March 2009 Newsletter

Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage From Warm Socks To High Art


The Greater Milwaukee Knitting Guild welcomes
Dr. Susan Strawn to the March Guild meeting.
Dr. Strawn will have samples of vintage knitting
as well as a slide presentation based on her
research from her book :Knitting in America:
Glorious Heritage From Warm Socks To High
Art.
Knitter, writer and illustrator, Susan Strawn has
a PhD in Textiles and Clothing from Iowa
State University. A regular contributor to Piecework, Interweave
Knits, Spin-off and other textile magazines and journals,
she presented a paper entitled “ Back to the Knitting Needle:
Manufacturers, retailers, and the image of handknitting in
America, 1935-1955: to the Costume Society of America.
Strawn teaches textile-related classes at Dominican University in
River Forest, Illinois, and researches, hand- produced traditional
textiles. She lives in Oak Park, Illinois.
Spin-Off Magazine wrote:
“ Part picture book, part social history, part entertainment and
all fun, Knitting America” places the ordinary task of knitting
into the larger “context of American history. Beginning with the
first American knitters and working her way through the
decades to the present, historian and avid knitter Susan Strawn
shares a wealth of information about how knitters have
supported our troops during wartime, clothed their families,
founded businesses and expressed their creativity... There are
images of beautiful knitted items, and examples of printed
patterns and knitting posters.”


A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
I have the best news and as you can see, we have a newsletter editor!! It’s so
good to be in communication with everyone again. You don’t realize how much you’ll miss
something until you don’t have it. Thanks to Jeannie Goljenboom for volunteering to compile and
print the news for GMKG.
Our February meeting was a big hit. Tricia Anderson, a super talented, creative lady from Bigsby’s
Sewing Center came to demonstrate wool felting to us. Materials were supplied by the club and
donated by the Yarn House so we could sample the technique.
I’m looking forward to the March meeting. Our speaker is a knitting author who writes about the
history of knitting. I think she’s got a lot of understanding about our passion and will give us insight
on where many knitting facets came from. Don’t forget that the April meeting is our second annual
auction. Last year you were rookies and did a fantastic job of bringing auction items and bidding
generously. I can’t wait to see what we’ll do this year.
I hope all of you can make it to the meetings. It’s such a nice way to spend an evening. We can
talk to and get to know interesting people and learn our craft.
See you on March 10th
Linda
SECOND ANNUAL AUCTION
Our April meeting will be the annual auction.
We’ll be looking forward to all your creative
items to be auctioned off. Here are some
suggestions: think spring, picnics, sports,
jewelry, chocolate, coffees, candles, children’s
items( stuffed toys, Easter baskets), baskets of
gardening supplies. You get the idea. Look
through your magazines and start your projects.
Now it’s up to you. The more items we have the
more fun the Auction.
Your Auctioneer, Linda