theraineysisters knitting and so much more

Tonight I attended the Minnesota Knitters Guild meeting.  The turn out wasn’t huge (I think everyone was baking pies), but the program was quite worth while. 

Our Master of Ceremonies, and actual Master of Knitting, was none other than the new president of the knitters guild, Shelley Monitor.  Shelley put on a one-woman show — both chairing the meeting and presenting the program. 

Have any of you considered tackling the Master Knitter’s Program from the Knitters Guild of America?  Shelley is a bonafide Master Knitter and was also asked to be one of the evaluators, so she knows the program inside and out.  To get that kind of “inside information” was well worth the price of admission 😉 .

The Master Knitting program consists of three levels, each building on information from the previous level(s) and increasing in complexity and expectations.  There is a knitting component in the form of multiple swatches and finished projects, knowledge of techniques, book/magazine reviews, design, pattern writing, lace, cables, fair isle, socks, etc.

Here Shelley is shown in the fair isle sweater she designed.  Her other submissions are on the table:

The sweater was beautifully knit, as you can see.  You also have to knit a vest, argyle sock, hat, child size mitten and a small lace doily. 

Shelley designed the light blue cable hat as part of her Level III submission.  Shelley said that she learned quite a bit going through the process and that it brought her knitting up a few notches.  It has gotten rather expensive to do the program: you must be a member of TKGA and then pay for each level (~$90 each).  Under 800 people have completed all of the levels combined, and I believe Shelley said that fewer than 150 have gone all the way through Level III.  Don’t quote my numbers 🙂 !!

I completed Level I several years ago and actually started Level II.  I got bogged down and started to wonder how best to spend my valuable knitting time: working on swatches and set assignments or on “real” knitting.  I obviously opted for the latter, but after hearing Shelley tonight I might try to dig out my Level II stuff and give it another look.

Anyway, I’m not trying to “sell” the Master Knitter’s Program.  But it is something that serious knitters should at least know about.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my knitting peeps!!  My goal is 2-3 FOs this weekend!!  Woo Hoo!!

PS — in response to Thomasean’s comment, “I would like to try the TKGA Levels program as well. The thing is, is that I would have to try to figure out how to correct myself. I don’t know how easy that would be to do.”

As a member of TKGA, you would have access to a lot of resource materials, such as previous “Cast On” articles on the Master Knitting Program.  Shelley said she did not own any of the books — she had very few reference books at the time — but decided to buy most of them because of the value she saw in them after finding them in the library or knitting shop.  I already own all the ones she mentioned — (I have collected beaucoup books over the years 🙂 ).  Also, when you submit, they give you very specific feedback on what you need to correct.  Ravelry also has a TKGA group that discusses the program.  So, you would have resources to help you!  And, you would learn a lot along the way.