News

November 2024 Programs

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

KIK – Assigned Pooling
KIND – Stitch Markers
KNIT – Fall Decorations
KNOW – Social Knitting 
SoCK – Socks

For more information regarding the latest chapter programs, please visit our CALENDAR page! Here you will find exact dates for upcoming guild chapter meetings, including full program descriptions for each meeting.

On the Calendar page you will also find various guild-wide events (charity knit-ins, affiliate sales and the like) and up-coming events in the yarn community / Houston area (FiberFests, conventions, etc.).

Please visit the KANG Chapters page to find your nearest chapter.

Charity Knitting – Nov 2024 Update

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Keep the HeadStart hats coming. Seventy-four on hand so let’s get the goal to 100 so more little learners can have a warm, colorful hat. Kits with pattern are available through wheeler.julie@comcast.net. Use whatever pattern you like with your yarn on hand if that’s your preference. 

Many thanks to the shawl creators for the 11 we delivered with 8 hats to Women’s Hospital of Texas on October 24. They are getting more young patients with aggressive forms of cancer so all support is appreciated. 

The Robin Hood Project will be receiving several dark/neutral colored hats and scarves on November 10 at their Thanksgiving Feast. This group regularly serves meals for about 100 unsheltered Houstonians. Winter apparel is appreciated. 

There is a lot of donated acrylic yarn available. The next charity knit-in will be in January. Stay tuned for updates.

From Our President – November 2024

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Election Day is only 4 days away! I hope all of you are registered to vote and are planning to do so if you haven’t already.

This has been a clean-up month for me. I’ve decreased my WIPs from 8 down to 3! Granted, a couple of those got frogged, but I also finished some that had been on the needles for months (years?). Currently I’m working on the Kyler Shawl to wear to a wedding in February.

Lauren taught a class on dying yarn with Kool-Aid at the end of last month. It was such fun seeing what bright colors and variegated shades you can get with Kool-Aid! I’m going to use all my various colored yarns to make a hat.

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

Workshops with Tellybean Knits

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KANG & Yarn Store Boutique are excited to bring you THREE workshops with Stephanie Lotven of Tellybean Knits!!

Click the links provided for each workshop to register on Yarn Store Boutique’s website and use the code provided in your email to get the discounted KANG member price. The code provided can be used for each and every class registration. Please do not share the discount code with anyone outside of the guild! 

Ready. Set. Rainbow! Workshop

Friday, November 15, 4-7pm

Regular Price: $60
KANG Member Price: $50

We all have a skein of self-striping yarn hiding in our stash. Self-Striping yarn is undeniably, incredibly fun to knit, but too often those beautiful skeins are hidden away because knitters aren’t sure what to knit with their self-striping yarn. After knitting two dozen pairs of socks in a single year, I challenged myself to get those beautiful rainbow skeins out of my shoes and into the world. If you want to start knitting cowls, hats, mittens, shawls, and sweater with your self-striping yarn, this class will help you confidently plan non-sock projects for your self-striping yarn.

In this class we will:

  • Assess the self-striping skeins that are in your stash and available in your yarn shops.
  • Plan for a self-striping project by using a simple, specialized method of swatching.
  • Practice combining colors with your self-striping yarn.
  • Learn how to cheat the stripes.

Supplies Required: Your favorite skein or partial skein of self-striping yarn in any weight (please bring skein wound and ready to knit), knitting needles appropriate for your yarn, pencil.

Homework: NONE

Click here to register for the Ready. Set. Rainbow! Workshop!

Little Shawl Workshop

Saturday, November 16, 9am – 12 noon

Regular Price: $60
KANG Member Price: $50

Join Stephanie Lotven of Tellybean Knits to learn your new favorite cast-on! In this workshop, we will knit mini-shawls using my favorite methods for casting on, working edging, and binding off. The techniques used to create these little shawls will both improve the quality of your finished shawls and help to create more polished sweaters and accessories. These easily transferable techniques will quickly become your favorite new tools in your knitter’s toolbox!

In this class we will:

  • Learn the Rolled Edge Garter Tab Cast-On Method: The Rolled Edge Garter Tab Cast On is an uncomplicated alternative to the Garter Tab Cast On. Stephanie developed this cast on method to create a tidy transition at the beginning of tap-down shawls & cowls.
  • Learn to work a Rolled Edge: If you love garter stitch, then you will love rolled edging. The rolled edge is a tidy, stretchy edging that is easy to work and a transformative technique for improving your garter stitch projects.
  • Learn to finish your project like a pro: We will learn how to transition from a rolled edge into an I-cord bind off, for a polished finish.
  • Evaluate the techniques. To finish off the class, we will compare the various techniques and discuss the advantages of these techniques and how they could be used to improve your future finished knits.

Supplies Required: 200 yards of yarn in any weight (please bring skein wound and ready to knit), knitting needles appropriate for your yarn, tapestry needle, 4 stitch markers

Homework: NONE

Click here to register for the Little Shawl Workshop!

Morning Sunshine Cowl Workshop

Saturday, November 16, 2-5pm

Regular Price: $60
KANG Member Price: $50

Join me to cast on my favorite accessory: a shawl shaped cowl! This little project has a big impact. In this class, we use the Morning Sunshine pattern to explore new stitches and a great cowl construction. Worked SEAMLESSLY from the top down, it knits up quickly (like any good cowl should) but wears like a hassle-free shawl. Unlike traditional tube cowls that rumple into a pile of knitting around your neck, this shawl-shaped construction lets your knitting shine by creating a triangular front and shortened back. The shape is wonderfully wearable, and just plain fun to knit. I will get you started in class and give you the know-how to complete your cowl at home.

In this class, we will:

  • Choose your yarn and yarn placement. This cowl was written to be worked in fingering or dk weight, using 6 mini skeins. However it can be knit in a single color or in a bouquet of colors. Together we will choose the best yarn and colors for the project. We will also discuss the best placement for each color.
  • Learn the Rolled Edge Garter Tab Cast on. I will show you a new type of garter tab cast on I developed to create a new edge that matches the rolled edging used in the flat portions of your cowl.
  • Learn a variety of fun stitches. We will work through a several simple, textured stitches that will give the cowl dimension while remaining relaxing and manageable.
  • Explore a new construction. While working through the pattern, we will explore this flattering top-down shawl-shaped construction that makes this little cowl special.

Supplies Required: Please note that knitters should feel free to change the number of colors for their cowl according to their taste. Just make sure to have the correct yardages for each section.

For a FINGERING WEIGHT COWL:

Fingering Weight Yarn in 1-6 colors

  • Color 1 (shown in pink): 25 yards / 23 meters
  • Color 2 (shown in black): 45 yards / 41 meters
  • Color 3 Color (shown in coral): 65 yards / 59 meters
  • Color 4 (shown in gold): 75 yards / 69 meters
  • Color 5 (shown in white): 90 yards / 82 meters
  • Color 6 (shown in brown): 105 yards / 96 meters

NEEDLES

  • US 4 (3.5mm) 20-inch (50cm) circulars or as required to meet gauge

GAUGE

  • 24 sts & 32 rounds = 4 inches 10cm in stockinette flat & in the round after blocking

For a DK WEIGHT COWL:

DK or Worsted Weight Yarn in 1-6 colors

  • Color 1 (shown in pink) 25 yards / 23 meters
  • Color 2 (shown in red): 35 yards / 32 meters
  • Color 3 (shown in pink): 65 yards / 60 meters
  • Color 4 (shown in red): 75 yards / 69 meters
  • Color 5 (shown in pink): 80 yards / 73 meters
  • Color 6 (shown in red): 135 yards / 123 meters

NEEDLES

  • US 6 (4mm) 20-inch (50cm) circulars or as required to meet gauge

GAUGE

  • 20 sts & 28 rounds = 4 inches 10cm in stockinette flat & in the round after blocking

Click here to register for the Morning Sunshine Cowl Workshop!

October 2024 Programs

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

KIK – Social Knitting
KIND – Russian Grafting
KNIT – Social Knitting
KNOW – Button Bands (closure to the sweater series) 
SoCK – Short Rows

For more information regarding the latest chapter programs, please visit our CALENDAR page! Here you will find exact dates for upcoming guild chapter meetings, including full program descriptions for each meeting.

On the Calendar page you will also find various guild-wide events (charity knit-ins, affiliate sales and the like) and up-coming events in the yarn community / Houston area (FiberFests, conventions, etc.).

Please visit the KANG Chapters page to find your nearest chapter.

Charity Knitting – Oct 2024 Update

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Due to an extremely generous donation of new yarn, we are able to give much of our picked-over stash to a fiber arts club at Pearland HS. They have added 25 new members just this year. Yay for the next generation of KNIT!

In other good news, a group of medical students in the south loop has grown from 2 who contacted Charity in December to 25 crafters to date. They received a bag of new yarn to keep their juices flowing. They will provide chemo hats and shawls to the nearby Women’s Hospital of Texas. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! We have several kits for Knitted Knockers ready to go. These are always in demand and there are several variations of the pattern (both in knit and crochet) for how you prefer to work them. Please contact knitatnightguildcharity@gmail.com if you’d like to pick one up!

Don’t forget about our upcoming Charity Event!

Sunday, October 13, 12:30-3:00 pm
Senate Avenue Brewing Co
16000 Dillard Dr Unit F
in Jersey Village

*REMINDER*
When making contributions to our charity partners, please adhere to their size requirements and date/deadlines:

Project Linus: minimum 26″ x 36″ (if you have smaller blankets, the KIK chapter has a recipient for preemie blankets who would love them)

Warm Up America: 7″x9″ required

Foster Care to Success: scarves about 60″ long and 5-8″ wide, must be turned in to Julie by December 1st so they can be mailed to Ohio.

From Our President – October 2024

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Even though fall started a couple days ago, it still definitely feels like summer! But I’m ready to put away lightweight projects and start on something “fall-ish”. I think it’s going to be the Cabled and Buttoned Wrap. It’s a free pattern from Lion Brand that wraps around you like a shawl but can button in the front. Using Aran-weight yarn, it should be pretty quick. Thanks to a friend who just made one for alerting me to this pattern!

And thanks to another friend who got me straightened out on the Embellish As You Will shawl. We had to frog about 4” of it because of my errors but it’s back on track now.  

I spent a week in northern Wisconsin visiting family this month… beautiful weather, but not much time to knit with 3-year-old twins running around and wanting Aunt Kate to play with them!

KANG has a workshop coming up on February 15-16 on mosaic and fair isle knitting. Details and registration will be on the website closer to the dates of the workshop. Also, keep your calendar open for the next KANG retreat March 27-30 at Camp Lonestar. Last year’s retreat was such fun – I’m looking forward to the one this year!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com

Workshop: Kool-Aid Yarn Dyeing

Posted on by KANGWebmaster
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Join us for our September Workshop featuring a fun experience dyeing yarn with Kool-Aid!!
This class is available to current, active KANG members only (minimum 5 participants and a max. 20 participants).
 
When: Saturday, September 28, 10:00am – 12:00 pm
Where: Richard & Meg Weekley Community Center, 8440 Greenhouse Rd, Cypress, TX 77433
Cost: Covered with Membership Dues, Limited to 20 people, Registration Required (closes: 25-Sep-2024)
 
Not a Member? Join here!
 
Supplies: Yarn kit with dyeing materials will be provided to each participant. 
 
Optional items to bring: Gloves, face mask, apron, food coloring (liquid drops, not gel). 
 

Charity Knitting – Sep 2024 Update

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

We have 15 Head Start hats on hand and 8 kits with pattern and pre-cut yarn are ready to go. Contact wheeler.julie@comcast.net for more info. The goal is to have 50 hats ready by October 1 for distribution to HISD schools. 

We also have several kits for Knitted Knockers ready to go. These are always in demand and we’d love to collect as many as we can for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October!

Our charity yarn stash is running low, please consider donating or asking friends to search their stash for acrylic yarns of various weights. 

Speaking of stash, Ravelry has several patterns including the Snippet Scarf and Stashbuster Scarf that create fringe instead of ends to weave in. The Fidget Sleeve is also a good stash eater.  

We have many infant hats. Please consider making an infant blanket 24″x36″ or larger that will go to Project Linus or LBJ pediatric unit.

We have two upcoming Charity Events!

Sunday, September 15, 1:30-4:30 pm
Windwood Presbyterian Church
10555 Spring Cypress Rd
in Houston

Sunday, October 13, 12:30-3:00 pm
Senate Avenue Brewing Co
16000 Dillard Dr Unit F
in Jersey Village

From Our President – September 2024

Posted on by KANGWebmaster

Welcome from your new officers! August has been a busy month. We went on a cruise to Alaska at the beginning of the month – had beautiful weather and saw lots of whales, bears, eagles, puffins, and other creatures.

I’m trying to get familiar with the President’s duties (like writing a column for the newsletter!) and hosted the first Executive Board meeting. Your chapter presidents can catch you up on what was discussed.

I haven’t had too much time to knit this month but I’m working on the Embellish As You Will shawl which was sold as a kit at Yarn Store Boutique a few months ago. The kit was called Spring in Texas and came with some beautiful yarn from Theodora’s Pearls in shades of blue (think bluebonnets!). Unfortunately, I messed up part of it by following the lace pattern in the middle of the stockinette section and didn’t notice it for several rows… I’m still trying to get that to look right 😊.

A few days ago, I tested positive for Covid, so I’ll be quarantining for several days – hurray, more knitting time!

Kate Wilson
KANG President
knitatnightguild@gmail.com