Next weekend, September 11 and 12, is the Junction Arts Festival.  As part of this, Wise Daughters (which kindly hosts a Streetknit Knit-Up on the last Tuesday of every month) is organizing a car cosy knit-a-thon.  What’s a car cosy, you may well ask?  Well, in this case its a bunch of 6″ or 12″ blanket squares that are being stitched together to completely cover a car.  It will all be taken apart after the Festival and blankets will be put together for the Streetknit blanket drive (more on that in a later post).  Lots of other activities will be going on during the Festival so head down over that weekend and check it out.  Be sure to drop by Wise Daughters (Dundas W and Quebec Ave) and help us knit up a blanket square or two for a good cause.  If you can’t attend, but still want to help out, drop off pre-made blanket squares at Wise Daughters anytime before the 11th.

Click here to  find more details on the Festival and the car cosy. Hope to see you there!

Well, the weather is not co-operating with our plans for today! So we’re postponing to our rain date of tomorrow. Same time, same place, just one day later. Hope you can still all make it for tomorrow (Sunday, June 13).

Tomorrow’s the big day! World Wide Knit in Public Day and our world record attempt. Come down to 2954 Dundas Street West at Pacific  in the Junction before 3 (preferably at least an hour before) to get registered and knit with us from 3 – 3:15. Bring your friends, family, stitch and bitch – 1000 is a lot of folks. Also bring a lawn chair, yarn and needles. We’ll have some yarn and needles available for a small PWYC donation – please use the yarn to make something for Streetknit as it was donated to us for that purpose.

There are, of course, some rules. Needles MUST be standard long needles, no circular needles (why? who knows – the rules were made by non-knitters), no dpns, no chop sticks or any other substitution. Just regular needles. If you’re in the middle of a pair of socks on double pointed, well, we’ll supply you with yarn and straight needles (quantities limited) and you can knit up a blanket square for Streetknit.

Hope to see you all there!

The National Post has done a story on our world record attempt. Have you told your two friends?  Join us on June 12 – and bring everyone you know!

And don’t forget next Tuesday (May 25) is the next knit-up at Wise Daughters.

Saturday, June 12, 2010 is Worldwide Knit in Public Day.  Streetknit has teamed up with Wise Daughters and That’s Womens Work to attempt a Guinness World Record of the largest number of people knitting in one place.  A recent attempt means that we need 1000 people to make it into the record books!

This family friendly event will occur on Saturday June 12th, from 1pm-4pm at the Junction Train Platform located at 2954 Dundas Street West at Pacific, with the world record attempt happening at 3pm.  Please arrive at 1pm to sign in as only those registered and signed in will be counted in the attempt. There will be bands, games, prizes and all kinds of crafty mayhem!  Knitting lessons will happen the day of the record at 1pm, for folks of all ages.  Bring your own chair, wool and needles- want to buy some there, no problem we’ll have supplies available for purchase!

World Record Attempt T-shirts will be sold as a fundraising effort of That’s Women’s Work and those details will also be available soon! And you can drop off your Streetknit donations too.

Spread the word – we need every knitter we can find to make this a success.  Bring your knit club, bring your stitch’n'bitch, your knitup, your grandmother – anyone and everyone.  If you can knit even a little bit, we need your support!

I’ve decided to coin a new word.  Perhaps it exists already, but I think a knitting + meetup should be a KnitUp.  So, the Wise Daughters KnitUp which started last week was a fun event in a great space with yummy snacks.  Plus great company (see photo).  The event will be repeat once a month with a slightly different schedule than originally posted: going forward, the event will occur on the last Tuesday of every month.  This means that the next one will be on March 30 from 7-9.  If you live in the Junction, or can travel there for the occasion, then please come on down and join us!  Yarn is provided if you don’t have a project on the go, but bring your own needles if possible.

Some of the ladies knitting for Streetknit - that's me in the turquoise shirt

I’ve been delinquent in posting this for which I apologize, but there’s a new Streetknit stitch’n'bitch starting up tomorrow night.  The new gathering will be held monthly on the second Tuesday each month, starting tomorrow, March 9 from 7 to 9 pm at Wise Daughters Craft Market, at the corner of Dundas West Street and Quebec Avenue (just behind Crema Coffee shop).

From the desk of our intrepid press secretary Ryan comes an announcement of this year’s Streetknit project at City of Craft.  Last year you all helped us put together a knit house to help shine a spotlight on the homeless in Toronto; this year we’re building an enchanted forest.  Read on for details …

An enchanted forest of knits at the City of Craft? Yes Virginia, there is an enchanted forest of knits at the City of Craft.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2009

Good day media, knitters, Santa helpers, fey folk, forest creatures of Toronto.

Streetknit launches, once more, its drive for winter knit goods: rousing the knitting communities of Toronto, hobbyists, s n’ bs, society yarn-darlings, needle-clackers of all ages to put needles together and knit some warmth into a scarf, maybe some toques with affectionate or somber colours, mitts, blankets, socks, a sweater then see it reach those without home.

While these goods can be dropped off any time at Streetknit Drop-Off Points **** at any of your your better knitting merchants (see list on the right for full details), this year we will be constructing An Enchanted Forest of Knit Goods at City of Craft’s Christmas show. Now expanded into two-days in the heart of West Queen West, City of Craft 2009 is an innovative event that shines a spotlight on Toronto’s vibrant craft community. Come support small innovative businesses and celebrate the handmade spirit on December 12 and 13 at the Theatre Centre. For more information on City of Craft 2009, please visit their website at:
http://cityofcraft.com/

Want to coordinate your own winter knits office drive, community club, university group or individual efforts to correspond with an unveiling of Streetknit’s Enchanted Forest?

• We need your generous knits to decorate our sad, barren trees, our unhappy little brook,our disenchanted forest house. Just start your knitting projects now and drop them off the day of City of Craft at our enchanted forest location.
• We can also help publicize and laud your efforts and give you your deserved share of knitting celeb: just send a few pics and a word about your group to Ryan at the.social.debt@gmail.com and we can report your story on our sites, giving inspiration to the other forest creatures who shall refurbish our terrible, frightful wasteland with warmth, comfort and goodness.
• Want to volunteer to help enchant the forest? please reach Ryan at:
  the.social.debt@gmail.com.

This coming Saturday (March 21), Hart House is holding it’s first ever Spring Wake Up show.  Streetknit will be there having an all day stitch’n'bitch for the homeless.  So if you have a few hours to spare, bring your needles and come make a scarf or a hat and if you’ve got any extra yarn to donate, we’ll happily take that too!  Knitting lessons will also be available for the curious.  Hope to see you all there!

Details below or check out the website http:\\www.harthouse.ca\wakeup.

Spring Wake Up!
Celebrating Spring and do-it-yourself spirit!
Saturday, March 21, 11-3 pm
The Great Hall, Hart House

Throw off your winter coat and get your sap pumping at Spring Wake Up! This is a great event to get juices flowing for all ages, and a great way to spend a Spring Break Saturday.
Sow the seeds of creativity in a series of do-it-yourself workshops hosted by artists and community members including
*Operation Sock Monkey’s annual Sock-monk-a-thon (Create a sock monkey)
*Make recyclable pots and plant seeds to take home
*Learn to knit with Streetknit
*Eat Organic and Fresh on under $25/week by the Daily Apple
*Bring your kids and enjoy Spring stories and create a spring flower bouquet and add a flower to the ‘Flower Power Mural’ with enchanting storyteller and artist Cath Campbell
*Discover fabulous handmade clothing and gifts made locally by independent crafters
*The Joy T-shirt Project* *Ella’s Botanicals* *Sweetie Pie Press* *Dear Sukie* *thingsbySLO* *Ratgirl* and more…
For more information and workshop schedule see www.harthouse.ca/wakeup

I received an email/comment on the blog from Issac at the Seeds of Hope Food Pantry in Bangor, Maine.  They are looking for yarn.  If you live in the Bangor area (or anywhere else for that matter and just want to help) and have some extra yarn lying around, drop Issac an email and see if you can get it to these folks.

We are also accepting yarn donations again (I’ve cleared out my basement so send me an email if you’ve got a stash to pass on.