-on, and I’ve also seen nice results with the knitted cast-on here. You can use whatever you like.) (Some knitters cast on 3 or 5 stitches instead, but I prefer the look of an even number, not to mention the way the edging lies flat so much more evenly – no pun intended – when an even number of stitches has been used.) To create the edging: K3, slip 1 knit-wise, K1 (of your picked-up sts), PSSO. Do not turn your work, and repeat until you’re out of picked-up sts. (See below for what to do at corners.) For the most professional finished appearance, graft the beginning cast-on end of the attached/applied I-cord together with the final live stitches instead of doing a bind off per se. (Otherwise, bind off and then neatly sew cast-on and bind-off together, attempting to achieve the look of Swiss darning or duplicate stitch.) {You can apply as many edging iterations [surrounds? (well, they aren’t exactly rows or rounds)] of I-cord as you like, though I find one sufficient usually. I did see someone who’d made a single I-cord that was too small proportionally for the knitted piece correct that error by adding two more iterations – for a total of three – which looked OK but could have been ripped and redone larger more easily.} How To Turn Corners Neatly with I-Cord To go around corners without the I-cord bunching up, once you work the last picked-up stitch for the edge with which you’re now done, work 3 rows of standard (non-attached/not applied) I-cord, then work the first picked-up stitch for the next edge (the one you’re just starting on) and continue working as for attached/applied I-cord until the next corner. (You could work just two standard rows if your yarn were fine and your needles were small – or four rows if your yarn were bulky and your needles large – but 90% of the time, three rows = “just right.”)
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A Knitting Exercises to Soothe the Soul By Jackie Awerman Knitting speaks! It tells the truth about your state of being. Of course you KNOW that it reflects your sense of color, your love of pattern and your creative jaunts into the stitching jungle. But. Did you know that knitting also reflects your feelings? Just think about it: TENSION aka Gauge. Have you ever had the recommended yarn and needles and made a gauge swatch that was the size of a postage stamp when it was supposed to be 4 inches (20 cm) square? That’s TIGHT. What was going on? I bet something or someone (s) were stressing you and not in a good way. So what to do, what to do. Deep breaths and try again. Then maybe this happened: the same needles, the same yarn and the swatch was almost big enough for baby blanket! More deep breaths. And rip, rip, rip. I find that when I zigzag between way too tight and way too loose, deep breaths and ripping out (aka de-knitting) just aren’t enough: it’s time to put my knitting to work as THERAPY. Let’s do it. We can start by changing the preceding sentence to “…it’s time to put my knitting to PLAY as therapy.” That sounds like more fun. Okay. Here goes: we’re going to have a little play therapy session that may help you relax a bit and put your knitting self in a less stressed space. Step 1. Grab a favorite pair of fairly large size needles (8’s -13’s) and a ball of bulky yarn from your stash and a lovely long, silky scarf. (Seriously! And this won’t be one that you knit…it will be store-bought or gifted.) Find one of your favorite background music CDs or locate the ipod listing. And find a comfy place to sit when you can listen to the music. Step 2. Put the music on. Sit down. Put the needles, yarn and scarf in your lap. Cast on 12 stitches and put the needles down. Now, tie the scarf around your eyes! Yes, you are going to do this without looking. Pick up your knitting. Breathe deeply. In through your nose. Out through your mouth. When you are ready, reach s-l-o-w-l-y for your knitting.
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Who’s Who In Cactus Needles Knitting GuildHere’s a list of Past Presidents, and meeting locations from our beginning until 2005. Can you guess where they are now? 1994-Jackie Awerman - Met at AZ Arts & Crafts Marketplace 1995-Karen Henzel Met at The Teahouse at the Cloisters Condominium on 1996-Maryhelen January 1997 we finally obtain a more permanent home at the Orange Wood Presbyterian Church 1997-Bev 1999-Jackie 2000-Liz Rees 2001-Karen Wigglesworth 2002-Erika Verley AND Mary Ann Redeker 2003-Erika Verley 2004-Francine Ebersman 2005-Francien Ebersman Jackie Awerman was president until we became an “official” guild. Then Karen Henzel became president. In April of 1995 (after the Guild could not contact Karen) she was removed form office while Geri Biggs took the job until Maryhelen Strand became President in 1996.
Cleaning out the Files
Every once in a while, it's a good idea to clean out the flies in your computer. Jackie Taylor did so recently and shared a couple of files to share with everyone. Not sure how to take care of your knitting? Check out the "Misc. Info" section of the website. Don't know how to properly put squares together? Find instructions in the "Altruisitic" section. Thanks, Jackie! Cleaning isn't just for spring!
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Upcoming Events
November 5 – CNKG Meeting 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM*
November 19 – Fry's Marketplace knit-together – 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
December 3 – Holiday Party
October 15 – Fry's Marketplace knit-together – 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
*Dinner for Hungry Knitters – 5:00 Streets of New York .
Don’t forget to Host your Own Knit Together! Refer to the “Latest News” under “Members Only” for a list of available months. Enjoy the pictures from our events from the last couple of months!
UNTIL WE KNIT AGAIN!!
