Author: Rain Gilman

SBKnitters started the last session with 373 knit goods. As our last 2nd Tuesday of 2025 evening wore on, folks who knit with us every monthly gathering and folks who knit at home and drop off at our gathering, continued to bring more warm items. We don’t have a final count for 2025, but it looks like we may cross the 400 item mark!

Thanks to every one of you, SBKnitters and Crocheters, for bringing beauty, love, and warmth to every item given. The talent and skills you share make the world a kinder, more caring place for our neighbors who receive these hats and scarves. Thank you for your dedication and friendship. It is a privilege to witness.

Have a perfect cast off of 2025. We look forward to casting onto 2026 with you. Happy Winter!

2026 Knitting Nights: Tuesday January 13th, Tuesday February 10th and Tuesday March 10th

Our New Bakery Gleaning Project Lead

Lynn was born in Seattle, and raised two (now grown) children in Ballard. She worked for decades in the K-12, non-profit and public sectors with a focus on education, immigrant rights and human services. Now happily retired, Lynn is fully enjoying all the PNW has to offer (hiking! biking! kayaking!) and is thrilled to have more time to volunteer, read, and spend time with friends and family. She has volunteered with the Farmers Market Gleaning team since 2018, been part of the Bakery Gleaning team for the last two years, and is grateful to be part of a community of caring, engaged people here on the left coast. 

Welcome Lynn! We’re so pleased to have you step up as the project lead for Bakery Gleaning!

We recently had the opportunity to gather with a handful of our many volunteers to show our appreciation for all you do. For those of you who were not able to attend, I want you to know how grateful I am. Volunteers are the MOST valuable asset to any community or organization. We are SO lucky to have you as members, neighbors and friends of Sustainable Ballard.

YOU(EGT hosts & volunteers and Ballard Sprouts)plant healthy organic gardens that grow delicious food, plant starts, and support pollinators.

YOU(Bakery & Market Gleaners) gather healthy organically grown food & produce to redistribute to hungry neighbors supporting food access and eliminating unnecessary food waste.

With every pair of jeans mended, hat knitted, and letter sent YOU(Menders, SB Knitters, and Free Letters Home) weave compassion and support some of our most vulnerable community members.

YOU (Tool Librarians, Game & Puzzle Exchange, Barter Fair)are encouraging shared/circular economy and keeping useable items out of our waste stream with every tool lent, game exchanged, and barter gift traded.

With every film screening and tabling outreach effort YOU(Ballard Meaningful Movies & Idle Free) are engaging & educating our neighbors while encouraging us to think more about what’s really important and the small steps we can take towards a more sustainable and equitable existence.

At every event YOU(Spring Beer Hop & Festival) are helping bring much needed connection and joy to everyone who participates-from our community partners all the way to the children writing love letter to our local resident orcas…

What YOU do every week/month/season/year makes a DIFFERENCE💕 Thank you for sharing your time, talents, ideas and love for the planet! It is such a pleasure to work together with you all to make Ballard a better, kinder, more compassionate, eco-conscious, sustainable and JOYFUL place to live, work and play. With deepest gratitude 💚🌎~Rain

The University of Washington’s 2025 Scan Design Interdisciplinary Studio is
reimagining a site adjacent to the 24th Ave NW Shoreline Street End on Ballard’s waterfront as a public park.

Join the Ballard Waterfront Park Coalition (Groundswell NW, Friends of Street Ends, Washington Water Trails Association and neighbors) to see the students’ final concepts and learn about community advocacy for a future park.

Monday, December 8, 5-7pm

National Nordic Museum

2655 NW Market St, Seattle WA 98107

Join us in for our annual Barter Fair & Holiday Party! We’ll be at Old Stove Gardens event space (1550 NW 49th St) from 1 pm – 4 pm Saturday Dec. 6th. This is a lovely opportunity to check out the abundant creativity and talent of your neighbors. It’s also a wonderful way to practice eco-friendly/shared economy giving practices during the upcoming holiday season. With corporate greed at an all time high and many suffering you can make a small but powerful difference in choosing more sustainable purchasing practices. Skip the plastic of online ordering and excessive packaging. Making your own gifts or gifting hand crafted/locally made/shopping at small independent businesses keeps our community healthy and resilient. Come find the perfect gift for your special someones or treat yourself!

There will be hand knit and sewn items, felted creatures, local artisanal wreaths, plants, garden art, books, pottery, tinctures, homemade jams, sourdough bread, apple chips, granola, julekake and much more. There will be lots of wonderful items to barter for or in some cases purchase. To sign-up for bartering or just attend this cheerful occasion, please REGISTER HERE! We look forward to seeing you soon!

The SB Knitters look forward to casting off 2025 and casting on to 2026. 

There are no words to describe how much our volunteer knitters and crocheters mean to us. The care, time and skill that goes into creating so many beautiful pieces to get directly to the folks in utmost need, is truly love in action. 

And because knitters are an active skein, we are proposing a 26 in 26 Challenge! Knit 26 of anything in 2026 and your name will be put in a basket to win bragging rights (and a fabulous to-be-determined tiny prize). Too much? Then knit any number of items ending in 6, 16, 76, etc…you do you. THANK YOU SBK!!!!

Last Knitting Meet Up of 2025 is Tuesday December 9th from 7-9pm-Join us at Old Stove Gardens Brewery located at 1550 NW 49th St

Looking for a fun way to refresh your game shelf before the holidays? Join us for the last Board Game & Puzzle Exchange of the year:

📅 Sunday, December 14
🕝 2:30–4:30 PM
📍 Ballard Public Library

We’re returning to the cozy library setting where we kicked off earlier this year—please note this event will NOT be at the Sustainable Ballard Barter Fair as previously mentioned.

Bring your gently used board games, card games, and puzzles to swap with neighbors and discover something new to play this winter. No RSVP needed—just come by and join the fun!

The award-winning feature documentary Plastic People investigates our addiction to plastic and the growing threat of microplastics on human health. Almost every bit of plastic ever made breaks down into “microplastics.” These microscopic particles drift in the air, float in all bodies of water, and mix into the soil, becoming a permanent part of the environment.

Now, leading scientists are finding these particles in our bodies: organs, blood, brain tissue, and even the placentas of new mothers. What is the impact of these invisible invaders on our health? And can anything be done about it?

Acclaimed author and science journalist Ziya Tong takes a personal approach by visiting leading scientists around the world and undergoing experiments in her home, on her food, and her body while collaborating with award-winning director Ben Addelman (Discordia, Bombay Calling, Nollywood Babylon, Kivalina v. Exxon) in an urgent call to action for all of us to rethink our relationship with plastic.

Following the film, Heather Trim, Executive Director of Zero Waste Washington, will participate in our discussion and offer ideas for microplastics mitigation.

Location: Center for Spiritual Living Ballard 2007 NW 61st St

Intermission Sponsor: Mighty O’s Donuts Seattle’s only all natural donut shop

Calling all makers, bakers, crafters, weavers, and creators! Join us for this year’s Barter Fair & Holiday Party at Old Stove Gardens on Saturday Dec. 6th from 1-4pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to get creative and share your talents with our community. It’s also a lovely way to source holiday gifts. Hand made and creative gifts are more economical, thoughtful and earth friendly!

Last year we had personalized book marks, jewelry, walnut liquor original art and much much more! You’re welcome to simply come and enjoy the community festivities. If you’re interested in bartering or attending please register HERE! Questions please contact Jenny

Right on time, the evenings are starting early. Not to fret! Eat some soup and get that UFO (un-finished-object) out of the basket and into your hands. Now’s the time to take all the lovely hats, scarves, and mittens we have been working on all summer and get them onto the heads, necks, and hands of those in true need. Thank you regulars for showing up and a sincere welcome to SB Festival attendees that showed up for the first time! You are all covered in Awesome-Sauce!

Next meet up: Second Tuesday of the month. November 11 from 7-9 pm at Old Stove Gardens in Ballard