Tag: crochet

Meeting Minutes

June 2025 Minutes

Salem Millstream Knitting Guild

This Month

Birthdays

knitted slice of yellow cake with pink icing, raspberry filling, and a pink knitted birthday candle on top

Happy June Birthday to:

  • Nancy Compton
  • Carol Jones
  • Sue Tyvoll

June Meeting Highlights

Guild Business

Our meeting happened to fall on Worldwide Knit in Public day. Did you get to knit in public?

Fiberarts Stash Sale was held on Willamette Heritage Center grounds. Only members could sell their stash, but anyone could buy.

President Joyce Arthur is working on the Guild Roster with Sue Culbertson. Joyce asked if there was any objection to distributing the Roster to Guild members. There was no objection. When completed, the Roster will be distributed to all members.

Marjory Lange and Kathy Goebel have health challenges and could not attend the meeting. Joyce asked members to text/send cards if they would like.

Joyce asked each member to review and sign the “Hold Harmless” forms and return them.

Reminder that Black Sheep Gathering is coming up June 27-29 at the Linn County Expo Center in Albany.

The Oregon State Fair is announcing “Calling All Young Makers,” a Creative Living Competition for young artists and creators in the textile dept. See the Oregon State Fair website for more info on this and other ways to enter all the categories, plus submission deadlines. The Oregon State Fair dates are August 22 – September 1, 2025.

Su Fennern announced there are nine listed Guild members who will participate in the Salem Fiberarts Guild November sale. There will be a meeting of these members after the regular Guild meeting on July 12, 2025. At that time, seller info will be shared and questions answered. If you would like to be a seller and are not listed, please contact Su Fennern and plan to come to the meeting. 

Service Project Donations

  • Hope Pregnancy Clinic – 3 baby items
  • Watch Caps for OSH Museum of Mental Health – 5 Watch Caps
  • Operation School Bell – 20 hats

Show & Tell

Marion Thomas made a very handsome hat for Operation School Bell. She couldn’t remember the pattern, but it might have been brioche or twisted ribbing.

Program

Speaker Makayla from Hooked in a Flash presented many interesting ways to conquer gauge questions when beginning a sweater pattern. She stated that we should check our gauge, because each person knits differently… are you a tight, loose, or somewhere in-between knitter? 

Knowing your measurements: circumference of the neck, bust, hips and the arm hole are critical for a good fit. She gave a math equation of stitch count divided by stitches per inch to make your gauge swatch for further calculations on how many stitches to cast on. She also mentioned two other helpful guides as noted below. 

Wraps Per Inch – Wrap yarn snugly for 1” on a pencil. Each inch represents the number of stitches/types of yarn as listed below.  This can vary widely or can be just right.

  • Lace  30-40 wpi
  • Fingering  13-30 wpi
  • Sport/DK  12-28 wpi
  • DK  11-15 wpi
  • Worsted or 4-ply 8-12 wpi
  • Bulky 6-9 wpi
  • Super Bulky 5-6 wpi
  • Jumbo 1-4 wpi                       

Folding Yarn Together to knit an item:

  • 2 strands of Lace = Fingering weight
  • 2 strands of Fingering = Sport weight
  • 2 strands of Sport = DK light weight
  • 2 strands of DK light = Worsted/4-ply weight
  • 2 strands of Worsted/4-ply = Bulky weight
  • 2 strands of Bulky = Super weight

If you would like to contact Makayla, she works at Teaselwick Wools (971-304-7050) and creates pattern and videos which can be seen on “Hooked in a Flash” on YouTube, Etsy or Facebook.   

Upcoming Events

Next Meeting

“Christmas in July” will commence at our next meeting, July 12, 2025. We will meet at the usual location – first floor of the Mill Building. Bring all knitting items, yarn and the like so they can find a good and new home.

Other Events

Meeting Minutes

December 2024 Minutes

Salem Millstream Knitting Guild

This Month

Birthdays

Happy December Birthday to:

  • Kitty Crawford
  • Su Fennern
  • Patti Locicera
  • Heather Sly-Haley

If we missed your birthday or have you in the wrong month, please let us know!

December Meeting Highlights

Guild Business: Sue Culbertson volunteered, and we voted to elect her as Treasurer. We still don’t have a Secretary yet.

Program: Tips and Tricks

Members shared many tips, tricks, and tools they use to make knitting projects easier and more fun.

Upcoming Events

January 2025 Meeting

The presentation for our January meeting will be Leann Bleakney from Silver Falls Fiber Company.  Leann is a one-person shop, dyeing yarn and fiber for spinners and other hand crafts. Leann is an avid knitter and spinner, and she tries not to go a day without doing both!

As we are starting a new year, it is time to pay the annual dues of $30.00 for 2025. Visitors may attend two meetings before joining. There will be time set aside for our new Treasurer, Sue Culbertson, to collect the dues. We use this money to rent our room monthly, cover correspondence, purchase business cards, printing, mileage for presenters, or for a speaker. You can bring cash or a check made out to Salem Millstream Knitting Guild, or you can mail the dues to P.O. Box 3444, Salem, OR 97302. Please fill out a form for either renewal or application for membership to accompany your payment.

Other Events

Meeting Minutes

October 2024 Minutes

Salem Millstream Knitting Guild

Newsletter PDF version

This Month

Birthdays

Happy October Birthday to:

  • Joyce Arthur
  • Janet Bubl
  • Nelda Gill
  • Diane Williams

If we missed your birthday or have you in the wrong month, please let us know!

October Meeting Highlights

Program – Test Knitting

This is just one example of the many exquisite knits shown at our October meeting on “Being a Test Knitter.” This was knit by Su Fennern. Her partner presenter, JoEllen Kay, brought a whole suitcase full of fabulous knits. Both women have been “test knitting” patterns for many years for various designers from around the globe.

Also, it was reported that our Guild has donated 256 hand-knit hats to children kindergarten through high school so far this year! Well done, and keep up your amazing knitting. Thanks to Margaret and Sue for bringing us this project for the Assistance League.

Show & Tell

  • A lot of samples of test-knitted items
  • Cindy Barrick knitted another Tin Can Knits hat, the Antler Toque out of Cascade 220 Superwash.
  • Robin Roukis showed a cowl she knitted using camel and silk yarn that she spun!
  • Marcia Smith showed a car trash can that fits into your car’s cup holder and can hold two small balls of yarn, each one coming out from a different side.
  • Patty Scrubbs showed a yarn ball holder that fits over your wrist so you can stroll, dance, etc. and keep knitting.
Antler Toque by Tin Can Knits

Upcoming Events

November 2024 Meeting

In addition to electing a secretary and treasurer for 2025–2026, we will see photos and share stories of knitting “Emotional Support Chickens.” If you have photos of knitted chickens you have given away, send them ASAP to this email. If you have others living in your home, bring them to show. As always, bring other recently finished items to share for Show and Tell.

Other Events

Events, Meeting Minutes, News

April 2024 Minutes

Salem Millstream Knitting Guild

Newsletter PDF version

This Month

Birthdays

Happy April Birthday to:

  • Judith Bither

Happy May Birthday to:

  • Cindy Barrick
  • Kathy Goebel

April Meeting Highlights

We had a great time exploring the Coral Reef that will remain on display until June 22. We were all “wowed” by the colorful beauty of the underwater display created entirely with fiber that was knitted, crocheted, or felted.

photo collage of images from the knitted and crocheted coral reef installation at the Willamette Heritage Center

Part of the group also enjoyed the short film on the history of the Mill. You can support this historical treasure in our community by being a member of the Willamette Heritage Center for $40 a year. That gives you free entrance to all activities and a discount in the gift shop.

Show & Tell

Heather Sly-Haley did a great job showing each item and asking the creator for comments on the pattern and yarn.

photo of Wanderlust Lace Shawl in pink yarn
photo of Leaf Kimono Top in gray yarn
photo of Terrace Wrap in gray fingering weight yarn
photo of Forget Me Knot sock and cover of Charming Colorwork Socks book
photo of Horse Banner Fingerless Mitts

Upcoming Events

May 2024 Meeting

Our May 11 meeting will feature our very own Heather Sly-Haley. She’s going to introduce us to current trends in the knitting world. For instance, did you know you can knit an emotional support chicken for yourself or a special someone? Plus, answers to questions you never know you had!

Other Events

Events, Meeting Minutes, News

March 2024 Minutes

Salem Millstream Knitting Guild

Newsletter PDF version

This Month

Birthdays

Happy March Birthday to:

  • Lynda Hoodward
  • Ginny Mahoney

Happy April Birthday to:

  • Judith Bither

March Meeting Highlights

Program: Nålbinding

Our guest was Paco Hadley, who shared a PowerPoint on the ancient fiber art of nålbinding. In addition to his presentation, he showed us many of the pieces he has designed and created as he’s practiced the craft.

Nålbinding (depending on the source, it’s Danishor Norwegian for “binding with a needle”or “needle-binding”) is even older than knitting or crochet, but the finished fabric can resemble that made using these methods of working yarn. Examples of nålbinding from many thousands of years ago have been unearthed in Scandinavia, Egypt, South America, and in Viking settlements in Europe, yet the craft is still in use in many countries today.

The technique uses lengths of yarn (rather than a continuous strand) and a single needle. This “nål,” which is several inches long with a hole near one end, is often broad and flat and historically made from bone or wood. It is threaded with the yarn and passed through loops in a specific sequence, forming a an elastic fabric that can be crafted into textiles and items of clothing. There are hundreds of nålbinding stitches available.

Show & Tell

Show and Tell projects: maroon watchcap with folded ribbing and cables, a mulberry cowl and beret, and a dark blue shawl with small yellow flowers
  • Judy Ozalan showed her finished October Hat by Kelbourne Woolens in Cestari Traditional targhee/columbia
  • Sandy Galbraith showed her finished Salunga Beret by Heather Zoppetti and Altitude Cowl by Jenjoyce Design (Ravelry links)
  • Kitty Crawford showed a blue crescent shawl with yellow flowers, in which she used Dawn Baker’s Float pattern for the flowers (Ravelry link), in yarn from A Chick That Knitz.

Upcoming Events

In partnership with Coral Knit Fiber Arts, the Willamette Heritage Center is headed under the sea with a walk-through, “underwater” PNW Coral Reef Project textile exhibit. Community-made crocheted and knitted creations feature healthy and bleached corals and marine animals. The display, on exhibit through June 22, showcases the beauty and diversity of the undersea world while engaging in a conversation about the health and importance of the world’s coral reefs. Back on the surface, explore artifacts and stories documenting the long history of connection between Mid-Willamette Valley residents and businesses and the sea.

April 2024 Meeting

The program for our April 13 meeting will include half of us viewing the Coral Reef Project while the other half watches a movie on the rich and diverse history of the Willamette Heritage Center. Several of our Guild members knitted parts of the Coral Reef.

Other Events

  • April 5, 2024 Spring Gala – Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill
  • May 4, 2024 Sheep to Shawl – Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill