The Palmetto Purlers are no longer conducting monthly meetings. We are still meeting for Knit-ins at the following places. McAlisters on Forest Drive on the 2nd Thursday and 4th Tuesday of each month and The Atlanta Bread Company on Hwy 378 across from Lexington Medical Center on the 3rd Saturday.

Come out and join us for friendly conversation, lots of knitting, and project sharing. There is always someone to help get you over that bump in the row.

Less than Two Weeks until the Workshop with Margaret Radcliffe

There's still time to sign up for classes with Margaret Radcliffe. These classes still have spaces available:

Seaming Without Sewing
Friday, May 3, 2013, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Love to knit but hate to seam? Knit beautiful garments, but hate the way they look when they're  finished? Finishing can make the difference between "professionally hand crafted" and "home made." If you have sweaters in pieces just waiting to be finished because you find sewing annoying, have trouble seeing to sew, difficulty holding a sewing needle, or just plain hate to sew, this class is for you. Learn to use crochet, binding off, picking up, and knitting on to make perfect seams, plus perfect afterthought pockets and buttonholes.
Class limited to 20 students, $50 per person.

The Lazy Knitter's Guide to Pattern Stitches
Saturday, May 4, 2012, 9 a.m.-12 noon
A whole bag of tricks for those who love to knit and hate to purl! Learn faux ribbing, a substitute for moss stitch, even lace patterns with nary a purl stitch. Garter ladders, lazy rib, brioche stitch, rose fabric, and tubular knitting will all be taught and swatched.
Class limited to 30 students, $50 per person.

Bring out the Best in your Variegated Yarn
Saturday, May 4, 2012, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Learn to avoid stripes, highlight desired colors, and emphasize texture. Review a variety of yarns and learn their properties, while knitting swatches to experiment with textured stitches, multiple strands, and stitch count.
Class limited to 30 students, $50 per person.

The homework for all the classes can be found here. 


Classes will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in Lexington, SC.

To register download this form and mail it to us along with your check for the class fees. Or a limited number of tickets can be purchased online through Eventbrite.

Email us with any questions. 

Margaret Radcliffe Workshop Update

If you haven't registered for any of the classes with Margaret Radcliffe, sign up now. The I-cord Tips and Tricks class is sold out and the other classes are beginning to fill up.

There's still time to register, here are the classes:


I-Cord Tips & Tricks SOLD OUT

Friday, May 3, 2013, 12:30-2 p.m.
I-cord makes great strings and ties, but it’s also fantastic for decorative bind-offs, edgings, and cast ons. It’s the easiest way to make small tubes for toys, mitten thumbs and glove fingers. Workshop begins with the basics and includes how to avoid loose stitches, finishing techniques and multi-color i-cord.
Class limited to 10 students, $30 per person.

Maggie’s Top 20 Tips SOLD OUT

Friday, May 3, 2013, 2:30-4 p.m.
The title says it all: learn Margaret Radcliffe’s top tips to make your knitting and finishing more fun and better looking. We’ll cover everything from casting on to seaming, with measuring gauge, edges, shaping, fixing mistakes, binding off and borders in between.
Class limited to 10 students, $30 per person.

Seaming Without Sewing
Friday, May 3, 2013, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Love to knit but hate to seam? Knit beautiful garments, but hate the way they look when they're  finished? Finishing can make the difference between "professionally hand crafted" and "home made." If you have sweaters in pieces just waiting to be finished because you find sewing annoying, have trouble seeing to sew, difficulty holding a sewing needle, or just plain hate to sew, this class is for you. Learn to use crochet, binding off, picking up, and knitting on to make perfect seams, plus perfect afterthought pockets and buttonholes.
Class limited to 20 students, $50 per person.

The Lazy Knitter's Guide to Pattern Stitches
Saturday, May 4, 2012, 9 a.m.-12 noon
A whole bag of tricks for those who love to knit and hate to purl! Learn faux ribbing, a substitute for moss stitch, even lace patterns with nary a purl stitch. Garter ladders, lazy rib, brioche stitch, rose fabric, and tubular knitting will all be taught and swatched.
Class limited to 30 students, $50 per person.

Bring out the Best in your Variegated Yarn
Saturday, May 4, 2012, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Learn to avoid stripes, highlight desired colors, and emphasize texture. Review a variety of yarns and learn their properties, while knitting swatches to experiment with textured stitches, multiple strands, and stitch count.
Class limited to 30 students, $50 per person.

Classes will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in Lexington, SC.

To register download this form and mail it to us along with your check for the class fees. Or a limited number of tickets can be purchased online through Eventbrite.

Email us with any questions. 

Knitting Workshop

Join us next May for an exciting two days of classes taught by well-known knitting instructor and author, Margaret Radcliffe, maggiesrags.com.

A knitter for 49 years, a designer for 35, and a teacher for 20, Margaret Radcliffe is the author of the bestselling Knitting Answer Book (2005), The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques (2008), and Circular Knitting Workshop (2012).

Margaret will be teaching 5 classes over the course of the two days. Classes are open to anyone, but space is limited, so sign up now to reserve your space.

I-Cord Tips & Tricks SOLD OUT

Friday, May 3, 2013, 12:30-2 p.m.
I-cord makes great strings and ties, but it’s also fantastic for decorative bind-offs, edgings, and cast ons. It’s the easiest way to make small tubes for toys, mitten thumbs and glove fingers. Workshop begins with the basics and includes how to avoid loose stitches, finishing techniques and multi-color i-cord.
Class limited to 10 students, $30 per person.

Maggie’s Top 20 Tips
Friday, May 3, 2013, 2:30-4 p.m.
The title says it all: learn Margaret Radcliffe’s top tips to make your knitting and finishing more fun and better looking. We’ll cover everything from casting on to seaming, with measuring gauge, edges, shaping, fixing mistakes, binding off and borders in between.
Class limited to 10 students, $30 per person.

Seaming Without Sewing
Friday, May 3, 2013, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
Love to knit but hate to seam? Knit beautiful garments, but hate the way they look when they're  finished? Finishing can make the difference between "professionally hand crafted" and "home made." If you have sweaters in pieces just waiting to be finished because you find sewing annoying, have trouble seeing to sew, difficulty holding a sewing needle, or just plain hate to sew, this class is for you. Learn to use crochet, binding off, picking up, and knitting on to make perfect seams, plus perfect afterthought pockets and buttonholes.
Class limited to 20 students, $50 per person.

The Lazy Knitter's Guide to Pattern Stitches
Saturday, May 4, 2012, 9 a.m.-12 noon
A whole bag of tricks for those who love to knit and hate to purl! Learn faux ribbing, a substitute for moss stitch, even lace patterns with nary a purl stitch. Garter ladders, lazy rib, brioche stitch, rose fabric, and tubular knitting will all be taught and swatched.
Class limited to 30 students, $50 per person.

Bring out the Best in your Variegated Yarn
Saturday, May 4, 2012, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Learn to avoid stripes, highlight desired colors, and emphasize texture. Review a variety of yarns and learn their properties, while knitting swatches to experiment with textured stitches, multiple strands, and stitch count.
Class limited to 30 students, $50 per person.

Classes will be held at Faith United Methodist Church in Lexington, SC.

To register download this form and mail it to us along with your check for the class fees. Or a limited number of tickets can be purchased online through Eventbrite.

Email us with any questions. 

Save the Dates

We're pleased to announce that we will be hosting a series of knitting classes taught by well-known knitting instructor and author, Margaret Radcliffe. 

A knitter for 49 years, a designer for 35, and a teacher for 20, Margaret Radcliffe is the author of the bestselling Knitting Answer Book (2005), The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques (2008), and Circular Knitting Workshop (2012). 

Plan to join us in May to for an exciting two day workshop consisting of five classes. Check back soon to register for classes. 

Officers and Programs for the 2011-2012 Year

We have begun our new year. The officers for this year are:

Co-President Boykin Exum

Co-President Beverly Morris

Secretary - Toni Parker

Treasurer - Gail Williams

Our programs for this year are:

October 26, 2011 - Beautiful Beginnings: Cast-Ons

November 22, 2011 - Fabulous Finishes: Cast-Offs

January 24, 2012 - Shaping Up: Increases

February 28, 2012 - Shaping Down: Decreases

March 27, 2012 - Why Doesn't This Fit? - Gauge

April 24, 201 2 - To Steam or Not To Steam: Blocking

May 22, 2012 - Putting It All Together: Seaming

June 26 , 2012 - Do I Have To Use This Yarn? : Yarn Substitution

July 24 , 2012 - Beyond Knit & Purl: Exploring Other Techniques

August 28, 2012 - Sweater Design

A full listing with materials and tools needed may be obtained at the monthly meetings.

June Meeting

Last couple months the Palmetto Purlers started a new knit-along of hand puppets. Everyone received a package of yarn and a couple free patterns to knit a puppet to donate to the church nursery. Here are the ones that were brought to the June meeting. Thanks to everyone who participated!

Next Big Thing

The "special events" committee will be meeting soon to start planning our next BIG event. We're hoping to have some classes later this fall. If anyone has any suggestions, head over to the YAHOO! group and let us know. We've asked the CSRA Guild to join us in this effort and will be meeting with them in a couple of weeks. So, get your suggestions to us now.

Tonight is the guild dinner. Email us if you need the location.

We had a great Knit-In at Books-A-Million last week. It was nice to meet so many new folks.

It sounds like everyone had a blast with Beverly as she taught them how to dye yarn. Those of us who didn't attend are anxious to see everyone's beautiful creations - don't forget to bring your yarn to the next meeting.

Purlers with Pride

Welcome to those who found us after reading the article in the Lake Murray or Northeast Columbia magazine. We would love for you to join us at any of our monthly events. Times and locations are listed to the right. Our goal it to share, learn, extend and stretch our skills through each other and outside speakers. We are open to and welcome any knitting enthusiast - advanced or just beginning. We hope to see you soon! Feel free to email us with any questions.

Register Now!

To register download this form and mail it to us with a check for your classes. For more information see previous post. We hope to see you in March!

Margaret Fisher Knitting Workshops

We are very excited to announce that we will be hosting knitting instructor and author Margaret Fisher to teach 4 three-hour classes here in Columbia March 12-13, 2010.

Margaret is a TKGA Master Knitter and teaches knitting, crochet, and sweater design workshops across the country at conferences, conventions and knitting guilds (including upcoming Stitches South 2010 in Atlanta). She's had articles in knitting magazines and is the author of the book "Seven Things that can "Make or Break" a Sweater™: Techniques and Tips for Hand Knitters"

Schedule of classes:

Friday, March 12, 1 pm–4 pm
Mosaics
Learn how to create beautiful two-color designs by knitting Mosaic patterns. Mosaics, a type of slip-stitch patterns, have a special charting system. Learn how to read the charts, knit the patterns in stockinette stitch and garter, and use these designs in garments and accessories. Have fun exploring a number of wonderful Mosaic patterns.

Friday, March 12, 6 pm–9 pm
Advanced Finishing
This class is for those who wish to go beyond the basics. It covers a variety of finishing topics: provisional cast ons, the tubular cast on and bind off, working short rows, grafting, and duplicate stitch. Learn and practice a potpourri of useful techniques to advance your knitting and finishing skills.

Saturday March 13, 9 am–12 pm
Seven Things That Can "Make or Break" a Sweater™
Learn seven things that will make a big difference in the appearance of your sweaters. The smallest details can have a huge impact---increasing in ribbing, bumpy or smooth cast on edge, slanting decreases, invisible increases, perfect buttonholes, flat edgings, and blocking. In this class, you will learn about all of these things while you practice and receive lots of tips and hints. Since you are going to spend hours making a garment, you'll want to use these techniques to make even the simplest sweater look marvelous.

Saturday March 13, 2 pm–5 pm
A Sampling of Stitches
Want to make your knitting more interesting? See how much fun it is to work fancy stitch patterns rather than stockinette. This class focuses on four families of stitches---Smocking, Elongated, Brioche and Twisted Traveling Stitches. Learn the characteristics of each group. Practice working several stitch patterns in each "family." Learn how to use these stitches in your projects and receive tips and hints for producing good results.

To register for classes, download this form and mail it to us with a check for your classes.

October News

Mark your calendar for our annual knitting at the fair. We will be in the Moore Building at the SC State Fair on October 14, from 3 to 9 p.m. Join us for a night of knitting and encourage anyone you know who wants  to learn to knit to stop by. We will have knitting needles and yarn to teach with.

No more lunches! At the September meeting we decided to meet for dinner on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. For a list of the upcoming dinners members can check the Yahoo group.

The October Guild meeting will be on Tuesday the 27th. We will have our usual business meeting followed by a program. Watch the Yahoo! group for more information on the meeting. Kim and Laurie will be at the church around 6, if you are looking for something to do before our meeting, you are welcome to come sit and knit with us.

We hope to see you this month.

September Meeting

September starts the new Palmetto Purlers year. At the last meeting Kim and Laurie were told it was their turn to serve as guild co-presidents. This Tuesday’s meeting will be an important planning session as the direction of the guild is laid out for the next two years. Exciting things are being planned, and your ideas and suggestions are needed.

Also, membership directories are being updated and will be distributed as 2009-2010 dues ($20) are paid. If you’d like to go ahead and update your information you may do so and it’ll be ready to distribute at the upcoming meeting. A PDF of the form will be available at the yahoo group as well as here.

See you there!

October Guild Meeting

Don't forget the Palmetto Purlers meeting on October 28th at 7 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church on St Andrews Road. For the program this month we will be doing a book and magazine swap. Go through your books and magazines and bring ones you no longer want to trade for things others bring!

Also, September started our new fiscal year. Officers will remain the same for this year: Co-presidents, Debee and Janie; treasurer, Gail; secretary, Tony; and charity knitting supervisor, Nova.

Knit-In Location Change

2nd Thursday Knit-Ins have moved to a new location!!!

We can now be found here:

Books-A-Million
Trenholm Plaza
4840 Forest Drive
Columbia, South Carolina

SALES SALES SALES

There are some great sales going on at the local yarn stores!!!

This week is Christmas in July at Hook N Needle Everything in the store is on sale! Books are 45% off, everything else is 25% off with some yarns on a even bigger sale.

Over at In the Loop there are a couple of sales coming up.
July 26 all Mirasol yarn is 50% off.
August 1st is the Sidewalk Sale PREVIEW Party.
The Preview Party Sale will begin at 6:00pm and last until midnight.
Yarns, kits, patterns, and more at least 50% off. You'll be able to buy sale items before they are picked over. There will be pizza, popcorn, movies, and knitting. The registration fee is $5. You'll need to let them know if you would like to attend.
There are also a bunch of knitting classes scheduled, some to help you finish your Christmas knitting before the Holiday crunch.

We're Starting a couple of Knit Alongs

Be at the next Palmetto Purlers monthly guild meeting to join us as we start our new Knit-Along. At the last meeting we decided on TWO pattern choices.

First choice is Argosy Scarf from Knitty.

Second choice is February Lady Sweater this is based on Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Baby Sweater on Two Needles (also known as the “February Baby Sweater”) but this one is for adults.

See you tomorrow night!!!!

New Meeting Place

4th Tuesday guild meetings have moved to a new location!!!

We can now be found here:

Redeemer Lutheran Church
525 St. Andrews Road
Columbia, South Carolina

New Knit-In in Lexington

We have added a Knit-In to our monthly activities!!!

Lexington Knit-In—3rd Saturday of the month, 1 p.m.
Wired Bean in the Old Mill
711 E. Main Street.
Lexington, South Carolina

Join us on October 20th.

Palmetto Purlers at the State Fair

The Palmetto Purlers will be in the Moore Building at the SC State Fair on Monday, October 15, 2007. Stop by to find out about our guild, see a knitting demostration, and even learn to knit.