SMKG Blog

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This Month

Birthdays

Happy August Birthday to:

• Debbi Juul
• Joellen Kay
• Carol Kleckner
• Marjory Lange
• Marian Thomas
• Joan Welsh

Happy September Birthday to:

• Teresa Furnish
• Judy Ozalan
• Debbie Paxson
• Marcia Smith

August Meeting Highlights

As is our tradition, we held our August meeting at Silver Falls State Park. And as usual, it was a beautiful sunny day, where we dined at the café and then knit outside in the shade of the majestic trees. Next year we will coordinate carpooling to encourage more members to attend.

Fun at the Fair!

Our Knitting Guild was very involved in the Oregon State Fair again this year, with members setting up the displays of knitting, crocheted, felted, sewn, and stitched creations. We also had a demonstration table where many of us took turns knitting, greeting visitors, and answering questions. Our table drew many people because of the “emotional support chickens” knit by a couple of members. Our Guild President, Joyce Arthur, was the coordinator of this entire part of the fair. Great job, Joyce! The last day is Labor Day, so you still have time to come by to relish the talents and treasures of Oregon.

Upcoming Events

September 2024 Meeting

We are back at our usual place at the Willamette Heritage Center from 10 AM to noon. Our program is the story of how a tiny yarn shop was saved—bought by a group of 20 women, mostly retired, who turned it into a thriving destination yarn shop. (I know, because I was one of those women! — Judith Bither, Secretary) A PowerPoint with photos will highlight this story.

We also have Show and Tell time to let everyone see what you have been working on. For more information, contact us at SalemKnitters@outlook.com.

Other Events

• September 21-22, 2024 – Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival (OFFF), Albany, OR
• November 1-2, 2024 – Salem Fiber Arts Guild Sale, Willamette Heritage Center, Salem, OR
• November 29 – December 2, 2024 – Magic at the Mill, Willamette Heritage Center, Salem, OR

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This Month

Birthdays

Happy July Birthday to:

• Debbie Juul
• Joellen Kay
• Carol Kleckner
• Marjory Lange
• Marian Thomas
• Joan Welsh

Happy August Birthday to:

• Sandy Galbraith
• Kathleen Holt
• Larin Lightner
• Tia Purdy
• Genevieve Ticknor
• Tricia Yates

July Meeting Highlights

Our July meeting was a lot of fun as we celebrated “Christmas in July.” Members were very generous with the yarn and yarn-related “gifts” donated. The following thank you was submitted following the meeting:

At our July Meeting, Sue Culbertson and Margaret Fizer (aka The Hat Ladies) received 83 hats for the SMKG Service Project–Operation School Bell Hats for Head Start to 3rd Grade. This is in addition to the 80 we currently have.

The Hat Ladies are so grateful to our members for their kind hearts and beautiful knitting.Each hat is unique and our School Children will love them.

Keep on knitting! – Margaret Fizer and Sue Culbertson

Also submitted for the newsletter was the following, sent by Su Fennern, Events Coordinator:

Another wonderful fiber event, Black Sheep Gathering, was held in Albany, OR, at the Conference Center June 28-30, 2024. Members from our Guild spent time talking with visitors from just right around here to ones as far away as Germany. Yes, the lady from Germany came just for the Gathering.

There was no doubt that the show stopper for our table was the Emotional Support Chicken. Thanks to Heather and Marsha, who shared their beloved chickens. Almost all the times when someone would pick up the chicken, they would stick it under their arm. We did have one young lady ask if she could touch the chicken and then she took it, put it under arm, and off she went. Mom was right on her tail and directed her to return it to the table and say thank you.

Our goal for attending these local fiber festivals is to share about our Guild and to get more members. We won’t know right away if we gain new members from our presence for at least 2 to 3 months or longer.

Thanks to the following members that spent time sharing information about our Guild: Joyce Arthur, Su Fennern, Sandy Galbraith, Kathy Goebel, Marsha Graciosa, JoEllen Kay, Ellen Nordal, Debbie Paxson, Heather Sly-Haley, and Marian Thomas.

The Magic at the Mill yearly event has a change in the dates. For 2024, Magic will happen Friday, November 29 – Monday, December 2 (not as close to Christmas as it has been in the past). The Guild will have an informational table at this event. More to come on this.

U.S. Olympians Wear Oregon Wool

If you’ve been glued to your TV the past week like the rest of us, you can be proud to know those snazzy Summer Olympics ceremony outfits worn by the U.S. athletes were crafted by designer Ralph Lauren from wool sourced from Oregon sheep!

As has been the case for the previous three Winter Olympics and Paralympics, the wool comes from Imperial Stock Ranch and Shaniko Wool Company, based in Maupin. It all started in 2012, when Ralph Lauren reached out to ranch leader Jeanne Carver after he’d caught flak for producing U.S. Olympic Team ceremony outfits overseas. The ensuing partnership enabled her to launch Shaniko, a farm group that markets and sells sustainable wool. Carver was herself an athlete at Oregon State University in the 1970s, competing in volleyball and track.

Upcoming Events

August 2024 Meeting

We are having our annual gathering at Silver Falls State Park. If you didn’t get your reservation in, no problem—come anyway and order off the menu.

Our short business meeting will be at 11:30. Check your email for the flyer with all the details.

— Judith Bither, Secretary

Other Events

• August 28 – September 2, 2024 – Oregon State Fair, Salem, OR
• September 21-22, 2024 – Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival (OFFF), Albany, OR

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This Month

Birthdays

Happy June Birthday to:

• Nancy Campion
• Carol Jones
• Sue Tyvoll

Happy July Birthday to:

• Debbie Juul
• Joellen Kay
• Carol Kleckner
• Marjory Lange
• Marian Thomas
• Joan Welsh

June Meeting Highlights: A Visit to Goat Knoll Farm

On a sunny June 8, fifteen of us gathered at the Goat Knoll Farm in Dallas, Oregon, to meet the couple running the farm. Linda and Bob invited us right into their home, where they shared the history of their 50-acre farm and answered our questions. Linda had some of her yarn for sale in both kits and skeins. Some were 100% cashmere and others 50/50 cashmere and Shetland blends. All the fiber is raised right there.

We took a stroll down to the barn to view the animals, where we met about 30 goats (including an adorable and friendly 4-month-old named Snowball), numerous sheep, one llama, one extremely friendly barn cat, and two very large guard dogs. Over 100 pounds each, the dogs live outside 365 days a year to guard the flocks. There are also pigs living at the farm.

It was a very enjoyable outing. If you would like to view their luscious products, they will be at the Black Sheep Gathering June 28-30 at the Linn County Fairgrounds.

Upcoming Events

July 2024 Meeting

It’s Christmas in July! If you have any patterns, knitting books, needles, notions or yarn to pass along, please bring them. This is a time to share some of your treasures that you no longer need or can use. The only catch is, if no one claims it, you take it home.

Speaking of sharing, the other part of our gathering is for each person to share a knitted item, tool, pattern, technique, etc. with the group. Have you learned a new way to cast off or cast on? Have you discovered a tip or trick for a difficult task? Any new “must have” tools, such as a knitting light, new needles, a luscious new yarn? It would be great if everyone would bring something to share with the group!

Other Events

• June 28-30, 2024 – Black Sheep Gathering, Albany, OR
• August 28 – September 2, 2024 – Oregon State Fair, Salem, OR
• September 21-22, 2024 – Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival (OFFF), Albany, OR

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This Month

Birthdays

Happy May Birthday to:

• Cindy Barrick
• Kathy Goebel

Happy June Birthday to:

• Nancy Campion
• Carol Jones
• Sue Tyvoll

May Meeting Highlights

We started with a summary of Sheep to Shawl from Su Fennern. Members from our Guild put on their raincoats, pulled on their waterproof shoes, and welcomed visitors to the 38th Annual Sheep to Shawl event at the Willamette Heritage Center on Saturday, May 4, 2024. The annual event drew hundreds of people who watched the live sheep shearing, duck races down the Mill Stream, tasted Dutch oven cooking, watched blacksmithing, saw many different fiber artistic demonstrations, plus the making of an item from getting the fleece from the sheep prepared and cleaned, spinning the fiber into yarn, and weaving the resulting item—thus the name Sheep to Shawl.

There was a display about this year’s Guild Service Project—hats for 3rd graders for the Operation School Bell through the Salem-Keizer Assistance League.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the following Guild members:
Joyce Arthur, Cindy Barrick, Judith Bither, Janet Bubl, Kathy Goebel, Marsha Graciosa, Debbie Juul, Cheryl Kleckner, Debbie Paxon, and Diane Williams.

These ladies shared items that they had made, shared information about the Guild, and answered all kinds of questions.

Chicken Program

Heather Sly-Haley presented a fun and interesting program introducing knitted emotional support animals. She showed us two she had knit: a chicken and a seagull.

Before the pandemic, chickens were not allowed to be emotional support animals, as they were considered to be livestock. As backyard flocks have increased, so has the attachment to chickens. They have now been approved as an official emotional support animal. These fiber versions are a lot easier and less messy to care for!

These were knit flat and then stuffed and sewn together. Some put weights in them; others add fragrance. Using rice as the stuffing allows them to be warmed in a microwave. There are even kits available for knitting your very own pet!

Patterns are available on Ravelry and come in a variety of styles.

Show & Tell

We looked at Cheryl Kleckner’s Biscotte Brioche Socks that she knitted for her husband from Premier (no wool) sock yarn.

Upcoming Events

June 2024 Meeting

We are taking a field trip to Goat Knoll Farm in Dallas, Oregon.

If you would like to carpool, meet at the Mill. We’ll leave there at 10 AM.

Bring a lunch to picnic. We’ll feed the animals (goats, sheep, and alpacas), and yarn will be available to purchase. Check out their website to learn more about this lovely place.

Other Events

• May 18-19, 2024 – Fat Lamb Fiber Festival, Scio, OR
• June 28-30, 2024 – Black Sheep Gathering, Albany, OR

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This Month

Birthdays

February Birthdays

• Joyce Cook
• Patty Scruggs

March Birthdays

• Lynda Hoodward
• Ginny Mahoney

February Meeting Highlights

The February 10 meeting began with a short business meeting:

• Service Project for the year will be “Operation School Bell” to provide new hand-knit hats for children (K-3rd grade) in need. This is a project of the Assistance League. Please use acrylic yarn for washability, and if you need a simple pattern, Margaret Fizer or Sue Culbertson are happy to provide one.
• President Joyce Arthur asked for a vote of those accepting the By-laws that were emailed marking suggested changes last week. Passed.
• Tia Purdy was elected to be Guild VP for 2024.
• A new process was used for Show and Tell where finished projects were placed on a table with a tag (see below).

Program: Compass Moon Creations

Jennefer Marker introduced her family business that started in 2017. They purchase 600 fleeces from 26 small family farms in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), Colorado, and Delaware. She works educating 4H and FFA youth all over the PNW in the types of animals. She presented a lively education to the Guild about the various types of wool, what the properties are and the best types for various knits. She brought a lot of her hand spun yarn to purchase, as well as stitch markers and stickers she has created. Click here to visit her Etsy shop!

Show & Tell

• Su Fennern showed her finished Mini Noa by Faina Goberstein of FGDesigns (Ravelry link)
• Debbie Paxson showed her finished 1898 Hat and Miss Marple Scarf in bright pink wool (Ravelry links)
• Sandy Galbraith showed a beautiful finished orange/yellow/gray/blue shawl (pattern unreadable)
• Tia showed her finished Wrap Me Up Sweater Scarf by Knitatude (Ravelry link)
• Heather Sly-Haley showed her finished Landon hat by ashleybah (Ravelry link)

Upcoming Events

March 2024 Meeting

Paco Handly is coming to introduce us to Naal Binding, an ancient form of knitting from Scandinavia using a single needle, originally from a whale. He will be using a PowerPoint and bring several demonstrations.

Other Events

• Willamette Heritage Center had a February Membership Drive
• March 7-10, 2024 Rose City Yarn Crawl, Portland, OR
• May 4, 2024 Sheep to Shawl – Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill