cable gram - Northfield Yarn

Volume 30, Number 3
Newsletter of the Minnesota Knitters’ Guild
Fall 2014
CABLE GRAM
Profile: Cat Bordhi
From the President
Sandra Merrill,
President
MN Knitters’ Guild
I enjoy knitting for others, especially my nieces and nephews,
who like and enjoy the things I
make with them in mind. I enjoy
fun things that bend toward the
realm of gaming or science fiction.
I also like a good challenge and
knitting things that can be involved, like lace and Fair Isle
stranded garments.
by Jennifer Williams
Cat Bordhi was
recently in Minneapolis to teach
at StevenBe, and I
had the opportunity to take her
classes and to
learn more about
her knitting and
teaching philosophy. If you have not heard the
name Cat Bordhi before, then Cat would exclaim
“well thank God!” In that remark lies the true nature of this gracious and generous human being.
Cat Bordhi has been a teacher for most of her life.
It was during her time as a middle school teacher
that she found success with her first book Socks
Soar on Two Circular Needles, published in 2001.
This short but genius little book liberated sock
knitters from their double point needles and
caught the attention of Skacel, maker of Addi
Turbo needles. Soon Cat was making more
money from her book than she was as a teacher.
(Continued on page 8)
(Continued on page 2)
INSIDE
Virtual Service Committee ................................................ 2
Knitting Around: Northfield Yarn ................................ 9
As Seen on Ravelry: Marja Mullings ................................. 3
The Library Corner..................................................... 10
Beth McLaughlin, Textile Conservator ......................... 4
Northern Lights Affiliate Meeting Schedule .............. 11
State Fair Entries and Winners .......................................... 5
Coming Up at MKG ................................................... 11
Knitting in the News: Tour de France & Tour de Fleece ... 6
Charting the Future..................................................... 11
Knitting in the Northland ................................................... 7
www.knitters.org
2
Cable Gram - Fall 2014
From the President, Continued from page 1
One thing I have not done is to enter something
into the Minnesota State Fair. It has never piqued
my interest to do so. This year I found a pattern
on a blog called “Homemade” that seemed fun,
quirky and matched my interest in Fair Isle knitting. The pattern was brought up and joked about
in a knitting group. Except for the fact that it is
Fair Isle, I wasn’t sure why it called to me.
I downloaded the pattern, which was written in
Norwegian. I used Google to translate so I could
understand what was written and discovered a bonus double pattern. Fellow knitters then began to
encourage me to enter it in the State Fair. My only
hope was that it would bring a good chuckle from
Fairgoers, which it certainly did.
Let me get to my point. I knitted and entered a
pair of Fair Isle men’s underwear, complete with
“snabel” (I don’t know what that is or means,
other than a tube for, well, you know), using Red
and White Shetland yarn.
I, myself, was unable to make it to the Fair. I was
told there was giggling and chuckling, so I scored
there. I had no expectations going into this, so
being awarded third place was a bonus to me.
Other knitters posted my work on Facebook and
pointed it out to others who were at the Great Gettogether as my work. My men’s underwear has
been discussed at retreats — who would have
known?
What will I do with them? I did not make them for
wearing. I plan on displaying them in a shadowbox in my bathroom. I plan to make the matching
women’s pair from the pattern, which I may enter
next year, and also frame to hang alongside the
men’s pair. Perhaps the State Fair administrators
will add a new competitive category for undergarments!
Virtual Service Committee
by Betty Hanna , Interim Director, Service Committee
Greetings from the Virtual Service Committee!
The Guild kick-off for the Service Committee’s
charity knitting project had its formal beginning at
the July Guild picnic. At that meeting, 132 skeins
of yarn were selected by Guild members with the
express purpose of returning it at a future meeting
as “something else!!” Everyone was reminded that
we are knitting for adolescents this year.
At the August meeting, 32 new items were
collected and a report was given regarding our
status to date. We now have a total of 187 items,
152 of which are a delightful variety of hats. A
drawing was held for every individual and group
who contributed knitted items. Laura Halfpenny,
from Waterville, Minn. won a $50 Visa gift card
for Heidi’s knitting group and Shirley Unger won a
lovely skein of Rowan Kidsilk and a scarf pattern
to knit it into. Anna Smegal’s group in Cambridge
has been very busy. They have knit 83 items so far
and Laurie Moffat has made 35 of them! We only
have 3 knitting groups at this time and are looking
for more. If you’d like to add your group and knit
a few things for the charity project, please submit
your names to Betty Hanna at
bjhanna001@gmail.com.
September was a show-and-tell meeting for
members who entered projects in the State Fair.
Laura Halfpenny has also generously donated a hat
pattern which she designed and is sharing for the
Guild’s use.
Laura Halfpenny’s Wind and Currents Hat pattern and
an easy scarf pattern can be found on the MKG website.
Cable Gram - Fall 2014
3
As Seen on Ravelry: Zuzulandia III by Marja Mullings
by Elizabeth Watkins
One of the most eye-catching finished items in
the Guild’s Ravelry forum is a cowl made by
new member Marja Mullings, aka Yarnpuppy84, titled Zuzulandia III. The pattern is
called “Zuzu’s Petals” and was designed by
Carina Spencer. Zuzulandia III was the third
time that Mullings has made this favorite pattern. This particular iteration is made in a in a
gradient yarn with long color changes from
Twisted Fiber Arts.
Mullings is not only a new MKG member but
a brand new resident of Minnesota. She is
originally from Jamaica but has lived in several parts of the United States. Most recently,
she lived in the San Francisco area while completing a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at
Stanford University.
Mullings was surrounded by crocheted doilies
and decorations growing up in Jamaica, so she
learned to crochet first. She admits to being
very unhappy in graduate school and yearned
to make something beautiful. She turned to
crochet and made toys and flowers, but eventually decided that she didn’t care for the stiff
feeling of crocheted fabric. She took up knitting and that is now her primary craft. She
knits continental-style (“picking”) which she
attributes to her experience manipulating a crochet hook and because she had heard that continental knitting is more efficient than
“throwing.”
If you look at her many projects on Ravelry,
you will find detailed notes about the materials
and the type of needle used. Mullings said that
she has to keep detailed notes since she is not a
monogamous knitter and usually has several
projects underway. She thinks that her many
years of practice in keeping laboratory notes
might also carry over into her knitting. Mullings has worked as a nanoscientist, handling
extremely expensive and delicate fittings while
working with microscopic materials. She
found that knitting helped her
to stay calm and
focused while
handling the
small tools and
making detailed
analyses. Mullings also feels
that knitting
made her aware
that she is naturally very creative and must balance her work as an engineer
with a variety of creative and artistic pursuits.
She feels that knitting satisfies her creative
leanings while also drawing on her eye for detail and determination in the face of complexity.
As noted above, Mullings has made the pattern
“Zuzu’s Petals” three times. A quick look at
her project page on Ravelry shows that she
makes a lot of cowls. Mullings says that she
likes the fact that cowls can show off many
different stitch patterns, are very functional
and quick to knit. Mullings learned about gradient yarns when knitting “Zuzu’s Petals” and
now has a “deep obsession” with them. She is
also interested in learning more about techniques such as planned pooling and illusion
knitting.
Mullings learned about the Guild through a
podcast and also by searching the internet for
information about shops and classes. She had
heard that it can be hard to make friends in
Minnesota and hoped that joining the guild
would help her to meet people. This is her first
time living in such a cold climate and Mullings
is worried about what to expect this winter. If
you see a young woman in a cowl at the next
MKG meeting, possibly shivering, be sure to
give her a warm welcome.
4
Cable Gram - Fall 2014
At a Recent Meeting: Beth McLaughlin, Textile Conservator
by Elizabeth Watkins
Beth McLaughlin handles precious antiques in her
work as a textile conservator with museums such
as the Minneapolis Institute of Art. At the June 17
MKG meeting, she shared her expertise with members who want to preserve this year’s state fair winner, grandma’s afghan or a treasured baby sweater.
Her talk was illustrated with slides of artifacts from
the MIA collection as well as photographs of items
from private collections that she has worked on.
Conservation begins with analysis of materials,
including the type of fiber and how it was dyed,
analysis of the structure of the item, any surface
embellishment such as beads and study of any fasteners that are attached to the item. A conservator
then studies the object looking for evidence of deterioration which can be caused by a number of
factors including light, temperature, humidity and
pests. Humans can cause unintentional damage as
well, such as owner of an antique quilt who sewed
a fabric pocket onto the back and used it to hang
the quilt on a wall. Over time, the weight of the
quilt damaged the fabric and the stitching. Textiles
can also be damaged by improper storage techniques, such as crowding items in a drawer or using the wrong chemicals to clean fabric.
There was a lively discussion of bugs and
“frass” (bug poop), a subject that is of equal interest to museum workers and to the average knitter.
McLaughlin warned that cedar and lavender are
will not deter moths. Cedar chests only work if
they seal tightly and prevent moths from entering.
She recommended quarantining any new yarn or
fiber that is brought into a home, particularly if you
are not certain of how it was stored previously.
Freezing in winter will eradicate pests, but
McLaughlin cautioned that textiles need to be at a
consistently low temperature for at least a week.
Home appliances cycle on and off and may not be
as foolproof as Mother Nature, which gives Minnesota an advantage over southern states. Heat will
also destroy bugs and McLaughlin sometimes microwaves purchases for 30-40 seconds, after checking to make sure that there aren’t any staples or
other metal particles. She also uses her dryer. At
the end of winter, McLaughlin washes all of her
wool sweaters, lets
them dry completely, and then
puts them in the
dryer for 5 minutes
before storing in
ziplock bags.
McLaughlin also
shared lots of tips
for storing textiles,
particularly items
that are not used
frequently. Rolling
textiles is recommended over folding, since crease lines can eventually weaken fabric. She recommended storing
items in acid-free archive boxes with photos on the
outside so that the contents can be identified without opening the box. Conservators use acid-free
paper or laundered bed sheets to inter-space with
the textile being stored. Items should be stored out
of direct sunlight and with average temperature and
humidity. McLaughlin does not recommend storing
yarn and fiber in plastic bins in basements because
of possible problems with humidity and mold.
Cleaning is particularly important for clothing and
McLaughlin explained that salt from sweat and
body oils can damage handknits that are worn directly next to the skin. Tiny food particles will also
attract bugs. Her biggest cleaning recommendation
was to never use Woolite because it has perfumes
and softeners that will damage fabrics. Products
such as Eucalan and Soak are less problematic, but
conservators most frequently use Orvis Paste
which is also used by spinners for cleaning raw
fleeces. McLaughlin purchases generic versions of
the product at Fleet Farm where it is sold for washing sheep and other animals for lower prices than
in yarn shops*. It can be used with silk and plant
fibers as well as wool, but needs to be rinsed thoroughly from silk. When asked about dry-cleaning,
McLaughlin said that it is sometimes used by conservators. She noted that dry cleaners reuse their
chemicals repeatedly until they lose effectiveness
(Continued on page 6)
Cable Gram - Fall 2014
5
2014 State Fair Entries and Ribbons!
by Elizabeth Watkins
Guild members did well in the State Fair competition this year, earning
many ribbons. The Guild itself sponsors three awards for the best overall
hand knit item, the best shawl and the best mittens. These awards were
given to Susan Rainey, Pamela Tucker and Deborah Meyer, respectively.
+Alice Adams: plain adult pullover*, adult color pattern pullover*,
color pattern vest
N. Jeanne Burns: bedspread, not otherwise specified not wearable
Bonnie Esplie: color pattern mittens, open work texture socks
Mary Hamre: wearable felted item
+Betty Hanna: adult color pattern pullover
Karen Herrick: lightweight scarf
Becky Klay: holiday sock*
Paula Knutzen: texture mittens, not otherwise specified not wearable
Kim LaBerge: holiday sock
Sharon Laurel: medium-weight shawl or stole
Karen Lehman: adult texture cardigan
Paula Mazour: lightweight shawl, adult limited-use color pattern
cardigan
Sandra Merrill: not otherwise specified wearable
Becky Mohn: adult texture pullover*
Shelley Monitor: adult limited-use texture cardigan
Diane Mountford: plain child sweater/dress/suit*, adult texture
cardigan
Lisa Pannell: adult texture cardigan, adult color pattern cardigan
+Susan Rainey: heavy-weight scarf, texture hat*, plain cardigan,
texture cardigan, color pattern cardigan*, color pattern vest*
Sue Ellen Riese: heavy-weight scarf, medium-weight scarf
Kathleen Schultz: nonwearable felted item
Ellen Silva: lightweight stole, solid texture socks
Anna Smegal: medium-weight scarf, plain or ribbed socks*
Lisa Swanson: solid texture socks, work texture socks
Bonnie Swierzbin: adult limited-use texture pullover
Pamela Tucker: lightweight stole*
Carolyn Vance: light-weight stole
Elizabeth Watkins: light-weight shawl
+Robin Westacott: heavy-weight scarf*, gloves
Audra Williams: texture cap hat
A sampling of State Fair winners,
Jennifer Williams: heavy-weight shawl or stole, color pattern hat including Pamela Tucker's stole, mitst
*Indicates the item won 1 place in its category.
tens made by Deborah Meyer and
scarf by Robin Westacott, and Kristin
Hilgendorf's sweater (top).
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Cable Gram - Fall
Knitting in the News: Tour de France and the
Tour de Fleece
by Elizabeth Watkins
The Tour de France is the most famous bicycle
race in the world, lasting for 21 days in July and
easily covering 2,000 miles. Although the race is
centered in France, it frequently begins in
neighboring countries. Race leaders in different
categories wear colored jerseys to mark their
status: yellow for the overall race leader, green for
the rider who wins the most short-distance sprints
and red and white polka dots for the best rider
through the mountains.
This summer, the Tour de France began in Harrogate, Yorkshire, which is the heart of Great Britain’s wool industry. Looking for a way to highlight local industry and get the community involved in race preparation, the city council came
up with the idea of hand-knit miniature jerseys in
the race colors that would be strung together to
create decorative buntings along the course. A
well-known local shop, Baa Ram Ewe, designed
the pattern for a miniature t-shirt and the project
was kicked off at knitting festival in the fall of
2013, with the goal of collecting 3,000 jerseys.
That goal was met and then some, with a final tally
of 22,000 jerseys. Knitters from all over the world
heard about the event and sent jerseys by mail.
Knitting groups around England joined in, and
learn-to-knit sessions were held in Yorkshire to get
novices involved. The organizers finally had to
stop accepting jerseys and begin the process of
stringing all of them onto ropes and then installing
them along the race course.
Professional cyclists in the Tour de France ride at
speeds of 30 to 60 miles per hour, so they swooped
by the buntings in an instant. The colorful shirts
remain installed through September for the locals
to enjoy, however. After that, the plan is to sew all
of the jerseys that are in good condition onto quilts
that will be donated to charity.
Not to be outdone by knitters, spinners have their
own event tied to the race: the annual Tour de
Fleece. The Ravelry group for the Tour de Fleece
has over 7,000 members which gives an idea of its
popularity. Participants commit to spin every day
and to do something particularly challenging on
days when the riders are going through the mountains. Spinners organize themselves into teams,
including a sprinters’ team whose goal is to produce a high volume of fine yarn. Several Guild
members who are active spinners participated, including Jennifer Presnell who was co-captain of a
team of spinners who belong to the Stash KnitDown group on Ravelry.
Textile Conservator, cont.
(Continued from page 4)
and recommended asking the cleaner to use a
fresh batch.
Before ending her presentation, a guild member
asked for recommendations on what fiber to use
for a project that she hopes will be passed on in
her family as an heirloom. McLaughlin immediately said to not use silk and also warned that
wool is susceptible to bugs. Surprisingly, she said
that cotton and linen are often the most durable.
Perhaps there will be an increase in cotton and
linen shawls in next year’s State Fair!
*Note from the author: I followed McLaughlin’s
recommendation and purchased a one-gallon jar
of “show paste” at Fleet Farm for approximately
$25. Since it is diluted at a rate of one part soap to
one hundred parts water, it’s probably a lifetime
supply.
Cable Gram - Fall 2014
7
Knitting in the Northland
By Shannon Szymkowiak
When I was a kid, my friends and I were obsessed for a while with the idea of having secret clubs. Some lasted a day, some lasted a
week, but the one I remember best was the
“Hard Way Club”. The idea of the club was to
do everything the hard way. Instead of walking
the usual three blocks home from school, we
walked an extra three blocks with my best
friend, walking all the way to my house only to
backtrack to hers. I would open the garage
door and go in through the garage instead of
through the front door, and walking backwards
through the house was surely harder than looking to see where I was going. I’m sure we
drove our parents crazy while we tried to make
our lives much harder than they needed to be
on purpose.
When I think back to the Hard Way Club, it
occurs to me that I have elected myself President of the Knitting Hard Way Club more
times than I care to acknowledge. I mean, why
ask for help if I can figure it out myself, right?
How hard can it be? Markers between stitch
repeats? Huh. Great idea! Lifelines? Well, who
woulda thunk? I mean seriously – I know
about these techniques, but do I use them?
Why do I make things so hard on myself?
We are really blessed in our area to have so
many local yarn shops and expert knitters. The
depth and breadth of knowledge in any gathering of Guild members (or really any group of
knitters) is mind-boggling. A trip to the State
Fair Creative Arts building is an in-person brag
book of the skills developed by knitters state-
wide. And Ravelry? Don’t get me started about
the one hundred and one ways to accomplish
just about anything in the knitting world.
But what about on-purpose Hard Ways? Sometimes it can be fun to make a challenge on purpose to see where it takes you. How will
skinny yarn look on large needles? What might
happen if I carry these two strands together? I
like to view the challenge as an opportunity to
learn and immerse myself in the process rather
than insisting upon a foreseen result. When
you are figuring out the problem, things seem
less like the Hard Way and more like working
your way through an interesting puzzle. For
me, the lesson seems to stick a little better, too.
And if you aren’t careful, you might be blinded
by the light bulb that goes off over your head.
It sure beats getting so frustrated you don’t
want to continue.
I am working on a shawl right now that I am
modifying slightly to get a very specific effect.
What in the world possessed me to make this
large project more difficult? Well, I saw some
beautiful variegated yarn that just won’t show
to its best advantage in this pattern unless I
modify things. These modifications are making
things more complicated, but as I throw myself
into this change, it is taking a project I was already excited about and turning it into a project I am ecstatic about.
Give it a try. Sometimes the Hard Way can be
the Fun Way.
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Cable Gram - Fall 2014
Cat, continued
(Continued from page 1)
In 2004, knitting became even more magical
when Cat introduced knitters to the infinite
possibilities of the mobius. She created the perfect cast-on, that once mastered, will give any
knitter a perfect mobius every time. After the
mobius was unleashed, there was no stopping
Cat. She has just recently published her ninth
book, Versatildes.
Not content with simply sending her books out
into the world, Cat also sends herself to teach
knitters to be visionaries, mobius creators, and
adventurous sock engineers. Cat approaches her
students much like she approaches life, on an
equal level. She is an amazing teacher, paying
attention to how someone learns, never assuming
she knows more than her students, and cheering
on all the tiny successes. She can take a struggling student, find a new way to teach them, and
leave the student with a vivid little story so they
don’t forget what it is they have learned.
Cat prefers 40g for herself. Having a body by
Frog Tree Yarn is pure ewetopian pleasure. To
date, sales of her book on FELFS have raised
$46,000 to help advance the cancer research of
Dr. David Krag. It is Cat’s sincere hope that
someday Dr. Krag will be able to say “Knitters
made chemotherapy obsolete!”
Over the last two years, it is the tilde, a swirly bit
of punctuation, which has captured Cat’s imagiRecently, a little idea called FELFS has taken
hold. FELFS are cozy little felted things that just nation. Now, the tilde is not merely a scarf or
vest; it is instead a simple shape you quickly masmight help stop cancer in its cellular tracks.
Felted Elfin Footwear (FELFS) have allowed Cat ter and can then mold it into something you will
to meet cancer at its own level, and stare it in the love. In her new book, Cat gives you the passport
face. As Cat celebrated being cancer-free for 20 to Tildelandia. What happens once you arrive is
between knitters and their needles.
years, she discovered that implants aren’t really
meant to last that long. So when one implant went As a teacher of knitters, Cat is often asked about
one way and the other one the opposite way, they the future of knitting. Will knitting fall out of fahad to come out. Now implant free and working vor? Can there really be one more shawl pattern?
as a consultant for Frog Tree Yarn, a new idea
Her reply? Knitters will never run out of creative
took hold. It seems a 50g ball of Ewetopia is just ideas, it’s not possible. There are more lifetime
the perfect thing to fill out one’s figure, although knitters now than ever before. Knitting is muscle
memory; it becomes a part of you. Even if you
put your needles down for years, your hands will
remember. This symbiotic relationship between
knitting and life is exactly what makes Cat
Bordhi an amazing teacher and designer.
You can find Cat at www.catbordhi.com and on
Ravelry as Cat Bordhi.
Cable Gram - Fall 2014
Winter, 2007
9
Knitting Around: Northfield Yarn
by Elizabeth Watkins
Knitters who want to combine leaf-watching this fall
with the visit to a yarn shop should head toward
southeastern Minnesota and Northfield Yarn. The
store is owned by Cynthia Gilbertson, who left a career as an attorney and the Twin Cities behind for the
joys of small town life. Gilbertson learned to knit
when she was younger. When she returned to the
craft as adult, she loved the sense of community connections that are formed among people who share a
common hobby. She started teaching community
education classes while living in the metro area and
found that she loved those moments when “a new
knitter is born.” After her family moved to Northfield, which lacked a yarn shop, everything came together and a new LYS was born.
Northfield Yarn carries a wide
range of yarns at different price
points, including some locallyproduced yarn as well as boutique
labels such as Sweet Georgia. Located in the historic downtown
area near restaurants and coffee
shops, it draws knitters from
around southeastern Minnesota as
well as the metro area. Since
Northfield is also home to two colleges, the shop also attracts students as well as their visiting parents. One of the
store’s unique features is the monthly Express Project, designed to meet the needs of the shopper who
wants to make something but just isn’t sure what.
Each month, visitors will find a pattern and all of the
needed yarn needed ready to grab and go for quick
knitting fix.
Gilbertson and her staff have also gone through training to offer CustomFit services. CustomFit is the
brainchild of designer Amy Herzog, author of numerous patterns and the book Fit to Flatter. The book
introduced Herzog’s system of body measurements
that are used to pick silhouettes and incorporate shaping to show off all shapes and sizes to their best advantage. CustomFit takes this concept to the next
level: users input their measurements, information
from a gauge swatch as well as details about the type
of garment they want to knit. The software program
then produces a pattern customized to their measurements and desired yarn. You can’t accurately take
your own measurements, which is where the staff of
Northfield Yarn come in. Knitters
can purchase a Start-Up Package
which includes taking measurements, assistance in setting up their
CustomFit account and help to
generate their pattern. The measurements can be done over a closefitting t-shirt and customers do not
need to undress completely. For
an additional fee, users can also
participate in a class that will walk
them through every step of completing their sweater. Gilbertson’s
real goal in joining CustomFit is that customers will
end up with a sweater that fits them perfectly and that
they really enjoy wearing.
Gilbertson had never operated a cash register until the
day Northfield Yarn opened, and she says that owning a yarn shop is a lot more than just knitting. She
has had to set up accounting systems, hire and train
One of her chief goals for the store is that it be a wel- staff, figure out what to order and then market those
products. She enjoys the variety, however. The part
coming environment that fosters community. The
of ownership that can be overwhelming is the expostore offers lots of classes and clinics and also hosts
sure to every new yarn and pattern. Her New Year’s
knitting groups. Gilbertson is also proud to mention
resolution was to keep fewer than 10 works-inthat the shop is “crochet friendly.” The shop is
known for its bi-annual “Finishing Frenzy.” Knitters progress on her needles. Right now, she is working
sign up and commit to finishing something that they on the Stephen West pattern “Clockwork” as well as a
CustomFit sweater for herself. Plus two shop samhave already started during a 6 week period. At the
end of the Finishing Frenzy, prizes are awarded and a ples. That makes a total of four, but Gilbertson won’t
say whether she has met her resolution. How could
party is held for everyone who participated.
she, with an entire store full of yarn to pick from?
Knitting Around is a regular feature highlighting knitting all around the state of Minnesota. Readers are encouraged to
suggest yarn stores, knitting events or people for future issues of the Cablegram by e-mailing
mn.knitters.guild@gmail.com. Thanks to Vanessa Bodrie who suggested Northfield Yarn for this issue.
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Cable Gram - Fall 2014
The Library Corner
by Rebecca Anspach
Fall is coming — I can feel it in the air. The nights are getting a little chillier and it is getting
darker earlier. Pretty soon, I will need to wear some woolen items when I take my dog for his
evening walk. One of my favorite warm woolies is a knitted tam.
Tam is an abbreviation of “Tam o' Shanter,” named after the hero of a poem by Robert Burns
and has become a nickname for the traditional bonnet worn by men in Scotland. It is similar to a
beret, and if you search for hat patterns on Ravelry, you will see that database classifies tams
and berets in the same subset. The traditional Scottish tam is made of tartan cloth and has a
pompom on the top, but many of the knitted tam patterns you see will be knit using cable patterns or stranded colorwork.
When I first started knitting stranded colorwork patterns, I discovered a beautiful tam pattern by
Mary Ann Stephens called “Amaryllis Hat”. I was determined to knit this tam and it was a real
challenge for me. After I finished the Amaryllis Hat I decided to learn more about tams.
I started with a book by Mary Rowe called Knitted Tams. This book, published in 1989, is now
out of print. Luckily the Textile Center Library has two copies of Knitted Tams that you can
check out. This is a wonderful reference book with very detailed instructions on knitting tams.
There are instructions for basic tams as well as information on how to design your own. Rowe
covers the math involved in calculating decreases for custom designs and gives very good examples for tams with varying numbers of wedges in the decrease section.
The basic tam starts with a knitted headband designed to snugly fit the head. The headband is
knit like a tube for 1-3 inches, followed by a row with increases, usually about 35-40% of the
cast on stitches. For a fingering-weight tam, you might cast on 130 stitches, then after the headband, increase 50 stitches, for a total of 180 stitches. After knitting a tube with this larger number of stitches for a several inches, you will start to decrease the “wheel” or top of the tam. The
wheel can have any number of wedges and usually each wedge will have two decreases or a
centered double decrease.
In 2014, Schoolhouse Press published a new book by Mary Rowe called Knitting Tams:
Charted Fair Isle Designs. This book has a very brief explanation of how to knit a tam and
charts for seventeen different tams: fifteen in fingering weight, one in sport weight and one in
worsted-weight yarn. This book can be found in the Textile Center Library or you can order it
from Schoolhouse Press.
Other books in the Textile Center Library that have patterns or instructions for knitting tams
are:
Hats: A Knitter’s Dozen
Hatittude: Knits for Every Mood
In All Caps
Poems of Color: Knitting in the Bohus Tradition
Sweaters from Camp
Vogue Knitting Caps & Hats
With any of these books, you can be on your way to a colorful and stylish cap to keep your ears
warm this winter.
Cable Gram - Fall 2014 n
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Charting the Future
Retreats, workshops and events for knitters
who like to plan ahead.
Sheep and Fiber Farm Tour
Oct. 11-12, 2014
Tour 6 fiber farms in southeastern Minnesota. In
addition, learn from internationally known felt
artist Janice Arnold who will offer a workshop
and lecture in Winona on Oct. 11. Arnold has
studied felt making with Kyrgyz and Mongolian
nomads and has created pieces for museums
throughout the country.
http://www.fiberfarmtour.com/
Fiber_Farm_Tour_2014/HOME.html
Fall Fiber Festival
November 8, 2014, 9 am– 4 pm
Eisenhower Community Center, Hopkins
Shop the marketplace for all types of fiber and
supplies plus classes and demonstrations.
http://www.fallfiberfestival.com/
Shepherd’s Market Fiber Festival
Nov. 15, 2014, 9 am– 4 pm
Amana, Iowa
Yarn, fiber and supplies for knitting, spinning
and weaving.
http://www.shepherds-market.com/
To add an event to this quarterly calendar of
events, e-mail mn.knitters.guild@gmail.com.
11 7
Northern Lights Affiliate
Meeting Schedule
NLA meetings are usually held at Portman Square
which is located at 4601 McCulloch Street in
Duluth on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Meet
and Greet is at 5:30, business meeting at 6 pm,
followed by a program. Meetings adjourn about
7:30. For further information, contact Pam at
duffykope@yahoo.com.
October 18, 2014
Spinning workshop with Sharon Knutson
Evergreen Senior Center, corner of 59 th and Grand
in West Duluth.
FFI contact Susan D. at sudo2242@gmail.com
November 19, 2014
Stash sale at Portman Square: bring any yarn you
would like to sell. If no one volunteers to be the
cashier, you will have to be responsible for taking
the money for your yarn and making change.
Checks are appreciated.
December 17, 2014
Charity Mystery KAL Finale and Holiday Party at
Aspenwood
The mystery KAL will be led by Cameron
Hubley; the start date is still to be determined, but
it will conclude on Dec. 17.
Host: Cameron Hubley; additional volunteers are
needed
Coming up at MKG
October 21, 2014
Local designer and teacher Mary Lou Eagan will visit the Guild and discuss patterns. As knitters, we
spend hours searching for the perfect pattern. But what attributes really make a pattern worth knitting?
Come join us as we explore this integral part of the knitting process.
November 18, 2014
As the days get cooler and that wooly skein looks even more inviting, why not try felting? Come and
join local designer and teacher Marie Mayhew as she dazzles us with her amazing felted projects. Marie
will have you looking at your wool in a whole new way with some tips and tricks for successful felting.
December 16, 2014 7pm
Come and share the joy of the season as we bring treats (both savory and sweet), bid on each other’s
stash, and raise money for our service committee. So edit your stash a little (or a lot!) then please bring
some amazing yarn, needles, tools and patterns for donation in our silent auction. Get ready to bid,
laugh, eat, knit and give 2014 a great Knitters' Guild send-off.
Minnesota Knitters’ Guild
3000 University Ave SE, Suite 2
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Questions? GIVE US A CALL!
MKG at the Textile Center: 612-436-0464
OR visit us at www.knitters.org
Since 1985 . . . Promoting interest, appreciation,
education and fellowship in the art of knitting.
Bring Your Knitting!
Officers
The Minnesota Knitters’ Guild meets on the third Tuesday of
each month, 7 to 9 P.M. at the Textile Center of MN, 3000
University Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN.
President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Program Director:
Yarnover Director:
Member-At-Large:
Service Director:
Membership Director:
Technology and Social Media Director:
Northern Lights Affiliate meetings are on the third Wednesday
of each month, at 6 PM., at the Portman Community Center,
4601 McCulloch St., Duluth, MN.
Come Check It Out
Be our guest! Come to a meeting and see if MKG is for you.
Whether you are just beginning or have years of experience
knitting, MKG is a place to meet folks who share your passion,
and a place to share our knowledge and love of the craft.
Want to Join?
Yearly dues are $30, January 1 through December 31, not prorated. Benefits include programs at our monthly meeting, the
quarterly Cable Gram, public service projects, members-only
knitting contests, early registration for our annual Yarnover
event, and the support of fellow knitters!
Make checks payable to MKG, and mail to:
Minnesota Knitters Guild
Attn: Treasurer
3000 University Av SE, Suite #2
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Sandra Merrill
pending
Mona Phaff
Jennifer Williams
Shelley Hermanson
Karen Cyson
Betty Hanna
Linnea Gieger
Sheri Braun
Cable Gram Volunteers
Editor:
Elizabeth Watkins
Design and Layout:
Nancy Adomeit
Contributing Writers:
Brigid Brindley, Pam Duffy-Kope,
Joyce Fitzgerald, Shelley Hermanson, Elizabeth Kimber, Shelley
Monitor, Jennifer Presnell, Ellen Reeher, Shannon Szymkowiak,
Lorri Talberg, Elizabeth Watkins
The Cable Gram is a quarterly publication. Copy Deadlines:
February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 1 (an earlier
deadline due to holiday season). Contact the MKG at 612-4360464 or www.knitters.org for more information or if you have a
story idea.
www.knitters.org