Category: President’s Message

From Our President – September 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Here we are into hurricane season and so far, everything looks peaceful. Keep all your fingers and toes crossed that it stays that way. I’ll be leaving for Wisconsin in a couple weeks for my 60th class reunion. The weather there at this time of year is usually beautiful although it’s a little early for the leaves to be turning.

If you haven’t heard already, Merribee Needlearts is closing on September 13. From now until then, they have a 40-70% discount on all their yarns.

The Houston Quilt Festival is coming up October 9-12. We have a lot of members who have volunteered to work at the yarn winding booth in return for free admission to the festival. If you missed signing up this year, keep it in mind for next year!

The KIND chapter is changing their meeting location from Bayland Community Center to the Fonteno Senior Center at 6600 Bissonnet. It’s only about two blocks from the old location.

I have a couple tops on the needles, both of which I’ve made before. And I’ve added a chicklet to my growing collection of emotional support chickens. 

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – August 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

We are ready to turn over management of the Guild to a new set of officers at the handover meeting on August 2. Thanks to all of you who volunteered to be officers for the coming year as well as those of you who were officers this past year. The Guild would not exist without you! Check the column to the right for a list of all new officers.

I’ve been busy knitting this month. I finished another Emotional Support Chicken (Henrietta) to keep my first one company; a Marisol top which I love – it fits perfectly; and mattress stitching together blanket squares for the KIND chapter. The blankets will go to Project Linus.

Our next board meeting will be August 19. All the board meetings are held on Zoom and any members are welcome to attend – contact Lauren at kangwebmaster@gmail.com for a link to the Zoom call if you are interested.

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – July 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

We have new officers! With a unanimous vote from the chapters, the following people will take over as new officers on August 1:

KANG Secretary – Jayne Jones (SoCK)

KANG Treasurer – Deanne Nirider (SoCK)

Charity Chairpersons – Linda Currie (KIK) and Nancy Smith (KNOW)

Workshop Chairpersons – Nancy Polychronopoulis (KNOW) and Ann Cole (KNOW)

Thanks to all of them for volunteering!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – June 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

It’s June 1 – the start of hurricane season. Think positive – knitting requires no power! It’s also time to elect new officers for the upcoming year. At your chapter meetings this month, you will be asked to vote on the following nominees:

  • KANG Secretary – Jayne Jones (SoCK)
  • KANG Treasurer – Deanne Nirider (SoCK)
  • Charity Chairpersons – Linda Currie (KIK) and Nancy Smith (KNOW)
  • Workshop Chairpersons – Nancy Polychronopoulis (KNOW) and Ann Cole (KNOW)

I’ve been knitting non-stop for the last month and have finished and blocked both a Spindrift scarf and a Kyler shawl. Remind me not to make another shawl that big – blocking it was a pain in the ***! (but it’s beautiful!)

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – May 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

The nominating committee has been hard at work looking for candidates for next year’s officers and committee heads. The only position still open is the chair(s) of the Workshop committee. If you are interested in this position, please contact me or let your chapter president know. The Workshops chair focuses on putting together day and/or weekend events for the Guild. This can include bringing in teachers/instructors, putting together a “learn to -” workshop, etc). Two people can easily share this position and have a committee to assist them. 

After making my Emotional Support Chicken at the retreat in March, I decided to start on gnomes. Sarah Schira who wrote “The Gnomes of Grimblewood” book had a mystery KAL in April where we knit Professor Fungi (sort of a combination of a mushroom and a gnome!). Maybe next month I’ll have a gnome from her book finished… or another chicken!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – April 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

I just got back from the KANG Retreat at Camp Lone Star. It was such a fun “chicken-themed” weekend! We spent lots of time working on our Emotional Support Chickens – watch for them at your chapter meetings. There were also many door prizes, games, puzzles, and other activities… and when we weren’t doing that, we were eating!

The retreat organizers did a fantastic job and topped it off by treating us to a chicken dance – complete with costumes! Check out the KANG Facebook page to see it.

If you haven’t attended before, watch for the notice of next year’s retreat.

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – March 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Here it is March already – seems like we just finished knitting Christmas gifts. Speaking of holidays, “Ramadan Mubarak” to our Muslim members as they start the month of Ramadan today.

Also today (March 1) is the Houston Craft Community Day and KANG is now a part of it! This is a free event highlighting local craft groups. KANG will have a table there with volunteers to talk about knitting and the Guild. It will be held at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, 4848 Main St., 77002 from 11am to 3pm.

I hope you have heard at your chapter meetings that we need a nominating committee to select next year’s officers. We would like at least one member from each chapter. This is a short-term commitment (now through the middle of May). Please let me know if you can join this committee; I would like to have the committee in place by the middle of March so they can start looking for officers. Also, if you would like to volunteer to be an officer next year, the open positions are as follows:

  • KANG Secretary
  • KANG Treasurer
  • Charity Chair
  • Retreat Chair
  • Workshop Chair

On my needles now is the Ivy Vest, a very fun and easy project. Also, I’m working on Dragon Watcher’s Hood, a gift for my niece in Wisconsin where the woods are said to be full of dragons.

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – February 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

I’m working on the last couple inches of Aimee Sher’s Hibernate sweater. It’s going to fit well! I think I’ll do another of her patterns soon, maybe the Mariner sweater. I want to finish Hibernate by Feb. 3 as that is the day I have hip replacement surgery. 

Have you seen the Hoodola pattern by Laura Nelkin? It’s a bit warm for Houston (unless we have another freeze!), but I’m going to make one for my niece in Wisconsin. Looks like a fun thing to knit.

We were sorry to hear that the Houston Fiber Fest has been cancelled again this year because of renovations at the Berry Center.

I’m excited to register for our retreat at Camp Lone Star from March 27-30. Last year’s retreat was such fun!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – January 2025

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with friends and family… Christmas, Chanukah, Diwali or whatever you are celebrating! It’s unusual that they all coincided this year.

As you read this, I’m supposed to be on my way to Antarctica. We scheduled a Viking cruise many months ago but, unfortunately, had to cancel it a couple days ago. I’m having a lot of trouble with my hip and can barely walk at times. A nine-hour flight and a lot of walking was just not going to work. I’ll see an orthopedic surgeon next week to see what needs to be done. As the saying goes, “getting old is not for sissies”!

Knitting is keeping me busy… still working on the Hibernate sweater. Knitting with mohair always makes me think of knitting with dust! Or maybe I could just pick up all the cat hair in the house and use that.

Happy New Year!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

From Our President – December 2024

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

A belated Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I hope everyone had an enjoyable time with family or friends and lots of good food! We spent the day with friends, eating and watching football… and I learned how to make a French 75 cocktail.

I finished my Kyler shawl this month (sort of… I short-cut the pattern a bit because it’s REALLY big and I was tired of knitting it!). Next project is the Hibernate Pullover by Aimee Sher. It’s a top-down raglan done in merino and mohair held together. She uses a technique called compound raglans which I was not familiar with. It’s supposed to make the sweater fit better. She has lots of information about compound raglans on her website: https://aimeeshermakes.com/.

We are trying to get ready to leave on a cruise to Antarctica on January 1. It’s the only continent I haven’t been to! Hope to see lots of wildlife and glaciers (especially penguins – they are so cute!)

Keep working on those Christmas projects – time is getting short!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com