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


Rowan shade cards


more shade cards
A variety of gorgeous yarns...


variety of yarns


Point Five patterns
and


patterns
and finally


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

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.