Njoya presents-"The Harlem Knitting Circle"

THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE SUPPORTS THE HARLEM BRANCH 110TH YEAR CELEBRATION!

HAVE YOUR WORK DISPLAYED WITH THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE AT THE HARLEM BRANCH LIBRARY'S 100TH YEAR CELEBRATION!

                                    THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE WILL BE SUBMITTING KNITTED & CROCHETED WORK TO BE DISPLAYED AT THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBARARY HARLEM BRANCH, 9 WEST 124TH ST & 5TH AVENUE, FOR THEIR 100TH YEAR CELEBERATION!  KNITTED & CROCHETED ITEMS CAN BE LEFT DURING LIBRARY HOURS. PLEASE CHECK THE NYPL ONLINE SITE FOR THEIR HOURS OR CALL 212-348-5620. PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ITEM IN A CLOSED PLASTIC BAG LABLED WITH "THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE", YOUR NAME, AND PHONE NUMBER. ITEMS NEED TO BE INTO THE LIBRARY NO LATER THEN JULY 18TH!  REMEMBER, THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE WILL BE MEETING SATURDAY, JULY 11TH, FROM 10AM UNTIL 1PM!  I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!  Njoya

Next HKC Meeting!

Hi Everyone!  HKC's next meeting is on Saturday, July 11th, from 10am until 1pm at the Harlem Branch Library-9 West 124th St & 5th Avenue! Please bring your own materaials and a food item to add to our Snack Table!  This summer is a lazy knit/crochet summer, so I will be planning for Fall'09 Activities.  Please bring in suggestions for events, names of organizations HKC can donate to or collaborate with.  I look forward to seeing you all on July 11th and have a safe and fun filled July 4th!                                                                  Founder & Director-Anntoinette Stacy Njoya Angrum

The Harlem Knitting Circle on About.Com!

 Here are the members of the Harlem Knitting Circle on About.com!

http://video.about.com/knitting/English-Knit-Stitch.htm

http://video.about.com/knitting/English-Purl-Stitch.htm

It was so exciting!  The members shared what they knew and their poise was great! 

I've got to get a knitted or crocheted dress!  Anyone with a pattern for an ankle length dress for a hip heavy, 6ft, hourglass shaped woman give me a quick call!  Next time..., I'm going to be decked out in textures!  Hope you enjoy the video!

My hat was crocheted by HKC member Milagros Baez!  She walked in wearing it, I love hats and immediately fell in love with it, grabbed my pin off my coat, and stuck it on my head! She bestowed it to me with the kindness that is Milagros..., and it's lined inside! Thank you Millie! If you're interested in purchasing a similar hat you can email me at HKC125thSt@aol.com and I'll connect you with Milagros. Oh! And you should see the lined baby buntings she crochets...., BEAUTIFUL..., EXQUISITE!

 THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLEWILL BE MEETING AT THE HARLEM BRANCH LIBRARY/9 WEST. 124TH ST & 5TH AVENUE, on SATURDAY, JUNE 20TH, 2009, FROM 10A.M. UNTIL 1P.M. PLEASE BRING A FOOD ITEM TO DONATE TO THE FOOD TABLE.  PLEASE BRING YOUR MATERIALS WITH YOU.  WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SMILES, KINDNESS, GENEROSITY, LAUGHTERS, AND ENTHUSIASM! Just a note:"I am still getting over the flu, so if I'm not there my supervisor and members will cherish your attendance!" Njoya Angrum-Founder/Director

 

 A New Knitting/Crochet Meetup @The Harlem Knitting Circle!

What: Free Open Knit & Crochet @ The Harlem Knitting Circle

When: June 13, 2009 10:00 AM

Where: The Harlem Branch Library-9 West 124th St & 5th Ave on the 3rd fl.

Meetup Description: Come Crochet & Knit at The Harlem Knitting Circle.  Free Event at the Harlem Branch Library from 10am until 1pm.  We ask that you bring your own materials and a food item to donate to the "Snack Table".  This will be a "lazy knit/crochet" day.

Knitting Classes With Lisa D. at Knitty City!

Event: Three Lace Classes with Lisa Daehlin
       "Thursdays in June"
What: Class
Host: Knitty City
Start Time: Thursday, June 11 at 6:00pm
End Time: Thursday, June 25 at 8:00pm
Where: Knitty City in NY.

SO MUCH FUN!

 

Wow!!!  We all had so much fun at the ABOUT.COM taping yesterday at The Harlem Knitting Circle!  Thank you Heidi & Keith for making this opportunity a great event!  HKC's Knitters are so knowledgeable!  I learned two new ways to Cast-On and a better way for me to Bind-Off!  A special thank you to Ms. Raffia, Ms. Lisa D., Ms. Brenda, and Ms. Norma for jumping in and doing the solo parts!  You ladies are AWESOME!  HKC's Crocheter's came out in support and will be featured at the end of the video in our group shots!  Thanks Crocheter's, your love and support was great and an example of just what HKC is about!  HKC's photojournalist & expert Knitter, Mr Joe Major, came out and added some much needed testosterone to all the estrogen in the room for better balance, more harmony, and great pics!  Most of our professional pics are by Mr. Joe Major..., kisses & hugs Joe!  Thank you to The New York Public Library-Harlem Branch for welcoming us with such warm support!  We will do you justice Ms. Mckay! Thanks Ms. Nadia, from the "downtown NYPL offices" for coming and making sure everything flowed with "NYPL correctness".  Nadia..., grab some knitting needles or a crochet hook, come back and jump in..., the water is fine! Stay tuned for the pictures and ABOUT.COM video coming soon!  Check back at this site or call 646-294-5828 for our upcoming Summer Schedule! 

Love you all, Anntoinette Stacy Njoya Angrum-Founder/Director of The Harlem Knitting Circle. 

ABOUT.COM TO TAPE KNITTERS AT THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE AS ONLINE RESOURCE!

                     ABOUT.COM TO TAPE KNITTERS AT THE HARLEM KNITTING CIRCLE!

When: Saturday, May 30, 2009 11:00 AM

Where: The Harlem Branch Library-9 West 124th Street & 5th Avenue

The producer/director with ABOUT.COM (The New York Times) -the "how to" informational website", will be taping "how to" videos on KNITTING at The Harlem Knitting Circle on Sat, May 30, 2009 at the Harlem Branch Library-9 West 124th St & 5th Avenue. They are interested in shooting videos that give important instruction for beginners. They are looking to shoot 4 videos, when edited, probably about 2 - 3 minutes in length. The main idea being, that people learn the intricacies of how these methods/stitches/steps are performed.
Here are the 4 videos on knitting we are interested in:

1.) one or more cast on methods
2.) knitting in English style
3.) purling in English style
4.) binding off

The organization gets an on camera ID!
If you are interested in knitting with The Harlem Knitting Circle online please let me know at your earliest convenience at 646-294-5828.
About.com.is one of the most travelled websites on the internet.

Please bring your own materials and food to donate to the Snack Table.

About.com is an online neighborhood of hundreds of helpful experts, eager
to share their wealth of knowledge with visitors.

Every month, over 60 million people* visit us for help with everything from
health care and parenting issues to advice on travel, cooking, technology,
hobbies and more.  And we offer solutions in the form of over two million
hand-crafted, original articles, recipes, product reviews, videos,
tutorials and more.

All created by our network of expert 'Guides' - real people who, like all
good neighbors, help others so that everyone's life gets just a little
better.

Founded in 1996, About.com was acquired in March 2005 by The New York Times
Company (NYSE: NYT). Today, About.com is recognized as a top 15 content
site and one of the largest producers of original content on the Web.

The filming would certainly take no longer than
the time they spend when they meet on Saturdays, these videos are very basic and I really think they can be accomplished quickly, just looking for explanation, demonstration. YOU MUST KNOW HOW TO KNIT AND HAVE A PROJECT YOU ARE WORKING ON.
(Note from Njoya:And ladies & gentlemen..., I don't know about you, but I'm getting my hair and manicure done!  We all know that the internet has worldwide viewers and I'm going to look my best! wink!)

Njoya and her sister Anita at HKC's Annual High Tea

The Harlem Knitting Circle will be meeting this Saturday, May 9th, 2009 from 10am until 12pm at The Harlem Branch Library-9 West 124th Street & 5th Avenue.  Please bring your materials and a snack for the food table.

Read About HKC's new Home at the Harlem Branch Library!

Harlem ‘library lady’ offers community more than just books

By CYRIL JOSH BARKER
Amsterdam News Staff

Published: Thursday, April 30, 2009 1:29 PM EDT

Giving a new meaning to the job of librarian, Crystal McCay is doing more than helping people find books. Site manager and supervisor for the Harlem branch of the New York Public Library, McCay, 42, said that working at an urban library requires her to go beyond the call and help people with community problems.

The Harlem Branch library, located on 124th Street, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, and McCay is rolling out the red carpet for the community. She’s been at the library for the past three years and has been working within the New York Public Library system for the past 24 years.

Affectionately known in the neighborhood as the “library lady,” McCay is from Harlem, where she grew up in Drew-Hamilton Houses. Her mother died when she was 12, forcing her to help her father raise the family.

“That was a pivotal point for me when my mother passed,” she said. “I had to go from age 12 to age 20.”

McCay was sent to boarding school when she entered high school at the Westminster School in Simsbury, Conn., through the “A Better Chance” program. She said that going away for school was best for her because it saved her from the streets.

She speaks highly of her experience at the co-ed boarding school. With a student body of over 300 students and only 15 Black students, McCay said that she was welcomed and treated like everyone else.

“One thing about my school is that no one knew if you were rich or poor, everyone had to do chores. When I look back, it was the best experience I ever had,” she said.

Aspiring to go away for college, her dreams were halted when her father began a drug addiction that led her to stay close to her family. She attended college at St. John’s University.

However, after one year, she left school after she had two children.

To make money, McCay got a job working at a public library in Midtown Manhattan, working as a page in the photography department. Over the course of 10 years, she moved up the ranks and became a clerk.

Coworkers constantly told her she would make a good librarian. After a decade, McCay went back to school at the College of New Rochelle, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in social science. In 2001, she earned her master’s degree in library science.

“It opened the door for a lot of opportunities for me,” she said. “I’m a new-age librarian and I like working in my community.”

McCay said that working in the library today means knowing more than just books. She supervises a staff of 20 people, works with her branch’s budget and does computer tech work. McCay also serves on Community Board 10. At her branch, she said that people often come in asking questions about services in the city like health services, job placement and housing programs. McCay said she doesn’t hesitate in answering any questions.

Due to the recent crumbling of the economy, libraries across the city have seen a sharp increase in use because of the many free resources and programs they offer. NYPL has seen 17.5 million in-person visits in year, a 12 percent increase from last year.

“Whether I’m helping a 12-year-old student find a book for their homework or I have someone come in trying to find the nearest homeless shelter for their family, no one’s question about information is more important than someone else’s,” she said. “I tell people I don’t know everything, but I can help you find anything.”

 

Copyright © 2009 - New York Amsterdam News

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