Amy Singer – January 9, 2024

Amy is the editor of Knitty Magazine (knitty.com). She’s also the publisher and founder of the magazine. 21 years ago, it came to her in a dream while sitting on her living room couch that she should start an online knitting magazine to feature the knitting design talent she’d been seeing on blogs all over the world in one tidy, professional-looking website. Knitty is a knitting and fibercraft magazine made available at no charge to everyone on the planet thanks to crowdfunding. Knitty publishes 4 seasonal issues every year, and sprinkles bonus content in between, just for fun. As for Amy, she’s allergic to wool and sensitive to all animal fibers, which is a such a funny condition for a knitting magazine editor. Ha. She manages to survive by working with plant fibers, silk, and a few select camelids. She’s not suffering much.

Amy’s current obsessions include her amazing dog, Sky; starting up a ukulele group in her (relatively) new hometown; learning to harness the power of her ADHD brain for good instead of evil; plus a whole lot of mindless knitting. 

She lives in Hamilton, Ontario, with her partner, Mark, and his [their!] two cats, Brody and Tasha, plus Sky, of course. 

In/near Kitchener-Waterloo:

JULIE CRAWFORD – DECEMBER 12, 2023

Julie Crawford is the creator of Knitted Bliss, where she’s been blogging for over a decade! She’s a knitwear designer and an embroidery designer, and creates knitting-themed embroidery kits as well as ready-to-use designs to help you embroider on your knits and fabrics quickly and with confidence. Find her at knittedbliss.com

Want to try embroidering on knits but don’t know what to do, or where to start, or even any embroidery stitches? Don’t worry, Julie Crawford of Knitted Bliss Stitching is going to take us through every step of embroidering this pretty snowflake. Even if you have never embroidered before! Grab a swatch or knit of your choice, and some embroidery thread, and stitch with Julie in real time this entire snowflake!
Materials you’ll need to have ready for our zoom workshop: -a swatch or knit you want to embroider on

– an embroidery needle (it’s just a sewing needle with a long eye, most people have some kicking around and don’t realize it)

– scissors

– embroidery thread in a colour of you choice, that preferably contrasts with the knit

– the pre-printed snowflake stitch and stitch will be sent to you 

Here’s how to get your free snowflake stitch transfer.

Julie will provide the transfers to the Guild, and we’ll get them to members who have registered for the workshop in two ways.

Please refer to your newsletter sent to all members for instructions to receive your pattern.

In/near Kitchener-Waterloo:

ALEXIS HOY – November 14, 2023

Alexis Hoy is a knitwear designer, writer, artist, and knitting instructor who has never been able to pick just one. She has been designing knitting patterns for over a decade, with a focus on unusual techniques and local fibre producers. Alexis lives with her husband, three sons, and a growing animal menagerie on a small century farm in Southern Ontario. You can find her online at www.storymadeyarns.com.

SANDI ROSNER OCTOBER 10, 2023

Sandi Rosner learned to knit in the late 1970s from the instructions in the back of a magazine. She has made her living in the yarn business since 1999. Sandi has owned a local yarn store, been the creative director for a large yarn company, and has worked extensively as a freelance designer, technical editor, teacher and writer. She is the author of 4 books, most recently 21 Crocheted Tanks & Tunics: Stylish Designs for Every Occasion. Sandi is currently the Technical Content Editor for all things yarn at Interweave.com and Interweave Knits magazine.

JUMP START YOUR CREATIVITY! FIONA ELLIS SEPTEMBER 12, 2023

The world is FULL of inspiration – from far away travels to everyday scenes. Let’s look at how to source inspiration and how to use it as a springboard for your knitted projects.  Moving onto how to record your ideas, develop unique colour palettes and become more creative in your daily life.  This may even change the way you look at the world!

Looking not only at the initial spark but at underlying design themes such as rhythm, pattern, balance, repetition, shape, proportion, texture, movement and so on. Then delving deeper, going onto explore the creative process, tips and methods, including swatching, making a plan for how you might jump-start your own unique ideas


ABOUT FIONA:

Fiona Ellis graduated from DeMontfort University (England) with a degree in fashion design, specializing in hand-knitwear design. Her original designs have been sold to major fashion houses in New York, London and Paris for mass market production. Her designs have been published in many knitwear magazines and she has authored ‘Inspired Cable Knits’, ‘Knitspiration Journal’ and ‘Inspired Fair Isle Knits’. She loves to share her passion through her many in person and on-line courses.