Upcoming Events

We've wanted since the beginning to be a source for upcoming event and class announcements, and there is no time like the present to dive into that. If you know of something coming up in the next few months that I'm missing, please announce it in the comments!

The topics below are: Yarn donation and sale to benefit COVER (White River Yarns), yarn swap (Upper Valley Knitting Guild), and upcoming classes (Upper Valley Sew-Op, AVA, League of NH Craftsmen). And don't forget about the fiddlehead craft challenge here on the blog.

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Re-Cover Store Fund Raiser, White River Yarns
Unwanted yarn, needles, notions, and bags will be collected April 15-May 15.
A yarn sale to benefit COVER will be held May 31, 8-2, at the Hotel Coolidge.
For more details see White River Yarns' webpage.

WR Yarns' latest newsletter also had summer hours, reduced from the winter and to take effect Memorial Day. We have updated the directory page.

Annual yarn swap, Upper Valley Knitting Guild
The UV Knitting Guild meetings are the 2nd Wednesday of each month, 7-9 PM at the Norwich Library. The May meeting, May 14th, will include their annual yarn (et cetera) swap: yarn, needles, books, and accessories. Bring the materials for that sweater you aren't going to get around to and pass them along to someone who will. To get on the newsletter list contact Phebe Whitworth, phebewhitworth at comcast dot net.

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Upcoming Classes

These are current to the best of my knowledge, but may change without notice, so always phone. (All classes below require registration in advance, anyway.)

AVA Gallery is offering a fabric doll making course for children age 5-8, July 21-25, 1-4 PM. AVA children's classes have separate enrollment pages for members and nonmembers, so for more information and registration visit the member listing or the nonmember listing (both for multiple offerings, so you'll have to scroll).

League of NH Craftsmen, adults:

• Beginning Tatting, Wednesdays June 4-25, 6-9 PM
• Suminigashi (marbled dye technique), Saturday August 9, 2-5 PM

See the mixed media class page for more details and registration.

League of NH Craftsmen, children and teens:

• Project Runway summer camp for ages 10-12, July 7-11, 1-4 PM
• Cloaks and Shawls (and armor) summer camp for ages 8-10, July 21-25, 9 AM-noon
• The Wonderful World of Color Captured on Fabric summer camp for ages 8-10, July 28-August 1, 1-4 PM
• Transforming (t-shirts into other items) summer camp; ages 8-12: August 4-8, 1-4 PM; ages 8-10: August 18-22, 9 AM-noon

See the summer camp section of the children's classes page for more details and registration.

Upper Valley Sew-Op:

• Learn to Crochet via Granny Squares, April 21, 5:30-7:30 PM
• Pants to Shorts, April 26, 10 AM-noon
• Girl's Smocked Sundress (adult class for child clothing), May 3, 10 AM-noon
• Basic Sewing, May 5, 5:30-7:30 PM
• Reversible Sundress (adult class for child clothing), May 17, 10 AM-noon
• Pajama Pants (adult class for clothing of size desired), June 2, 5:30-7:30 PM

For more information and to register, visit the Co-Op's calendar page. Payment for classes is currently only accepted at the class itself, via check or cash.

The Sew-op also has Open Hours, free drop-in sessions where someone is on hand who knows the Sew-op's materials and equipment and can help with projects. These are generally Mondays 5:30-7:30 PM when there is no class scheduled, Saturday 10 AM-noon when there is no class scheduled, and Wednesday 1-3 PM, but check the calendar -- in particular, the Sew-op is closed Memorial Day weekend and will be reducing its hours in July and August.

Charitable Crafting Opportunities

In the new year thoughts turn to bettering ourselves and our world, so I've assembled some local opportunities to put your fibercrafting skills to charitable use.

• Our Savior Lutheran Church of Hanover holds Disaster Relief Quilting sessions twice a month, making tied quilts for refugees and disaster victims. Their schedule is through the link; the next session is Monday, January 20th, 10-3. Most sessions are at the church, but that one will be at Dartmouth. No sewing skills are necessary! Address and directions (to the church, not the Dartmouth location).
• The New Hampshire Children's Trust has a program called CLICK for babies in which volunteers knit or crochet purple infant hats. PURPLE is an acronym for traits of infant crying, and the goal of the hats is to remind new parents the amount of crying is normal and temporary, and prevent shaking of infants and other harmful actions. Dartmouth-Hitchcock and Alice Peck Day both participate, and finished hats may be mailed in or dropped off.
• A group meets each Thursday evening at the VA in White River Junction to knit and crochet warm items for homeless veterans, including squares to stitch into blankets, mittens, hats, and socks. Coordinated by Margaret French, they meet 5:00-7:00 in room 215 of building 31. Address and directions.
• Periodically White River Yarns coordinates knitting events, such as a recently completed drive to make scarves for grandmothers in Africa. To find out about other such events, sign up for their email newsletter.
• For non-local charitable crafting opportunities, check out Crochet Spot for crochet and knitting, and All Free Sewing for sewing.

Finally, a warning about disasters, natural and otherwise: It's tempting to respond by making things and sending them, but resist! In the immediate aftermath of a disaster, the biggest need is for food, water, and repairs, and other items using up transportation and distribution resources are a hindrance rather than a help. Working locally or through an established group helps ensure your crafting skills are beneficial. Alternatively, make items to sell locally and donate the money to disaster relief.