We Wear Red Knit Along
Sweater:  February Ladies Sweater
Yarn:  Tanis Fiber Arts Aran Weight in We Wear Red colorway
Includes:  Sufficient yarn for size chosen, Red Dress pin, pattern and shipping.
Starts:  July 1st
Finishes:  July 29th

Pre order today so Tanis can get right to work on the yarn.  Kits must be ordered by June 15th at the latest to guarantee July 1st delivery.

Never tried Tanis Fiber Arts – now is definitely the time!  If you love Dream in Color – you will love this yarn too!  I promise!

25% of all sales will be donated to the Heart Truth.  Link is posted on the store location page at www.pickupsticks.ca

Here’s where you can find all the kits in the various sizes:
http://pickupsticks.ca/index.php?cPath=420

Thank you so much!  Let’s all Wear Red this Summer!

A group of knitters in Mersham, England has done just this. Nearly every building in their small village is reproduced in this knitted village.

The knitters did this as a way to raise money for their small town. Go here to (as Paul Harvey would say…) read the rest of the story. http://abcnews.go.com:80/International/story?id=7633204&page=1

And here for a video… http://abcnews.go.com/International/video/playerIndex?id=6805423

KnitIdeas.com. Great site.  Share your ideas, swap yarn, and show off your knitting creations……. Here: http://www.knitideas.com/

Knit with Debbie Stoller in Tuscany this summer!
Come along on a week long adventure in fiber, food, and fun!
Join her this summer for an unforgettable knitting adventure in the beautiful Tuscan region of Italy.

You’ll be visiting an angora farm, meeting the amazing lace makers and lace-making school of Lake Trasimeno, and checking out the yarn stores (including an incredible Italian yarn mill outlet) of Florence, and much more!

More here!

This particular issue features cables, such as the sweater pictured.
Knitnet also has a free e-newsletter you can sign up for.

StreetKnit, a group of knitters in Toronto who knit items for homeless shelters is mentioned. “Down at The Pump, a pub in our University of Toronto neighbourhood, knitters are gathering every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. to chat and knit for StreetKnit, which collects new hand knit items to be donated to the various shelters and homelessness groups across the city. As the group’s Web site says, We can’t knit shelter, but we can do the next best thing.

Well it’s a sign of the times when even television shows are getting extreme makeovers and “Needle Arts Studio with Shay Pendray” is the next contestant. They will be receiving a new name, new theme and a new set.

The 30 minute episodes which begin in July will be hosted by “Interweave Knits” Editor Eunny Jang, “Interweave Crochet” Editor Kim Werker, “Handwoven” Managing Editor and former Managing Editor of “Spin-Off,” Liz Gipson, along with Shay Pendray.

If you are more of a do-er than a watcher then “KnittingDailyTV ” vows to merge how-to television programming with the online community in an exciting new way.

KnittingDailyTV.com is the online companion to the TV show. The site will feature video clips, episode recaps, patterns, interactive discussion, local TV schedules, and more. In addition, “KnittingDailyTV ” will have a presence on MySpace and Facebook and episode previews will be available on YouTube.

The show will regularly invite the Knitting Daily online community to be a part of the program by incorporating segments such as “You Asked It,” where hosts answer everyday needle-arts questions of people in the online community or “You Made It,” featuring their handmade creations—bringing a fun twist to the traditional knitting circle and the viral concept of the online knit-along.

“Knitting Daily TV” is produced by KS Inc. Productions and will be offered in the same public television time slot as Needle Arts Studio, which has carriage in more than 157 markets and distribution to 55 million U.S households.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KMaholics/

This group originated in Belgium (March 2006) and started with a handful of French-speaking knitters.
It quickly grew into an international board with 157 members as of today (7 October 2006).
All our messages are in both French and English. Some members translate their own messages and, for the rest, I translate them myself.
All makes of knitting machines are represented. Any knitting level, from beginner to expert.
We share our experience and experiments, our problems and solutions, help each other and try to give as many hints and tips as we can.
The group is strictly moderated and every member and message has to be approved. This is because each message has to be translated but also to avoid nasties reaching our resources.
We have a database, links, photo albums and files at our members’ disposal.
Please visit, join and enjoy – Loulou

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Knittingmachines/

KnittingMachines
A gathering place for knitting machine enthusiasts.
We share ideas and seek solutions to knitting problems.

Wisconsin Machine Knitting Guild
We are an online yahoo group based guild accepting members from Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota. We have a free site and publish a free monthly newsletter packed with patterns, tips, and interesting articles.

Our purpose is to establish a network of local machine knitters, and machine knitting clubs to further the craft. We are not affiliated with any dealership or yarn distributor. We hope this will lead to sharing of ideas, activities and promotion of machine knitting locally; to attract new knitters to our craft, and give them local support to continue. Seminars, workshops and get-togethers are starting to happen in a small way. We have an annual face to face get together that grows in size each year.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WMKG/

——–Suzanne Said—–

When visiting my Grandmother’s home at a very early age, I remember seeing what seemed like a huge statue of our Lady with a lighted candle at her feet. I was a very curious child, so inevitably I asked why Our Lady had a lit candle. Was she afraid of the dark? I was told that Granny was keeping the light lit as a prayerful vigil for the safe return of my Aunt and Uncle who were in harm’s way, and this was a life-altering experience for me.
Since that war, we are have engaged in several other wars and, especially now, the Terrorist attacks that leave many people, like my Grandmother, waiting in prayer for the safe return of husbands and wives, daughters and sons, brothers and sisters. They wait – with or without lit candles. They wait worried and concerned – they wait – they wait – they wait and keep vigil for the safe return of their loved ones.

an we help these people wait?
Can we wait with them?
Yes, we can. As knitters, we can knit for our family and friends, who hold vigils of prayer for their loved ones in harm’s way, a shawl…… to wrap them in love. With our own loving hands, stitch-by-stitch and inch-by-inch, we can combine our knits and purls’ to create a shawl that will wrap them in a warm caring hug. We can join them in wait as we knit day-by-day the shawl that will bring them comfort and love, during this painful and difficult time in their lives.
There can be peace in our world. Let it begin with those of us who are knitters, as we knit our way to World Peace!
Please visit Trinity Peace Shawls at http://www.trinityshawls.com to see the Rosary Peace Shawl Pattern and Kit. The kits come with the matching gift card, as a special way for you to give your shawl knitted in prayer and love for peace!
Suzanne M Harker
d/b/a Trinity Shawls
http://www.trinityshawls.com/
© Trinity Shawls 2007 All Rights Reserved.

Suzanne wrote:

“Many people use our traditional knitting as a means to quiet their minds, of nourishing their inner being, for releasing their creative energy, for peaceful reflection, and for prayer. The repetitive movement of knitting is a way of quieting and refreshing us at the very same time. Most of us, knitters, leave a period of knitting refreshed and renewed through reflective knitting.

Trinity Shawls is offering to those of us who knit in this way knitting instructions and prayer guidelines on the very same bi-fold page. This is a way for us to have suggestive ways to help and guide us in a way of knitting in prayer for prayer that we already do instinctively.

The mission of Trinity Shawls is to offer professionally designed shawls in beautiful colors with Scriptural inspired meditations for our knitting in prayer for prayer.

Trinity Shawls is introducing the newest Knit-to-Pray Booklet series called Knit-to-Pray with Martha and Mary. With this new addition to the series, Knit-to-Pray with Martha and Mary in friendship includes the introduction of the Trinity Strip Pattern and Contemplative Knitting. The shawls are designed to be made with Worsted Wool and to be worn in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. This booklet includes 4 new designs for the Martha, Mary, Martha/Mary, and Lazarus shawls continues in the tradition of the first Knit-to-Pray with Martha and Mary Booklet.

The first booklet is called Knit-to-Pray with Martha and Mary in simplicity and includes the introduction of the Trinity Border Pattern, the Lazarus Shawl for mourning and grieving, suggestions for praying for the Martha and Mary stories in Sacred Scripture, and guidelines for Knit-to-Pray gatherings.

The first publication in the series is entitled Knit-to-Pray with three shawl patterns are: The Annunciation (celebration is March 25th), The Visit (celebration is May 31st), and The Nativity (celebration is December 25th). The patterns of each of the three shawls are offered in two beautiful sets of colors for the Fall-to-Winter and Winter-to-Spring Collections. Both Collections are in bright colors and patterns with prayer reflections based on the Sacred Scripture.

[tag]Knit-to-Pray[/tag] is a unique way for us to pray through reading the [tag]Scripture[/tag] and meditating on the Scripture reflections while knitting in solitude and in groups. When our shawl is completed, we may use this shawl to create sacred space for ourselves or give it to a friend to continue the journey in praying, reflecting, meditating, and contemplating Sacred Scripture.”

Also available at Suzanne’s site are shawl kits containing wool, pattern and needles to complete your project.

Suzanne also runs a yahoo group Knit-to-Pray is an international community of knitters who join together in spirit and prayer! Knit-to-Pray invites Knitters to receive an inspirational quotation to hold in their heart while they knit. Knit-to-Pray invites Knitters to share with other Knitters their insights from reflecting and meditation on the quotes.

At the University, a beginners class is free and the project is a purse. [tag]Nazanin S. Fard[/tag] (Nazee) shows you the shortcuts. She shows you all the details, from holding needles, casting on to decreasing and binding off, with all the diagrams, all in plain English, no knitting lingo. However, as a knitter, you do need to become familiar with knitting lingo, as it is the standard way of writing instructions in almost every project. That is why after she explains every instruction in plain English, she shows its equivalent in knitting lingo, so you become familiar with it for your next endeavor in knitting world.

Many advanced classes are available, a few of the knitting techniques covered in the classes are Double Knitting, Kitchener Stitch or Bind Off and Circular Short Rows.

Additional classes teach cables, easy ways of working with color and socks that are worked from cuff to toe on two circular needles.

The classes are moderately priced and most are two lessons. The Needlecraft University site also offers a newsletter and a discussion board where you can your questions, and as you visit, respond to those you know the answer.

People of different faiths are discovering that crafts like knitting can be a form of prayer or meditation.

On Sunday, some people go to church to worship. On Saturday, some go to church to [tag]knit[/tag].

“We are knitting prayers into [tag]shawl[/tag]s to bless those who will receive them,” said Julie Tampa, one of 40 women who show up, knitting needles in hand, to spend two hours each weekend knitting and praying at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in the Great Valley in Paoli, Penn. “It is a time to become aware of God’s presence and God’s grace.”

Tampa and perhaps thousands of others are participants in what has come to be known as [tag]The Shawl Ministry[/tag], a new way the faithful serve the less fortunate by [tag]knitting[/tag] or [tag]crocheting[/tag] warm, colorful shawls they hope will literally wrap them in prayer.

As with other crafting-for-charity programs, like those that make blankets for Afghans, chemo caps for cancer patients, or toys for premature babies, the [tag]Shawl Knitting Ministry[/tag] works to help people in crisis-such as unwed mothers, migrant workers, and victims of domestic violence. But there is something else going on here.

In 1998, Janet Bristow and Victoria Galo, two graduates of the 1997 Women’s Leadership Institute at The Hartford Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut gave birth to a ministry as a result of their experience in this program of applied [tag]Feminist Spirituality[/tag] under the direction of Professor [tag]Miriam Therese Winter[/tag], MMS. Compassion and the love of knitting/crocheting have been combined into a prayerful ministry and spiritual practice which reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace, as well as in celebration and joy. Many blessings are prayed into every shawl.

Whether they are called[tag] Prayer Shawls[/tag], Comfort Shawls, Peace Shawls, or [tag]Mantles[/tag], etc., the shawl maker begins with prayers and blessings for the recipient. The intentions are continued throughout the creation of the shawl. Upon completion, a final blessing is offered before the shawl is sent on its way. Some recipients have continued the kindness by making a shawl and passing it onto someone in need. Thus, the blessing ripples from person-to-person, with both the giver and receiver feeling the unconditional embrace of a sheltering, mothering God!

At the Shaw Ministry site you will find many helpful links including patterns, prayers and ideas on how to start a Shaw Ministry in your area.

I can’t believe that a bank actually thought a sock yarn club is a scam, because, after all, no one buys THAT much sock yarn. Yeah, right – what rock have they lived under?

Blue Moon’s bank refunded all monies paid into the the [tag]Rockin’ Sock Club[/tag]. [tag]Blue Moon[/tag] issued a letter to all members of the club and asked that all bloggers get the word out to all fellow [tag]knitters[/tag]. A copy of the letter is on the Yarn Harlot’s site with more information. Like she writes – Freakin’ muggles! I can’t wait for the new Harry Potter book either, but I digress.

Blue Moon states that all can be made right by going to their website and registering and paying for the club again upon receipt of your refund.

It’s a wonder this didn’t throw them into a hissy fit! But Ladies they are, and Ladies they remain as they will not tell the name of the bank.

Otherwise we would be able to cast a spell on them and have them barfing every minute.

Have you read any good non-knitting knitting books lately? Two fiction knitting books that I love that have nothing to do with creating a project, but are about knitting are by Debbie Macomber, “The Shop on Blossom Street” and “A Good Yarn”. While reading these books you begin to dream about finding that perfect yarn store and that perfect knitting club where you have a sense of belonging and community. Then you think, this is just fiction – right? This type of shop doesn’t exist, does it? Well sometimes fiction does become reality.

Kate Jacobs, author of “The Friday Night Knitting Club” has written a book around Walker & Daughter, a knitting store in Manhattan. This yarn store hosts a Friday Night Knitting Club that was the basis for the book and Ms. Jacobs is a drop in member. It seems that a good yarn store with a knitting club does exist and not just in our minds but alive and well in Manhattan! The book is expected to be adapted to a film of the same name starring Julia Roberts. It is scheduled for release in 2008.

Another book to add to your reading list is titled “Stitch ‘n Bitch“. This book is not your normal learn-to-knit book and takes an irreverent look at learning how to knit that will undoubtedly appeal to this new generation of knitters. What makes this guide exceptional, however, is its chapter on the “Wonderful World of Knitters,” which details how to start your own Stitch ‘n Bitch circle and plug into the virtual knitting communities on the Web. There are many local chapters that meet at unusual locations but it’s not your grandma’s knitting circle. Women get together at a coffee shop or bookstore and knit while chatting.

Yahoo groups Has over 2000 results for knitting groups. Of course as with all yahoo groups some of them are more active than others but if sock making is your talent than you will love the socknitters group which has over 10,000 members who share patterns, tips and knitting tricks. Who would have thought so many people liked to knit socks.

If your one of those knitters who has projects all over the house that are unfinished than I suggest joining a knit along. Members share a pattern and knit along together keeping in touch via e-mail or yahoo group to keep track and hopefully motivate each other to complete the project.

If your looking for a younger group to share your patterns with than try out Craftster.org . Not all patterns come with tutorials but there certainly is some interesting discussions.

So if you find yourself sitting by the crackling fire and wish you had someone to chat to about knitting and your partner just doesn’t care about purl or slip stitches than join a forum, chat or group and talk about knitting till.. well the wool runs out.