Chicago Knits

Doggie Knits Launch Party!

2008-06-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone!
We're changing the location of our Thursday night KIP on June 19 to Knit 1, 3823 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Festivities start at 6:30 pm. Knit a little, have some drinks and victuals, and celebrate knitting for your dog! Or, if you don't have a dog to knit for, stop by and knit with us any way!

No Peeps, Just KIP

2008-03-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow night (Thursday) for our usual knit night, sans small sugary birds!

Alliance Bakery
1736 Division
7-9 p.m.

Hope to see you there! And if you wanted to arrive a few minutes early to help snag some tables, that would be ideal.

PDIP Numero Uno (and KIP)

2008-03-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to KIP last night...and to all who PDIP'ped, perhaps in spite of themselves! What in blazes am I talking about? I am talking about the Peeps Diorama contest being held by the Q Section of the Chicago Tribune, and about our fantastic entry into said contest. Feast your eyes upon the Peepness!

It was what could only be called a team effort...Dana scoring the box from a liquor store, working on chairs, publishing the newspaper (magnify the photo to read the day's headlines!), and building the table...Michelle the Composer knitting up tiny items with sock yarn, including a "sweater," on No. 1s, then transferring them to the toothpicks, which were held in wings made by Our Other Michelle (blow up the first photo to see details. No, really, you have to see the details!)...Jewell supplying the sine-qua-non Peeps in all their pastel glory, making a mirror from origami paper, and building a couch and a club chair from the Peeps packaging...Rachel calling upon design and structural engineering skills we didn't know she had in fabricating chairs from chenille sticks (formerly known as pipe cleaners), helping to match Peeps with knitting, and, crucially, helping to clean up (with others -- thanks, all!)...yours truly making a flowerpot and pompon flowers...Angela having contributed the theme two weeks ago...Corinne, Molly, and Andrea thinking we were insane but being too polite to admit it....A Pleasant Time was Had By All.

Sincerely yours,

the PeepsKeeper

Chocolate in myriad, marvelous forms

2008-02-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all who came out to KIP on Thursday! KIP Swap: Chocolate was a great time, as you can see from the joy in these photos. We treated each other to Godiva hot chocolate, our own local haut chocolatier Vosges, Swedish Bakery petits fours, classic Russell Stover, a chocolate rose, You Go Girl kisses, chocolate-covered strawberries (health food, you know), and other delights too numerous to mention!

Now Accepting Nominations for the next swap item or theme...maybe in April? We could connect it to Earth Day! KIP Goes Green! Half-kidding.

We also discussed initiating an -along called the One Project Project, or OPP (OPP-along?) -- the idea is to knit one project from all the books you own from which you have yet to make anything. That's the basic premise, anyway..."rules" and maybe even the announcement of prizes to follow! Please submit suggestions, desiderata, et ceterata, below. And keep warm! See you Feb. 21.

KIP meeting and Chocolate Swap!

2008-02-06T20:18:00.000-08:00

Hope you can wade through the slush to join us at KIP tomorrow night! We'll be having a chocolate swap. If you're interested in participating, at least one chocolate item (two, if you like) and spend approximately $5 per item. I'm sure they will already be in some sort of packaging, so no additional wrapping is necessary.

What is a chocolate item, you ask? Well, it could be a chocolate bar, chocolate-covered fruit, truffles, chocolate cookies, fudge, etc. -- even a pastry if you are adventurous! Obviously the item does not have to be 100% chocolate but we are going for a theme here. :)

See you at 7pm at Alliance Bakery!

Happy Birthday!

2008-01-01T16:21:00.000-08:00

We had a great time last month celebrating KIPper birthdays! We all indulged quite a bit. We also had a fun ornament exchange and a knitting book giveaway!

Alliance Bakery made us a terrific cake (white cake with raspberry mousse filling and chocolate ganache.

The birthday lady (hiding from the camera) and Bonne Marie, both in their handknit finery!

The whole group, with the birthday lady at top center!

Everyone had so much fun that we are thinking about adding a quarterly birthday celebration and/or gift exchange to our KIP schedule. There was some discussion about a February celebration, with a chocolate exchange!

Our first KIP of 2008 will be this Thursday, January 3 at Alliance Bakery, from 7-9 pm. Please join us! And, Happy New Year!

Many Thanks

2007-12-23T15:24:00.000-08:00

To all my lovely KIP friends--thank you for the lovely birthday and holiday celebration. I can't imagine a nicer or more inspiring group of people to knit with. Really, you are all so amazing! Thursday evenings are really special for me.

Countdown to cake!

2007-12-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

Come one, come all, to the KIP Holiday/Birthday Extravaganza! We'll be celebrating Corinne's and Rachel's birthdays as well as doing an ornament exchange. 7-9 p.m. this Thursday, the 20th, at Alliance Bakery, 1736 Division.

To get in on the ornament swap, please bring two ornaments, storebought or handmade. Hope to see you all there!

Meeting Tonight

2007-12-06T08:51:00.000-08:00

It's the first Thursday of the month, and you know What That Means! KIPpers will be meeting at Alliance from 7-9 p.m.

Also, mark your calendars for two weeks from tonight, Dec. 20, for our holiday party at 7 p.m. at Alliance! We'd like to do an ornament exchange -- please bring two ornaments, storebought, handmade, whatever, and we'll swap 'em around to brighten our trees, windows, tote handles, rear-view mirrors! (If you're buying ornaments, may we suggest a $10 ceiling.)

Thanks, and hope to see all soon!

Meeting Tonight -- New Location!

2007-11-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Hi all, we are meeting tonight -- sorry to post so late! However, we are meeting at a new spot because Letizia's has changed to winter hours and is only open until 5.

So, meet us tonight at Alliance Bakery, 1736 Division, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. It's nearby and has tasty treats as well. And, if you can't make it, watch this space for a mini-poll about where our permanent meeting place should be for the winter.

P.S. If your name is Rebecca and you left a comment -- your Blogger profile is blocked and I couldn't respond. We meet on the first and third Thursday of every month -- and sometimes on the 5th Thursday if there is one. We'd love to have you, so drop on by!

Happy Knitting!

Thursday Nov. 2 - expect low attendance

2007-11-01T14:57:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Attendance may be a little sparse tonight...seems like most of the 'regulars' have other commitments. However, many of us are planning to attend this upcoming event, featuring Bonne Marie of ChicKnits!

ChicKnits Trunk Show & Fashion Show
Friday, Nov. 9, 6 - 9 p.m.
Loopy Yarns
719 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (312) 583-YARN (9276)

Meeting Thursday, and an Upcoming Event

2007-10-17T10:19:00.000-07:00

Hi all! If you've come over from the Windy City Knitting Guild site, welcome! We hope you'll join us at an upcoming knit night. Speaking of which, we're meeting tomorrow, Oct. 18 at Letizia's - 2144 W. Division, 7-9 p.m.

I also wanted to share some info about an upcoming event that some KIPpers have enjoyed:

Stitch and Bitch at the Museum of Contemporary Art!
October 23 (and every 4th Tuesday of the month)
5:30 - 8 pm
From the MCA website: It's a frenetic, no-frills, knitting free-for-all. Come solo and meet new friends or bring your knitting buddies with you. Artist Paté Conaway joins the fun on October 23. Using four-foot-long knitting needles and a ball of yarn the size of a dishwasher, the artist will knit a potholder large enough to cover a king-sized bed!

Last of the Summer KIPs

2007-09-30T18:23:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! I'm a little slow in posting about our last meeting, but we had a great time. The late summer evening was still warm enough to sit outside for a little alfresco knitting.

Angela was working on a to-die-for red, sparkly top from the recent Knitter's Magazine. Although the yarn (Tilli Tomas) is frustrating, she is committed to wearing her beautiful creation at an upcoming gala!

Rachel had a hot pink number going - she's working on Juliet from the girls of Zephyr Style. We were all jealous of the super-soft Malabrigo Rachel is knitting with...which hopefully made up for the sub-standard cupcake she got (sorry Rachel!) A few of us put Juliet on our project list as a result.

Speaking of Juliet, Jewell was also wearing a Juliet, but hers was a pattern from a recent Rowan pattern booklet. As always, she wears it well!

It was great to have Yasmeen joining us again! She was working on a beautiful shawl with a heathery brown yarn gifted to her by her mom.

She also enjoyed a wonderful dessert, hand-selected for her by Spencer of Letizia's. (not like I'm jealous or anything...)

Michelle was without her blanket project, because it has gotten too huge! Instead, she was working on a smaller project - a version of the Montego Bay Scarf from Interweave Knits, done up in a beautiful purple bamboo from Southwest Trading. Michelle says this is the perfect take-along project when she is riding (but not driving) in the car.

Meanwhile, Corinne says the perfect project for when you driving is a stockinette sock! (I hope she is joking! But I'm not sure...) Corinne was also working on a dog sweater with a fun assortment of yarns. As always, Corinne and I rhapsodized about the beauty of Lobster Pot Yarns.

So, a good time - complete with sweets - was had by all. Tomorrow is the first day of October, and this week is the first Thursday. So, see you at Letizia's on Thursday???

Meeting this Thursday

2007-09-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hey, it's that time again! By which I mean knitting: 7-9 p.m. Thursday, at Letizia's Bakery, 2144 W. Division St. Hope to see you there!!

Small but mighty

2007-08-31T20:07:00.000-07:00

Four fab KIPpers held down the fort at Letizia's -- Corinne, Molly (welcome back!), Jewell, and Your Intrepid Reporter, who failed to take careful, or any, notes. I believe, however, that I can somewhat accurately relay the projects worked upon...though not even a shadow of the conversation, many parts of which made me laugh really hard. Though not the parts about surgery, so much.

Our flying fingers attracted the attention of a young woman who's a knitter herself, who lives in the neighborhood, who's free on Thursdays, and who wants to join us! Yay! Molly had the good sense to see that I got her e-mail, but I haven't yet made sure she doesn't mind seeing her name in connection with us ne'er-do-wells, so we'll wait till next time to name 'er.

So, the work in hand last night:

Molly was working on a very pretty sock, and Corinne had a collar on the needles. Their side of the table was awash in soothing shades of blue, with a bit of green (I think -- the lighting is dim) to add depth. Jewell brought one of the beautiful tops from the Rowan Bamboo Tape book. It's also in a gorgeous shade of blue.

Occupying, as I so often do, the neutral position, I tried not to mess up my second Ariann sleeve, which is in an oatmeal shade of natural. It should be finished soon. It has the same number of stitches at the cuff as the first sleeve. This was not a given last time around.

So we're back to Regularly Schedued KIPping next week, the first Thursday of the month. See you at 7! Enjoy your holiday weekend!

Let's do it!

2007-08-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

OK -- we'll do it! I will try to be there as close to 7 as possible, but rest assured someone will be there!

And we'll lift a cupcake to our own Corinne, a member of the Chicago Craft Mafia -- they're the lead story in today's At Play section in the Tribune. Great story! Congratulations!

Who's with me?

2007-08-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

Mary here -- Although some folks have other commitments this Thursday, Aug. 29, I'd be up for a Bonus KIP. (I need to leave early, though, and might not be there on the stroke of 7).

Any takers? I'll report back Wednesday evening.

KIP and cupcakes (edited)

2007-08-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

I think any reasonable person would agree that last night was just a perfect summer KIP! Extra credit goes to whoever got there first and snagged some tables for us outside. And we ended up with an overflow crowd, which was wonderful. A recap will not capture the madcap humor that flowed freely -- you'll just have to come and experience it for yourself!*

(OK, this is where the photos were supposed to go, but I'm having trouble getting them to load. So imagine a photo of a very cute Sweet Baby D., in all his 10-week glory!) At least 10 gold stars go to Mr. Z, who had dinner with us and then took the little one home so his mother, Trope, could sit and knit as in days of yore! She was swatching with the intent, if I heard correctly, of getting some socks going.

Baby D. was not the only newcomer, however; also making her KIP debut was CeCe from Boston, who comes to town periodically for work, but hadn't yet been sent here on a KIP night. Come back anytime! Her Chevron sock, from Sensational Knitted Socks, was taking shape in some very cool Trekking yarn. See her blog for details on her sock-a-thon, and send good sock vibes Back East!

Rachel has a monkey on her back -- a Monkey Sock, that is! And technically, it's on her needles, not her back.

A very lucky man in San Francisco named David will, when the time is right, receive a pair of socks in a great Mountain Colors colorway from Corinne, who was whipping through Sock No. 2.

In the non-sock contingent last night was Jewell, working on a Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt from Interweave Knits.

Bonne Marie brought a cardigan to work on, and I did, too -- sleeve two of Ariann. We're going along pretty strong, it and I.

Dana was making good progress on her Edie. (She would have made even more progress had I not foisted my camera upon her...and now I can't get Blogger to give me the "Done" box that apparently I need to get them to appear. I'll keep working on that, though.)
Michelle's Moderne Log Cabin Blanket (from Mason-Dixon Knitting) is about to leave the portability stage!

As you can see, we had a great turnout, but there's always room for more! Hope to see everyone again soon.

*Watch this space -- August has a Bonus FiFtH ThuRsDay, but some people have other commitments already. Stay tuned on whether we'll go for broke with a Bonus KIP this month! Part of me says, "Why the h. not?" Add your two cents below!

Come one, come all!

2007-08-16T07:27:00.000-07:00

Let's knit through the Dog Days! Looking forward to seeing folks tonight at Letizia's.

Next Meeting: August 16

2007-08-06T18:43:00.001-07:00

Never fear, KIP is (still) here! Bonne Marie has passed the torch and we (Dana and Mary) are doing our best to keep the group going. So, plan to come to Letizia's on Thursday, August 16, 7-9 p.m.

We set up this blog as an easy way to communicate with everyone interested in KIP. There may or may not still be an email list. If you feel strongly about having a Yahoo-type email group (or _not_ having one), please let us know. Otherwise, we can use the blog in much the same way. Anyone with a Blogger/Google account can comment on posts. (It's easy and free to set up a new account, if you don't have one already.) We can also set up the blog as a "team" blog where any KIPper who wants to can post to the blog. This would make the blog just as participatory as the email list, if not more so. If there is a concern about security, we could also password-protect the blog so that posts (and comments) could only be read by those with permission.

Please feel free to discuss these issues in the comments, or we can chat next Thursday. Thanks and see you then!