We had another great meeting this week! More beginners showed up and almost everyone has gotten their own knitting needles and supplies so they can practice at home. I was very grateful to have one of my colleagues drop in to help. She helped some of the beginners with their slip knots and casting on.
We watched more of The Complete Beginner's Guide to KnittingDVD to help learn the knit stitch. It was nice that it covered both English and Continental knitting on the video. I knit English style (pick and throw), but I had a left-handed student that I encouraged to look at both ways and do what was most comfortable for her. I think she ended up doing a little of both styles! Whatever works... *smile*
We talked more about the upcoming Bearcat Carnival fundraiser. We will be selling handmade scarves again, so that's what many of the returning kids worked on. We actually have many left over from last year, so I think we'll be o.k. on that front. We found that small items that children could buy on their own with their tickets did well last year, so one of my students came up with the idea to make pom-pom pens. She is going to wrap pens with yarn and top them with a pom-pom. I was really impressed by her initiative! She said her mom would get the pens, she just needed yarn from me and she would work on them at home. I can't wait to see them!
Our new activity at the carnival will be the "Teddy Bear Factory." I found a website that offers wholesale unstuffed animal kits. I ordered 40 bears for our booth. For $10, children can stuff their own bear and complete a birth certificate. When done, they can select a handmade scarf for their bear (that we will make). We'll also will give families the option to make a bear for charity and donate it to Kosair Children's Hospital here in Louisville. I think it will be a fun activity and I'm eager to see if it does well!