The formation of the Issaquah Highlands Yarns and Threads group was inspired by a question on the IH Facebook page “Can someone make this for me”. It was a knitted cushion. I suggested it would be easy to knit, but the person who wanted it, said they didn’t know how to knit. The question drew further comment about “Is there a Knitting Group?” Well, I knew when I first arrived in the Highlands in early 2007, there had been a Knitting group that met at Café Ladro, but managed only to go to it a couple of times and it stopped after the organizer relocated. Now it seemed like there might be renewed interest in starting a crafting group in the Highlands. After a few emails to Highlands Council to find a time in Blakely Hall for our first meeting, the group was off and running. It has been going for nearly two years now and through the school year meets every Friday morning from about 9am at Blakely Hall and then over the Summer while there are kids camps on at Blakely Hall, we meet at Swedish Hospital near the fireplace. We welcome any sort of craft, you just bring along your knitting, crochet, felting, sewing, needlepoint or whatever. Our group can be as small as four or as large as 15. I generally post reminder notices to Facebook, and sometimes an email as we have some members who have come to us from outside of the Highlands, too. It really is as simple as that to form a community group in the Highlands.
I started knitting at about the age of five, when my grandmother taught me and my two older brothers to knit. I think we all made at least a scarf, but after that, I was the only one to continue and have been knitting ever since. I’ve been part of Knitting Groups in San Francisco, London Ontario (Canada), and Melbourne, Australia. I’ve helped with the knitting classes at Grand Ridge Elementary and I think now most of my 7th grade Girl Scout troop have learnt the basics. My daughter has made great progress with her knitting with making scarves, hats, slippers and is now on her first sweater. I rarely miss our Friday meetings, but recently did while I was on a family fishing trip in Canada, where you guessed it, I like to knit.
