October Newsletter: Blocking: It's Magic! with Michele Lee Bernstein (PDXKnitterati)

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Read the message about coronavirus (COVID-19) from the PKG Board.

Blocking:
It's Magic!

Michele Lee Bernstein
a.k.a. PDXKnitterati

Thursday, October 8th, 2020
Virtual Program starts at 7 p.m.
Our meeting is virtual so we can stay connected to our fiber community.

Do you block your knits? Should you?

Learn how to make your knits look their best! Steam blocking and wet blocking will be discussed during this presentation.

CLICK HERE to join the meeting via ZOOM on Thursday, 10/8.

Did you have problems joining us in the past?
Our Zoom meetings now have more positive ease! We've upgraded our room size to make sure everyone can get in.

Running late? Please join us. Your entrance won't disrupt the meeting. Pajamas are welcome—no one will see you. Be comfortable.

Membership

We're happy to have guests at our events. After a meeting or two, we ask that you support our programs by becoming a member. Thank you!

Renew online:
Email puddletownknitters@gmail.com and we'll send an invoice.

Membership through December 31st, 2020, is prorated to $15.

Raffle Sneak Peek

Half the Knit Sky Kit
Half the Knit Sky is Michelle Lee Bernstein's latest shawl pattern, and it has appeared in our Show & Tell in August and September. Knit your own sunset with the gradient from Huckleberry Knits (80% Wool, 20% Manufactured Fibers) and Cascade fingering (100% Wool).

And So To Bed … Book
Lucinda Guy's book is a bedtime-themed, cozy collection of handknits for children, ages two to five. The classic knits feature colorwork and stitch patterns that will appeal to knitters at all levels.

Elf Amigurumi Kit
All this adorable Toft kit needs is you! The package contains yarn (superfine 100% wool), stuffing, pattern (level 2–easy), crochet hook, and a wool needle.

Member Tip with Anna Lorton
Anna shows us cabling without cable needles.

Show and Tell
Submit your photos! We would love it if you’d talk for a minute or two about your project during the meeting. If you won’t be there or would prefer not to speak, just let us know.

Email your photos to puddletownknitters@gmail.com before you go to bed on Tuesday, October 6th.

Do you need more yarn, eyes or stuffing to create a cuddly toy?

Do you have a few toys that you're ready to pass along?

We have free yarn, stuffing, eyes and more! We even have stuffed toys that could use a sweater or dress.

Email us to make arrangements for pick up and drop off.

Butterfly Boxes, started by Puddletown member Adrienne and her sister-in-law, helps welcome refugees and asylum seekers to Oregon. Toys should be huggable and washable. Keep in mind that most of the refugees are people of color, and dolls' skin tones should reflect their image.

Check out our Ravelry page for pattern ideas. (Use caution with Ravelry's new interface if you live with epilepsy or migraines.)

Join Puddletown's Virtual Knit Nights Every Tuesday
Drop-in anytime between 6 and 8 p.m.

The link changes weekly. Visit the Guild Events page for the current link.

We're using Zoom for our meetings and knit nights, but what is it?

Zoom is a virtual meeting program. There's no signup process or fee for you—just a quick registration.

When you click the event's link, you will be prompted to install Zoom if you haven't used it before. If you'd like to test it, you can click an event link at any time. Here's a quick video showing what to expect when you join the meeting.

Mark Your Calendar

NOVEMBER MEETING:
Kay Hopkins of Knit for the Soul Talks About Top Down Sweaters for a Perfect Fit
Kay strives to design simply elegant knitwear that is fun to make and to wear. She's a big fan of seamless and top-down designs so that they can be tried on for that perfect fit as you go and to prevent unfortunate fit surprises at the end. She'll share a bit about how she got started, how she does it, and some stories along the way.

DECEMBER MEETING:
Lori Patterson of Abstract Fiber Discusses Understanding Yarn Through Hand Spinning
Hand spinning your own yarn is positively the best way to understand yarn. And when you understand yarn you can genuinely make your knitted projects truly your own. In this talk, Lori will provide a clear roadmap for learning about hand spinning yarn and how it can help you get to know your yarn that much better.

Guild Leadership

If you'd like to be more involved with programming, special events, or administration within the Guild, we're looking for members to help sustain and grow our Board over the coming years.

For more information visit the About Us page, talk to one of the Board members at a meeting, or send a note to puddletownknitters@gmail.com.

Our mission is to promote a diverse community of knitters of all abilities, to support local fiber providers and artists from farm to needles, to model respect for the local fiber community by actively valuing their time and expertise.