Florida Knitters

no more

2008-02-17T09:55:00.002-05:00

I can't keep up with updating the store listings for yarn shops in FL and local SNB's anymore. The pages will be removed. Duplicate information is available about everywhere, unlike when I started this blog, and I'm also tired of people giving me attitude about updates or about not wanting their information on their public knitting group made "public". Er. . . what part of public is confusicatin' for you?

I'll still continue to post news having to do with FL knitting as I find it!

Senior Knit Wits & Kibbutzers of Sterling Aventura have big hearts!

2007-12-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

In October, the Sterling Aventura community donated close to 100 hand-knitted warming scarves, blankets and hats to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital as well as adult breast cancer survivors in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The weekly knitting group, known as "The Knit Wits and Kibbutzers" of the Sterling Aventura Luxury Assisted Living Facility has been donating hand-making knitted items to those in need for several years. For information, call 305-918-0000 or visit: http://www.sterlingaventura.com.

January Spin-In in Destin

2007-12-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

The January Spin-in will be held at Seascape Resort in Destin Florida. The dates are January 23-27, 2008. The cost is $20.00 and the DEADLINE TO REGISTER: January 14, 2008.

EDIT: An anonymous poster indicates the information I got from both the Florida Fiber-in website and the Ravelry Florida Fiber-In discussion thread is incorrect. Sadly, Anonymous did not clarify what information is incorrect or what the right contact info is.

Crazy Aunt Purl is in town!

2007-11-07T17:44:00.000-05:00

That's right, Laurie Perry is in S. Florida. The Sun-Sentinel wrote a nice little article about her, too. Here's the schedule:

MEET THE AUTHOR
Laurie Perry reads from her book.

Friday at 3 p.m. at The Yarn Tree, 1418 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach; 954-921-1160

Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Miami Book Fair International, Miami Dade College, 300 NE Second Ave., Miami, Room 3315 Building 3, 3rd Floor; 305-237-3258.

Old Davie School Knitters in the Miami Herald

2007-11-05T16:32:00.000-05:00

Here's a nice herald article entitled: "Davie knitting/crochet club keeps a declining art alive: Davie's Pioneers made everything themselves, and the old school knitting group aims to pass along that era's arts"

Pushing Daisies Pushes Knitting!

2007-10-16T21:46:00.001-05:00

1553957123_76372c120e_o
Originally uploaded by skullsnbats
(button created by knitting lemonade)

KNITTING UP "DAISIES": Viewers of this season's instant hit "Pushing Daisies" are going to get an eyeful of mighty interesting knit work made by Chi McBride's character, private investigator Emerson Cod. The behind-the-scenes talent responsible is celebrity knitting guru, author, designer and owner of the popular Studio City, Calif., knitting yarn emporium, La Knitterie Parisienne, Edith Eig. Eig has been a formidable force in the knitting world for years, pushing the craze to knitting fanatics from Virginia Madsen to Catherine Zeta Jones.

For "Pushing Daisies," research was first and foremost on the agenda, and Eig was up for the task, teaching Chi the art of knitting. Her expertise was further employed when she was asked to custom design and hand knit a selection of one-of-a-kind props for the show. In a matter of days, she wielded her knitting needles to stitch up items including two gun holsters in red suede yarn, 10 "money bags" (aka socks), a tissue box, coasters, a pencil holder, a coffee-mug cozy, a desk file organizer, and a warm cable-knit scarf in a gold, cream and green tweed. Story from National Ledger

Spirited Knitting in Pembroke Pines

2007-09-23T16:24:00.000-05:00

"Unseen but deeply felt were the blessings of goodwill woven through the soft yarn."

Here's a nice article from the Miami Herald about a prayer shawl group from Trinity Lutheran Church in Pembroke Pines.

Inspiring story about a FL knitter

2007-09-16T08:25:00.000-05:00

"Seventeen year-old Whitney Harris works at Firehouse Subs, is the section leader for the drum line in the Gulf Breeze High School band, enjoys knitting hats and scarves, and likes to hang out with her friends.

Normal teenager? Pretty much, apart from her exceptional attitude towards life and towards the disability she's had since birth. Whitney was born without her right arm or leg." Read the rest about this amazing girl here in an article from the Gulf Breeze News.

Florida Fiber-In

2007-08-14T08:34:00.000-05:00

Check out the Florida Fiber-In this September 14 - 16, 2007

"The Fiber-In is a time for “fiber folk” (spinners, weavers, knitters, crocheters and other fiber arts fanatics) to get together, have fun, learn from each other and shop." (description from the Fiber-In website)

This year the Fiber-In will be in Cocoa Beach with demos and sleeping rooms at the Hampton Inn and vendors across the parking lot at the Courtyard. For more info, visit http://www.floridafiberin.org

Kids knitting caps in Orlando

2007-08-02T08:02:00.000-05:00

I think it's great when kids get involved with charity knitting-- here is a really nice story from CF13 news about some elementary school kids in Orlando making caps for Florida Hospital.

Jacksonville animals get knitting love from Minnesota

2007-07-07T12:56:00.000-05:00

A knitting group in Winona, MN has knit more than 100 pet blankets for the Jacksonville FL Humane Society after its tragic fire 3 months ago. Thank you, Minnesota! You can read the entire story here, courtesty of KARE11 news.

Attention "Anonymous" in Ft. Lauderdale!

2007-07-06T18:17:00.001-05:00

I've gotten several comments like this recent one:

"I can cast on, but then have trouble with the actual knit and purl stiches. Are there any beginning knitting groups around ft. lauderdale? "

the answer is YES. You are spoiled for choice as far as knitting in Ft. Lauderdale/Broward goes!

First of all, there's the Sweet Stitchin' Betties. This is a fun group that welcomes crafters of ALL skill levels, beginning or otherwise. They're my knitting peeps! There's always some friendly folks there that would be happy to get your knitting on track. If you go a bit further north, there's the North Broward Knitting Nellies and the Broward Knitters. Very nice groups of knitters! And as far as groups that meet in yarn shops, there are "sit and stitch" meetings at the Yarn Tree (Hollywood), Stitcher's Haven (Plantation), and Tropical Yarns (Miramar)

Hope that helps answer the question! Check out my list of FL knitting groups if this isn't enough for ya.

Seeking "Executive" type knitters

2007-07-05T16:34:00.001-05:00

This message was left for me on the Betties blog. Thought I'd pass it on to any SoFla knitters that are interested!

****************************************
I am writing a story about executive types with interesting hobbies
for a South Florida lifestyle magazine.

If you're a professional, entrepreneur or corporate executive living
in Broward, Palm Beach or Miami-Dade Counties, I'd be interested in
interviewing you.

And, if you know any men that knit or crochet, I would really like to
speak to them, too.

My deadline is July 23.

If interested, email jrafkin@bizjournals.com

Prayer Shawl Knitting Retreat in Oveido Aug. 17-18

2007-06-13T13:19:00.000-05:00

The Canterbury Retreat Center in Oveido, FL (their page isn't working right now) is an Episcopalian event site that is going to have a knitting retreat this summer!( August 17-18th) Here's details from a flyer.

"A Prayer Shawl Ministry Retreat" will be led by Pat Winn, leader of a prayer shawl ministry at Church of the Holy Child in Ormond Beach.

"Experience the spiritual side of knitting. Learn a new skill, practice your art, or start this wonderful ministry in your home parish. Participants of all skill levels are welcome. Beginners will learn knitting or crocheting. Those with experience will explore new patterns, resources and ideas. All participants will learn the basics needed to start a Prayer Shawl Ministry in their own churches."

"What to bring: Knitting needles or crochet hooks of your choice; yarn (any type); current project if you have one; patterns; books; ideas to share."

The retreat runs from 5 p.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Saturday. Here are the prices (all meals included):

Commuter rate: $37.50

Double occupancy: $75

Single occupancy: $100

For more info, contact Jeannette Smith 407-365-5571 ext. 12

Online: www.canterburyretreat.org
1601 Alafaya Trail (S.R. 434). Oviedo, FL 32765
Tel.: 407-365-5571 - Fax: 407-365-9758

WWKIP day in FL is hot!

2007-06-05T09:09:00.001-05:00

Who says there's no knitting in FL? Join your fellow tropi-knitters this Saturday, June 9th, for Worldwide Knit in Public Day. There are official WWKIP activities listed for Fort Lauderdale, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Orlando, St. Petersburg, and Tampa. If you're not lucky enough to live in FL, there's more going on all over the place. Check the directory to find one near you!

FL Knitting Activists Knit for Dolphins

2007-04-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

Knitting For Dolphins is an activist group that wants to get public attention about the fact that the government would like to start using dolphins in military operations in cold waters. Florida has a chapter, as well as Washington state and California. Find a variety of media articles on the group here, as well as the proposed military strategies.

Knit & Spin Because We Can Day- May 5th!

2007-04-21T11:32:00.000-05:00

The Knit or Knot Guild of Orlando invites you to their second annual Knit and Spin Because We Can Day

Saturday, May 5, 2007
10am to 4pm
First Baptist Church of Oviedo
45 West Broadway Street
Oviedo, FL 32765

Come join us for a great day of fun, knitting, spinning, sharing and learning! Bring a sack lunch and a reusable mug, snacks and drinks will be provided!

*Show ‘n Share

*Knitting/Spinning Instruction (Drop spindle kits available for a nominal fee – learn to spin TODAY!)

*Trade Table (Yarn or other supplies that you don’t want but want to find a good home? Bring them along!)

*For Sale Table (Label items with your name and sale price)

*Yankee Swap (A few balls of a special yarn, a pattern book or two, some roving… Think something YOU would love to receive – Wrap it up (a paper bag works just fine – nothing see through) and we’ll do an exchange! Tons of fun, go home with something new to inspire you!)

*For Questions, Additional Information, or to RSVP, contact Jody lana07@earthlink.net

"We go home happy and we go home to knit"

2007-04-08T08:19:00.000-05:00

"With this kind of business, the bottom line is not how much you make, it just can't be," Camposano said. "...You feel good doing it because you love what you do. While there are nights that we're tired, we're hardly ever mad. We go home happy and we go home to knit."

Read all about Nancy Camposano and her yarn shop, Knitting with Nancy, in Naples in this article from the Naples Daily News. Looks like a great place to take a road trip!

Knitting for Peace, WI style

2007-03-21T23:50:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, this isn't really a FL knitting story. But it's too good to pass up.

See, my friend Rochelle is a librarian in La Crosse, WI, and with a little encouragement, could be a knittin' fiend if she wanted to. (send knitterly thoughts to her!)

I was excited when she moved to La Crosse because I had just read in the back of the Knitting for Peace book that the author, Betty Christiansen, lived there. And I don't just like the book. I LOVE IT. I BOUGHT IT. I tell every knitter interested in charity knitting (and even those that aren't) that they NEED THIS BOOK. It's fun to read, uplifting, inspiring, and encouraging.

"My favorite knitting book author lives in La Crosse!" I typed to her furiously when I learned she was taking a great new job there. I'm sure she rolled her eyes that I found this to be one of the more exciting parts of La Crosse, but Rochelle has known me for years, and used to my quirks.

And now, friend to knitters that La Crosse Public Library is, this cool event happened today:

12:00 PM- 8:00 PM Knitting for Peace
Make the world a better place, one stitch at a time. Betty Christiansen, the author of Knitting for Peace, will be the featured guest. Bring projects that you are working on, or work on a cooperative project for peace. Other needle workers are welcome too. All Ages Location: Main Library

And, because I am such a dork and requested it, here are pictures from the event. Enjoy! And support your local library!

charming knits for the harry potter crowd!

2007-03-13T23:39:00.000-05:00

this just in from the piratical (and harry potter loving) knitter becky:

"In honor of the up-coming release of Charmed Knits, Book 7, and the movie, my sister and friends are doing a Harry Potter KAL. They will be releasing a pattern from Charmed Knits. Hopefully it will be something different from the scarves! Maybe I can twist her arm and get her to tell me what it's going to be. She owes me for a doing a few diaper changes while I was visiting this past December."

http://charmedknits.blogspot.com/

Meet Florida's own Blogger 4 Blankets!

2007-02-25T17:53:00.000-05:00

I am lucky enough to have the amazing Carol in my very own knitting group, the sweet stitchin' betties. Read about her and other bloggers across the country putting together blankets via the Internet and their knitting here in an article from the Journal-Register of Medina, NY.

the crochet bandit

2006-12-04T01:02:00.000-05:00

Sebastian crocheter June Helen Fay cranks out an amazing 2-4 caps a day for soldiers and says she "crochets like a bandit". read a very nice article all about it from the TCPalm paper here.

A crafty Orlando blogger

2006-11-26T10:27:00.000-05:00

I'm intrigued by the book Heartfelt, which all the felting crowd should go crazy for. I read a good review of it (and other crafty books) on Rebecca Swain's Shakespeare's Coffee blog for the Orlando Sentinel. Check out the review here.

Scarves for Hearts

2006-11-22T10:19:00.000-05:00

A new twist on charity knitting: Betsy Doherty of Maine is calling on folks to knit red scarves to be distributed to women with heart disease, the number one killer of women in the united states. The Bangor Daily News article can be read here.

charity knitting

2006-11-15T09:19:00.000-05:00

"Collectively they form an invisible army, creating afghans, caps for newborns, security blankets for ill or troubled children, and clothing to provide warmth and comfort."

Check out this really nice article on charity knitting from the CS Monitor. It mentions a great book that I'm loving, Knitting for Peace by Betty Christiansen. It's an uplifting and inspiring read with great patterns to boot!

Lots of the FL knitting groups are engaged in charity knitting, so if you are feeling like warming up someone's holiday season with your craftiness, you're in luck! Chances are a group near you needs you!

i'm jealous of jupiter (the town, not the planet!)

2006-10-24T23:06:00.000-05:00

because their parks & rec department offers knitting! if you are lucky enough to live nearby, you can get hooked up with their knitting programs by contacting Cheryl Thompson at (561) 741-2252 with the Jupiter Parks Department. (they also have mah jongg classes! arg! i am doubly jealous!)

knit in the news!

2006-10-15T08:45:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Sentinel has a nice article about Chez Casuelle in Leesburg, and talks about the popularity of knitting, spinning, and other things. It can be read here.

Free Knitting Class in Palm Beach Gardens

2006-09-30T01:03:00.000-05:00

Knitting and Crochet: This weekly class on Tuesdays runs Oct. 3 through Nov. 7, from 9 to 11 a.m., at Lakeside Center, 10410 N. Military Trail. No charge. Call (561) 630-1100 or visit www.pbgfl.com

2006-08-19T17:01:00.000-05:00

Boyfriends, kids, spouses, and more joined the intrepid (and a wee bit sweaty) knitters at this year's Knit In Public Event at Beach Place in Fort Lauderdale

2006-08-19T17:00:00.000-05:00

Belated Pictures from Fort Lauderdale's Knit In Public Day at Beach Place

2006-08-19T16:59:00.000-05:00

Belated pictures from Fort Lauderdale's Knit In Public Day at Beach Place

knitting for charity in the news

2006-08-02T08:20:00.000-05:00

This is a nice article from the Anchorage Daily News about charitable knitting. I was interested to learn about the newborn knitting since a woman in our knitting group is very keen on newborn knitting projects. To get inspired, read the article here.

Fall Fiber Plans; Gold Coast Huggers cap again!

2006-07-17T18:09:00.000-05:00

The Third Annual Florida Fiber-In is coming up - September 15- 17, in Orlando. I think I'll pass this year, since I'll be spending a lot of my yarn budget on a yarn cruise in November! Several of the Betties will be taking a 3 day cruise with Tropical Yarns. There are probably a few places left on board, so check into it if the thought of yarn on the open sea appeals to you! (let's be honest. When does yarn NOT appeal to me?)

In other news, the Gold Coast Huggers made a very special delivery to Sylvester Cancer Center in Miami. Longtime friend of both the Betties and the Huggers, "Chasey", a patient there herself, took our knitted caps to the center for us. The Gold Coast Huggers have also gotten some generous donations lately, read all about it on their blog.

Purls of Sunshine

2006-07-01T10:21:00.000-05:00

I am happy to say there is a new knitting guild in Broward County (and that guild is lucky enough to have several Stitchin' Betties at the helm!) Here's the scoop:

* The guild's name will be The Purls of Sunshine
*Meetings will continue to be held at Tropical Yarns, the first Tuesday of each month - from 7pm-9pm
* Meetings will consist of show & tell, programs by fellow guild members and snacks and treats provided a selected guild member each month
* Officers are as follows:
Susan Ellingsworth - President
Lynn Everette-Lee - Vice President
Susan Chastain - Treasurer
Sarah Ellington - Secretary (a stitchin' betty!)
Ronnie Annati - Program director (a stitchin' betty!)
* Intial fee to join the guild will be $20 and dues will be $1 for each subsequent month in the year ($12/yr)
* Dues will be used towards obtaining guest speakers, covering expenses for charity shipping, etc
*Guild will be social and charity based (charities to be determined)
* A yahoo group has been established for guild members to use to communicate with fellow guild members -http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BrowardYarnSluts/

the keys will no longer be a yarn free zone

2006-06-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

It's true! ScubagirlNy, a long distance member of the betties lives in the keys and has the following eyewitness report:

Finally a kntting store has opened in the Florida Keys! It's called Knit Wits and it's located at 218 Whitehead Street (next to the Mel Fisher Museum) and one block off of Duval Street. I live in the Keys and have been starved for a "real" knitting shop (not relying on online purchases soley). This is a list of what they have (they sent me a wonderful e-mail describing themselves to me after I
stumbled across them on Key West Chamber of Commerce bulletin. They are working on their website http://www.knitwitskeywest.com which will be up and running shortly.

They carry carry an extensive line of high quality, beautiful yarns and yarn kits from such fine companies as Berroco, Skacel, Debbie Bliss, Colinette, Karabella,Trendsetter, Mango Moon, Louet, Brown Sheep, and Debby Ware. Additionally, they carry needles and crochet hooks, accessories, books and magazines, bags,buttons, hand-knitted scarves and belts and other gift items from various companies including: Lantern Moon, Bagsmith, Zecca, Moving Mud, Vogue Knitting,
and Interweave Press. 305-295-7565 M-F - 10:30am - 5:30 pm, Sat. - 12 noon - 4 pm, Sunday - closed.

Worldwide Knit in Public Day: June 10th

2006-05-25T11:52:00.000-05:00

Worldwide Knit in Public Day: a very good thing indeed. As of today, events were planned for Gainesville and Orlando as well as the newly designated FORT LAUDERDALE event! (see below)

If you're in Broward County, join your fellow knitters at Beach Place, 17 S. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. [A1A], Fort Lauderdale,(Just north of Las Olas on A1A)

June 10th, 7 pm- ???

Organized by: Sweet Stitchin' Betties of Broward County

Site details:
There is a large outdoor terrace on the ground floor of Beach Place. This is where the knitters will converge! There are public restrooms available and many restaurants and bars within Beach Place for food and drink. Parking in the Beach Place garage is expensive, we suggest parking in one of the much cheaper lots nearby. Hope to see you all there! Don't forget your knitting or crocheting!

2nd Annual Knit in Public Day

2006-05-14T10:13:00.000-05:00

The Betties are planning in participating in the 2nd Annual World Wide Knit In Public Day on June 10th, 2006. We're debating where to KIP at the moment. Find a local KIP or start one of your own! As soon as we finalize our location, you'll be the first to know.

Thanks to FL monsoon season. . .

2006-05-12T11:26:00.000-05:00

The blog of WendyKnits was born, according to this article. So yay for the rainy season! This blog has brought unfathomable happiness to our cats. How? The Kitty Pi pattern. Make it for a cat or dog of your own, and you'll totally rule in the present department for life! Look way, way down at the bottom of the Kitty Gallery page to see FL Knitters own India modeling a Kitty Pi.

Royal Palm Beach knitters, charity style

2006-05-10T09:33:00.000-05:00

There's a nice article in the Palm Beach Post about "The Knitters" of Royal Palm Beach and the knitted items they are sending to Boys and Girls Town in Philly. Read it here.

Brevard knitters, take note!

2006-04-25T19:20:00.000-05:00

Join the newest knitting/crocheting group in Brevard County, Twisted Stitchers! Monday, May 15th 7-9 PM, Wednesday, May 17th 2-4 PM and Saturday, May 20th, 10-12. Meet new friends, learn new patterns, beginners welcome. Food, Fun and Music! Met us at "Tangled Threads", 1372 Highland Ave. Melbourne, FL (321) 752-0509. Located in the heart of historic downtown Eau Gallie.

you had me at "free shipping"

2006-04-22T10:00:00.000-05:00

I just got a nice email from Carla, who is opening up a new yarn store in Leesburg named Chez Casuelle. The grand opening is in May, and to celebrate, there will be a 20% off everything sale throughout the month of May. Spectacular! She says, "We have a huge selection of Lorna’s Laces, Schaefer hand-dyed cottons, Blue Heron, Malabrigo, Trendsetter, and Fiesta, as well as Judi & Co ribbons and purse kits, Prism, Colinette, Cherry Tree Hill, Interlacements, Mango Moon. …. And Addi needles. There are some sneak preview pics of the shop at the web site."

If Leesburg is too far away, don't fret! You can get your fix online. YAY!

Pimping chemo caps again

2006-04-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

She knows a handmade cap is more than a head covering; it's also evidence of the good wishes of the person who made it.

``It's nice to know that somebody cares, somewhere,'' she said.

Read the entire article here about an amazing 11 year old girl who is creating caps for people in her community in Ohio. And after you read it, whip out your needles and some yarn and try your hand at knitting or crocheting a chemo cap. They're easy, inexpensive to make, not time consuming, and will mean a lot to someone who needs to know they're not fighting this awful disease alone. Find a ton of patterns here.

The Gold Coast Huggers will be happy to take your caps or yarn donations off your hands. Bring it on! If you're not nearby, why not start your own local chapter to help people in your town? Visit Head Huggers to find out how easy that is.

Tampa gets wise to knitting

2006-04-10T10:42:00.000-05:00

There's a short article about Knit N' Knibble (a LYS in Tampa) and, humorously, notes a visit from "Debbie Stroller". HA!

Katie and I saw Debbie Stoller at Elegant Stitches in Miami for her Happy Hooker book tour a little over a week ago. If she comes to your town, GO! She's fun, upbeat, interesting, and chatty. One of the more enjoyable authors I have met in a long time. Look for her at your LYS!

Knit and Spin Event in March in Orlando Area

2006-02-21T12:02:00.000-05:00

Let's go to the 1st Annual Knit and Spin Because We Can Day!
hosted by the Knit or Knot Guild of Orlando

Saturday, March 25, 2006
10a to 4p
St Peter & Paul's Catholic Church,
5300 Old Howell Branch Road, Winter Park, FL 32792

Come join us for a great day of fun, knitting, spinning, sharing and learning! Bring your lunch and a reusable mug, snacks and drinks will be provided!
• Show ‘n Share
• Knitting/Spinning Instruction
• Trade Table
• For Sale Table
• AND a Yankee Swap

Palm Beach Post gets wise to knitting

2006-02-12T12:55:00.000-05:00

blah blah blah celebrities are knitting blah blah blah TRENDY blah blah blah FAD. . .sales of yarn. . .blah blah blah ...you know what i'm saying? if you have read one article on knitting in the papers in the last 2 years, you know what i mean.Or do you? If not, read it here in the article "stitching and sticking together". I wonder what web site the writer used to locate yarn stores in FL? Hmm. . .

Field Report from Cocoa Beach

2006-02-10T09:03:00.000-05:00

If you are a yarn junkie and need a fix, you need to get to ALL STRUNG OUT in Cocoa Beach immediately! (Beaders will also find a lot to get worked up about!) The owners are super nice and the selection is drool-worthy. I have not seen that much Colinette yarn in one place since my trip to Boston! Seriously, I don't think any store in FL has this much Colinette, and all of Colinette's pattern books in print! I scored some good deals on bamboo yarn from Southwest and beautiful ribbon yarn from Trendsetter. It was their 1 year anniversary sale! It's worth the trip if you are anywhere near Brevard County. A highly recommended trip. Thank god my mom lives close enough I can go up there again soon!

ALL STRUNG OUT
46 N Brevard Ave
(1 Block West of A1A @ North 1st St.)
Cocoa Beach Fl 32931
321-783-4550

2006-02-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

knitting olympics!

FL knitters, send some warmth to the Windy City!

2006-02-02T09:27:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we FL knitters want to knit thick wooly warm things, but we really don't use such things for long, if at all. Well, maybe not you guys in the Panhandle. I think it's COLD up there! :) Anyway, if you have a hankering for making some warm snuggly things, I have two new places in Chicago that have come to my attention that need your knittin'. You can really make a difference! If any of y'all have been in Chicago in the winter time, you know how miserable it could be with no hat, no gloves, no scarf to keep out that bitter cold. I'm going to try to get them both some wooly hats before the end of the month.

Provident Hospital of Cook County HIV/AIDS Program
500 E 51st Street
Room 7014-E
Chicago, IL 60615
Contact: Mary Gaines
+1 (312) 572-2724
fax: +1 (312) 572-2799
email: mgaies@provcc.org
The Mission of Provident Hospital of Cook County is to continuously improve the quality and availability of comprehensive health care services to all of the county's residents regardless of ability to pay-through both the delivery of services and through the establishment of collaborative relationships and joint ventures with other public and private providers.

The Provident Hospital of Cook County HIV/AIDS Program is committed to the care of people impacted by the HIV/AIDS virus. Clients are treated with respect, compasion and diginity. Comprehensive health care, social serivces, emotional and spiritual support services are provided unconditionally to all clients. Among those at risk and those who are HIV positive, educational materials are provided to control the spread of disease and foster the development of healthier lifestyles.

Access to services is available regardless of ability to pay, source of payment, substance use, risk behavior, stage of illness, sexual orientation, gender expresion, and to all people legally protected untder civil rights legislation.

We are a small public hospital with a HIV/AIDS program of approximately 400 patients.

Most of our clients have little or no income and are homeless. We could use donations of hats, gloves, scarves and socks.

ALSO:

Marillac House
212 S. Francisco
Chicago, IL 60612
+1 (773) 722 7440
Sister Yvonne, executive director
For nearly half a century, Marillac House has provided desperately needed social and educational programs to the people of East Garfield Park and North Lawndale neighborhoods on Chicago's impoverished west side. Marillac House is administered by the Daughters of Charity, the largest community of religious women in the world. The Sisters who live and work at Marillac House serve in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, founders of the Daughters of Charity. With a staff of more than 100, primarily from the west side, Marillac House cares for more than 1,110 people each day -- children, families, the elderly, the homeless, the poor. Needed at this time are caps, scarves, mittens, afghans, and baby sets. Actually, we can use almost anything.

Florida Hadassah Knitters in the News

2005-12-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

"Between May and October, Shirley estimates the 28 women in The Grove Hadassah Sunshine Knitters produced 100 items, [mainly for a shelter for abused women] from elaborately stitched afghans, to little handbags, scarves, leg warmers, shawls and ponchos, even sweaters. They also make lap robes and shawls for the Boynton Health Care Center, Shirley said."

Read the whole uplifting story from Dec. 10th here at the Sun-Sentinel.

Call for Chemo Caps in South Florida!

2005-12-19T23:55:00.000-05:00

The Gold Coast Huggers is a local satellite group of the national Head Huggers, a volunteer organization of crafters that make chemo caps for people who have suffered hair loss due to chemotherapy, brain surgery, burn wounds, etc. We create and distribute caps to hospitals, oncology offices, hospices, etc in the Gold Coast region of Florida. The Gold Coast Huggers was formed by members of the Sweet Stitchin' Betties of Broward County, a knitting group that is involved with charity knitting projects. Email us at goldcoasthuggers@gmail.com if you want to help!

Indiantown FL teens knitting at the library!

2005-11-29T08:57:00.000-05:00

There's a really nice article about the cool partnership between retirees teaching teens to knit at the Indiantown Library in the Palm Beach Post. Check it out here.

Last night, two other librarians and myself led our own "knit night" for teens at our local library and it was a rousing success: 13 teens showed up and i was impressed at how quickly they caught on to the knit stitch! everyone had a great time. it was a fantastically fun experience, i recommend it to anyone interested in volunteering at their local library!

florida knitters site in the news!

2005-11-18T16:57:00.000-05:00

Florida Knitters gets a very nice mention in a great article in the Daytona Beach News-Journal. The article is all about the new wave of male knitters- check it out here! I wrote the author Michael Haun a thank you for the mention (a nice man, but of course he DOES knit, what do you expect!) and he adds, "Male knitters are hard to find. Although I did hear from a reader originally from Great Britain, who said he and his army mates learned to knit during WWII. He was wondering why it was taking every one else so long to catch on to it."

For more male knitting inspiration, check out the new knit1 magazine- complete with a fold out centerfold, i kid you not, of a bare chested beefcake knitting on a faux bear rug.

Knitty FL News

2005-11-12T19:22:00.000-05:00

Here are some new and different things related to knitting going on in FL right now.

It's probably too late to get in on it, but Lily Chin (!) is going to do a workshop at the Stitcher's Haven in Plantation, FL in Feb 2006. Exciting! For more details, read the article in their latest newsletter here.

OMG, I have been drooling over the Loop-d-Loop book by Teva Durham, and thought how much I would love to see the items actually knitted up. Now I can! The Yarn Tree in Hollywood, FL is having a trunk show Dec 1-12! For more details, visit the Events page for the Yarn Tree here.

I've never been on a cruise, but one that combines knitting with all that food should be something else. Great Balls of Yarn! is involved with a cruise with the owner of Trendsetter Yarns as the guest of honor. To find out more, read all about it on their web site here.

St. Petersburg knitters, Dale needs your help! I read this in the St. Petersburg Times Floridian: "Making hats, lap robes, hot plates and pot holders for senior facilities and nursing homes keeps Dale's friend busy and feeling useful. But she's running out of raw materials. Dale hopes that folks with leftover yarns will donate them to this worthy cause; she will pay your shipping charges. Dale may be reached at (727) 372-8177; please leave a message."

And finally, an interest in knitting can indicate that you are part of the "MetroSpiritual" movement, whatever that is. Are you a MetroSpiritual? Prepare to agree or disagree, your choice!

What's new with those Stitchin' Betties?

2005-10-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

Those zany, wacky Stitchin' Betties are finding more even more charities to get involved with. (we are addicted to knitting, after all!)A lot of us are already involved with Cloths For Katrina, which still needs your knitting!

Awhile ago, one of our active cyber-members mentioned her activist knitting of chemo caps and inspired us all to do the same. Go Azxure Mama!

Now the Betties are talking to Head Huggers about becoming a "sister" splinter group for the organization. Since December 2001, Head Huggers has distributed approximately 5000-6000 chemo caps to oncologist's offices and chemotherapy sites in 19 different states. Simply put, the Betties will create and collect chemo caps for local cancer centers/hospitals/etc. and distribute them as they come in. Once we get this off the ground, we'll be happy to distribute chemo caps that you create. Keep an eye on our website for details. If you can't wait until then, look now for a local chapter of the Head Huggers here, or if there is no nearby group, why not start up one? Florida knitters, note that one group has already started in our state, it serves the Jacksonville, Orange Park, Green Cove Springs & Middleburg area. See the site for details!

Purl Jam Knit-A-Thon and Knitters Give A Little

2005-09-06T09:50:00.000-05:00

The Yarn Tree in Hollywood, FL is hosting a unique Knit-A-Thon to raise money for the Red Cross for disaster relief. Here are the details from their site:

Purl Jam knit-a-thon

Hurricane Relief

Sunday, October 23rd 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Get sponsored to knit your day away and create projects for victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Yarn Tree will open for one Sunday, so our community can come together to help those stricken by this awful disaster. Please have your friends and family sponsor your knitting by donating money for each row you knit that day. All money will be donated to the Red Cross and we will collect knitted blankets, hats, and scarves to send to those in need. We look forward to seeing you at this event!

For more info, you can also call the Yarn Tree or visit the store: 954.921.1160, 2000-3 Harrison St. Hollywood, FL 33020

If you want to participate, make sure to visit http://theyarntree.net to download your official sponsor sheet.

It's like I've said before, knitters have big hearts. Sarah, a way cool sister knitter, turned me on to this site, encouraging knitters to donate to relief efforts. As of today, the funds raised by generous knitters totals $54,911.15. check it out, even if you're not a knitty person. if you've been watching the news at all, it will lift your spirits. it's a nice change to see communities coming together when all that you normally hear about is communities tearing each other apart.

the elusive boy knitter

2005-09-02T13:54:00.000-05:00

it seems that male knitters are everywhere right now. The summer issue of Knitty has a lot of cool boy-related knitting stories that i really enjoyed (of course i also enjoyed the patterns too!) I came across this article, "Men at Work: Knitting" and enjoyed it too. go boy knitters! (personally, i'm not forcing my husband to knit. what if he became obsessed with it too? that would seriously cut into my $$$ for my own yarn! we can't finance 2 stash piles!)

SnB in the News

2005-08-22T19:42:00.000-05:00

A Tallahassee SnB had their group featured recently (July 17th, but I'm a slow poke) in the Tallahassee Democrat. Read the article entitled, "Club's all talk, wrist action" here while the link lasts! Way to go, North FL Knitters! I'm pretty sure the group profiled is the Knitty Nuts, (due to my deductive powers)though the article doesn't name the group definitively.

Not as local but of interest to me was another recent article about the SnB phenomena (Aug 16) that focused on the Oak Park, IL SnB. The article, "Have a little bitch with your stitching" was exciting to me because it is the fabulous Heidi's group that was profiled. I was already forever Heidi's fan because she showed up (with 2 friends in tow) at the SnB at ALA, and she is a lot of fun! (and an extremely good knitter.) After reading the article, I am now super impressed with her. Here's why: (quote from the article, which you can read all of here) "The "stitch ‘n’ bitch" knitters have been passing around a special project since June 22: a prayer blanket for Mary Mapes, the widow of Peter D’Agostino. D’Agostino was the popular UIC professor murdered in Oak Park on his way home last June by a still-unknown assailant. Each member gets a week to stitch a strip of the blanket in whatever color or style she chooses. The idea is to pray for peace, comfort, healing, strength and courage while stitching one’s part."

What a thoughtful and wonderful gesture. The generosity and kindness of knitters everywhere never ceases to inspire and amaze me!

2 cool upcoming knitting events in FL

2005-08-02T00:32:00.000-05:00

Florida residents and visitors, there are 2 cool things for all things knitty coming up this fall. check it out!

1)Those folks at Hurricane Knitters are always coming up with good ideas! Here's their latest: A knitting day cruise (most likely in October) from Fort Lauderdale to South Beach and back via the Broward County WaterTaxi. Sounds fabulous! For more info, be sure to visit their site, join up, and email your info to the list and let them know you would like to go crusin'!.

2)The 2nd annual Florida Fiber-In will be Sept 16-18th in Orlando. The Fiber-In promises to be a "wonderful weekend of knitting, purling, spinning, weaving, chatting, workshops and FUN. Wannabe’s and Newbies welcome". For updates, join their Yahoo! Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/florida_fiber_in/

new yarn store coming to south florida!

2005-07-31T15:20:00.000-05:00

exciting bulletin!

the following info is from the monthly newsletter from Elegant Stitches (the fab yarn store in Miami) I think the Stitchin Betties will have to take a field trip to TROPICAL YARNS when it opens!
***************
http://www.tropicalyarns.com/
Our NEW store (no, we are NOT closing Elegant Stitches) will be located at 14461 Miramar Parkway, just two blocks east of I-75. We expect an opening later this summer. If you are interested in becoming part of the Tropical Yarns staff, working there part time, contact Jeannie or Susan at Elegant Stitches .The phone number there
will be (954)438-4811. Once the phones are installed we will have a message indicating when we expect to open. It's finally moving along, we've picked out the floor tiles and paint and will be setting up soon.

We will have some of the same lines in both stores, and some lines will be exclusive to either one. You can take classes and enjoy beautiful yarn shopping at either store. Hours for Tropical Yarns will be Monday through Friday, 10 to 6 and Saturday 10 to 5.

The new store will have it's own website, so click on the link above, and mark it so you can follow our progress. (The arrow in the photo shows you where the shop will be)

knitting for charity

2005-07-22T21:23:00.000-05:00

Another cool tattooed knitter posted a question about what charities are looking for our knitted goodies, and how to get more involved in knitting for needy people. Luckily, there are a lot of very generous crafty people out there who have set up various organizations and clubs that you can donate your crafty items to help someone else out. If you want to get involved, here are some of the stitchin' betties favourite charities:

Afghans for Afghans
a humanitarian and educational people-to-people project that sends hand-knit and crocheted blankets and sweaters, vests, hats, mittens, and socks to the beleaguered people of Afghanistan.

Dulaan Project
The Dulaan Project is a cooperative effort of Flagstaff International Relief Effort (FIRE), Mossy Cottage Knits, and the Kunzang Palyul Choling (KPC) Buddhist community of Sedona. The project seeks to inspire the generous spirit of the knitting community to help meet the urgent needs of Mongolia's impoverished people.

Mongolia's winter is extreme; the capital city, Ulanbaatar, is the coldest capital in the world. It rarely gets above freezing on winter days, and can plunge to -40ºF at night. To survive, many of the homeless live in the heating ducts below the nations cities. Warm, well-made clothing can allow a child to go to school or an adult to go to work; restore a sense of dignity; and, in some cases, literally save a life.

Critter Knitters
The Critter Knitters Coalition was created in response to the dire need for warm, comfortable blankets by abandoned animals in New York animal shelters. These blankets help frightened cats and dogs feel calm, and improve the quality of life for shelter animals while they await their forever homes.(note from the betties: don't forget your own town's animal shelter-- act local! quite a few betties are knitting for our nearby humane society)

Warm Up America
WUA! afghans are distributed to individuals and families in need through community service organizations as well as through chapters of national organizations such as the American Red Cross. Sponsors of WUA! in communities around the country are encouraged to donate completed afghans within their own community in the true spirit of "neighbor helping neighbor." The Foundation also assembles and stockpiles afghans at its North Carolina office. A list of afghan requests is maintained and as afghans become available they are shipped to the next name on the list. Agencies to which the Foundation has donated afghans include:

Battered women's shelters
Nursing homes
Teenage pregnancy homes
Hospitals and clinics
Daycare centers
Hospice care facilities
Churches
AIDS facilities
Homeless shelters

your knitting makes a difference!

Stitchin Betties Rock!

2005-07-19T22:34:00.000-05:00

we had so much fun at our 1st meeting of the stitchin betties! we actually got a lot of knitting done, considering how much chatting was going on!

there are no rules for the stitchin betties but one:

Each betty knits one item for a charity of his/her choice per year. small, large, medium, whatever for whomever. that's all! everything else is OK with us.

i was going to make a corny joke about the rules of the stitchin betties like fight club (rule 1: you will not talk about the sweet stitchin betties) but i don't have the time or energy right now.

so anyway, join us! or don't. we have a zen like tolerance for both your appearance or no-show-ness. August 1 is our next meeting, and we will be having some Sublime Stitching demonstrations so you won't want to miss that anyway.

~say hello to the sweet stitchin' betties of broward county~

2005-06-15T19:35:00.000-05:00

we did it! we got off our hineys and made a knitcrazy stitch n bitch! (you can too. it's easy! get inspired on how to do it here)
anyway, there's a new stitch & bitch in town, people~ in broward county, FL to be exact. Here's the scoop:

Knitters, crocheters, and other crafty folk are invited to join the Sweet Stitchin Betties of Broward County! We meet the 1st and 3rd Monday evening of the month at 7pm at the Roasted Bean which is located in the Rolling Hills Plaza, 3325 South University Drive Davie, FL 33328, right across the street from Nova University.

Our next meeting is July 18th (we're skipping the 4th of July) Hope to see you there!

way to go, martin county library system!

2005-06-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

The Teen Knitting Club continues to grow with boys and girls meeting once a week in June on Wednesdays from 2 - 3pm. Club members are invited to learn how to construct shoulder bags, headbands, friendship blankets and more. Adults interested in volunteering or giving donations of yarn and needles, please contact the Indiantown Branch Library.

Indiantown Branch
15200 SW Adams Avenue
Indiantown, Florida 34956
Tel. (772) 597-4200

from the Martin County June Newsletter

Tomorrow is International KIP Day!

2005-06-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

If you happen to be in the area, drop by and KIP away with these folks:

When: Saturday, June 11, 2005 at 2:00 PM

Where: Panera Bread
2015 North University Drive
Coral Springs, FL 33071
954-757-9870

Find out more here:
http://knitting.meetup.com/41/events/4704315/

Central Florida Knit Out and Crochet 2005

2005-05-12T19:20:00.000-05:00

This info is brought to you from the boards at Debbie Stoller's stitch n bitch, which are a lot of fun to visit.
Update: This has been cancelled-- keep up with the latest by visiting the site listed below
****
Several Central Florida area knitting and crocheting groups are joining forces to host the 1st Annual Central Florida Knit Out & Crochet.

We'd love to have the help of individuals and groups in our area. Please visit our Yahoo! group for more infomation. Our first meeting will be Tuesday, May 24th - there's one at 3pm and another at 7pm. Details at the website.

Thanks.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kco2005/

When FL knitters visit Chicago. . .

2005-05-12T18:34:00.000-05:00

where would they go? I have to go there in June for a library conference and i confess it now: when i did live in IL, i mainly went to nightclubs that allowed underage kids to drown their sorrows while dancing mopishly to joy division or the cure. i didn't join the knitting scene until later. . .so where will i go when i'm there? (apparently not to dance at club 950 since it isn't in existence anymore.)

to answer this question, i got some amazing help from a kickass chicago archivist and knitter named Heidi. She kindly gave me some tips i'm going to pass along to you (since everyone should go to chicago someday anyhow) And if you're a librarian that happens to knit, you should join her ring , which i am hesitant to do since i work for an organization that is anti-bloggy, even though i never do it at work! anyway, here's the dirt from Heidi on how to expand your stash while in chicago:

There are a ton of good yarn shops in Chicago but none of the best ones
are near McCormick Place--they're all north. If I had to recommend a few,
they are:

We'll Keep You In Stitches
67 E. Oak
This is right smack in the middle of the Gold Coast, near the Barneys NY,
the Bentley dealership and a bunch of other ritzy shopping stuff. But it
is just a few blocks from Michigan Avenue, Water Tower Place and the more
popular shopping like Crate & Barrel. As for their yarn selection, it's
OK. A lot of novelty yarns.

Knitting Workshop
2218 N. Lincoln
(They have a website knittingworkshop.com but it doesn't seem to be
working at the moment). Safe neighborhood with lots of cafes and other
shops around. Probably my favorite yarn store in the city--great selection
and a comfortable space too. You have to walk a few blocks from the train
station to find it.

Knitters Niche
3206 N. Southport, about four blocks west of Belmont
I've never actually been to this one! I can't believe it.

Arcadia Knitting
http://www.arcadiaknitting.com/

The yarn is organized by color. They have all the
good brands and it's convenient by public transportation.

You could plan a little yarn store tour by way of the CTA red line train
(the one going north toward Howard). Get off at the Chicago stop for We'll
Keep You in Stitches, then go north some more to Fullerton for Knitters
Workshop, then a little more to Belmont for Knitters Niche, and finally up
to Lawrence for Arcadia. The distance from Lawrence back down to the Loop
is probably about 30 to 45 minutes. (CTA map is here:
http://www.transitchicago.com/maps/systemmaps.html)

Where do Floridians buy yarn and knit anyway?

2005-05-04T09:13:00.000-05:00

As a FL knitter, I am constantly asked questions like, "WHERE DO YOU BUY YARN?" "Where is a good local yarn shop?" "I'm going to be on vacation in FL, where's a stitch n bitch near my hotel?"

Wonder about these things no longer. This site is dedicated to putting out all the down and dirty details on where to get a fix on your yarn obsession while in Florida, rated the 6th most dangerous state in the Union! (I am proud of that.)

Feel free to email me with your FL knitting questions and I'll let you know where to shop, where to stitch, where to bitch, and all that good stuff.

florida knitters, unite and take over!

2005-02-04T12:02:00.000-05:00