Monday, September 12, 2005

Knitting Groups

The Stripey Tiger asked about my knitting groups which also gives me a perfect excuse to show the goodies sent by Laughing Hens.

About a year ago I decided that I wanted to join a Knitting group as I wanted to learn more & make it more social rather than knitting inside on my own. I searched for a group in the city where I lived, joined UK Hand Knitters but still couldn't find one locally. I joined the Knitting & Crochet Guild & started attending a group about 30 miles away. It takes me 45 minutes to get there in good weather but it was nice to meet other knitters & learn new techniques. Every month the group learns a new technique or refines something that you already know but I still wanted a more social event.

I decided to set up my own group as it was obvious that there wasn't one already & I could either stay at home & knit or get out there & set a group up myself. The next problem was the venue - where could we meet?

By chance I had half an hour spare before I collected DD from school one day & decided to stop for a hot chocolate (I don't drink tea or coffee) in a new cafe. Obviously I had my knitting with me so sat there very comfortably on a sofa & knitted until it was time to go to school. The seed was sown & two days later I went back to enquire if the management would be open to allow me to hold a knitting event there once a month.

I saw the manager & she said that she'd mentioned to her husband after she'd seen me a few days before that they should set a knitting group up!! To which I replied that that was why I was there. I didn't have much notice before the first session but still managed to get 4 people besides myself. We met last Friday & for the first time had 16 people. The room was too full & if it's as busy next month we can have the much bigger main room. Next month we're meeting to celebrate National Knitting Week & we're all going to be knitting or crocheting 8" squares in various shades of blue. The squares will then (eventually) be sewn up into a blanket or blankets & the money raised will go towards Help the Aged.

I've been searching charity shops for odd balls of blue & a few LYS's have promised to have a look for odd balls that they can't sell as I want to be able to give everyone at least 1 ball of blue yarn next month to take home & knit or crochet more squares. In November we'll start the part that we all admitted to hating - sewing up

Which leads nicely to the goodies which Laughing Hens sent for the group when I registed with them. If we make a joint order using our group reference number we qualify for a 10% discount.

To start with a variety of shade cards...

Colinette shade card
Colinette shade card


Rowan shade cards
Rowan shade cards


more shade cards
more shade cards

A variety of gorgeous yarns...

variety of yarns
variety of yarns


Point Five patterns
Point Five patterns

and

patterns
patterns

and finally

Debbie Bliss Book 4
Debbie Bliss Book 4


You can imagine the fun I had opening that lot!

Finally some knitting progress - I have been knitting whenever I can as normal but only have one photo for you taken a couple of weeks ago as we came back from our trip to Buxton.

4th row of Entrelac shawl
4th row of Entrelac shawl


I'll be honest & admit that I haven't touched it since as I wanted a break from it. Instead I've been concentrating on Daisy which is near completition & a couple of other smaller projects. I want to get everything finished & also sew up the awful cardigan which I am ashamed to say STILL hasn't been fully sewn together, before I do some blue squares & then start my next project.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

All it needs is someone who has a bit of get up and go. Well done for organising your group!

Bethany said...

Looks like you're well on your way on the Entrelac Shawl... one thing that helped me TREMENDOUSLY was learning to cable without a cable needle-- HUGE timesaver. There's a tutorial on www.wendyknits.net.