May 2026 News Briefs

News Briefs are shorter items, non-Guild news, etc. Always read Knitters News for the latest Guild information. Thank you to the members who have passed along some of these events and items of interest!

2026 Holiday Luncheon update

Wonderful news! Raenell Transue and Nancy Hepp will co-chair our 2026 event. They are working up plans to present to the Board, possibly including a venue change (more space!) and lunch cost reduction (more money to buy drawing tickets!). Stay tuned for more exciting updates; contact HolidayLuncheon@SanDiegoKnitters.com to ask about volunteering.

Pre-meeting clinic schedule

The semi-official pre-meeting clinic will be on hiatus during June and July. While you may find early-bird knitters in the patio, the clinic will not resume until August 4.

April meeting recap

Owing to circumstances beyond our control, our April Zoom meeting turned into a spontaneous Show and Share of fabulous Stephen West designs. Every member was sent a special message from the Board that explains what happened and what (might) come next.

Minor Bylaws revision

The Board has approved a minor revision to our Bylaws, specifying that Zoom meetings are open only to paid members.

Fiber-y (and adjacent) things to do:

The Vista Fiber Arts Fiesta is scheduled for May 2 and 3, 2026. Click here for details.
The Craft Collective’s Fiber Fest takes place in Liberty Station on Saturday, May 16 (with a free, kick-off social gathering Friday evening and prepaid workshops on Sunday; see the link for details). This year, the San Diego County Spinners are competing in the International Back to Back Wool Challenge, a worldwide competition in which a sweater is made in a single day, from sheep shearing to spinning to knitting to finishing.
The SoCal FIber Fest returns to Pomona on November 21 and 22.
Add the Guild’s full schedule of 2026 presentations, workshops, and other attractions to your calendar! Details are always available at Knitters News and in our monthly News Blast, which is typically emailed to all members on the Thursday before each meeting.

Calendar updates

The 2026 General Monthly Meetings and Workshops in 2026 pages have been updated with program and workshop titles for the rest of the year. If a program or workshop title does not appear in orange, no further information is available at this time. Watch the monthly News Blast email; when a specific speaker’s visit is announced, you’ll find the titles have turned to orange and are now links to more information and workshop registration.

Beware of Scam Emails

The scammers are at it again. Be very suspicious of any email purporting to be from a Guild Board member and asking for money. Please check directly with the member (using their Directory email address) or another Board member to validate “fishy” messages.

Around the Internet

Fiber-related stories
[Does anyone read this far? If you enjoy these links and would like to continue seeing them, please drop me a note — Webmaster@SanDiegoKnitters.com.]

Think you work hard to gather materials for dyeing? These indigenous artisans milk snails for color-changing tixinda.
In rural Ireland, textile weavers offer a glimpse of a craft’s past and future.
15 artists explore the potential of fabric and fiber in “Textile Art Redefined.”
What knitting has taught one writer about writing.
The National Wool Museum Wales showcases the rich history and modern sustainability of the Welsh woollen industry.
Northern Irish wool is being put to the test as a practical peatland management tool.

Knitting Resources

Clara Parkes maintains a list of Upcoming Knitting and Fiber Events around the world at Knitter’s Review.
Check out Yarnsub.com for help in substituting one yarn for another. Interweave also has an informative article on the topic (free Interweave account required for access).

Podcasts – Fruity Knitters podcasts can be found here. And don’t forget Arne & Carlos’ Sit and Knit for a Bit.

Guild Resources

Having Trouble Hearing Our Program Speakers? Check out this guide to creating your own closed-caption display.

Workshops – Available 2026 workshops are listed here. Remember, you must be a paid 2026 member to register for 2026 workshops.

Social Knitting – Opportunities for social knitting are listed under the Calendar tab (linked here).

Ravelry – Check out our Ravelry SDNCKG group page where you can find special announcements not available on the Guild website and a link to the Guild’s library on Ravelry. Members can post questions and provide information about non-Guild events (the forum is moderated and inappropriate posts may be edited or removed).

Instagram – The Guild has a social media account on Instagram. Expect to find announcements, reminders, workshop news, and more. If you have an Instagram account, scan the QR code to the right and click the follow button – or search for SanDiegoKnitters while in Instagram.

Guild Library – The Guild has an extensive library full of knitting and crochet pattern books and related resources. It’s easy to check out books and pick them up (and later return them) at in-person Guild meetings. Details here.

Our designers – A number of talented Guild members are published designers; you can see many of their designs and patterns on Ravelry (their Ravelry IDs appear in parenthesis). Members include, in alphabetical order: Irina Anikeeva (hibis411), Claudia Carlson (FibertoFabric), Wendy Gaal (socalknitgirl), Renate Kamm (oberpfalzerin), Mary Martin (MaryWMartin), and Cally Monster (Monster Knits). Let us know if we are missing your or another member’s name!

Other Items of Interest

Quilter Activities – For members who quilt – you can find news about local quilting events on the Guild’s Ravelry SDNCKG group page in the discussion topic “Quilt Notices.”

Local museums:

Mingei International Museum. The Mingei is a wonderful museum of arts and crafts (with a cafe), located in Balboa Park. Check it out at Mingei.org/whats-on.
Visions Museum of Textile Art. Located in Liberty Station; check it out at VMOTA.org
The San Diego Museum of Art. Check the San Diego Museum of Art’s website for information and events.
County Art Museums. Here is a link to a listing of all museums in San Diego County. Check individual websites for details.

Have information about events around the county which may be of interest to Guild members? Submit to Webmaster@SanDiegoKnitters.com

– Sydnie Wauson, Webmaster