In the Loop, November 2023 – Center for Knit and Crochet

November 2023

A knitted cap with a pale pink rose — **Mixed Pale Pinkish Knitted Cap by Teruko Hattori, ca. 1990s. See it in CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection, #2019.031.**

Dear CKC Members and Donors:

It’s time to pull out the warm woolies — like this soft and lovely hat that Teruko Hattori made for her daughter, Mineko Takahashi.

Ms. Takahashi preserved this hat along with a number of other accessories her mother made for her in CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection, using brief but evocative descriptions that give insights into their close relationship. CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection — soon to be renamed CKC Community Collection — provides makers and their families with a unique opportunity to preserve and share family treasures like these, and record their stories in their own words.

Join us for November news, below — CKC’s progress on end-of-year fundraising, an announcement of two new Board positions coming soon, and a link to register for the Virtual Craft Circle on Thursday, December 14, featuring guest poet and musician Sandi Horton.

Then revel, as always, in Anne Lies’ entertaining and informative knitting and crochet news from around the world.

Stay Cozy!

Update on CKC’s Annual Fundraising Campaign

Join hands with me! Make a difference for craft! — **CKC needs to raise $4000 by December 31 to support current and future programs, exhibitions, and collections.**

We have just $2500 to go to meet our goal.

Thanks to your generosity on #GivingTuesday we successfully matched a donation of $500 to raise just over $1000 that day. We’ve received another $500 donation, and we hope you can help us match it to reach the next milestone! Give now while this $500 match is still active to make your end-of-year donation or membership contribution go twice as far!

/bu

Join or Renew

Donate

Give a Membership

Thank you! Your donation in any amount matters for CKC and the future of knitting and crochet. All donations and membership contributions are tax deductible.

Follow CKC on social media now and through December for wonderful posts “centering makers in history” from our digital collections past and present! Stay tuned for some announcements and surprises in our emails too!

When you join, renew your membership, or give the gift of membership this month, you or your gift recipient can visit CKC’s online store to order this cute Ampersand Logo Project Bag shipped to your door for free.

Join the CKC Board!

Blue knit swatch with a yellow and red pattern — **Detail: Blue Hand Knitted Ski Sweater, ca. 1920s – 1930s. Knitted by Augusta Adelia Lehner Newman for her son, Charles Wynn Newman, Jr. CKC Crowdsourced Collection #2022.002**

We’re Adding Two New Directors

Since 2012, CKC has depended on nine volunteer Directors to carry out all of the work to develop, operate, and promote CKC as a powerful new open-access digital museum that supports the preservation and enjoyment of knitting, crochet, and related arts with exhibitions, collections, programs, and educational resources.

In the past few years, CKC has experienced substantial growth in its membership, increasing the need for new and creative member services, programs, and activities. At the same time, CKC’s Directors have continued to maintain CKC’s existing digital collections and resources, while working to develop new collections and exhibitions for release in 2024. To support CKC’s growth in membership, and to also move forward effectively on these new content development opportunities, projects, and partnerships, the current Board of Directors recently voted to add two new Directors.

Starting in January 2024, CKC will seek applications for two new Directors to coordinate the organization’s social media and membership functions. In the coming weeks, CKC’s Nominating Committee will share more information about these roles, and a timeline for filling the new Board positions.

We invite current CKC Members to apply for these positions when the application process opens in January. If you are not interested in applying yourself, we hope you will share news of these opportunities with anyone you know who may be interested in CKC, and who has pertinent skills and/or experience in these areas.

Please direct any questions you have to Nominating Committee Chair Marilyn Huset at [email protected], and stay tuned for more information.

Sandi Horton and Debbie Brock with their instruments — **Sandi Horton, Native American Flute player (L) with Debbie Brock percussionist (R). Photo of Courtesy of Sandi Horton, 2023.**

Meet Poet and Musician Sandi Horton at CKC’s Virtual Craft Circle

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Time: 8-9:30 PM Eastern; 7-8:30 PM Central; 6-7:30 PM Mountain; 5-6:30 Pacific.

Your Host: Lori Winterfeldt, CKC Board Member

Sandi Horton is passionate about composing and performing music and poetry. At the December 14th CKC Virtual Craft Circle, Sandi will share her family’s heritage in crochet and knitting, and discuss the role of music and poetry in her life.

Sandi was a finalist in the Center for Knit and Crochet’s Music Makers Knit Purl Jam & Acoustic Crochet competition, with percussionist Debbie Brock. She was also a finalist in the 2022 Best Flute Single for “Mordovian Moods” by One World Music Radio in May 2023. With numerous Native American-style flute performances and original music compositions to her credit, Sandi has released three CDs and has performed internationally.

Sandi served as chairperson of the Waco WordFest, where she edited its yearly international anthology for ten years. She worked in public schools as a band director and school counselor for 20 years. She has a Bachelor of Music Education from Texas Tech University and a Master of Science in Educational Psychology from Baylor University. Sandi wrote a poem extemporaneously while listening to the conversation of members attending Suzann Thompson’s Virtual Craft Circle presentation “A Doily Adventure” in September, 2023. It’s really sweet:

Doily Sonnet by Sandi Horton

Coast to coast from

Seattle Washington to Washington DC

And Texas in the middle too

actually three from Texas

Knitters and crocheters meet online

To hear stories about doilies

Listeners making a fall scarf, a sweater, a baby blanket

One making a beaded bag with a crochet hook

Another is hooked on a mystery project

One is weaving words into a poem

We see quilts hanging on the walls

Behind the participants on our screen

We see yarns of many colors

While hearing yarns about doilies.

Bring a beverage, a snack, and a project to work on and share. After the presentation there will be time to meet and chat with fellow CKC Members and supporters.

FREE to all current CKC Members and Donors.

We are excited to announce that there will be a Virtual Craft Circle every month in 2024. Some sessions will have guest speakers and others will be open for chatting.

An Inspiring Evening

We were excited to welcome Elizabeth Okeyele-Olatunji to speak at the November Virtual Craft Circle from her home in Nigeria. A Craft Yarn Council of America Certified Knitting Teacher, Elizabeth described her commitment to teach 20,000 children across the African continent to knit by 2030, and her recent trip to Kenya where she and a group of volunteers, supported by Pony Needles and Eshe Yarns, visited five children’s homes to teach knitting and crochet. You can read Elizabeth’s guest blog post on CKC’s Blog to connect with her and find out more about how you can support this effort.

CKC’s 10th Anniversary Shawl-Along Ending Soon

Swatch for a Crocheted Shawl by Suzann Thompson.

THE DETAILS

Share your love of CKC by knitting or crocheting a shawl for yourself or a friend. Join us on Ravelry, Facebook, and Instagram from May 1 through December 14, 2023 to knit or crochet a shawl together to celebrate CKC’s 10th Anniversary. Stay tuned for the release of an exclusive CKC 10th Anniversary Shawl pattern in December, and join us at the Virtual Craft Circle in January 2024 to show and share your finished shawls.

— Choose any pattern

Visit CKC’s pattern bundle on Ravelry for ideas.

— Use CKC colors

Get inspired by the beautiful palettes below . . .

— Knit or crochet

— Make to keep, give, or donate

— Share something about CKC with anyone who asks you about your project!

Help us encourage more people to follow CKC, use and add to CKC’s digital collections, and to support and expand CKC’s preservation efforts, by wearing your shawl and talking to people about CKC.

We hope you will also add your shawl to CKC’s Crowdsourced Collection. We will compile and share a list of organizations that accept shawl donations.

Send a photo of your shawl-in-progress to [email protected], and we’ll publish your photo here next month.

Thank you!

A color palette with tints, shades, and tones of CKC's teal blue

A color palette with tints, shades, and tones of CKC's butter yellow

CKC Palettes: Some Tints, Shades, and Tones of Teal and Butter.

CKC’s logo colors are Teal, Butter, Black, Gray, and White. Use any solid color or combination of colors from these palettes created by Rebecca Keyel, CKC’s Vice President, or variations on these colors based on what you have on hand or like to wear.

Membership Corner

As a CKC Member, you are vital to CKC’s success. If you are interested in volunteering, contact us at [email protected], for more information and to learn about opportunities.
To those who already volunteer — Thank You!
Is your membership current? Check and to check that and renew!

Don’t Be Shy! Share Your News!!!

Have you designed a new pattern, written an article, been invited to give a presentation, published a book, started a new craft group or craft initiative, been promoted in your guild? Do you want to engage other CKC Members in what you are doing or in an event in your area? If you are interested in being featured, or have some news or events to share with CKC Members, fill out the form!

Knitting & Crochet in the News:

By Anne Lies