May 2026 Newsletter
- Julie U.
- Apr 30
- 7 min read
This Month's Meeting: Online & Zoom
AKG Monthly Meeting (In-person details)
May 7, 2026, 6:30 – 8:30 PMDunwoody N. Shallowford Annex
Register Now
AKG Monthly Meeting (Zoom details)
May 7, 2026, 6:30 – 8:30 PMZoom
Register Now
Please RSVP for the In-Person and Zoom session (RSVPing for the in-person meeting lets us know how to set up the meeting room to accommodate our meeting attendees)
We’ll host social knitting from 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM with brief announcements followed by our program.
2026 Meetings
Date | Hospitality | Date | Hospitality |
01/08/2026 | S thru Z | 07/09/2026 | S thru Z |
02/05/2026 | (online only) | 08/06/2026 | A thru E |
03/05/2026 | (online only) | 09/03/2026 | F thru L |
04/02/2026 | A thru E | 10/01/2026 | M thru R |
05/07/2026 | F thru L | 11/05/2026 | S thru Z |
06/04/2026 | M thru R | 12/03/2026 | A thru E |
What’s involved in Hospitality? If your last name starts with the letters, we encourage you to arrive early (6:15 pm), bring a snack to share, help set up chairs, and help with greeting members and welcoming visitors as they arrive.
All meetings, social knitting, workshops, and events can be found on the AKG event calendar: https://www.atlantaknittingguild.org/akgcalendar
Board Message |
Dear Fellow Knitters,
As we look forward to another year of creativity, community, and craft, the Board of the Atlanta Knitting Guild wants to thank you for being a part of our vibrant community. It is your passion and skill that make our Guild such a special place to share the joy of knitting.
We Value Your Voice We are committed to making the Guild work for you. We have just launched a Member Forum Survey to gather feedback on a member forum platform. Please take a few moments to share your thoughts; your input will be instrumental in shaping our plans for member engagement.
Get Involved The Guild thrives when our members share their talents. Whether you are interested in helping organize an event, assisting with our charity knitting initiatives, or joining a committee, there is a place for you here. Getting involved is the best way to deepen your connections within the Guild and ensure our community remains strong and active. Contact Kathy Borden, nominations@atlantaknittingguild.org to learn more.
In May we'll elect the 2026-2027 AKG Board. The nominees are in the Support the Guild section (below). It has been our pleasure to serve with you and we are all looking forward to the future!
We appreciate the members who attended the April meeting in person and who helped us rehome the yarn, needles, and hooks donated to the Guild.
Thank you for your continued support and for being the heart of the Atlanta Knitting Guild. We can’t wait to see what you cast on next!
Warmly,
Elizabeth, Jolie, Julie, Natalie, Debbie, Barb & Linda
2025-2026 AKG Board
Website Updates |
This month we worked with Wix technical support to fix our members' area. You can now log in and edit your profile information and add a profile image.
Likewise, you can see the expiration date of your members via the subscriptions page (https://www.atlantaknittingguild.org/my-subscriptions).
Our next update to the members' area will be to add custom fields so members can share more about themselves, such as their favorite knitting techniques!
Programs & Workshops |
This Month’s Program: Ethnic Knitting
Our speaker via Zoom will be ethnic knitting expert Beth Brown-Reinsel. Beth spent a month in Estonia one year traveling around the country, and has been back since for shorter visits.
This lecture/slide show will begin with scenes from Tallinn and artifacts in nearby museums depicting some of the history of Estonia. Textiles from the islands of Kihnu and Muhu, particularly the folk costume and the mittens will be shown, including discussion of some of the knitting techniques used. The museum of Anu Raud with her collection of mittens and knitted toys are shown as well.
Beth will speak of some of the techniques used in these beautiful knitted objects. The political influences on the culture and the state of technology today will also be explored. At the finish of the slide show, there will be time for Q&A.
Last Month’s Program
Thank you to Natalie Greene for last month’s program on joining blocks using crochet. We also had the opportunity to take home yarn and crochet supplies donated to the Guild. Thank you to everyone who took some of the stash! See pictures from April’s meeting. The April meeting was not recorded.
Future Programs
June 2026 : In our June meeting we will welcome the new AKG board and bid farewell (with deep appreciation) to retiring board members. Our program will be on using Knit Companion, presented by master knitter Debbie West. Bring your device and follow along and Debbie shows us why fans of this app won’t knit without it!
July 2026 : We'll host our summer potluck and do a stash swap. Please consider signing up for the potluck (sharing the dish you'll commit to bringing to the meeting) here.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me the last two years to make a program happen each month! Y’all are the loveliest group of knitters imaginable. — Jolie
As always, members please send ideas and suggestions to programs@atlantaknittingguild.org.
Announcements |
Fiberfests & Other Area Events
Be sure to check out the Guild’s fiberfest page!
We keep a running list of fiberfests near and far: https://www.atlantaknittingguild.org/fiberfests
The Knitting Guild Association has a new education initiative. Shawl Immersion Weekend will be 26 & 27 June 2026. This is a virtual event consisting of 4 classes, 2 hours each, for a total of 8 hours of instruction. Registration is only $25 but you must be a member of TKGA first.
Registration opens on Friday 15 May 2026. Learn more here:
CONGRADULATIONS to Jerry Buttleworth for earning his Master Hand Knitter certificate and pin from The Knitting Guild Association!! This is a VERY big deal and as a guild, we are proud he is a member of AKG.
Movie Night at Aurora Cineplex in Roswell! Come and join other crafters for an evening of movie watching and creativity. The movie starts at 7:30, lights will remain on so crafters can work and watch. The Facebook tag is: @Area-51-Aurora-Cineplex-and-The Fringe-Miniature Golf, or BArgo@a51fun.com ph: 770-518-0977 for more information.
Note from Julie: You can access the theater's online ticket portal via their linktree and by clicking on the movie. It looks very different than what you may have experienced using Fandango or another ticket portal but I was able to buy tickets in advance. I'll see you there!
Need a get away with a couple friends? This retreat space was designed for crafters. It is located in Newton, Alabama. The contact information is: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556716379069
View our neighboring guilds’ events:
Knit-a-long (KAL) |
Intarsia
In March, the new KAL started–intarsia. Several of the KAL-ers are knitting the bandana “Rust & Rhythm”, a free pattern by Anna Husemann. There are also hats, bags, and socks on the needles. It’s never too late to join. With over 31,000 intarsia patterns available on Ravelry, narrowing down what you want to knit for this KAL might be a challenge!
In May, the KAL is selecting their next project. We are selecting a design by Debbie West, from Ravelry. Check them out at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/debbie-wests-ravelry-store
Join us the third Wednesday of each month for our KAL! We are a great group of regular attendees and those who join when they can. We can promise an entertaining and always encouraging hour. We choose patterns or techniques to focus on for each project together, Find our group on the AKG calendar--RSVP for the Zoom link--and also we maintain an active presence on Facebook under "AKG KAL"
AKG Knit-a-long (KAL) - Zoom
May 20, 2026, 7:00 – 8:30 PMZoom
Register Now
Outreach |
Project Linus Update
Thanks ♥️ go out to those who have already donated squares.
Project Linus: Blankets are collected locally and distributed to children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, or anywhere that a child might be in need of a big hug.
We’re hoping to donate 40 blankets for Project Linus* by the end of our fiscal year. Not interested in knitting or crocheting a whole blanket? No problem! Knit or crochet, your choice of pattern for 12 inch x 12 inch squares of washable 100% DK or worsted weight acrylic yarn (no wool) and we’ll join them into a blanket.
When you donate a square you’ll receive an entry in our prize drawing for a $25 credit towards any AKG swag found on our website. For every 40 squares donated we will have a drawing. Let’s show our AKG altruistic spirit!!!
Need pattern ideas for a square? Check out handylittleme.com for free knitting patterns.
Barb Moore also found these fun holiday designs to share!
*Project Linus is a national non-profit organization that provides new, handmade blankets to children in need, including those in the Atlanta area. Locally the Dekalb Georgia chapter provides blankets to local hospitals like CHOA Children's Hospital, as well as to children and teens in crisis situations like those handled by the Department of Family and Children Services.
Don't have time to knit a square? Consider making a monetary donation to the DeKalb Project Linus Chapter:
Visit to ProjectLinus.org
Click on Donate, then "Online Donation"
Complete each information box.
At Apply Donation to: Choose Local Chapter
Then in the Donor Scroll box, please type DeKalb Georgia Chapter.
Proceed to the bottom of the page and choose "Donate Once"
Of course we will continue our ongoing efforts. Information on our charity knitting can be found on the Guild’s website.
Knit and Crochet Bear Sweaters: The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy
This is a longstanding program with the AKG. Suggested patterns and guidelines for the bears donated to the GA Center for Child Advocacy are on the Guild’s website. Dressed bears are given to each child in crisis who comes to the Center.
Baby Hat & Blanket Sets, Chemo Caps: Piedmont Hospital
The AKG donates knit and crochet items to various hospitals, inclusive of baby items and hats/caps for adult and child cancer patients.
Visit the AKG website for more details on our charity knitting projects and requirements.
Do you have a charity project you'd like the Guild to consider? Contact outreach@atlantaknittingguild.org
Supporting the Guild: 2026-2028 Nominees |
These Guild members have volunteered to serve in the following positions:
Board Members | |
President | Susan Duralde |
Secretary | Linda Andes |
Treasurer | Debbie West |
Membership | Elizabeth Schroeder |
Programs | Kathy Borden |
Communications | Julie Uranis |
Outreach | Bunny Harper |
Committee Roles | |
Membership - Hospitality | Natalie Greene |
Outreach - Giving Back | Gail Reiss |
Programs & Workshops | Anne deVaux Barbara Moore Corrie Habib Debbie West Debra Davis Denise Tokarz Eunice Reger Gail Reiss Jolie Elder |
Communications - Meeting Logistics | Julie Uranis (Event Calendar & Notices) Eunice Reger (Devices & Room Set Up) Meg Fisher (Zoom) Velera Pate (Recordings) VACANT (Photographer / Show & Tell) |
Communications - Newsletters & Misc. | Anne deVaux Jennifer Hardesty Julie Uranis |
Communications - Historian | Debra Davis |
Communications - Social Media | Meg Fisher (Facebook Admin) Natalie Greene (Facebook Admin) Julie Uranis (Facebook Admin) |
Connect with the Guild |
Get Connected!
The AKG is on Facebook!
Facebook Page - Atlanta Knitting Guild: Like this page and see official AKG news and updates in your Facebook feed
Facebook Group - Friends of the Atlanta Knitting Guild: Join our Facebook group to chat with other knitters (membership in the group and the guild are separate)
Login to the Guild website to renew online.
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