Fall plans, Summer homework!

Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who came to the meeting today. For those who couldn't make it, that's fine, just be sure to read this post! There's a lot of important information about the upcoming Fall semester. We're making some changes to the schedule for the fall. We will have two different kinds of meetings. The first is just like it's been- weekly meetings at Caffe Paradiso for fun, knitting, conversations, etc. The second, however, is going to be a mandatory monthly meeting to meet up and discuss group projects. Which brings me to the second point. We are going to be doing a number of projects. 1:. Mother Bear Project: I've sent out an email to everyone on the mailing list with a copy of the brochure and knititng pattern. If you didn't get it, or you aren't on the mailing list, just email me and I will send you a copy right away. I'd like you to each do one bear over the summer- you can use leftover yarn from other projects, or you can buy yarn specifically for this project. Finish the bear over the summer, and then on Quad Day, bring it to the booth and we will display them with the information on the project. The following day, we will package them and ship them off to the kids. 2:. Tree cozies: Brigitte (the owner of Klose Knit) has requested our help in knitting tree cozies for the trees outside her shop. If you don't know what a tree cozy is, check out this link (http://www.eleganceredefined.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/knitted-tree.jpg). Ours won't be quite so large scale, but you get the idea. The yarn will be supplied, we just need to supply the knitter-power! Other projects can be submitted for consideration to illini.knitting@gmail.com. Brainstorm!

3:. Finally, our attempt at charity projects this year fell to the wayside, so we are making up for it this summer and in the coming semesters! If you've heard of a charity knitting project, or you find one that you'd like to knit for, submit your idea to the above address!

In more fun news, we've come to the realization that many of our members are fond of having a relaxing drink every once in a while. Therefore, we will be having KI Barcrawls next year! There will be mandatory drunken knitting, so cast on a scarf and knit it while you're drunk! We will take pictures periodically to see the progress of a drunken scarf! So, that's about it. Enjoy your summer, and if you can't make it to the meetings next week, I will see you in August! Becki Schneider President.

Saturday knitting!

Hey guys, join us this Saturday at Klose Knit for our monthly Saturday knitting! The weather promises to be beautiful, so there's a good chance we will be able to sit outside and enjoy the warmth of Spring.

Good company, refreshing drinks, and lots of yarn! Don't miss it!

Interested in Joining? Here's how

If anyone is interested in joining the Knitting Illini, it's never too late!  Just send an email to illini.knitting@gmail.com with your full name, your UIUC NetID, and your skill level.  Skill levels are as follows:

New beginner: No previous experience- I want to learn how!

Beginner: I know the bare minimum, but want to expand my knitting skills.

Intermediate: I know more than the basics, but still could learn some more tricks or techniques

Advanced: I feel comfortable with most patterns, and could teach beginners to knit.

Expert: I am a knitting god/goddess.  

If you'd like to sign up for a beginner knitting class, let me know in the same email.  Beginner classes will start up sometime in February and will go for a few sessions.  Classes are $5.00 per session, paid when you arrive for the class.  They will take place during scheduled meetings.  You will be paired up with an advanced knitter who will help you learn the following techniques: Cast On, Knit, Purl, Decrease, and finishing techniques.  You'll be given a pattern for a winter hat, and from there you'll learn the basic techniques employed by almost every knitting pattern.  

If you already know how to read patterns, but you don't have the money/patterns that you'd like, feel free to ask me and I can bring in my pattern binder for you to look through.  I'm a bit of a nut about knitting, so there's A LOT of patterns.  

Any questions, email me at illini.knitting@gmail.com

Yarnbombing!!!

Check out this article from the UK--- yarn graffiti strikes again!  

Yarnbombing

~~Becki

New Year, New Semester, New Meetings

The New Year brings some changes into the club.  Our old haunt, Bar Guiliani, has closed down.  Therefore, we are forced to find an alternative meeting spot.  As a person who prefers to knit in comfort, rather than find a classroom, we are moving to another coffee shop.  Our new meetings will be at Cafe Paradiso, on the Corner of Lincoln and Nevada in Urbana.  It's just down the street from LAR, and the 22 Illini MTD bus makes frequent stops to LAR, so the trek is not so bad for those coming from Campustown/Champaign.  

Our meeting times have also changed.  We will now meet on Tuesday and Wednesday from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.  Our first meeting will be on the Tuesday after syllabus week, on January 27th, 2009.

Another change in this new year is our addition of a charity project.  All members are required to donate $2.00 to the cause, and any who wish to participate in the project will be supplied with the yarn.  The project we have chosen is to knit teddy bears for children afflicted with HIV/AIDs.  I'll post a link ASAP to the project details.  

Happy 2009!

Poll: T-shirt, or Hoodie?

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Knitting Illini has Begun for the fall!

Hey guys, it's me, Becki (la prez).   Just popping in to add a blog post because it's been neglected.  Feel free to post about anything here.  Questions, links to awesome patterns, problems with projects or just about a particular project you're excited about--- anything!  It's doesn't even really have to be knitting related!  

For those of you who are just joining us, we offer 3 session knitting lessons for beginners.  Those of you who signed up for the first set of sessions got the opening discount, but from here on out sessions are $5/session, with three sessions to teach the pattern.  If you make it to all three sessions, that's $15 total--not a bad price for beginner lessons! The pattern is a simple knitted hat, like a winter stocking cap or skull cap.  You'll learn how to knit and purl, the difference between garter stitch and Stockinette stitch, how to cast on, the difference between knitting on straight needles and knitting in the round (with a circular needle), and how to decrease stitches, as well as finishing techniques.  This pattern is simple and easy to follow, and we'll be there along the way to help you through any snags.

There's information on the website about all sorts of stuff:  http://illini.knitting.googlepages.com.  Make sure, if you're typing in the address, that you DON'T include "www." at the beginning, otherwise the page will not load.  :)

Happy knitting everyone!