Lots of Good Stuff...oops Knitting!

Way too long since last post...lots of things going on...I'll see if I can get us to speed here so bear with me

I've got a lot of photos of members and their finished/in process projects and I'll try to get those on here also

Our group has been very very busy....

BUT

The most important, exciting thing happened to our group....

As of January 10th we started our FOURTH year together...most of those who had been at our first meeting can be seen clicking away every week with all the others

What a group...

Okay, now photos.....

A beautiful purse Jane knitted...this is from a kit purchased through Knit Picks
This is Annie modeling $5 in Paris sweater her mom, Pat, knitted for her ~ fits perfectly

And here is Gail modeling her 'Newsboy Hat'. She had just the band going across the top to do (that's what the yarn is hanging down on the sides)
At our December Saturday meetup ~ Gail is perusing a new pattern book she received...
And one of our newest members, Mimi, shows off her new Knitting mug...Mimi recently relocated to our area from New York...

and Jennifer is modeling a beautiful shawl she knitted...beautiful color too...Great Job Jenn

While Annie was here during Christmas break (she working on her Master's in New York City) she picked up knitting again. (perhaps she hung around us too much)... Anyway, while here she started and completed a pair of socks (I think it was her first socks she had ever knitted)...she also knitted an adorable huggable hedgehog ~ I'll try to post a picture later...it's just too too cute
Here's Christy showing off a couple of Christmas Ornaments...cute little Hooligans Christy


This blog is updated by Ruth (Grandy)

Another Delightful Day

Another Delightful Day

We've added two more to the group...Katelyn and Amanda

Katelyn is 11...she learned to knit in school last year. Jen has taken her 'under wing'...refreshed her memory and now she is knitting a colorful scarf. And wouldn't you know it...in the drawings today she won a beautiful skein of homespun yarn in her school colors. Her face lit up when she saw it...I for one, look forward to seeing what she knits with it.

Amanda has been knitting for quite awhile...check out her page on www.ravelry.com ...

Jennifer made great progress on a shawl...love the color...although I believe it's bluer than what is in the photo...


Suzanne worked on her mosaic sweater...looking good



Pat made progress on a beautiful shawl...



Christy...showing off her hat...


Jen brought a couple skeins of 'halloween' yarn to share...


Jen also modeled a cowl that Paige was working on...

Marlene arrived wearing a gorgeous shell she knitted...




MaryAnn worked on mosaic socks for the Scarfest Sock group on Ravelry....(sorry, didn't get a photo)...

Paige was also working on a shawl...as was Amanda...

I worked on my shawl...just a simple little one...pattern from Ravelry ~ Carol's Clever Little Shawl...I just love how it is progressing...

Drawings were held...we had enough donations that everyone went home with something...

A Big THANK YOU to everyone who donated...it is very much appreciated

This post is posted by Ruth (Grandy)

Chatter...

...if you walked by the tables at the local Panera's this morning that's exactly what you would have heard...chatter

Headlines may have read: "Local Knitters Chat As The Needles And Yarn Flies"

We had a good time today...

...and to top it off...we had THREE Jennifers...and they sat together....

We saw one Jennifer bind off her shawl...gorgeous

One Jennifer supplied the group with cookies

Tiffany popped in from Barstow...and showed off her beautiful striped sweater

Pat was accompanied by her daughter, Annie, who has been visiting (she goes back to grad school in Brooklyn soon)...it's been wonderful watching Annie manipulate those tiny little beads into sparkly bracelets

Virginia was also accompanied by her daughter Devi. Devi crocheted a baby blanket, so soft and cuddly

Suzanne modeled a sweater...not just any sweater...this sweater was hand knit in Estonia and is a Riina Tomberg design...the sweater is a work of art...expert workmanship

Christy, MaryAnn and Ruth were all working on their latest projects

Stay tuned for more late breaking news...no one ever knows what this group is up to or where they are going...I did hear the phrase "road trip" mentioned....

(This post is by Ruth-Grandy)

W E L L D O N E !

A few short weeks ago Suzanne received a message from a friend...a friend of hers from church is in Malawi and asked if it was possible to have little hats and booties for preemie babies sent to her through a relative who will be going to Malawi this month.
The Yarn Mavens jumped in and went to work...the items were delivered to Suzanne's friend yesterday.

Items being sent are...

Lori knitted booties and hats on a knitting loom and then wrapped them up with a nice ribbon...she also made fleece blankets to match;

Jo hand knitted a baby blanket and Jane also hand knitted a little hat;
Patty knitted the cutest little hats while her 14 year old daughter, Paige, sewed little blankets;

Ruth hand knitted teeny tiny booties/socks and included some knitted hats

I know those little preemie babies in Malawi will appreciate having a hat and booties to keep their heads and feet warm and of course a blankie to cuddle in
Our prayers go out to each and every little one and their families who will be touched by these items

I read somewhere that the mortality rate for these little babies is something like 85%

It just warms the cockles of my heart knowing that we helped a little one survive
(This post written by Ruth ~ Grandy on www.ravelry.com)

Tuesday Meetup at Panera's

A group of us met up at the local Panera Bread Company this evening, as we usually do on Tuesdays....

Virginia showed us her recent yarn acquisitions that just sort of followed her home...beautiful yarn...and she knows what she is going to knit with each one.

Jo modeled her shrug...she knitted it out of Peaches and Cream cotton yarn...it is nice and soft...

Jo also showed us a teddy bear she made for Jane...she had gotten the kit from Annie's Attic...cute little thing...even has his own knitted scarf

Pat made us a bit jealous (well maybe just me)...she was in the right place at the right time...when she put in an order at "The Loopy Ewe" it just happened to be their anniversary...she showed off her 'ewe' cup, Smooshy sock yarn (wool and cashmere) and a sock pattern...

Jane showed us a little jumper dress that she knitted for her 2 year old granddaughter, just add some white tights, mary janes and a white shirt...lucky little girl!

Paige brought her boyfriend along with her tonight...he didn't take up knitting but he evidently enjoyed the company (or maybe it was the food) as he was there quite a while before heading for Target.

Gail has made great progress on her hat...looks great girl...I look forward to seeing it on your head.

Pat's daughter is visiting from New York (she attends graduate school in NYC)...

Two new ladies joined us tonight also, Diane and Jennifer...welcome ladies...your company was enjoyed and we hope you'll be able to make more gatherings...

Lori stopped by to drop off a big bag with receiving blankets, hats and booties....some of our group has been making hats and booties and blankies over the last month...they'll be taken to Malawi for the little ones...it always makes me feel good all over when I've done some form of charity work...I have a bag of little preemie hats and booties ready for delivery...(sorry Lori, the picture came out all cattywhompus)

Suzanne couldn't make it tonight...she is being kept extra busy at work this month...you are missed.

Our next meetup will be on Thursday morning at Borders on Stockdale...we'd love to have you join us!

This post is by Ruth (Grandy on Ravelry)

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!