GMKG Newsletter for May 2010

Mission
The Greater Milwaukee Knitting
Guild is open to anyone
interested in knitting at any level.
Our mission is to promote
interest, appreciation, and skill in
knitting.

Meetings are held in the North
Dining Room of Bergstrom Hall,
Mount Mary College on the
second Tuesday of each month.
Social Hour begins at 6:15 pm.
Our “ Knitting Doctors” are
available at that time for advice
and consultation on your knitting
projects.

The monthly meeting begins at
7:00 pm followed by the Monthly
program.

Mount Mary College is located at
2900 N. Menomonee River
Parkway, Milwaukee, WI

The subject of our May meeting , is Stashology
201 with Chris Bylsma.
We will learn to release our creative powers to
combine fibers, textures, colors, and varying
weights to create many different types of
“stash fabric.” Please bring with you 8-10
different skeins of yarn in a variety of weights
and colors- but no extra bulky or chenille and
appropriate sizes of knitting needles.
Chris retired from a career in marketing
communications and advertising to pursue her
artistic passion – knitting and “texture play.”
She teaches workshops coast to coast for
guilds, TNNA, conferences and shops and in
her hometown, Madison, Wisconsin. In
addition, she has her own line of knitting
patterns available through retail yarn stores.
Her approach to knitting is that the process
and the end product should both be a joy and
designs with that in mind.
Chris is noted for her Crayon Box Jacket and
inventive Ladder Scarf and Ladder Shawl. She
encourages knitters to “color outside the lines”
where it’s more fun, and to “think outside the
box” (she has occasionally been accused of
actually not having a box).

MEMBERSHIP
Submitted by Mary K
From time to time the newsletter will be
featuring a guild member. Every guild member
should know Mary G-F. She is this
year’s president and conducts our meetings. So
let’s learn a little more about her. Here are her
answers to questions we asked her.
GUILD INVOLVEMENT: Currently president,
served as secretary for 2 years. Has given
programs on beading and mittens, and been a
demonstrator at round robins.
GUILD MEMBER: Over 15 years. Joined after
TKGA (the Knitting Guild of America) had a
convention in Milwaukee and learned about the
Milwaukee guild.
BEST PART OF THE GUILD: It’s lot of fun and
I’ve learned lots of things but I wish everyone
would get more involved.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A KNITTER: over
35 years.
WHO TAUGHT YOU: Dot Spransy who owned
the Wool Works yarn shop on Irving Street on
Milwaukee’s east side.
FAVORITE TYPE OF KNITTING: Lace
CURRENT PROJECT(S): Knit One Below scarf,
and 2 shawls. Usually start 6 or 7 large projects
a year and completes 2, not counting any sock
projects.
WHO DO YOU KNIT FOR: me, socks for my
husband, and gifts for others.
STASH: 1 room in the house plus part of
another room. Some day the stash will be
organized.
FAVORITE KNITTING BOOK: Principles of
Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt which is
now out of print.
OCCUPATION: U.S. Bank in the Wealth
Management Division for over 20 years.
OTHER INTERESTS: Beading and making
jewelry, spinning and some weaving, ballet
classes 4 times a week.
Mary takes the bus to and from work and
knits while on the bus. She does not drive
so instead of spending money on a car and
maintenance, she spends it on knitting.
The guild has two new members, Ann
F. and Lois N.
Ann has been knitting most of her life. She
enjoys knitting sweaters, socks, hats, and
mittens, some of it as charity knitting. In
addition, she is a quilt maker and a bike
rider. She owns her own business, Ann
Marie’s Window Fashions designing and
producing custom window treatments. She
is the Box Office Manager for the
Menomonee Falls Patio Players. She
participates in a small knitting group.
Welcome Ann.
Lois has been knitting since she was 10
years old. Lois is now retired but she is a
former school teacher and US government
worker.
Welcome to the Guild

SABLE 2010 Yarn Stash Down
Its not too late to make your 2010 yarn stash down
Fill out your commitment card and turn it into
Margaret, Peggy or Jeannie today. AS you finish
your projects, let us know and we will mark it off
your cards.
Prizes will be awarded at the August meeting to the
person who knits the most yardage from their stash
and for knitting the most skeins from their stash .

STASHOLOGY
The subject of our May Guild meeting is
Stashology 201 with Chris Bylsma.
Ms. Bylsma has asked that everyone bring
along 8-10 partial skeins of yarn. The yarns
may be any fiber or color and any gauge but
No chenille or extra bulky . The skeins need
to be wound ahead of time. Also bring a range
of knitting needles appropriate to the yarn that
you will be knitting.

CHARITY KNITTING
Submitted by Marge A.
Look through your stash because we need
hats, scarves, and mittens (adult and
children) for these worthy causes:
School Health Nurse Program: Children’s
Hospital nurses provide services to 43
schools in the Milwaukee area. Children’s
ages range from infants to high school.
There are approximately 12,000 students
and many in need of hats, scarves, and
mittens. They can accept our donations at
any time of the year and store them until
needed.
Chemo Infusion Center which is affiliated
with the breast and GYN Oncology
programs: Aurora Women’s Pavilion at
West Allis Hospital. They could definitely
use hats for cancer patients (men and
women). Use soft yarns and avoid using
any yarn that contains wool because it can
be harmful to some cancer patients. When
cancer patients receive handmade chemo
caps, they know that someone cares. I
found great patterns on the following
Internet site: www.headhuggers.org I
couldn’t resist knitting up a few.
Food for the Hungry, Inc.: They deliver to
Children’s crises centers, day care centers,
women’s abuse centers, food pantries, and
other social service programs in South
Eastern Wisconsin. I got a nice letter
thanking the Guild for all the knit items we
donated last year, and they are hopeful
that they could be a recipient again this
year.
You can choose any of the above
organizations to receive your knit items,
and I will make sure they are delivered to
that organization. I will try to collect
finished items at all our meetings.

WHAT’S AHEAD
May
13 Hands on 2010-www.handsonretreat.com
retreat for glove and mitten knitters, Chicago,
IL
15-17 Door County Wisconsin Shepherds
Market, Whitefish Bay Farm
June
12-13 Iowa Sheep and Wool festival, Adel,
Iowa www.iowasheep.com
12 World Wide knit in Public Day
15 Michigan Fiber Fiesta, Klackle Orchard,
Greenville Michigan

Minutes April 13, 2010 Knitting Guild
meeting
The meeting was called to order by President
Mary G–F at 7:20 P.M.
The secretary was not present so Mary K.
volunteered to take minutes.
Treasurer’s report: At our March meeting
Treasurer Karen R. resigned and Joanie
C., last year’s treasurer, agreed to
serve as treasurer until there is a new one.
Membership: Mary K. reported 2 new
members joined last month.
Programs: Next month’s program will be
“Stashology 101” with Chris Bylsma. Please
bring 8 to 10 partial skeins of yarn and
needles. Tonight’s program is our annual
auction.
Money made from the auction helps pay for
speakers for programs, as our dues mostly
only covers rent.
New Business:
A nomination committee should have been
formed in March per our by-laws as we should
have elections at our June meeting. If you
are interested in serving as an officer or being
on a nominating committee please contact
Mary G.-F.. Mary K. agreed to be
the membership chair for next year.
Stitch and Pitch sponsored by the Milwaukee
Brewers will be August 11.
Stitches Midwest will be held August 19 – 22.
Registration for classes begins online April 14.
We need a volunteer to get a bus organized
for the guild’s field trip to Stitches.
The Wisconsin State Fair: The fair will not
have groups demonstrating crafts at the fair
Fiberwoods is sponsoring a Yarn Stash sale.
Please contact the shop for more information.
Carolyn M. moved to close the meeting
and was seconded by Jackie H..
Submitted by
Mary K.