Are You On the Fence About Whether to Attend the Symposium?

The symposium, during which we will talk about whether there should be a knit and crochet heritage museum, what that might look like, and next steps to take, is bearing down on us. I wasn’t really thinking about its proximity to the 2012 presidential election only two days earlier when i selected the  dates of Nov. 8 -10. NO, I based it on when there was no home football game for UW’s Badgers.  That said, the election countdown clock applies to registering for the Symposium as well. For those who have decided to attend, but haven’t reserved your hotel yet (or registered), the block of rooms being held at the Lowell Center will be released this Saturday, Oct. 6.  This is the most convenient lodging to the Symposium, and you should reserve TODAY!

For those not sure you should attend, Becky Holmes, a technical writer, ardent knitter [Ravelry name, Vanillamilkshake], and so much more  . . . makes this persuasive argument:

I was curious about the knitting symposium but not sure whether or not I wanted to commit the time and money to attend the event. Having now met with Karen Kendrick-Hands, the driving force behind this event (and the museum itself), I am convinced that it will be an excellent use of my time and money. Karen is a zealous advocate for preserving knitted and crocheted items and ephemera such as patterns and she will win you over to the cause.

I had a lot of questions for Karen about this project: “What kind of museum do you envision?” “Will it be located here inMadison?” “What role is the Wisconsin Historical Society playing in the symposium and the museum?” “What role can local Madison knitters play in this project?”

It turns out that answering the first three questions is part of what we will do at the symposium. Museums in the 21^st century can take many forms, including digital only. A bricks and mortar building with exhibit space is another option. We will investigate these and other questions over the course of the event.

The last question, “What role can local Madison knitters play in this project” was what hooked me into signing up. This event has the support and participation of industry and museum experts, both local and national–if this project is going to work, it’s going to be these people who get it going, and I didn’t want to squander the chance to be an early supporter. When I thought about paying the $175 fee, I considered the fact that events like this can’t be organized for free, and if paying my fee helps the event come off, then it’s worth it. However, if you are interested in attending the event but don’t have the funds, Karen still needs volunteers to help with breakout sessions and registration; send her an e-mail message at[email protected].

I hope to see you November 8-10 at the Wisconsin Historical Society. I’ll be wearing handknits.