Worldwide Knit in Public Day

It’s that time again! Time to meet in public and knit (and crochet ), that is.

With no political agenda, no religious or retail affiliation, no age or gender limits, this is simply a chance for anyone who loves to knit/crochet or would like to learn to gather and knit at the Prescott Farmers Market on Saturday June 12 and 19.

A group of 85 knitters called simply “Prescott Knitters” stays in touch via www.Ravelry.com (Ravelry is a free online knitting community; if you join,  just navigate to “forums” and search for “Prescott Knitters” to participate with the local group).

This group meets weekly throughout town to knit (and crochet) together at coffeehouses and restaurants, coordinates “yarn tours” throughout the region, knits for charity, and serves as a mini economic development and tourism bureau for the city of Prescott.

A number of “Prescott Knitters” participants discovered the group online (thanks to Ravelry) prior to moving to Prescott and are now active members of the local knitting (and crocheting) community.

In fact, people from as far away as Saudi Arabia, Canada and Costa Rica have contacted Prescott Knitters prior to trips to the area, and have then attended meetups with other Prescott Knitters while in town.

All of this interest in meeting to knit has benefited local yarn shops, since the group receives frequent inquiries about where to shop while visiting the area.

Other benefits of participating in Prescott Knitters include free technical assistance with knitting projects, cross-generational fellowship and networking, and most importantly, keeping the legacy of this needle arts form alive for coming generations.

There is no membership fee or requirement to participate in Prescott Knitters, and knitters (and crocheters) of all ages and experience levels are welcome.

Though the group depends on Ravelry as its main communication tool, Prescott Knitters is very much a community based group, and is looking forward to gathering again at the Prescott Farmers Market this June 12 and 19.

PFM director Erin Lingo has generously offered us free use of the community booth space at the market on those dates.

Bring your needles and a chair and plan to stay as long as you like. You can “taste” some beautiful new yarns provided by A Good Yarn and Knit 1 Bead 2, and there will also be demos on solar yarn dyeing and spinning.

Come early to help us set up if you can (7:00 or so) or just come to check things out. We’ll be on hand till about noon both Saturdays. Be sure to bring:
a chair
sunscreen
jacket
something to drink
something to knit or at least some empty needle so you can “taste” some new yarns.

Food is available for purchase at the market; you’ll want to allow some time to shop at the market, too. The crowd is nice and friendly. The weather is unpredictable, so be ready for possible wind, rain or heat!

If you have knit a bag of any kind and would like to display it, bring that and a means of attaching it to the clothesline we plan to use to festoon our booth.

If you aren’t in Prescott on those days, just check the WWKIP site, click on “find an event,” and you’ll be able to knit with people wherever you are. Maybe we’ll see you here in Prescott in 2011.