About the Machine Knitters of Pensacola, Florida
Barbara Berna has been machine knitting since 1955. She sold the machine a few years later, then returned to the craft in 1980. She does all types of needle arts, including hand knitting, crochet, tatting, needlepoint, crewel, and counted cross stitch. She worked at PJ's Stitchery store in Pensacola for a couple of years and taught hand knitting and crochet. She has knitted many garments over the years, selling some. Barbara belongs to two different computer clubs, and has not been knitting as much as she would like lately.
Von has been machine knitting since 1967, and owned a machine knitting shop for about ten years, which included teaching. She also does many other crafts, such as needlework, pine needle baskets, and glass etching. Von belongs to Homemakers of Florida and volunteers with H2U of West Florida Hospital.
Pam Aird was introduced to machine knitting on the island of Okinawa in 1969, and has been knitting ever since. In the 1970s, she owned "Knits by Pam," where she sold knitting machines, needlepoint, and yarns. She taught, and also produced evening-wear for wholesale distribution using the women who bought machines from her. She loves designing and sewing garments, especially suits. Pam also does embroidery, needlepoint and quilting, and belongs to a quilting club.
Barbara Meloy has been machine knitting since 1974. She has sold many garments, usually by order, but sometimes by consignment. At least five of her patterns have been featured in "Machine Knitter's Source." Barbara does several of the Pensacola Machine Knitters demonstrations every year, is the Knifty Knitter and Bond teacher for our local Michael’s store, and teaches a yearly class for the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. She is also a member of the Pensacola Quilter’s Guild, Emerald Coast Rug Hookers, Wooly Pelicans Rug Hookers, and Milton Garden Club. Also have 'done' craft/festivals for 30 years.
Sonia Carr's first machine was a used bulkyy Singer 150. After seeing Jodi Raymond at a seminar in 1980, she was hooked, and added a Brother 930 Electronic with Ribber and Motor. She did a lot of custom knitting and sold garments in Toronto, Canada with orders generated from Home Knit parties. She had a knit club in Panama City, Florida for several years with a great group of knitters. They hosted a few seminars including David Miles, Donna Paradis and Joan Stiles. She has now retired for all this activity and now enjoys knitting blankets for Project Linus, travelling and spending time with family in Daytona Beach and Toronto. She is still trying to master her Passap E600 and a newly purchased LK-150.
Karen has been machine knitting since 1991. She also machine embroiders, sews, scrapbooks and does bead work. She and her husband are active with the Foresters, a fraternal insurance company that raises money for charities such as Children's Miracle Network and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She knits blankets for the neonatal unit at Sacred Heart Hospital. She hasn't been practicing her knitting skills lately, and feels like a beginner.
Martha has just returned to machine knitting after having her Brother 950 on the shelf for quite a few years. In the meantime she has improved her hand knitting skills, and is a member of the Gulf Coast Knitters Guild. Martha also sews and does smocking. She is a member of the Friends of the Pace Library, and on the Board of the new Santa Rosa County Library System. Martha is the webmaster for the Friends website and is retired from the Escambia County School System.
Ann took a basket class from Barbara Meloy in 1994, found out she had a knitting machine for sale, and has been knitting ever since. She has a Knitking Compuknit IV and recently bought a Brother 940 with color changer and garter carriage among other accessories and she hopes to machine knit a lot more in the near future.
Dianne learned to hand knit over 40 years ago. She bought her first knitting machine, a Bond Incredible Sweater Machine, in 1997, and has been enjoying machine knitting ever since. In 2003, she bought a mid-gauge Silver-Reed LK-150, and in 2005 was given a standard-gauge Studio 303, which she is still learning to use. Dianne is also a quilter and a volunteer at the Navarre, FL library. She belongs to the Bahai Faith, the Red Hat Society, and Yarn Gardeners, a hand-knitting group.
Zona began machine knitting in the Spring of 2003. She originally learned to hand knit in 6th grade...oh, so many years ago. She still considers herself a beginner having made a few baby blankets, ski-type hats, baby sweaters, baby booties, and some Christmas ornaments. She has a Brother standard gauge punchcard machine and a ISM Bond (bulky). On the Bond, she has made a poncho and several scarves of her own designs. In her spare time, she puts together small websites for friends and clients.
Susan Spencer started machine knitting with a Bond USM in late 2003. Since then she has acquired an LK-150 and punchcard standard and bulky machines, and is working to learn the capabilities of all of these machines. She also hand-knits and volunteers at her son's high school. Susan hosts the monthly Bond Club at her home.
Alex started machine knitting in January 2005. She also sews, hand-knits, crochets, and dabbles into other crafts. She is a Bernina Club member and a charter member of Boutique Belles, the NW Florida PatternMaster Boutique users group.