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.

The Streetknit Stitch n’Bitch, formerly held every Sunday at the Pump on Bloor St, is moving to a new home. Starting this Sunday, February 1, folks will be gathering at the Green Room at 296 Brunswick Avenue between 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please drop an email to ryanDOTkamstraATgmailDOTcom. Hope to see you there!

As you probably know (if you stuck your nose outside at all today) it’s really really cold outside right now.  And today I dropped off 8 bags of handknitted items at a very grateful Scott Mission.  Tonight a whole lot of people will be a whole lot warmer because of all  your hard work.  On behalf of them all, thank you.

In other news, last Sunday I attended the Streetknit stitch’n'bitch and met all the great people who spend a few hours on Sunday afternoon knitting for Streetknit.  If you’ve got a few hours to spend, we’ll supply the yarn and the needles.  All you need to do is show up at The Pump at 410 Bloor St W around 1 p.m. and look for the knitters.

And a little press  too—the Monday edition of 24 Hours (Toronto) had a nice little article about the stitch n’bitch and Streetknit.  You can see it here (a login is needed).

As always, thanks for your support of Streetknit!

Once again the incredible generosity of Toronto knitters has me thrilled to bits.  It’s only the beginning of winter (although by the looks of today, we’re getting the whole thing right now!) and already I’ve collected bags of donations to be passed on to those in need.  The Streetknit team wishes everyone a very happy holiday season and thanks you all for your kindness and hard work!

And for those who attend or are planning to attend the Sunday Streetknit Stitch’n Bitch at the Pump, please note that there will be no meeting December 28 or January 4.  We’ll be back in the new year, starting up again January 11, 2009.  Thanks!

Well, it has been a while since I posted anything - between getting married and moving house, things have been busy!  Winter is again encroaching though, and Streetknit will once again be collecting your hand knit items to be donated to the various shelters and groups across the city.  Drop off your new hand knit items at any of the locations listed on the right of the screen.  And if you feel the need to be a bit more social, Streetknit’s Teresa Young has started the first Streetknit SnB in the Annex area.  Check out the details below.  Happy knitting!

Hello Knit-tasticas!

The snow is on the ground. The weather outside is frightening. Handmade knits so inviting.

This is a reminder that, yes, Streetknit is still here and going strong. And it’s time to start pouring in those projects to our drop-off points. The shelters need them.

AND ANNOUNCING . . .

THE FIRST WEEKLY STREETKNIT SNB STARTS IN THE ANNEX THIS SUNDAY!

In super news: Teresa Young, our super-powered, oft-times knit instructor/facilitator/

emissary/go-to woman, is convening the first-ever weekly Streetknit SnB in the Annex. Starting this Sunday, Nov. 23rd.

Every Sunday, 1 pm - 3pm
The Pump
410 Bloor Street West Toronto (North side, near Bloor and Brunswick)

Needles and yarn available aplenty
Crocheters and knitters alike welcome
Novice instruction for beginners (both knit and crochet)
Patterns
Social knitting for beginners and experts alike
Knit for Streetknit, all knit goods going directly to help keep Toronto’s homeless warm this winter
Have a coffee or some finger food (alas, we can not pay for it)
and meet some tres cool neighbourhood activistas and knitters!

Questions? Like to tell us you are coming?: ryan.kamstra@gmail.com.

OR JUST DROP BY.

Help us spread the word about this group and our campaign. Post this message to your knitters blog/message board/listserve!

I’ve had email from a couple of community groups that are looking for yarn donations.  If you’ve got yarn you’d like to pass on to a good cause, send me an email at streetknitATgmailDOTcom and I’ll pass you their contact info.

And a quick reminder that fall and winter will soon be upon us  along with a need for warm clothes  (I know, I hate to even think about it in the midst of August).  Streetknit will be accepting your donations of hats, scarves, sweaters, socks, blankets and whatever else strikes you to pass on to those in need in our community.

Speaking of socks, stay tuned for an announcement regarding socks and celebrities …

Hope you’re all having a great summer and as usual, thanks for your support of Streetknit!

If you’re headed out to the BIG on Bloor event this Saturday (and if you’re not, you really should go!), stop by the Streetknit corner, say hi to Ryan and contribute a few lines to our blanket.  If you have other donations, they will be happily taken in too.  And if you want to know why the homeless situation in Toronto is getting worse, have a chat with some of the folks who’ll be there for just that reason.  Details below:

Toronto Craft Alert and Streetknit present:

A Community Blanket Making.

On June 21rst, between 2 and 3pm, Toronto Craft Alert and Streetknit will host a community blanket-making and informal discussion on Toronto homelessness, affordable housing and shelters at the Big on Bloor festival. As part of that, we are inviting folks, community leaders, people with experience in issues regarding Toronto’s homelessness-situation, affordable housing shortage and shelter-situation, to not only take part in the blanket making, but join us for informal, moderated discussion. The media is also cordially invited.
Our table(s) are number(s) K18 on the
Bloor block from Ossington to Shaw.

Community members are encouraged to come out, to knit a panel for our blanket, to be pieced together and donated to a suitable shelter or homelessness service provider. Don’t know how to knit? No prob! People will be on hand to teach you how.

Frank de Jong of the Ontario Green party will be in attendance to say a few words as well as representatives from the Scott Mission, Sistering, Sketch, Dig in, some community knitting groups such as the Peoples and Values Knitclub at Maritz Canada Inc., and other community groups whose work addresses these issues.

Many people don’t understand the exact tangle between the three levels of governments, and the various issues which contribute to the challenge in resolving the continued exacerbation to the living conditions of Toronto’s most marginalized. We intend this community blanket-making and informal speak as a way of getting concerned citizens, sub-ideologically and respectfully, up to speed.

One sees in the knitting community that it is an issue that concerns people across all stripes, we have seen knitting-drives in offices, in high schools, in churches, in knit shops, spanning age, ethnicity and class.

Attached is an outline of how the discussion will take place and the questions collected from the community to be addressed.

There is still room on the panel if you feel you have something to contribute to the discussion! Or just join us and knit a panel of the blanket!

For more information or to confirm your attendance:
Ryan Kamstra
Streetknit

647-298-6558
ryan.kamstra@gmail.com

*** about StrEETknIT!
Founded in 2006 by Sadie Lewis in Toronto, Streetknit rouses the knitting communities of Toronto, hobbyists, s n’ bs, society yarn-darlings , needle-clackers of all ages to put needles together and spend some time knitting some warmth into an extra scarf, maybe some toques with affectionate or somber colours, mitts, blankets, socks, even a sweater and see it reach those without home. We hear report that the kids really like it in basic black.

These goods can be dropped off at friendly-neighbourhood StreetKnit drop-off points: local yarn-knit shops Knit-O-Matic(1378 Bathurst St.), The Naked Sheep(2144 A Queen St. E.), Sew Be It Studio(2156 Yonge St.), Eugenix(99 Burlington St.), Nathalie-Roze
(1015 Queen Street East) and The Knit Cafe(1050 Queen W.). Streetknit will be distributing to homeless outreach programs all over the city again this year including Windfall Clothing,  St. Francis Table, Scott Mission , Parkdale Community Health Centre as well as future friends PARC and Out of the Cold. We also now collect yarn to distribute to groups knitting street knits.

Every year people in Toronto freeze to death because they have nowhere to come in from the cold. Since 2006, Streetknit has helped inspire and organize office clubs and yarn-shop drives and knitty parties to do our small part to alleviate this situation, craft drives with DJs spinning, knitting classes for teens and adults, and drives within offices to donate to Streetknit, combining fun and sociability with doing good for the community. See our site for more details of some of these past events and drives: http://www.streetknit.ca/.***About the Toronto Craft Alert

The Toronto Craft Alert is a welcoming and supportive online community and craft news-sharing resource that connects you with other locals that love craft.

The TCA makes the search for local craft action easy, hooking you up with craft-related sales & events, workshops, sources for craft supplies, and emerging local designers & makers.  Largely a submission-based project, The Toronto Craft Alert is also a venue to share your own crafty happenings.

Craft curious?

Visit the site

Join the mailing list

Get in touch

First off, thanks to everyone who has donated yarn to Streetknit.  Now please stop!  Unfortunately, I have no more space to store the yarn (my basement is full) so I’m going to have to ask everyone to please hold off on the yarn donations for a while.  We are of course still happily taking any and all donations of new, hand-knitted items to pass on to those in need.  Hard to think about it as the weather warms up I know, but seasons change and all those hats, scarves and sweaters will one day be needed again.

As for all that yarn, if you have a  knit group that would like to have some free yarn to knit or crochet into warm and woolley items for the homeless, drop me an email and I’ll get some to you!

And if you get a chance, pick up the Spring/Summer 2008 issue of Vogue Knitting - Streetknit is mentioned in the Made in Canada column along with the fabulous knit house that was put together at City of Craft.

Hope you’re all enjoying the gorgeous weather out there and, as always, thanks for your support of Streetknit.