It is that time of year again!

So much has been going on lately that I have not had the spare moment to write anything! Right now is no exception, BUT I wanted to place a few important things up here for those who want to be kept in the loop!

First: We are working on TWO group projects! The first is the most important, as it is going to be a gift to a dear friend of ours who has been a bit under the weather. We are making her a Holiday Garland! Each member is making a minitaure Holiday ornament (or two, or three :-) ) of their choice, and then we are going to assemble the whole thing and give it to her over the upcoming holidays!

Second: We are working on assembling an S'n'B Banner of sorts that we will hang when we are havign our meetings. It will be a mobile yarn bombing of sorts. We decided that we needed some sort of knitted eye catcher when we are knitting in public! I will try to post pictures of our collective WIP!

The next thing that is going on is this!




If you are interested in participating in any of these activities, please PM me, check out our Facebook group, Ravelry Group OR, you can do it the old fashioned way, just stop by in person!

World Wide Knit in Public Day!

Hosted by: Klose Knit Yarn shop, and Stitch'n'Bitch Champaign Urbana
Location: Urbana Farmers Market at Lincoln Square Mall
Time: 6 am - 12 pm
Date: June 11, 2011

Come join Klose Knit and Stitch'n'Bitch Champaign Urbana for World Wide Knit in Public Day! Brigitte @ Klose Knit will be providing a tent/booth and sponsoring Knit In Public day at the Farmers Market so we all can to show off our skills to the community!

It is NOT required that you attend for the WHOLE duration! :-) Come for a few minutes, or for come the whole time, whatever you choose!

I am not sure how many chairs we will have, so you might want to bring a camp chair if you have one.


We have no backup plan, so if the Farmers Market is on, then so are we!

The web site for Klose Knit is http://www.klosekniturbana.com/

This KIP is not knitting exclusive
There are free bathrooms available nearby in the mall.

we are even registered on the WWKIP web site :-) !

If you like, please feel free to print and distribute the below flyer as you see fit.

Knit Happens is happening TOMORROW, April 12th!

We will be meeting for “Knit Happens” this Tuesday (tomorrow), and we would love to have some knitters (both seasoned and new) showing up to help get the BALL rolling. (pun TOTALLY intended)

UIUC Womens’ Resource Center
703 S. Wright St.
Corner of Wright and Green,
2nd Floor Freestar Bank

The door to the Women’s Resource center is located on the east side of the building, just take the elevator to the second floor.

We will be meeting 5:00pm-7:30pm.

Here are the dates for Knit Happens this semester:

* April 12th 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)
* April 26th 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)
* May 10th 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)

If you would like to host the meeting and lead a short tutorial near the beginning of the gathering on a topic of your choice ( “Casting On/Off,” “Choosing Yarn and Needles,” “Crochet,” “Knitting Graffiti,” “Increasing/Decreasing,” etc.), please sign up for your date and theme here:

http://signupgenius.com/go/hosting5

You can also bring along a helper to be your co-host! Please contact Rachel Storm about materials available to the host (getting copies made of your tutorial materials, etc.)

rstorm2@illinois.edu

AND ...

I would like to thank the C-U Stitch'n'Bitchers, Christina Tapp, Katie Martin, Brigitte Pieke and Klose Knit, Rachel Charlie Storm @ The WRC Knit Happens and Thelma Uranga of El Stitch y Bitch, for all of their effort in making tonight's community yarn bombing such a success! And last but NOT LEAST, a HUGE thanks to all of the knitters and crocheters in the C-U community who contributed ...to the cause! I cannot thank you all enough! More pictures are coming!

Don't fret if you missed meeting up with us, knitted and crocheted blocks can still be added at any time!

Hope to see you Sunday at S'n'B!

Attention to participants of the Boneyrad Knitting event!

Attention: because of the pending rain we will be NOT be hanging the blocks for the Boneyard Festival tonight. Instead the blocks will be hung TOMORROW night (April 8th) from 6pm-9pm. If you aren't able to make it Friday evening, you can drop them off to Klose Knit tomorrow afternoon and we'll put them up for you! :) Can't wait to see all the blocks!

Boneyard Art Festival Yarn Bombing!

knitting_poster_orange

Calling all fellow knitters and crocheters!

Join Klose Knit, the Champaign-Urbana Stitch 'n Bitch, and the Illinois Women's Resources Center's Knit Happens in this community-focused collaborative art piece, "Stitching the community together." 

As part of the Boneyard Arts Festival, we are using the fence at the corner of Neil and Church St. in Downtown Champaign as our canvas. We need your participation to create one GIANT community masterpiece that will add color and expression to the street corner.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Knit or crochet a 12in x 8in (w x h) block. Subject matter, color, etc. is all open! Think big and bold — in chunks of color, texture, and impact.

IMPORTANT DATES

Thursday, April 7, 6PM-9PM :: Blocks due 

Meet at the corner of Neil and Church St. to tie your block to the Neil St. fence in Downtown Champaign. We are hoping this will be one BIG yarnbombing event!

Friday, April 8, 6PM-9PM :: Live knitting on-site

Join us during the Downtown Champaign day of the Boneyard Arts Festival to knit and crochet on-site. We'll continue to add blocks during the evening.

If you are unable to meet to tie your block to the fence, you can still participate! Please drop off your block at one of the locations below by 5PM, Thursday, April 7.

Klose Knit

311 W. Springfield Ave., Urbana, IL

Check klosekniturbana.com for hours

Stitch 'n Bitch Champaign-Urbana Meeting 

2nd Floor of Caribou Cafe (County Market on Campus)

331 E Stoughton St., Champaign, IL

Sundays from 1-3pm 

 

For more information, please e-mail chambana.snb@gmail.com.

Note: There are no limitations except for the size. Knit as many as you'd like! For basic knitters use size 15 needles and some big funky chunky yarn! For more advanced knitters, the sky's the limit! Stop by Klose Knit, or come to one of the Stitch 'n Bitch Champaign-Urbana meetings to make a block!

Sunday the 20th S'n'B Reminder AND Tuesday the 22nd, Knit Happens reminder....

Sunday, March 20th:

Come join the folks of Champaign-Urbana’s Stitch n’ Bitch group for a warm afternoon of knit and crochet! We have plenty of chairs, so please come on in even if it looks full!
If you are participating in the upcoming community-focused collaborative art piece, feel free to bring your piece to work on during the meeting time! We’d love to see what you are going to put up!  
Look for us in the private room off of the 2nd floor common area…

Just in-case you missed it and need to be reminded, here is the write up…

Title: Knitting the Community Together

Description:

Calling all fellow knitters and crocheters! Join Klose Knit, the Champaign-Urbana Stitch ‘n Bitch, and the Illinois Women’s Resources Center’s Knit Happens in this community-focused collaborative art piece.

We need your participation! Knit or crochet a 12in x 8in (w x h) block and come together to create a community masterpiece. Then join us starting at 6pm on Thursday, April 7, to tie the blocks to the Neil St. fence in Downtown Champaign (at the corner of Neil and Church). On Friday, April 8 at 6pm, we’ll be knitting and crocheting on-site and will continue adding blocks during the Boneyard Arts Festival. 

More complete information will be posted on this site very soon!



 

Tuesday, March 22nd:

Don’t forget! KNIT HAPPENS!
We will be meeting for “Knit Happens” this Tuesday, and we would love to have some seasoned knitters showing up to help get the BALL rolling. (pun TOTALLY intended)

UIUC Womens’ Resource Center
703 S. Wright St.
Corner of Wright and Green,
2nd Floor Freestar Bank
The door to the Women’s Resource center is located on the east side of the building, just take the elevator to the second floor.

We will be meeting 5:00pm-7:30pm.
Here are the dates for Knit Happens this semester:

• March 22nd 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)
• April 12th 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)
• April 26th 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)
• May 10th 5-7:30pm (host set-up around 4:45)

Now, we need hosts! As a host, you’re expected to stay the whole time and you’re expected to lead a short tutorial near the beginning of the gathering on a topic of your choice. (Examples include: “Casting On/Off,” “Choosing Yarn and Needles,” “Crochet,” “Knitting Graffiti,” “Increasing/Decreasing,” etc. Be creative! You can also bring along a helper to be your co-host! Please contact Rachel Storm about materials available to the host (getting copies made of your tutorial materials, etc.)
rstorm2@illinois.edu

Please sign up for your date and theme here:
http://signupgenius.com/go/hosting5

If you are interested in hosting, PLEASE DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! We still need 4 people to sign-up. First come, first served!

Since our community knitting event is going to be an actual part of the Boneyard Arts Festival (it will be on the actual MAP for the Boneyard event!), and now that I know the word of YARN is all-powerful, please feel LOTS of self-inflicted pressure to attend :-)

Important S'n'B meeting on Sunday March 13th!

If you think that you would be interested in participating in a large knit graffiti event, please come to the meeting on Sunday to throw around and gather some creative ideas for me to take to a brainstorming session next week.

***Look for us in the PRIVATE room off of the 2nd floor common area ... both the lighting and conference table are really nice! ***

This time, please feel pressured to come, because we need ALL of your creative ideas!!!

Knit is Happenening now that Knit Happens! is happenening again!

Knit happens! is back!

Greetings Knitters!

Here are the dates for Knit Happens this semester:

• March 22nd  5-7:30pm (set-up around 4:45)
• April 12th  5-7:30pm (set-up around 4:45)
• April 26th  5-7:30pm (set-up around 4:45)
• May 10th  5-7:30pm (set-up around 4:45)

Now, we need hosts! As a host, you're expected to stay the whole time and you're expected to lead a short tutorial near the beginning of the gathering on a topic of your choice. (Examples include: "Casting On/Off," "Choosing Yarn and Needles," "Crochet," "Knitting Graffiti," "Increasing/Decreasing," etc. Be creative!

Sign up for your date and theme here: http://signupgenius.com/go/hosting5

PLEASE DO THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO RACHEL CAN CREATE PUBLICITY. We just need 4 people to sign-up. First come, first served!

A knew knewsletter has also been posted, so if you have not seen it on Ravelry or Facebook, then you can go see it here!

Stitch 'n' Bitch Champaign Urbana Knewsletter!

Happy New Year!

Hello All!

I hope that your holiday was merry, and that this new year is dawning bright and exciting for you! Not a lot has been posted in the past several months, but that does not mean that nothing has been going on! Quite the contrary! Lots of FO's, WIP's and new faces have been showing up at the Sunday get-togethers. I just wanted to stop by here to let you know that we will be meeting with Rachel at the WRC (UIUC Women's Resource Center) to be coming up with the new times (and place?) for this semesters Knit Happens! meetings. Updates will be coming soon! Please stand by!

And, if you are a fellow CUS'n'Ber, and have an Etsy shop, pm me and I can put your shop up in our side bar!

Hello Hello Hello, is there anybody out there?

OKAY! After a LOOONG Hiatus, I am back! I am going to try to keep this page updated now that I am back on my feet and back into the thick of things!

This will be a short post, as I feel as though I have spent my entire evening on the computer, and I HAVE to get some knitting done before I go to bed! :-)

I can assure you, that there are some fun things in store for us this year, and we will post them as soon as we know more!!

Last Sunday was my second time back to S'n'B since this time last year, and Kathleen has done a WONDERFUL job steering the ship alone all of these months. I am elated to have such a wonderful, dependable partner in all of this! S'n'B would have withered and died had it not been for her! Thank you so much K!

I have so much I want to say, but I am THROUGH tonight, so I leave you with this....

Here are some new haps going on around town!!

TUESDAY September 14th:

It’s the First meeting of Knit Happens!

The UIUC Women’s Resource Center and S’n’B Champaign-Urbana present Knit Happens!

Welcome Back! This is the first meeting this year for Knit happens!

A knitting circle and workshop for new, and also not so new, knitters! Free yarn and needles available for the newbies -- attendees are encouraged to purchase their own needles.

The group meets upstairs on the 2nd floor at Espresso Royale, every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month, beginning at 4pm, going ‘till????

SATURDAY, September 18th

Klose Knit Natural Dye Day --
Saturday, September 18

3 - 5 pm

Class Fee: $30 (includes supplies)
Learn how to use natural ingredients (some found in your own kitchen!) to dye yarn and create beautiful, colorfast effects. Be sure to call Brigitte if you are interested in signing up for the class! (217) 344-2123 or email brigitte@klosekniturbana.com.

and last but not least!
don’t forget!!!

SUNDAY, September 19th:

S’n’B from 1:00 pm until about 3pm.

Aroma Cafe
118 N Neil St
Champaign

Hope to see you there!!

Knit Happens!

Here is the info for Knit Happens!!
Hope to see you there!

Long time no post!

Had a lot of stuff going on, but I think we have worked out a way to try to keep the blog-space going. Here is a little update from last weeks meeting! Enjoy!

Submitted by Kathi:
For a while, it was just Jill and I. She was picking up the stitches on her Central Park hoodie to make the front band. She doesn't like picking up stitches - it's tedious and fiddly. Then along came Liz, who is recently from Texas (Nothern?) and she teaches History at Parkland. She isn't very old, but has been knitting since she was six, so she didn't even need to look at her work. She's making lacey socks with a lovely heathery brown malabrigo, (i think). I continued to rip and re knit the toe of the 2nd skeleton sock, but I re-did it again yesterday, and am about to finish! Tomorrow I will bring a baby blanket somebody told me to edge with crochet.

I got with Rachel at WRC and she pointed out my mistake about KH being next week, not this one. I was just trying to rush through the winter. We discussed the idea of advertising different themes for our KH, like crochet, cast on, cast offf, cables, etc, and having the first half hour for that subject; people who don't want to learn or teach should come at 6. She says 1st and 3rd Fridays are good for now, but in April we will need to switch to 2nd and 4th fridays for WRC scheduling reasons. That should be fine. I haven't heard back from the woman at Parkland who will be teaching knit and crochet, so I'll call her next week.

Tonite is Pecha Kucha 2 and my husband has offered to escort me, since nobody else seems interested, but I hope I see somebody there, even though I didn't hear anything about fiber arts in the lineup.

Brigitte sent an email about a KIP at Fleurish on a Sunday in late Feb. I'm gonna check that out. I had suggested occasional SNB field trips (like the library), but nobody really said anything. I would love us to support Brigitte's KIP. I'll ask around on the FB page and at the meeting.

November 2nd! Snack 'n'Stitch with Faythe Levine!

Things have been a little busy here in knitty-land lately, and I have fallen behind with the posts, but what I DO what you all to know is that the Women's Center has done it again, and have come up with yet another fun and exciting thing to do!

The WRC is sponsoring a Snack 'n' Stitch with Faythe Levine!

Lunch and Learn to embroider with Faythe Levine, author and Filmmaker of Handmade Nation: The Rise of D.I.Y. Art, Craft, and Design.

Material and patterns provided, or bring something of your own to stitch on!

Delicious and FREE Thai Basil Lunch and materials provided by the Women's Resource Center!

The Women's Resource Center
MONDAY, November 2nd, 12-1pm.
703 S. Wright St., 2nd Floor of the Freestar bank, entrance on east side of building.

(this is the flyer!)

I was not able to attend last Sunday's S'n'B, but looking at the weather forecast for this weekend, I am planning on trying to snag the sofa and chairs back by the Fireplace for this Sunday's meeting!  Hope to see you there!

Knit Happened! And it ROCKED!

I just want to start out by saying “WOW!” and “Thank You!”   First for the "WOW" -- we had about 15 people come in last night to Knit Happens!  Unfortunately a good number of them escaped before I broke out my camera.  It was a perfect mix of newbie, and well seasoned knitters, and I think that everyone left happy, and somewhat addicted!  Thank you, happy shiny, fun to be with knitters!  It is not easy to come to a new place, and be around new people and confess that you just don’t know where to start and don’t know what to do!

 Aren't they cute?

And look how happy knitting made them!  I think they are hooked! :-)

 

We even had two men come in to learn!  Kyle and Matt were such good sports, and Brittany was so helpful guiding them along.  I am hoping that they all come back to the next meeting to show us their progress!

 We even had a spinner!  YEY!   FYI, she is spinning up some New Zealand roving -- I might just have to take my spindle next time!

Thank you to the seasoned knitters who came to hang out, help, chat, and make new friends!

Here are Kathleen, Christy, and Rachel showing off their yarny afterglow grins!  Rachel did not get alot of down time to knit because she was so busy making sure that we were all comfortable, and well fed (thank you so much for the snacks!).

And last, but not least, THANK YOU again, to Rachel for finding us, and giving us a place at the Women’s Center, to bring this all together to make it all possible!

Knit Happens! will take place twice monthly at;
The Women's Resource Center
703 S. Wright St.
Corner of Wright and Green
2nd Floor, Freestar Bank

Calling all knitters! Calling all knitters!

C-U S’n’B welcomes: El Stitch y Bitch!

In less than 1 week on September 11, the first Pecha Kucha Night (PKN) Champaign-Urbana will host 13 presenters from Pilsen Chicago’s very own, El Stitch y Bitch.

About El Stitch y Bitch: (the following was totally excerpted from S y B blog site)

El Stitch y Bitch is a culturally diverse group of knitters/crocheters. We gather in Pilsen to share stories, share new techniques and let the good times roll. At the moment we are comprised of four consistent members: Hoa is our graphic designer/expert knitter (Hoa we bow down to thee), Bibi is our mathematician/equally great knitter, Stephanie is the fabulous freelance journalist and cat lover, and Thelma, our photographer and thrift store junkie. Newcomers, including beginners are always welcome! For more information email us directly at stitchy.bitch@yahoo.com (Pilsen, watch out, our knitted graffiti is coming soon!)

“El Stitch y Bitch will be at Champaign-Urbana's first ever Pecha Kucha Night. The topic of their presentation will be knitting in communities ...”

What's Pecha Kucha you ask? It's an evening of rapid-fire presentations where creative people talk about creative things, focusing on passion, not portfolio.

Each presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds, totaling 6 minutes and 40 seconds of fame before the next presenter is up. They are bringing their traveling knitted piñata and it will be at Indi Go Artists Co-Op in downtown Champaign at the after party. They have been told about us (C-U S’n’B) and I have been told that they would love to meet us!

Please come support El Stitch y Bitch at PKN C-U Vol. 1! :)

Click here for the scoop, including the line up for Vol. 1. Oh, and please share this info with your friends. You won't want to miss it!



September 11, 2009:

Canopy Club, 708 S Goodwin Ave #1, Urbana, IL 61801
Doors open, 7pm. Show starts at 8pm. Ages 18+
$7 ($5 in advance), free for CUDO members!
Advance ticket purchase recommended. CUDO members bring photo ID to event.
Charge by phone at (217) 367-3140 or online at www.canopyclub.com
Devised and shared by Klein Dytham architecture
Hosted by CUDO, your friendly neighborhood design org
Sponsored by Unisource

I haz recap ...

I am going to try to be much better about updating the S’n’B page after each meeting. With the last entry being in June, I better snap to it! Since I seem to have forgotten where the summer went, and I can only seem to dredge up the memories from 2 weeks ago, this is ALL I have.

2 weeks ago, I was suffering end-of-the-summer blahs. I sent out an S'n'B distress call. Amy, heeding my inspiration-less whines, promptly came to my air, wielding some very tempting visual treats. She brought Crazy Zauberball in scrumptious autumn colors of green and brown. Let me say I am surprised that she did not slap my had away from this beautiful yarn, as I kept wanting cuddle it, like a sweet little kitteh. Amy was also knitting up some gorgeous charade socks using some scrumptious Blue Moon Fiber arts, in algae. Perhaps she will Rav Pic some of her projects so we can all have a look see? Hint? Hint?

After lamenting on the local craziness on how the weather is reported here in Flatlandia, and getting a bunch of CRAP swept into us by the bionic-floor-sweeping-employee (People! There were PENNIES hurtling through he air at super sonic speed!) we convened.

This past Friday, Kathleen came with her twisty tea cozy... i had forgotten how I loved that little pattern, and the plans that I had some up with for it! Thank you Kathleen for reminding me!

Rachael came armed with stories about her trip to Ireland, and always, she had on her person some gorgeous yarns. She too came with a gorgeous book, “Intertwined” by Lexi Boeger laden with cool spinning techniques.

We think that Klose Knit might have a copy in the shop for folks to look upon.

Unfortunately, some point through the meeting, the planets suddenly shifted position, and both Kathleen and I ended up ripping back all (Kathleen) or part (me) of the projects we were working on. Rachael almost escaped unscathed, but alas, she did make a mistake on her lace scarf, BUT, we all determined that no-one would notice, so she bravely slogged on.

After writing the above section , I will make it my duty to now on bring a camera to the meetings. These things are always more exciting with pictures.

This knitting news this week is this ...

The Fam and I went to Cafe Copi this past weekend, and I noticed that Circles has moved. Now, one of our LONG TIME S’n’B’ers, (I will call her YW) part of The OLD Knitting Crowed, alerted us to this early lat spring, but I was not sure if I was allowed to mention it AS IT WAS STILL only rumor at that time, and I would love/hate for her to get spanked by her hairdresser for spilling the beans too early. ANYHOOOO, I notices that circles has moved. So I goes in to Copi and I orders and I asks Mister Copi Man if Copi is going to spread over in to what was Circles -- and he sez “yes”, but HOLD ON wait a minute, HOLD ON TO YOUR BALLS (of yarn that is), he said that it will take a while, but yes, they will be expanding in to there. I got all sorts of excited, and suggested some big comfy couches and chairs if possible, and the lure of “lotsa interested knitters....”. If they get it done before Christmas, I will be sure to take it as a sign that it was the mere mentioning of “if you build it, the knitters will come” that made him/them do it! :-)


last by not least, a member of a yarnie group in Maryland Rav-mailed me about the following ...

“We are an knitting group that meets at Panera down here in Maryland. The manager is getting transferred to a Panera in Illinois, and he thought it was your location. His name is Greg and he’s really sweet. His wife and kids are up there now, last night we gave him a sendoff. If he does start at your store, give him a nice warm welcome for us! Thanks!”

We will have to keep our eyes open for him at Panera, and give him a big ol' yarnie welcome!

Any more new crap, and local fiber-y gossip can me submitted to me via my Rav mail, or the private e-mail address.

Happy Knitting!
Hope to see you next week!

New Knitting Place!

Hello Knitters!

It's been a while since I last updated this blog because we've been pretty status quo with Espresso Royale. But as of last week, we have changed spots! Here is all the information:

Panera Bread
1765 W Kirby Ave
Champaign, IL
(217) 355-9885

5:30p - 8pm

As usual, people tend to trickle between 5:30p-6:30p. It is very informal, people come and go as they please, and most often we stick around until 9pm! :-)

If you are a new participant and have any questions, please feel free to write me at chambana.snb@gmail.com or my personal email at sillybluefrog@yahoo.com. It would be great if you can email and let me know you are coming for the first time so we can be on the lookout for you!

See you guys tomorrow!

Sonia

SnB April 17, 2009

Hello knitters!

As many of you know, we've been trying different places each week for the past couple of months. We're thinking of extending the time per place now that we have a good idea of most of the locations that have been suggested. So, until further notice, we'll be meeting at the following place:

Espresso Royale
1117 W. Oregon St.
Urbana, Illinois 61801
217.337.6160

We're thinking anywhere from 4-5 weeks per spot, and of course the floor is open for suggestions to try out new places that you think might promote a great SnB environment!

Hope to see you there!

SnB April 10, 2009

Hello Knitters!

Well, we tried some Indian food at Zyggyz last week, and decided cupcakes are in order for next week! Here's the information for the next meeting:

Cakes On Walnut
114 N. Walnut St.
Champaign, IL 61820

They also have a Facebook Fan Page, check it out!

Hope to see you there!