MISSION

The Fort Vancouver Knitters Guild is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide education to guild members to further skills in knitting, broaden their understanding of the craft, and to serve the community through services and donations.

WELCOME

All are welcome regardless of age, skin color, nationality, religion, gender identity or disability. We dedicate ourselves to the goal of a diverse, inclusive and spirited knitting community free from inequality, racism and injustice.

FVKG MONTHLY MEETING

NEXT MEETING:

February 6, 2025

February's General Membership meeting will be a Face to Face meeting (F2F).

LOCATION:

Barberton Grange
9400 NE 72nd Ave, Vancouver, WA 98665
Map

TIME:

6:30-8:30 pm

Link to Join Meeting:

Meeting ID:

Passcode:

The Best Stretches and Strengthening Exercises for Knitters

We may joke about the horror of sleeve island or the repulsiveness of weaving in ends on colorwork, but a knitter’s true nightmare is far worse: not being able to knit. If you’ve ever felt a twang in your wrist or arm, then this fear has probably crept into your brain. How could you ever watch Netflix and just, like, not... knit? And while this may remain just a fear for some, it has unfortunately become a reality for others, including myself.

Repetitive motion injuries (RMIs) are painful, physically as well as mentally. However, they can be prevented. Repetitive motion injuries (RMIs), or Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs), are injuries to ligaments, muscles, nerves, and/or tendons caused by repeating the same motion. For knitters, these injuries often occur in the wrists and forearms and take the form of tendonitis, carpal tunnel, or radial tunnel. Often, they are temporary and can be healed with time and care. However, sometimes they require surgery to be fixed, and sometimes they are permanent.

One of my favorite things to do is to compare knitting to professional sports. So, just like you stretch before a marathon, you also stretch before a knit and Harry Potter movie marathon. And during! It’s important to take a little break about every 30 minutes or so and do these stretches on both hands. Hold the stretches for about 5 seconds and repeat at least twice for good measure.

Wrist Flexors - Stretch one arm out straight with your forearm facing up. Angle your hand downward. Use the other hand to pull your fingers toward your body. This stretches the muscles on the bottom of your forearm.

Wrist Extensors - Wrist extensors stretches the muscles on the top of your forearm, and I have two stretches for you. The first wrist extensor stretch involves putting your arm straight out, then angling your hand downward. Use your other hand to pull your downward-facing hand toward your body.
The second wrist extensor stretch involves stretching both arms out straight and putting both of your hands into soft fists. Slowly turn your fists downward, and then gently rotate them outwards to the top of your hands face one another.

Finkelstein Stretch - Stretch both arms straight with your palms facing one another. Fold your thumbs into your palms and gently wrap your fingers around your thumbs. Gently turn your fists downward. This stretches your wrist and thumb.

Radial Nerve Glides - Stand comfortably with your arms at your side. Drop one shoulder down while reaching the hand on that same arm downward (your hand can stay in a cupped/relaxed position, or you can make a fist). Gently tilt your head away from the side you are stretching. Keep your arm straight as you raise it up/backward while keeping the rest of your body still. This stretches the top of your forearm.

Strengthen Once a Day
To really get ahead of RMIs is to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your wrists and arms. I suggest purchasing a set of resistant bands that have varying levels of resistance so that you can continue to build up strength. With the resistance bands, do the following exercises once a day. Aim for 10 reps per exercise. If you notice soreness at first, maybe try out once every other day for a while.

Resisted Wrist Extension
While in a seated position with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, place one end of the resistance band under your foot. Grab the other end in your hand and place your forearm face down on the corresponding leg, with your hand just over your knee. Bend your wrist upward and downward.

How to Treat an RMI
If you are already feeling the pain of an RMI, then I have two big pieces of advice:

1. Rest.

2. Go to the doctor
While getting a doctor involved is costly, it was super important for me. Before going, I thought I had carpal tunnel and bought a wrist split off of Amazon. However, I had radial tunnel and was not treating my injury properly. The doctor gave me tailored exercises and instructions on how to heal and made me a custom splint to help my arm rest properly. To make sure your injury is getting treated with the utmost care, I highly recommend a doctor’s visit.

By regularly stretching and strengthening your wrists and arms, as well as mixing up stitches, needle sizes, and yarn weights, you are more than likely to avoid the nightmare that is an RMI. If you love knitting and can’t imagine having to put your needles down for more than a day, then I encourage you to take breaks and treat your body well so that you can keep on stitching.

— Jeanette Godreau [Excerpts from New Wave Knitting blog, February 7 2021. Used with permission.

***For full posting that includes video clips of these exercises and more, see the video link below.
[Video]
[Video]

Teaching Knitting in the Schools

The Fifth Graders at Riverview Elementary said thanks to their knitting instructors
(Rita, Patty, Sue, Nina and Wanda) from FVKG.

OUR CRAFT

November Show and Share

* Projects completed by our members *

Hitch on the Move by Martina Behm

Yarn: House of a la Mode DK

Winter Pyramid by Minimi Knit Design

Yarn: Berroco Remix

Misheel by Isabell Kraemer

Yarn: Istex Plotulopi held with Shibui Silk Cloud

OUR GUILD VALUES

COMMUNITY

GIVING THROUGH KNITTING

EDUCATION

OUR BUSINESS MEMBERS

FVKG IS VERY HAPPY TO WELCOME NEW BUSINESS MEMBER TO LOVE AND DYE! 🌠
To Love and Dye hand dyes has vibrantly colored itch-free yarn in Vancouver, WA.

BROOKLYN TWEED: 🌠
Portland, Oregon yarn and knitwear design company, Brooklyn Tweed, connects hand-knitters to their materials by creating timeless wool yarns and patterns that support textile production in the United States. Each skein of Brooklyn Tweed yarn represents an American story.

HOOK AND NEEDLE: 🌠
Now stocking Brooklyn Tweedyarns, Hook and Needle Fiber Shop features a huge array of classes for knitters and crocheters of all levels. Now offering private crochet and knitting lessons as well!. Don't forget Open Craft Night, Wednesdays 4-7 pm, and Crafternoon, Sundays noon to 4 pm. Watch Hook and Needle's instagram page for Feature Fridays!

WHITE OAK ALPACAS SHEARED-DELIGHTS BOUTIQUE STORE:🌠

is packed with Alpaca Yarns and Roving from White Oak Alpacas, Alpaca apparel, plus unique and handmade Gifts. Shop online at White Oak Alpacas Sheared-Delights, or call (360) 841-7276 to make an appointment to visit the farm shop. Farm tours are available on Fridays and Saturdays.

NOBLE QUILL STUDIO (FORMERLY LETTERS WITH JOY): 🌠

Armed with a dip pen and ink, this calligrapher re-creates the italic hand first used during the renaissance period. Add this deeply personal touch to special event envelope addresses, vows, name tags, certificate fill-ins. Email for samples, questions and requests to Joy@noblequillstudio.com

THIS ICON 🌠 DESIGNATES A GUILD BUSINESS SPONSOR

Frequently Asked Questions

About Newsletters and Speakers

If you, as a member, did not receive your email with the monthly newsletter and details about our speaker for this month:

-Please click Document Library and look under Newsletters For 2024.
-You will find it there.

About Zoom Link for Meetings

If you, as a member, did not receive your email with the Zoom link:

-Please click Document Library.
-Look under Zoom Invite Link for Meeting.
-You will find the link there.

Ft. Vancouver Knitters Guild
Email FVKG@ftvancouverknittersguild.org
Instagram fvknittersguild