Category: President’s Message

From the President – May 2023

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
Crocheted-button-flowers
May is here!
 
With schools winding down and pools opening back up, it’s beginning to feel like summertime again! Will you be heading out to the beaches? Don’t forget to swing into Joyfully Stranded if you’re heading to Galveston! Sandra has a wide variety of beads and buttons, as well as a wide selection of artworks: oils, acrylics, jewelry, resin, yarn bowls, stitch markers, soaps, and more! Her sweet dog, Sugar, will keep you company too, if you just want to sit and knit, crochet, or weave!
 
This past month, there were some excellent programs by our KANG chapters. There was a stunning membership turnout for SoCK’s “Prayer Shawls” on Easter weekend. Again, a big Thank-You to Doris and her helpers at Yarn Store Boutique for hosting such a large group! Closing out the month, I learned various techniques for mending my socks and garments at KNOW’s program! Confession: I didn’t know what an egg or mushroom was related to knitting, so seeing different ones in-person was fascinating. Also, seeing how the duplicate stitch is made was astounding! I’ve seen it used in patterns but haven’t tried it out personally… Guess I know what my next pattern will include!
 
So, how many of you made it out to Local Yarn Store Day at the end of April? There were several wonderful events happening all around town at our favorite yarn shops! From classes to trunk shows, to freebies and great company, this was such a joyous event! Although I support various small businesses throughout the year, having a dedicated day to recognize them resulted in squishy goodies coming home with me! In the same weekend, I day-tripped with some SoCK members out to Yellow Rose Fiber Fiesta, held in Seguin. A couple new project bags and a selection of yarn that will become socks followed me home! I am looking forward to show and share at the next KANG meetings!
 
Looking ahead at this month, your Executive Board will meet mid-month! We are gearing up for nominations and voting, so stay tuned for updates! We are also in the midst of preparing for the Houston Fiber Fest in June… more details to come soon! To all KANG members, swing by the table to meet and greet old and new members alike. Did you know that The Modern Skein will be having a plant-based Make-A-Long? This summer-long series uses any plant-based yarns such as cotton, linen, or bamboo. To join this MAL, cast-on anytime starting May 1st using some plant-based yarns purchased from TMS and finish a project of your choosing before the end date to be entered to win a gift card to the shop! Check out their social media and newsletter for more specifics!
 
 
Until next time…
 
Lauren Levy
KANG President

From the President – Apr 2023

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
What a month!
 
March was full of amazing encounters, several firsts, and fascinating classes! I had a blast attending my first KANG retreat! Despite the rainy weather, Camp Lone Star was covered in bluebonnets and facilitated wonderful camaraderie and socialization.
 
The classes were quite enjoyable and to the surprise of many, I learned to use double-pointed needles (DPNs) for the first time while making a knitted basket! I still find the German Twisted cast-on to be one of my favorites, but I learned the Chinese Waitress cast-on and bind-off techniques! I am also proud to say I started AND finished a lovely coaster using a Pinhole cast-on and I-cord bind-off—both firsts for me! Personally, I cannot wait for the next Retreat and look forward to any workshops that are in the planning stages!
 
To round out the month, I presented the “My Little Sweet Pea Baby Blanket” at my sister’s baby shower, along with some other knitted goodies for baby!
 
I had the pleasure of attending not just one but THREE of Casapinka’s classes that were offered at Yarn Store Boutique. I felt like a kid in a candy store when I sheepishly asked for Bronwyn to sign one of her patterns that I am working on! I’m still grinning from ear to ear! Now, my poor wallet might go missing for a while as it recovers from all the lovely Miss Babs Yarn that came home with me too!
 
I would like to thank Paige Patton for coming forward to volunteer as our new Secretary for the remainder of this KANG cycle. We warmly welcome her to the Executive Board.
 
I would also like to thank the volunteers from KIK and SoCK for coming forward to assist us on the Nominating Committee. As I mentioned last month, and per the Bylaws, we still need at least one member volunteer from KIND, KNIT, and KNOW!! Please email me: [email protected] if you are interested or would like more information! Elections are right around the corner!!
 
Looking at the month ahead, April looks a little calmer. With Easter on the horizon, pastel colors are appearing everywhere (my favorites!!). Although not directly fiber related, there is the Montgomery Country Funky Junque Market on April 1st from 9a-4:30p (today). For those able to make it out to Seguin, the Yellow Rose Fiber Fiesta will again be having a 2-day event on April 28-29! Don’t forget to support your local shops on April 29th for Local Yarn Store Day!!
 
Until next time, Happy Easter!
 
Lauren Levy
KANG President

From the President – Mar 2023

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
So, despite the groundhog seeing his shadow last month (predicting six more weeks of winter), with the lovely weather and increasing temperatures, I am thinking we may luck out with an early Spring this March! Aside from St. Patrick’s Day, March always reminds me of green…green everything! It’s a time of rebirth and growth (and pollen)! We start to see pastels emerge and lightweight clothing…sounds like it’s time for shawls and short-sleeves garments!
 
My Finishing February wasn’t too successful…! However, I was able to make some major progress on my “Treats For Ewe” shawl by Alina Appasova (only two more colors to go)! Also, I started and have almost completed a baby blanket called the “My Little Sweet Pea Baby Blanket” by Maria Jane. This has been such a fun and quick knit with lace leaves and vines flanking a cute eyelet section in the middle! And lastly, I started a couple year-long endeavors: 1) Building with Lace which will have me making a different lace panel each month, and 2) exploring sock heels where we will make a short sample heel in a new style each month! Alas, so many projects, so little time!!
 
Your Executive Board met this past month. I would like to take a moment and thank our Secretary/Media Chair, Janet Neberman, for all l that she has done over the last years. She has coordinated events and taken notes at every meeting, has been our liaison with the Houston Fiber Fest and has been engaging the world over social media! Due to personal reasons, she has stepped down from these positions, but we cannot go on without expressing our sincerest appreciation from the Board, KANG and all its members: THANK YOU, JANET!
 
We warmly welcome to the Board, Cass Hall, who has agreed to continue our presence on social platforms as our Social Media Chair! We are seeking a volunteer to fill the Secretary position through the end of this KANG cycle (July 2023). Please email me: [email protected] if you are interested, would like more information, or have a suggested candidate!!
 
The term of some Board members will expire at the end of this KANG cycle. Therefore, the Executive Board and Chapter Presidents are seeking a Nominating Committee—a volunteer group of KANG members representing each chapter who will gather names of candidates for any open positions in the next KANG year. They will present this list to the Board in the last quarterly meeting (May 2023) and the ballot will be voted upon. Open positions currently include Secretary, Charity, and Webmaster. Again, please reach out to me if you are interested, or would like more information on any of these roles!
 
Coming up this month at our local yarn shops: The Social Knitwork will celebrate 11 years of fun on March 4! Swing by to socialize, knit or crochet, and grab some refreshments!! The Modern Skein celebrates 5 years with a party you won’t want to miss! Join them March 10-12 with a special trunk show from Moondrake Yarn. Casapinka will be making an appearance at Yarn Store Boutique on March 24-26 with a featured trunk show by Miss Babs Hand-Dyed Yarn. There are a few classes/workshops that will be held, so reserve your spot and look for more details on YSB’s website!
 
For those going on the Retreat, I will see you there! For all others, until next time!
 
 

Lauren Levy
Executive Board President
[email protected]

From the President – Feb 2023

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Ahh, February! We dedicate this month to celebrate love, togetherness, and awareness of Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, American Heart Month, World Cancer Day, and Random Act of Kindness Day, to name a few. Love comes in many forms: for spouses, significant others, family, friends, hobbies, charity & volunteering. For me, I would also add KANG and this community to the list! I adore you all so very much!

In January, I attended this reverse cable knit class to make a “Rosewood Scarf” by Destiny Meyer and although it is still in progress, it was fun learning some new techniques (fisherman’s rib stitch and knit1below). As I continue to work on it, I am excited to see this scarf grow and grow! I used a beautiful “Bobby Blue” Malabrigo worsted yarn and it is so squishy and soft! My goal it to get it finished this month.

Does anyone else participate in Finishing February?! So, it’s that time of year where I try to pull out several of my unfinished objects that are immediately laying around (don’t look in my craft closet!!) and complete these projects in February! It challenges me to get. them. done!! Some projects will finally come out of knitting jail while others are a nostalgia trip down memory lane as I recall why I started the project in the first place. Others I look at and wonder why I never just finished them. Remember that “Basics of Love” lace shawl I talked about last year? Yeah…this is on my list for February too!

Looking at the month ahead, we currently still have some availability for our Spring 2023 Retreat at Camp Lone Star in March! I hope you are as excited as I am about this getaway (this will be my first-time attending), so register soon on the KANG website! A cherished vendor, Chaos Fiber Co, will be making a trunk show appearance on February 10 & 11 at Yarn Store Boutique. Your Executive Board will meet this month and we will be seeking some volunteers—no need to shy away!! More details next newsletter on this topic, and lastly, we will close out the month with another Charity Knit-Together! Keep an eye on the website and social media platforms for more events and news!

With love,

Lauren Levy
Executive Board President
[email protected]

From the President – Jan 2023

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
It’s here!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 
In the blink of an eye, 2022 has come and gone, and now we look ahead to another fresh start for many. What is something you have been happy about or proud of in 2022?
​
This year was an odd year for me, but I am beyond thankful for everything that came my way. Among the many things that happened, I still feel exceptionally proud of our redesigned KANG website that went live last New Year’s Day, and that I have had the opportunity to serve as your KANG President these last few months. Now, being someone who enjoys starting projects for the learned techniques, and not always finishing them, I am proud that I completed: 3 commissioned baby blankets with matching hats and mitts, 2 tatted crosses, 4 facial spa gift sets for Christmas, my Ice Cream Social shawl, and my Vector Field shawl! I had the pleasure of hosting 2 SoCK chapter programs (May Flowers & Yarn Dyeing with Kool-Aid) and I also completed my largest Diamond Dotz painting with over 85,800 dotz! Whew!
​
I hope that this coming year allows you to continue working on things you are proud of and work towards goals you may have pushed to the side. What are some of your ambitions for the new year?
 
For me in 2023: I want to continue growing my skills in lacework and double knitting. I am interested in making tatted jewelry and designing a tatted shawl. Tunisian crochet is such a fascinating topic that I would like to learn about! And with the addition of a floor loom to my craft room, I would like to learn how to weave unique designs using a 4-shaft loom!
 
So, 2023 is already shaping up to have some exciting events! Yellow Rose on the Coast starts off the fiber events at the end of January. Our KANG Spring Retreat is scheduled for March and the Texas Yarn Lovers Event returns to Fayetteville in April. Probably most excitingly, the Houston Fiber Fest (HFF) is expected to return to the Berry Center in June, and this is where KANG has gained fantastic exposure and membership! I am looking for volunteers who can liaise with HFF and KANG or help with staffing the KANG table during the hours that HFF is open. If you are interested in helping, please email me at: [email protected].
 
Aside from the events, there are lots of classes and trunk shows coming up at our various local yarn shops! The Modern Skein will be hosting Yarneacous Fibers on January 14th and is offering beginner crochet on January 21st. Ready to try making socks? There’s a class for that too, starting January 28th.
 
Whatever your ambitions, I wish you the BEST New Year yet!
 
 
Lauren Levy
KANG President
 

From the President – Dec 2022

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Happy Holidays!! Whether it’s Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, or another holiday you celebrate, the joy and festivities in December can be felt and seen almost everywhere! Plus, it’s beginning to feel a bit like winter in Houston! I am impressed that we have had cooler temperatures this year before the end of the year! With my fireplace roaring, hot cocoa beside me, and my kitty in my lap, I am furiously clicking away on my needles to finish up holiday gifts on time! I know I mentioned needing to get this started back in September…hmmm, maybe next year?

In November, your Executive Board met for its quarterly meeting. Here is a brief recap from that meeting:

  • I would like to extend a “Thank-You!” all the members who completed the Retreats Committee survey! Participation included over half the current membership! It was discussed and passed that we will proceed with a Retreat in Spring 2023! 
  • The Charity events in October and November were quite successful with approximately 500 donated items being tagged and many items already distributed to various organizations! There is still a call for Peyton Hearts and squares for the Warm-Up America! Foundation.
  • Also discussed at the Executive Board meeting was that our membership has grown tremendously since the last Board meeting—from 74 up to 117! So again, I say: welcome and welcome back to all our KANG Members!! Please continue to invite your friends and family, attend our various programs across all chapters, and join in the charity events—whatever your calling may be, let’s continue to grow KANG!

Around town, our local yarns shops are gearing up for the holidays as well with a Christmas Pajama Party (Yarn Store Boutique), a Christmas Sew-In & Christmas Stitch-In event (Park Avenue Yarns), and canned food drive & donations are still being collected until Dec. 21st (The Social Knitwork)! Shout-out to Merribee Needlearts who celebrates 40 years of business this month! All are invited to their anniversary party for a day of fun, prizes, and bargains on December 10th!! Keep an eye out for updates on social media and the website!!

With the holidays upon us, I have the privilege of taking time off work. I am looking forward to attending an anime convention, playing the new Pokémon game, celebrating a milestone 5YR anniversary this month with my husband, and going Christmas light looking! In between all the local festivities and other events, I am hoping to take some time to work on projects that have been sitting idle.

 

With that, wish you all a Merry Christmas and happy holidays!

Lauren Levy
Executive Board President
[email protected]

From the President – Nov 2022

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Figure 1: “Mayflower Mice” by Alan Dart (ravelry)

My, how quickly the year has gone by as we slip into November. It’s during this month that many of us remember to pause and reflect on the things for which we are thankful and the many blessings we take for granted. We often express appreciation for our families and friends, our beloved pets, our mentors, our health, a roof overhead, military personnel and emergency responders for keeping us safe, and enough food to keep our bellies full, just to name a few.

It’s also the time of year when we flock to the polls to exercise our right to vote. As one of my degrees is in Political Science, I encourage every able citizen to exercise this privilege during early voting or on Election Day (11/8). Stand proud and confident in your own decisions, beliefs, and values.

For me this year, I am especially thankful to the medical teams who have been there for my family members, including myself. From broken bones and hospital stays to removal of organs and open-heart surgery, I cannot express enough gratitude for their expertise, precision, and care getting us back on the road to a healthy recovery.

Although I was out for about a week in October recovering, I kept my needles busy…naturally on a newly casted-on project. Just for fun, I started a pom-pom baby blanket since the pattern is 2 stitches between each pom and garter stitch every row. Unfortunately, I slacked on my “Basics of Love” lace shawl but did manage to complete another couple repeats (8 of 25) of the pattern!! Still have a ways to go on this one.

I also attended this pumpkin making class at Yarn Store Boutique using an Addi Express knitting machine. What a joyous time I had! I LOVED the class, and I may have gotten myself another toy…! I am excited to let my niece and nephews dig through my yarn stash and then show them how to make pumpkins in their favorite colors during the Thanksgiving holiday!

If you follow our social media platforms, you have probably seen mentioned the numerous events coming up at our many local yarn shops. From The Social Knitwork hosting a “Uneek Harvest Poncho” knit along starting the 5th to Park Avenue Yarns who is celebrating their 12th birthday all weekend long, Nov. 3-6!! There is a “November Fling” vendor fair happening at Yarn Store Boutique on the 11th & 12th and the “CyFair Nutcracker Market” at the Berry Center on the 19th!

On a final note, I would like to give a shout-out to all those who have contributed to and/or were able to attend the Charity Knit-Together Event at Karbach Brewing Co. last month. The generosity of time and effort given warms my heart and I was astounded by how many amazing pieces we have collected! THANK YOU! It was wonderful to see so many KANG members present and kudos to our guests present too! Also, I’ve heard a rumor that the next Charity event has few exquisite prizes… Any guesses?

 

With that, wish you all a blessed and happy Thanksgiving!

Lauren Levy
Executive Board President
[email protected]

From the President – Oct 2022

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
Figure 1: "Crochet Halloween Decor" by Natalia Ruzanova

Ah, October…One of my favorite months!! To me, this month signals the start of all the holidays and festivities coming up. Now, I am certainly biased about October because it’s also my birthday month, RenFaire starts back up, and of course Halloween. I love all the birthday perks that last all month long, the decorations that start to appear, ALL the pumpkins everywhere, and the joy of the trick-or-treaters!

As I write this month’s article, I am cruising at an altitude of ~35,000 feet as I return from a week-long work conference in Denver (many thanks to our Newsletter Chair for her patience with my tardiness!!). Be assured that I have my needles in my lap and a neck light that is hopefully not bothering my neighbor too badly! Lately I have been steadily working on a for-me shawl called “Basics of Love” by Judit Horvath. I am using the recommended yarn: a pastel rainbow cake of cotton yarn that has 4 plies to it*. There is a panel of lace carried up one side and it slowly grows with a staggered eyelet lace on the other side. I still have a long way to go as I have only completed 6 of 25 repeats of a 12-row repeat section! I am thoroughly enjoying this project and will update you on my progress next month!

*Fun tip: For yarns with loose plies, place a bead on the working yarn to keep the plies from splitting as you work your pattern!


Reflecting on September, although I didn’t find myself at another fiber festival, I had the pleasure of attending and meeting some members of the chapters aside from my home chapter. Let me just say, the talents reflected in your projects and the passion you have for charity items warms my heart and is incredibly inspiring! Thanks to the presentation by Dolores in SoCK, I have so many ideas now for Christmas gifts (now to just get started). If you missed this, check out the program handouts on the website as it includes knit and crochet options!! Also, who knew that the KNIT chapter was just a short 20-min drive from my work office!? I took my notes on joining new yarns and will need to practice some of these techniques several more times before I have them mastered! KIND also welcomed me as I dropped in at the Bayland Community Center. Gloria’s program on color was quite insightful! It’s astounding how different—or the same—some colors appear when you consider them in a monotone comparison! Can’t wait to keep meeting each our KANG members and guests in all the chapters—if not at your chapter, perhaps at the Charity knit-it later this month!!

 

Lauren Levy
Executive Board President
[email protected]

From the President – Sep 2022

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
As August wraps up and summer comes to an end with the kiddos returning to school, I find myself longing for the September vibes of autumn: leaves starting to change colors, the emergence of pumpkins everywhere, brisk and windy days, (sorry, no pumpkin spice latte for me… I’m more of an espresso or peppermint mocha gal 😉), and the realization that I still haven’t started on my Christmas knits…! I know, I know; it’s still quite hot here in Texas! How fitting that I managed to finish my “Ice Cream Social” shawl this month though!
 
Alas, I look around and find myself surrounded by all the goodies that I found at each of the participating local yarn shops on the Texas Yarn Trail: numerous new yarns, books and patterns, project bags, stitch markers, tools, and fiber… I am one ecstatic chica! I think I have acquired enough new projects to last me until I retire! This year, I trail-hopped with several gals from the SoCK chapter out to the western side of Houston on opening day! Lots of driving, but what fun we had, and we met several others along the way at each of the shops! I am looking forward to hearing your stories and seeing what you found!
 
Will any of you be heading north to the Dallas/Ft Worth area later this month for the “DFW Fiber Fest”? Unfortunately, I already committed myself to other events this year; however, this event runs September 22-25th (Thursday thru Sunday) and has quite a bit going on! There are classes and vendors with a focus on various areas of expertise: knitting and crocheting, cross-stitching, tatting, spinning, weaving, and jewelry making to name just a few! What will you learn?
 
Your Executive Board met for the quarterly meeting on Tuesday, August 16th. Despite summer vacations, it seems things are going well around the guild. Many members have continued to step up and lead fun and well-received programs within their chapters! We discussed topics of budget and membership numbers, which at this time are a bit low. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to renew your membership!! Invite your friends and family!! We are curious for feedback on how to grow KANG and get more exposure in our communities. Our Charity coordinators have some events in mind for the fall and of course, the much-anticipated topic of retreats and workshops! While details are still in progress, if you would like to help with planning or simply be involved, we are recruiting for the Retreats & Workshops Committee! Contact us at knitatnightguildRetreat@gmail.com!
 
Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!
 
Lauren Levy
Executive Board President
[email protected]

From the President – Aug 2022

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
From Your Outgoing President
 
As I transition out of the Presidency, I’d like to recap my journey. When I first took the position of President, I had plans to reach out and get to know more than just SoCK members by going to at least one other chapter meeting a month. Then COVID hit. I, along with our guild and the world, went into lockdown. We all went into survival mode. For many of us, this time confined at home resulted in a whole lot of yarn craft. As a Guild, we discovered ZOOM and met through our computer screens. We delayed our annual retreat for a year, we forgave our annual membership dues, the virus raged. We continued to knit, crochet, etc. The next year we canceled our annual retreat. We hung on as best we could, continuing to meet via ZOOM. We extended the terms of both chapter officers and Executive Board members. As time went on, things got brighter health-wise, there was a vaccine. We began to have hybrid meetings, meeting both in-person and via ZOOM. We instituted dues again. We continued to knit and crochet for charity. We shipped 60 pounds of items to the Ukraine. Most Chapters now meet in-person. With each meeting, we share our knowledge. Our skills improve. We connect with each other. 
 
As a result of this worldwide crisis, our membership went from over 200 members to ~130. Two chapters folded. Yet we survived. Most especially we survived because of the leadership of the Executive Board and the Chapter Officers. I want to take this opportunity to thank those leaders. Folks like our Executive Board Newsletter Chair, Gail Close; our two webmasters, Kate Wilson and Lauren Levy; our Charity Chairs, Dolores Rose, Sarah Hartman and Marie Knappenberger; Janet Neberman, our Social Media Chair who also stepped in as our Secretary for Ann Wohn when her obligation pulled her away from us; our wonderful crochet master, Rosanna Maggi, our Membership Chair; and our ever-faithful Treasurer, Crystal Smith. Our chapter representatives to the board, both the following women and their predecessors, Connie Blakley, Barbara Hass, Natalie Salter, Karen Fern, Amy McMahon, and Laura Sawyer. These are the women that have held our Guild together for the last three years. To each of them, I am forever grateful. I hope you, as a member, are as well.
 
I am also grateful to each and every one of you who hung in with us. It’s been a very interesting ride. I simply could not have done it without the wonderful women above and many more like Debbie Smith, Melony Metzler and Nancy Threadgold who shared their counsel with me.
 
It’s now time for a new beginning for our Guild. With this new beginning, I’m stepping down as your President. Lauren Levy will be taking over. We met one-on-one the last week of July to transition. I know she’s going to be great in the position. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Lauren as a SoCK member, a webmaster and teacher (I learned to weave from Lauren). But, you aren’t getting rid of me totally, I’m stepping in as Guild Treasurer. I met with Crystal Smith this past week to learn her position. Hopefully, I can fill her shoes. 
 
Please keep each other and our tumultuous world in your prayers. Please remember, you are each a bright spot that spreads joy and hope with each stitch. 
 
Once again, thank you for the opportunity to serve as the Guild for the last three years. Here’s wishing all a wonderful, wet August.

Priscilla Graham
(Outgoing) Executive Board President
[email protected]

From Your Incoming President
 
Hello to all of KANG:
 
To both new and returning members! Many of you may know my name from
having served as the Webmaster, or perhaps you’ve seen me from the SoCK Chapter.
 
A little about my exposure to the world of fiber arts. My roots were established in needle and shuttle tatting, and later I became a self-taught knitter, crocheter, and weaver. Although I have dabbled
with spinning, bobbin lace, Kool-Aid yarn dyeing, and kumihimo, I still have so much to learn!
 
Thank you for your confidence in voting me in as your new KANG President. I can only tip my hat to Priscilla and the Guild for their dedication and overcoming the many hurdles thrown at them these last couple of years. Their efforts have certainly not gone unappreciated.
 
I am looking forward to getting to know more of you at YOUR chapter meetings. I hope we can continue to gather more frequently by hosting more events (workshops, day and weekend trips,
charity events, etc). I would love to see our Guild getting out there: growing, supporting, and expanding our love and knowledge on everything related to fiber arts!
 
Quick shout out for all our local yarn shops in and around the Houston area! Our Houston-based “Texas Yarn Trail” returns for the 4th year at the end of August! If you are around, get out there and support the small businesses! Details can be found on the website and social media! Can’t
wait to see what squishy/fluffy/notion treasures you find!
 
Lauren Levy
(Incoming) Executive Board President
[email protected]