WWKIP Day ~ June 12, 2010

Today our local Ravelry group celebrated World Wide Knit In Public Day

We gathered around the fountain at The MarketPlace in Bakersfield, California

Oh my goodness where do I start...when we decided to celebrate ~ participate in WWKIPD it was posted and we immediately had responses from knitters and crocheters who wanted to come and join us...so I decided that perhaps we should have a drawing. I went through my stash and pulled out a few things and then I posted it on our forum that we would have a drawing.

Well, let me tell you, the donations started flying in. We had donations from some of the members of our group ~ Suzanne, Patty, Virginia, Christy, Gail, Joyce and myself. With just these items gift bags were made up ~ enough for 13 drawings! Now as if that wasn't enough, Kerry (from Visalia) arrives and donates yarns, dvd, stitch markers...and then Janet from Ridgecrest donates yarn...okay...wonderful...but then here comes April, from San Luis Obispo...with armloads of donations. Thank you Nordic Mart in San Luis Obispo...yarn, pattern books...

With all the donations we had 35-40 drawings....everyone who was entered in the drawing who was present received at least one prize and then I think we had another 10 items to give.

It Was A Blast!
And if that wasn't enough...Bakersfield Channel 23 ABC showed up to do an interview! (Thank you Carl)

Participants came from San Luis Obispo; Tehachapi, Visalia, Ridgecrest, Porterville, Palmdale, Lancaster and Las Vegas, Nevada...Angie came to our first one three years ago from Las Vegas, she made it last year and now again, this year...WWKIPD wouldn't be the same without her.

Now, if I miss a name or mess up a name and city...please let me know and I'll post a correction...because you all know how crazy it was today.
Participants included....

Christy - Bakersfield
Betsy - Wasco
Katie - Wasco
Caroline - Ridgecrest
Carol - Ridgecrest
Janet - Ridgecrest
Jackie - Bakersfield
Marlene - Bakersfield
Jennifer - Bakersfield
Della - Bakersfield
Mary Ann - Bakersfield
Victoria - Bakersfield
Angie - Las Vegas
April - San Luis Obispo
Cindy - Bakersfield
Kerry - Visalia
Shannon - Lancaster
Susan - Bakersfield
Michelle - Bakersfield
Hannah - Bakersfield
Patty - Bakersfield
Virginia - Bakersfield
Devi - Bakersfield
Sandra - Bakersfield
Nicole - Palmdale (her boyfriend drove her over and he stayed!)
Dolores - Tehachapi
Jackie - Tehachapi
Dawn - Lancaster
Angie - Lancaster
Nancy - Lancaster
Suzanne - Bakersfield
Joyce - Bakersfield
Junie - Bakersfield
Jo - Bakersfield
Jane - Bakersfield (accompanied by daughter Cassie)
Marsha - Bakersfield
Gail - Bakersfield
Ruth - Bakersfield

This is Kerry showing us his Aeolian Shawl ~ absolutely gorgeous

More photos are posted to flickr (for some reason I'm having difficulty posting photos)

(This post by Ruth) (edited to correct city for Betsy and Katie; add Marsha)
(edited again to include link to flickr photos)

CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations are in order

Our very own Knitting Suzanne (Suzanne Bryan) accomplished the following in just the last few months:

Suzanne passed (with flying colors) Level III of the TKGA (The Knitting Guild of America) Master Knitter Program

(Contact Suzanne and she can tell you how you can do the same!)


Suzanne designed a raglan sweater and wrote an article for the TKGA magazine Cast On (available at select yarn stores or through TKGA website www.tkga.com)


As a reward for passing Level III Suzanne acquired a beautiful Spinning Wheel on a recent trip to Solvang

Wonder what is next for Suzanne (is there a master spinning program?)

Congratulations Suzanne! Job Well Done!

Update

A few important dates for the Yarn Mavens

May Saturday Meetup

May 15th (this coming Saturday)
11ish to ?
Panera Bread Company (west Stockdale Hwy ~ just west of Calloway Dr)


WWKIP (World Wide Knit In Public) Day

Saturday, June 12th

10:00 to whenever everyone leaves

Market Place (around the fountain in front of the theater)
west Ming Ave

(the first year we met the temperature was around 104 degrees ~ there were cool breezes coming from the fountain and we had a wonderful day)

Bring a drink, snack, chair and of course your knitting and/or crocheting

If you spin please feel free to bring your spindle and/or wheel and fiber

There are eating places located throughout the Market Place if you wish to purchase lunch/drink

WEEKLY MEETUPS

In addition to a once-a-month meetup there are members who get together throughout the week:

Monday and Thursday mornings

10 ~ noon at Borders Bookstore on Stockdale Hwy directly behind the In-N-Out

Tuesday evenings

6 p.m. ~ 8 p.m. at Panera's on west Stockdale Hwy

Everyone is welcome to come to any meetup that fits in their schedules

If anyone needs or wants any further information please contact us

(the above is posted by Ruth (Grandy on Ravelry))

Merry Christmas

The Kings-Tulare-Kern Yarn Mavens wish everyone a very Merry Christmas...

May we all have a wonderful fiber filled New Year!

Kerry said...

"Size doesn't matter"*

Saturday turned out to be an outstanding day...Suzanne, MaryAnn, Virginia, Gail, Kerry (from Visalia), Sabrina (of Anzula from Fresno), Joyce, Jane, Darcy, Vicky and Ruth gathered at the local California Pizza Kitchen for our once a month meet up.

We gathered and ate and then retired to the porch for some yarny goodness. I didn't hear any complaints about the food...Waldorf Salad was wonderful and so was the lemonade (that's what I had).



Sabrina, of Anzula in Fresno, brought a load of her hand dyed yarns for us to pet, smell (yes, I said smell) and fondle...and that's just what we did. She has socks knitted up in her yarns so that we could see how it knitted up, smart idea!

Sabrina showed us yarns with camel, yak, mohair, merino, cashmere, alpaca...

Most of us went home with at least one beautiful skein while others were followed by more...

Kerry showed us his new drop spindle and what a beauty it is. You'll have to contact him for more information there. On Ravelry he is 'gnewgnitter'.

Here are a few photos...

Joyce and Jane petting yarn...


Virginia, Sabrina and MaryAnn ~ looking at the knitted socks

Mary Ann and Suzanne looking over Roving with Sabrina


Suzanne, Vicky and MaryAnn ~ commenting on the colors (Sabrina does a wonderful dye job)




* Get your mind out of the gutter...we were discussing drop spindles!

Chatting, Sharing and Learning

This morning four of our group got together at the local Borders Bookstore cafe for a weekly get together.

Virginia brought to share two pairs of socks that she knitted for her husband in the mid-50's. Both argyle and both outstanding ~ the workmanship! The stitches are so small and even...if only

Suzanne shared a wallaby (hooded sweatshirt type of sweater) that she is knitting for her granddaughter...gorgeous yarn in additon to putting her own stamp on the pattern with cableing...another heirloom.

Patty showed us her monkeys...sock pattern by Cookie A. (one I will definitely have to try)...

And me, Ruth (in case no one knows me), I worked on the toe of the hat heel socks (a pattern from www.knitty.com)...I just need to kitchener the toe and then work on the legs...

EXCITING ~

This Saturday the KTK Yarn Mavens will be getting together for their 'one Saturday a month get together' at California Pizza Kitchen on Stockdale Hwy in Bakersfield. It looks like we will have a pretty good turnout which is always nice. Sabrina, of Anzula in Fresno, will be our guest. Sabrina spins, dyes and knits (and probably a few other crafty things to that we'll find out Saturday).

STAY TUNED ~

January 2010 will mark the 2nd Anniversary of our group. Pretty good for a bunch who met online through www.ravelry.com don't you think! We need to have a party! Any suggestions?

Halloween Road Trip to Exeter

Today, Halloween 2009, some members of our group made a road trip to Exeter which is about an hour and half north of Bakersfield.

Why? The Handweavers of the Valley were celebrating 30 years of Fiber Fantasies with a Show and Sale at the Exeter Veteran's Memorial Building in Exeter, California.

Gail, Jane and Cassie got there a bit earlier than Suzanne, Mary Ann, Christy and Ruth.

It's been said that Cassie walked out of the sale with an alpaca bear...we'll hav,e to see if we can get a photo of her and the bear...sounds absolutely delicious.

Most of us made purchases of yarn and fiber of one sort or another.

There were demonstrations throughout the day and it was interesting to see wool go from a roving to yarn. Makes one contemplate taking up spinning...hmmm

I saw shawls, jackets, mug rugs, placemats and throw rugs among the items that were on display and for sale that some guild members had made with a weaving loom. Lovely workmanship!


Gail, Jane and Cassie enjoyed lunch at the local A&W before heading back to Bakersfield.

Before Suzanne, Christy, Mary Ann and Ruth headed for home they decided to try a local cafe, The Wildflower Cafe on E Street. We lunched on the outdoor patio. While heading for the road home they noticed several murals painted on the sides of buildings...outstanding and beautiful work.

It was nice seeing our "old friends" Carole and Brenda of Dulitz Christmas Tree Farm and of course Ann who demonstrated her new little spinning wheel. The wheel is so small it could be put in a car..."Okay honey, I'll just sit here and spin while you drive."