Everything About Yarn: February 9 Meeting Preview

Hope you're still interested in learning all about yarn because we're going to give it another try--the topic we had to cancel in January will be presented in February (let's hope it doesn't snow).

Carol and helpers will lead us through a variety of hands-on activities that take us from raw fiber to finished yarn.  You'll learn ways to identify mystery yarns and new ways to estimate project yarn requirements.  You'll find the answers to such questions as "Are all crochet threads equal?  (no, they are not!) and "Does twist matter?"  (yes, it does!)  There will be demonstrations, handouts galore and over fifty (50!) examples of different fibers and yarn characteristics.

This is what you need for this meeting:

• Ruler (a measuring tape will not work)
• One-yard samples of several worsted weight (size 4) yarns
• Tapestry needle (any size will do—you’ll use it to pick apart yarns)
• Although you’ll receive a whole bunch of handouts, you’ll probably want to take some notes.
• A magnifying glass would be helpful.  

There will be information from this meeting useful for all skill levels - although complete beginners may be a little overwhelmed by some of the terminology. Other fiber artists - knitters, weavers, spinners - may find this meeting interesting as well so are invited to join us on Saturday, February 9th from 2:30PM to 4:30PM at Prospect Park United Methodist Church. We hope to see you there!

Charity Projects Update: January 2013 Meetup

On a "warm" January Saturday, seven Twin City crocheters met at the Bruegger's Bagels in the SunRay Shopping Plaza for three hours to work on charity projects. The private back room provides a nice space for working, socializing and snacking.

Carla, Gail, Jodi, Julie, June, Lisa and Maxine worked on various community service projects covering each one of our focus charities.  As a reminder, we are assisting these charities during our 2012-2013 year:

• Local need:  Harriet Tubman Center.  This is a domestic abuse shelter for women and children.  They need all sizes and styles of hats, mittens and scarves from October through April.  Patterns are available on the CGOA website under "Charities".
• National need:  Warm Up America!.  This group collects 7" x 9" squares to join into afghans.  It is best to use synthetic yarn for this project.  More details are available on the CGOA website under "Charities".
• Worldwide need:  The Mother Bear Project.  This group provides hand-knit or hand-crocheted bears to children with HIV/AIDS in emerging nations.  Carla has the pattern if you are interested in working on this project.  June was working on a bear on Saturday, and Lisa made one in the past if you have questions about the pattern.

At the end of our session, this January group had collected a grand total of 44 Warm Up America! rectangles, 10 hats, 4 scarves and one child's set of hat, mittens and scarf. Several members have been creating and collecting items since our last meeting in October.  Gail was our star provider, bringing in a full bag of donations. Maybe one of these years our chapter can compete in the national CGOA chapter challenge competition.

You don't have to attend a meetup to contribute.  If you would like to work on any of these projects in your free time, contact Carla or check the CGOA website for further information.  Donations are gladly accepted at any meeting.

Members can also suggest or start additional charity projects for the group to do. They can be ongoing or one-time projects.  Contact Maxine or Carla to discuss any ideas.

January 12 2013 Meeting Canceled

We'd had many reports of slick conditions in all parts of the Metro area and it's bound to get worse once the temperature starts to drop.  Some of our members drive a long way to attend meetings.  Since we want everyone to be safe, the Board decided to cancel the January meeting.

January's topic will be pushed back to February.  "All About Yarn" will be the topic of our February meeting.  We have a lot of information gathered, demonstrations planned, and samples and swatches accumulated for the meeting and we don't want anyone to miss out on the fun.

Everything About Yarn: January 12 Meeting Preview

UPDATE: The meeting on Saturday, Jan 13 is being cancelled due to weather. We're moving this topic to February.

This meeting could be subtitled "Everything you wanted to know about yarn - but were afraid to ask". This month Carol will lead us through a variety of hands-on activities that take us from raw fiber to finished yarn.  You'll learn ways to identify mystery yarns and new ways to estimate project yarn requirements.  You'll find the answers to such questions as "Are all crochet threads equal?  (no, they are not!) and "Does twist matter?"  (yes, it does!)  There will be handouts galore and over fifty (50!) examples of different fibers and yarn characteristics.

This is what you need for this meeting:

• Ruler (a measuring tape will not work)
• One-yard samples of several worsted weight yarns
• Tapestry needle (any size will do—you’ll use it to pick apart yarns)
• Although you’ll receive a whole bunch of handouts, you’ll probably want to take some notes.
• A magnifying glass would be helpful.  

There will be information from this meeting useful for all skill levels - although complete beginners may be a little overwhelmed by some of the terminology. Other fiber artists - knitters, weavers, spinners - may find this meeting interesting as well so are invited to join us on Saturday, January 13 from 2:30PM to 4:30PM at Prospect Park United Methodist Church. We hope to see you there!

Charity Projects: January 26 Meetup Announcement

The community outreach committee invites all interested crocheters to join us for a CTC Charity Project Meetup on Saturday morning January 26 at the Bruegger's in Sun Ray Shopping Center in St. Paul. We have the private room reserved from 9AM to noon but you are free to come for any length of time. The only thing we ask is that you use the time you're there to work on the designated charity projects rather than other projects.

If you're joining us, please bring the following items:

• A skein of smooth worsted weight yarn - a machine-washable material such as 100% acrylic is best so that donated items are easy to care for. Look for brands like Lion Brand Vanna's Choice, Red Heart Super Saver or Classic Yarn, or Caron Simply Soft - usually available at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Michaels Stores, or even Walmart.
• A suitable hook for the yarn - for most people, this will be an I9 or J10 size hook.
• Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

To read more about the specific charity projects we will be working on plus answers to many other questions, see this blog entry about our first meetup.