The Bath Crafting Cranny

Pretty knitty Afghans

How exciting to have another knitter at work! Charlotte's lent me this wonderful book and it's beautiful patterns are making me feel a little better (the heavy antibiotics are helping too, I expect).

But my eyes started watering when I started doing the sums: a hefty 55 balls is needed...and Rowan HandKnit DK cotton is suggested! Blimey.

So, my initial plan is to knit a mini version of this in some cheaper wool without the beads. A little sad to leave the little jewels off but I want to give it to my extremely pregnant friend, for her impending little one, and I don't want any of beads to be chewed off by a little mouth. There's no point knitting it out of anything too precious either as it will, no doubt, need washing aplenty once in use...

It's officially Socktober

LollyKnit was the inspiration behind Socktoberfest and this year's progress can be followed here.

What a cheery world of appendage warmers! A pair of pins creating something for a pair of pins (as we call 'legs' up North).

I have had the worst cold for a long time (and that's saying something - I have the immune system stength of a soggy mitten): I have cleanly lost 4 days of my life to 'Day Nurse' and decade-old repeats of Dawson's Creek. Absolutely hideous (both the cold and Dawson...). Today is the first day that I've been able to peel off the PJs and think about eating more than a piece of toast. Sigh. (I should have guessed something was up at last Tuesday's pub knit - I started coughing but thought I'd just furballed on some of my fluffy Alpaca wool...)

The good news is that I have finished my first sock. Hurray. If I had the energy to do a little dance - I would. As it is, I'm off to wring out a handkerchief (which is a great pity, as they're beautifully embroidered ones from the wonderful Vintage to Vogue: 28 Milsom Street, Bath. But they do give some cheer to my pestilence).

Wow!

Sara, my fellow knitty publisher, has brought this wonderful website to my attention. I am literally bouncing up and down on my seat with glee.

Under each pattern they’ve indicated the knitting tension (in number of stitches/10 cm) so that suggested yarn may be replaced by yarn with a similar knitting tension.

New designs are constantly uploaded (and you can search the website for new ones) and...wait for it...they're free to download! Also, as if this wasn't wonderful enough, you can see comments from people who've knitted the pattern and chat in their Forum: how helpful!

I think that Scandinavian Knitting Design run this service and, for the first time, they'll be at the Alexander's Palace Knitting & Stitching show in a couple of weeks...You can visit them too by prior appointment - and it's in Reading - only an hour away from Bath...

Lace: love it (again)

The lace abstinence? I take it back. Look at Emma's beautiful scarf! The pattern is called 'Cloud' from GetKnitted (£2; and can be knitted as a scarf, stole or wrap) and it's knitted in Rowan Kid Silk Haze (592: Heavenly).

And Helen's got this wonderful book (example of it's knits on the right) by Jane Sowerby - I'm sold.

Hurrah!

January 19th - March 30th, 2008 

Mixed Media Exhibition featuring work by Kaffe Fassett, Candace Bahouth and Carole Waller.

For Further information please contact:

Victoria Art Gallery

Bridge Street

Bath, Avon            

BA2 4AT

Tel: 01225 477232

October is Felting Month

Wendy Freebourne will be hosting a felting workshop at her house on Sunday 7th October from 13.00-17.00. If you would like to go, please let her know. The cost is £15, plus £3 for materials.

Helen's in the midst of felting madness with this yummily bright yarn (left) from Willow Trading at Glastonbury festival (Willow Trading, 34 Whalley Lane, Uplyme, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3UR; Tel: 01297 443964) and some silvery Rowan Kidsilk Haze.

I've felted my Debbie Bliss Donegal Tweed Chunky for a clutch-purse and it's merrily blocking around my copy of 'The Line of Beauty' by Alan Hollinghurst (which I loved, by the way; if it's not too crinkled after being used as a knitting accessory it will be happily lent out if anyone wants a good read).

Flowers!

Helen been busy crocheting this scarf (Garden Scarf by Michelle Ameron: from Debbie Stoller’s Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker).

Isn't it fab?

We're hooked! Geddit? ;0)

She said it only took her an evening (I'm not optimistic about me being able to match that though...)

:0)

Hurrah, hurray, hurrooo!!

It's back up with a vengance: fireproofed and with its eyes set on touring in hotter climes.

I want one!

They supply beautiful yarns AND they're efficient sentinels! What more could we need?

A farm in West Cornwall has recruited two unusual security guards to protect its hens from harm.

Tremayne Farm, near Camborne, has taken on two Peruvian alpacas - named William and Harry - to keep predators away. Farm manager Giles Greenhough said: "Because of the alpacas' nature, they'll take up the role of becoming guardians of the flock."

Farm director Lisa Rowe added: "Alpacas are used extensively in Australia and New Zealand to safeguard sheep." She added: "We know that happy hens lay the tastiest eggs and for that reason, we recruited the alpacas."

(BBC News, 24/09/07)

:0(

Alison Murray has been masterminding this Giant Knitted Gingerbread house to raise money for Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital and North Devon Hospice. Some 500 knitters from across the UK, USA, Canada and Spain sent knitted contributions to the house...but this morning I spotted this threat in the news:

Wool house ‘fire risk’

Fire officers have ordered a knitted house to be taken down after declaring it a fire hazard. The 10ft-by-14ft house was knitted by 500 women from all over the world and was on show at Atlantic Village at Bideford, North Devon, where it has raised £10,000 for charity. Ann Tattersall, who helped to create the house, said: “This is absolutely outrageous and is health and safety gone mad.” (Times, 21/09/07).

Sigh.

POSTSCRIPT 22/09/07: it's been taken down now....and, somehow, you just know that, at Christmas, they'll have a dry, brittle conifer in that shopping complex with flameball-glued, glittery baubles and rubbish blue-crackling fairy-lights surrounded by a sea of madly-flammable crepe paper...dammit.

Knitting and Stitching Show

Mari and I met on Saturday morn at Birmingham New St. station - she had an early start from Bath, especially for a weekend, and I was shaking off a hangover from staying with my lovely ex-flatmate... but there was plenty to wake us up and keep us entertained at the show! We did giggle at the other shows being hosted at the NEC though (like those on the right)... but then, they probably giggled at ours! ;0)

We thought it might have been a little bit more appropriate for ours to have called the 'Stitching and Knitting Show': there seemed to be lots and lots of embroidery stands and not quite as much for the knitters...and there were lots of general crafty stands (lots of paper and glitter for sale (left); looked like Indian spices!)

But what they did have knit-wise was great! Mari and I went a bit mad in this stand and spent most of our pocket money in the first 10 minutes on the most gorgeous Alpaca wool and lots of bits'n'bobs to satiate our new felting obsessions.

I hadn't anticipated that many exhibitors wouldn't welcome photography - in case we steal their ideas I suppose - but I had imagined that I would be able to find them online.  So, I'm pretty surprised to see that a large number of the artists don't have an online presence - most peculiar! But I have done my best at tracking people down - if you have better luck please let me know and I'll update these links!

We loved the work by Hélène Soubeyran! She doesn't seem to have a website up and running properly yet - but I'll keep an eye on Google...luckily there was a big arrangement of her work in the foyer and no-one seemed to mine me taking snaps (upper right and left)! She arranges the wools in resin and then takes the block to a marble mason, who saws them into slices. They are wonderful! Some look really like geological strata and fossils (upper right) but in other column the colours are really bright and unorganic (left). I was smitten - wools, a fossily-look and art combined - but, sadly, her prices quickly made me creep quietly away...a small 10x7cm block was £100 and the columns were £3K. Eeeek. But, I suppose the cost of the sectioning of the blocks would cause their price to soar immediately. 

Other wonders were Julie Arkell's amazing papier-mache figurines (right): just like being in a fairy-tale book! It reminded me of Ullabenulla's beautiful blog. Many of the little people have knitted accessories... I love this kind of thing - my favourite cafe of all time has to be Hansel und Gretel in Bath, which also has lots of angel, fairy pretty things of this ilk, and it makes me long for Christmas to come..!

Hillu Liebelt makes some lovely tapestries and weaved pieces (left).

I was pleased to see the Lace Guild there too - I've struggled to get the information I've needed from the web...so they were there to answer my random questions.

The Association of Guilds of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers were there too - and a nice lady showed us how to make a drop spindle out of a stick, modelling clay and some CDs. Blue Peter would be proud!

Marie Claire Idées magazine

Sandra has this lovely magazine from her travels and there's a lovely pattern in there for a 'Cache-théière potiron' (left): which seems to be a fab pumpkin tea-cosy...

There's only one problem: the pattern's in French! eeek.

Babel Fish can work wonders but this text has lots of abbreviations and it just can't cope - and neither can my rusty A-level French...is there anyone out there able to help, please?? (a hot cup of tea and a sticky bun in return!)

POSTSCRIPT 18/09/07: Elizabeth Bagwell of Simply Knitting has pointed us in the direction of this wonderful website with a knitty-translation dictionary. Thanks!

One bottle of wine, one tube of Pringles and a night on this website - we could have ourselves a Pumpkin teacosy!

Knitting and Stitching Shows

Wendy tells me that Bakers Dolphin are doing a day trip to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, London, on Thurs 11th or Sat 13th Oct. It leaves from the Hippodrome, Bristol at 09.00 and leaves at 18.30, arriving back at 21.30 in Bristol. It costs £30 (£29 seniors) and this includes entry.

I'm actually going to the one in Birmingham, at the NEC, on Saturday with Mariana if anyone else fancies joining us?

Perfect day: sunny Saturday, knitting and pretty accessories

I spent a lovely knitty-afternoon with Sandra today (lovely to have you home, Sandra!) And she's been busy knitting! Look at her lovely Autumnal bag - it's so beautiful! I love the mixture of textures, details and beads...

And look at the lining! Could it be more perfect for the autumnal theme?! Wonderful..!

It's inspired me to start the felted bag that I've been planning for ages (with Debbie Bliss' Donegal Chunky Tweed)...

I need something to immerse myself in anyway this evening: JohnBoy is flicking between the football and rugby so quickly he's likely to induce epilepsy and he's got the cricket through an ear-piece...sigh!

Patience pays off.. (apparently)

I'm not known for my patience aplenty. And how I would love to sit down and create this wonder: a beautifully-crocheted double bedspread.

On first sight I thought that it might, one day, be in the realms of possibility for an impatient foot-tapping critter like me...until mum told me an old Belgian lady sold it to my granny and she'd started making it when she was only 15. Wow! And the Belgian's lace work is truly amazing. (We used to live in Belgium and got wonderfully embraced out there by everyone and my brother and I got adopted as grandchildren by a farming couple, Josee and Robert. They have been hugely more instrumental in my life...)

My mum says I can have it in her Will - so I guess I should be hoping I've got a long wait..! ;0)

Xtreme-knitting AND woolley fossils

Isn't Google fab? Throws up all sorts of wonderous things. I've found a lovely knitty West Country blog by Jennifer Thurston. She's knitting some lovely stuff AND has a free pattern to some knitted dinosaurs!! :0)

My partner studies fossil sea urchins (don't ask) and have been trying to secretly knit one: I could have a complete Jurassic diorama if I knit some of these guys too! You can download her dino-pattern here.

Micro-knitting

My mum's second home is a twelfth the size of a normal one and yet often more expensive to furnish.

When mum mentions that she's cleaning the house, she is usually referring to her doll's house (right). Our lovely and slightly wacky neighbours have a doll's house too: but theirs is a complete replica of their own home! Even down to the number of tiles on the roof and panes in the window... (I kid you not).

Anyhoo, mum brought miniature-knitting to my attention. (I thought knitting for a premature baby was using small needles..! But - blimey - look at these knits!)

Sue Osborne and Lesley Manieri are the two sites I've gawping over! This outfit (above, left) is Sue's for a 1.5 inch doll! Eeeeek.

And the one on the right is hers for a 2 inch doll.

Lesley's bonnet, shawl and bootees in Gutterman silk thread (left) did make me feel a bit giddy.

Lesley's will be exhibiting at the Miniatura Autumn Trade Show and running a Miniature Knitting Workshop in Bruern (Nr Stowe-On-the-Wold), Oxfordshire on the 26th September. You can download the PDF booking form here. And don't forget your 0.75mm needles.

FibreFest2007!

This looks fabulous: sorry for the short notice! I'd love to go...but am doing the devoted sister thing and going to a Regiment thingymebob with my bro. I am promised lots of hat-spotting and sparkling wine...

Scottish yarns and other tales (and a needle of a sort)

Hello all, just back from the Edinburgh Festival and the highland wildness (where we saw The Needle on the East coast of Skye (left); other photos of Skye are here) - hopefully the hiking and fresh air of the latter counter-balanced the 5am pub closures and the deep-fried pizza of the former...

I've not been to the Festival since I was an undergraduate there six years ago - preferring to visit when it's a little less crazy - but was so glad to be there this year, for a friend's wedding and a good ole chin-wag...

Edinburgh's wool shops are surprisingly far and few between - but there's an excellent, good-value one near Haymarket station (Drummond Wools) so I often pop to that one. John Lewis and the lovely Jenners are in the centre but, whilst both have a good range, are often over-priced and pretty standard fare. There's a lovely one in the trendy Bruntsfield that has some interesting yarns: but, be warned, they're so expensive that I looked at the price list and woke up to some smelling-salts. Most other related shops sell wool-products to tourists rather than yarns for the knitter.

BUT - I did go to a great comedy gig called 'Girl & Dean'  - who knitted all their own props and were sponsored by the Laughing Hens! Fabulous! Quite hard to figure out how they knitted a lot of them though - it's hard to count rows and stitches when you're chuckling..!

Skye has a couple of wool shops. There is supposed to be a lovely one in the north of the island: but, sadly I couldn't visit as there's no public transport and it would have required a 16-mile trek in the rain (...and don't suppose it's that good!!).

But, I did find Carol's Wool in the Portree Gathering Hall. Most of her stock is synthetic fibres though - which I don't like so much - BUT she did have some lovely locally-sourced, -dyed and -spun yarn by a lady who...lives on a boat (see the blurry pics)! How I would love to have seen how she works! What a task - conducting it from a floating home! And, at only £2.70/50g, I was delighted!

Carol told me that most other yarns on the island aren't locally sourced and are only dyed on the island or are local and are dyed off-shore. (If that is the case, I'm glad I didn't make that 16-mile trek!) Interestingly, she explained why she stocks mainly synthetics: most islanders want these yarns to work with as they can just be bunged in the washing-machine. As I gently hand-wash my silk-yarn scarf, this certainly highlights the different roles knitting plays...sometimes it's easy to forget that many people knit to clothe themselves rather than just for fun...a humbling lesson indeed.

Sockophobia (exacerbated by turningheelsophobia)

Socks are scary. Something to do with the 5 needles (doesn't it look like a Chinese martial-art weapon?) and the whole heel business. Eeek.

But Helen's lovely, lovely socks have inspired me to give them a go (so if I get hooked, she will be held responsible!).

I found my first sock project from a wonderful book (the rather web-elusive 'Knitting Step-by-Step' by Quantum Books). I found it in Bath's fab Good Buy Books for a piddly £3 (AND I also got Mary Webb's 'Knitting Stitches' (right) here for a few pennies - beautiful stitches for many hours of happy playing!).

'Knitting Step-by-Step' has got a Know-How section with a section on turning a heel (on lined paper so you can scribble in any of your own notes - genius idea!): it's a pattern for simple Dutch heel (a square sort of heel) and so I proudly completed my first sock! Hurray!

I'm tackling Yarn Forward's Lace socks now (just can't stay away from lace!) to practice more complicated heels...fingers crossed. I've started it as a dummy sock in horrid 100% acrylic yarn to get the pattern right before moving to prettier yarn - but I'm not convinced this is the best tactic anymore...it's not hugely inspiring...perhaps I'll take Fiona's advice and just take the plunge with my new lovely sock yarn (left) from Laura Bobbins! I've got StitchLinks free sock tutorial on my lap if I get stuck too...toes crossed I'll have a pair of socks done by the next meeting..!

Yarn forward

The new wool tent at the Trowbridge Village Pump Festival was (wo)manned by a lovely girl called Laura Bobbins (how great if this is her real name!). She's based in Portsmouth I think. She gave me the Yarn Forward magazine with my woolley purchases...and I love it!
It's edited and published by Kerrie Allman: who also also owns MagKnits (an online free knitting magazine), HipKnits (a hand-dyed yarn company) and SewHip (a funky fabric store and free magazine).

There's lots of nice, simple and well-illustrated patterns and ideas in there. It's still somewhat in its infancy (their first issue was only published last Autumn), so it's nice to be able to support them with a subscription (and at £18 for 4 issues/yr it's a good price too!).

Knittitastic

What a happy Sunday afternoon! (Except that I'm still battling with my smoke-ring scarf...I think I might have had one glass of wine too many on Tuesday's meeting: I've got myself into a right knittiknot. Sigh.)

Fiona came to today's meeting: she's just moved to the Bath area and is knitting this wonderful Kauni cardigan (see photo): in the round with a checked garter stitch edging and a steek. You can follow her progress and see her other lovely knits here.

I'm keen to try a garment in the round - think I'm a happier in-the-round knitter on the whole and I love the idea of no seams and sewing-up... I've still got the glorious Debbie Bliss wool coaxing me to try a colourful autumnal cardi once I've got this pesky smoke-ring scarf done... (can you tell the sparkle's gone from this scarf project now? hehe..)

Griffin-tastic

When Mari dropped stitches, I lost count of what pattern repeat I was doing for the gazillionth time and Helen got more and more bored of her second sock...there were some green eyes as Elizabeth sat merrily stitching away at this!

It might seem more carefree, cheery work than knitting - but you should have seen the crazy, psychedelic chart that went with it. Eye-bleedingly complicated...and the work can take years to complete... (perhaps I'll stick with knitting for now..!)

The Knitting & Stitching Show

I'm going to the 'Knitting and Stitching Show' on the 15th September in Birmingham with Mariana! Can't wait!

I'm looking forward to seeing Hélène Soubeyran's exhibition: she says she uses 'biological, geological, pedological inspiration' for her work! Science and wool amalgamations - my favourite!

Hmm, there's an idea? I wonder if I could try and knit my doctoral supervisor a trilobite? It might be possible if it's a nice, smooth one and not like the one on the left! Any ideas?

Black Swan Arts

Sue's uncovered these workshops at the Black Swan Arts in Frome: don't they look fab!!  

I've already been lured in by the ‘Knitting Workshop’ (Saturday 13 October) and ‘Extreme Knitting with Rachel John’ (Saturday 10 November; 10am – 4pm) but the editor in me is desperate to try the ‘Bookbinding with John Jameson’ (Saturday 20 October; 10am – 4pm).

That's got to bring some mid-week cheer!

Knitty chuckle

My colleague saw this in a book review and thought we'd like it!

'Tall story

No only did postmen use stilts as a speedy way to get around; so too did shepherds. “The shepherds of the Landes spent whole days on stilts,” says Robb, “using a stick to form a tripod when they wanted to rest. Perched 10ft in the air, they knitted woollen garments and scanned the horizon for stray sheep. People who saw them in the distance compared them to tiny steeples and giant spiders. They could cover up to 75 miles a day at 8mph. When Napoleon’s empress Marie-Louise travelled through the Landes . . . her carriage was escorted for several miles by shepherds on stilts who could easily have overtaken the horses.”

THE DISCOVERY OF FRANCE by Graham Robb'.

I'm struggling to knit in itself, and there they were: staggering 10ft in the air, tending a load of baffled sheep and knitting up Fair Isle jumpers on the side. A-hem, ever so slightly humbling. You can read the full article here.)

Bath Stitch'n'Bitch Big Day Out!

 The knitting group and shop 'I Knit London' (IKL) is hosting the UK's first official Stitch 'n' Bitch Day! Hurray! It's on Saturday 10th November at the Royal National Hotel in London. Read more here! (their website will be regularly updated as things progress!)

The main reason for the event is to host the launch of the next book in the Stitch 'n Bitch series. Debbie Stoller will be making her first UK appearance to meet and greet SnB groups and sign copies of the new book, Son of Stitch 'n Bitch. She will also talk about the SnB phenomenon, host a Stitch-Doctor workshop and a fashion-show based on designs from the book.

There will be talks and workshops from other designers (including Betsan Corkhill of Stitchlinks in Bath), entertainment from DJs and Amy Lamé's Pom-Pom International, art and charity knitting projects, plus vendors selling their wares - yarns, needles, books and accessories from across the UK and further afield all under one roof! There will be a photo shoot; the largest SnB group ever assembled!

As this is first and foremost a celebration of Debbie Stoller and the SnB movement, every SnB group in the UK is offered a group discount on tickets. A minimum of 10 and maximum of 20 tickets have been allocated for every group at the discount rate of £5 per ticket (£7 standard, £9 on the day).

Payment must be made for all tickets in one transaction - IKL can't add any extra tickets to the group allocation once numbers have been confirmed: please let me know if you wish to come and I'll place the group ticket order..!

IKL would like to include some kind of display featuring work from all the SnB groups in the UK so we can supply any photos of our group or articles from any of Debbie's books that we have knitted...anyone willing to display photos of their Debbie-pattern knits?

Knit a Natty for a great cause

Wendy and Victoria Else in Matlock, Derbyshire, have organized a great campaign: 'The Knit a Natty Key Ring'. The idea is for people to make miniature knitted items to be put on key-rings and sold in order to raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. All you need to know is here: Download KnitaNattyKeyRingCampaignInvitation.pdf.

I've asked if she could send us 20 or so split-rings - which would mean one evening's work for 20 of us! I'll be making some: the cause is a closely-supported charity by me (only THREE weeks to go). Please contact me if you'd also be willing to make something and I'll can give you the key-ring bits'n'bobs! Their deadline for knitted key-rings is 1st of November.

The other way you can support this cause is to purchase some completed key-rings - I can put in a order on behalf of the whole group so, again, please drop me a line if you wish to buy some!

Trowbridge Folk fest: mud, wool & ale...can it get better than that?

I've been practising my crazy jigging for weeks now but even that wasn't enough to prepare me for the complication that is: mud. It does hamper a good ole dance somewhat.

The Trowbridge folk festival is a cheery, beery, foot stomping kind of event that takes place (misleadingly) in the beautiful village of Farleigh Hungerford. This year's ran from last Thursday to today.
Thursday evening was lovely but most of us were bracing ourselves for rain. And rain, it did.

It rained absolutely torrentially on Friday, brightening up to a steady downpour on Saturday, a blink of sunshine on Sunday and a blinding bit of rain this morning. (Although, now my head is peeking out of the festival bubble it seems we fared pretty well compared to some places...)

Due to the really hard efforts of the festival staff the event stayed open and - in fact - seems to add to the enjoyment of many..!

Luckily, John-the-geologist had made sure we were totally prepared so our tent and us stayed pretty dry the whole time...but lots of people had to make do with plastic bags tied in a cunning fashion to act as a waterproof jacket...

The music made up for weather: Seth Lakeman (who else can jig, sing and play the fiddle simultaneously??); the wonderful Eric Bibb; Kate Rusby (her broad Barnsley accent completely disappears once she starts singing); the lyrical genuises Show of Hands (you can see one of my favourites based on the former Minister of State Kim Howell's comments about folk music here - actually I think this was filmed when I first saw them live a couple of years ago); and this year's surprise, Gareth Pearson: 18 years old and one to keep a beady eye on...this video doesn't do his electrifying live performance justice...

The best bit though was the new wool-shop tent: hurray!

Some HipKnits silk yarn to add to the stash (below) but, for now, I've turned my flea-attention span to socks: more of that soon!

Knitting with your teeny-tiniest of needles

Shelley Mitchell from PreemiesUK wonders if any of us might be willing to help. PreemiesUK knit and crochet clothing for premature babies and you can help by donating materials, such as buttons and yarns, or knit clothes yourself and donate the finished garment.

The purpose of this charity happens to be close to my heart and I shall certainly be knitting frenetically. Some thirty years ago I was born pre-baked at 27 weeks (see photo on the right), weighting a pitiful 2lbs. (Mum said she thought she'd given birth to a guinea-pig.) My parents were told that I had only a 30% chance of survival and, if I did live, then I would be severely brain-damaged. Cheerily, I did live and seem to be doing just fine!

My brother argues that I must have some kind of brain damage as: (1) I was once willing to do a job that paid only pocket money (but I got to collect fossils for 3 years!! Would do that for free); (2) I will merrily read for a gazillion hours without looking up or breathing; and (3) I find enjoyment from wrapping lengths of yarn around sticks. I suppose he's not wrong...

Shrimpy socks anyone?

Helen is knitting socks with this wonderful wool!

50% superwash wool, 25% soysilk, 22.5% cotton, 2.5% chitin. Chitin is a protein found in crustacean shells: the wool is soooooooooo soft. I love the way I can knit with my favourite invertebrates!

It is a little painful on the purse (£12/100g ball) but one ball will knit a pair of socks (425m (463 yards)).

Get knitting @ Get Knitted

I'm always foaming at the mouth to do the Bristol-London trip and spend my pocket money on wool in the Big Smoke: but it seems the feeling is entirely reversibly-mutual! Flibbertygibbet and her gang went to Getknitted in Bristol on a Big Day Out.

Actually, it is good to remember how lucky we are to have a shop with so much stock on our doorsteps! Wool shops seems far and few between. And places like Oxford - where you might expect to find a good haberdashery - don't have wool shops.

Get Knitted have sent me a press release about their WWKIP day:

BRISTOLS LORD MAYOR HELPS CELEBRATE ‘WORLD WIDE KNIT IN PUBLIC DAY’

Saturday, June 9th was ‘World Wide Knit in Public Day’. In Bristol, the ‘Knit and Natter’ knitting club, based at ‘Get Knitting’ on Brislington Hill, was joined by The Lord Mayor, Cllr.Royston Griffey. The Lord Mayor quickly got to grips with needles and yarn! “I am amazed at the range of colours and materials available”, said the Lord Mayor. “What a wonderful emporium for all things knitting ‘Get Knitted’ is. I am delighted that these premises are here in Brislington.” He now joins the growing band of personalities who have taken up knitting! He was presented with a tie knitted by a member of the group that very morning as a reminder of his visit. A basket of flowers was presented for the Lady Mayoress by 7 year old Sunita Morgan, the daughter of the owners of ‘Get Knitted’.

The ‘Knit and Natter’ club meets on the first Saturday of each month. All knitters are welcome to come along for a knit, a natter and a cup of coffee. Anyone who would like to learn to knit is also welcome.

‘Get Knitted’ is probably the largest, specialist retail outlet in the UK for yarn and all things knitting. There is some free parking on Brislington Hill with plenty of free parking behind the shop. Knitting is a growth activity. It provides a sense of achievement and is very calming and relaxing. ‘Get Knitted’ is owned by Sue Morgan and her partner, David Husbands who live locally, and their young daughter attends the local school. “If a non-knitter acts as chauffeur for some one visiting us”, said David Husbands, “they can either sit and enjoy a tea or coffee and read a magazine, or visit the other shops in the parade – possibly get a hair cut, buy a bottle of wine or some flowers, have a snack, get fit, buy some clothes, arrange some investments, place a bet, use the launderette, or pick up a ready cooked meal – without the bother of driving into central Bristol”.

Twinkie-tastic: food for thought

*excited squeal!* Look at these knits (below)! Wonderful! (Don't ask why I was googling for a cupcake scarf..!) 

I did find something even more perfect: an edible blend of science, sugar and creativity (right).

What could be better? More cupcake beauties can be found here!

Tues knitting cheer

What a knitting throng we were on Tuesday! Lots of good tips and ideas for us all…

Helen was making the most wonderful shawl (Fiber Trends - Shoalwater Shawl pattern: left) out of beautiful aqua coloured wool (Lorna's lace wool (Helen's Lace in Seaside: right).

There’s a knot in the wool that might hinder Helen's speedy progress but she tells me that there’s a way to make square-topped balls from a hank (see below): this might not help future knot-situations but the wacky wool shape will more than make up for it.

Furthermore, Helen's introduced me to the Denise needles. Merits are: (1) a range of sizes between 3.75-10 mm (extra long cords and large mm needles are available separately); (2) makes circular and/or straight needles; (3) variable lengths from 17” to 58” so they’re suitable for small and large projects; (4) stitch holders included; (5) compact 7” x 8.5” case for easy organization; (6) airline safe and travel friendly; (7) guaranteed for life; and (8) you can buy the whole set for ~£25…

Because you can leave your project on the cords, you can attach the needles to a new cord, knit merrily and return to the old work as and when. Wish I’d heard about these earlier – I have about a squillion 4mm needles because I’m always half-way through projects (and so rarely reaching that happy completion point!).

Would you like square balls of wool (left) and a way to have your thumb back to hold your teacup whilst untangling that hank? If, like Helen and me, you like wood-crafted thingimibobs, centre-pull balls and are fed up of having a digit stuck in a ball of wool until the damn thing's fully wound, then this is the gadget of the day: a Nøstepinde (below). You can purchase them here and get the full instructions here! And, the best thing, you can build a wool-wall with these bricks!

Mari was still battling with her hat…and me with my scarf…mine’s a bit of a cheat really…it looks pretty complicated but it’s just 3 stockinette rows and 1 lace-knit row (Lace Scarf pattern from Debbie Bliss Pure Silk).

Betsan suggested Sian try the 'Simply Knitting' magazine's latest tip for her rainbow hat: insert knitting needle under the first loop of the stitches all along the row below the error. Be sure that you're staying in the same row as you work horizontally across. The loop will be the right half of the stitch on a knit side... The row that you've inserted the needle into will be the one you'll start knitting on after you unravel the yarn. To unravel just remove the working needle, take a deep breath, close your eyes and pull. Ingenious!

But the pièce de résistance has to be Peter’s wonderful innovation: tubular knitting on TWO double-pointed needles. And, not only that, it was knitted in intarsia too! Peter was working quite quietly and happily creating what, for all intents and purposes, looked like a thick stockinette square until he turned it inside out and produced: a seamless pouch! With much gasping and clapping from us...wonderful!

Time to get out our diaries...

New June events are planned for Bristol's Get Knitted shop:

'Saturday 2nd June sees our monthly knit and natter from 10am-12 midday. Pop in with your latest knitting project for tea, coffee and cake. Spend the morning chatting and knitting with people who share your knitting passion.

Saturday 9th June is Worldwide knit in public day. Here at Get Knitted we want to make a real statement about the popularity of knitting so please pay us a visit between 10am-3pm. We will have lots of tables and chairs outside where we can all sit, knit and wave our sticks at passing cars. We will also be teaching people to knit too so if you can lend us a hand we'd be grateful. Plenty of tea, coffee and biscuits too.

Saturday 16th June is 'Sock Saturday'. Running between 10am and 2pm we will be gathering with our sock knitting and swapping hints and tips. If you are new to sock knitting you are welcome to pop in and someone will get you started on your first sock….you'll be hooked! Tea, coffee and biscuits too.

Saturday 23rd June is our Needle Felting Demo day from 10am to 5pm. This type of felting is becoming increasingly popular and it is amazing the things you can create using this technique. We will be showing how to do it as well as showing finished pieces as inspiration. You can even have a go yourself too if you fancy.

Saturday June 30th welcomes Pam who will be demonstrating the Bag Smith bags and how to add a novelty or textured yarn to completely change the way the finished bag looks. This will be between 11am-12 midday.'

Hurray! I'm definitely going to the Needle Felting day so hopefully see some of you there!

Scientific knitting!

Betsan, the organiser of Stitchlinks, recently contacted me with about research being conducted into the healing powers of knitting (something I alluded to here). How great that some people are attempting to provide some robust answers to this!

She says "We’re collecting a large volume of anecdotal evidence via an online questionnaire and need to muster the help of as many knitters, crocheters and cross stitchers as possible. We need to collect thousands of stories which will then be analysed and presented to experts in a number of fields of medicine and psychology. Only first names will be used in the final documentation so no contact details will be passed on to anyone."

They are avidly searching people's input into this research and you can participate by filling out a questionnaire on their site. Here's a link to why their research is important...

Supergran! (yummy smoothies AND Rowan vouchers...mmm!)

I love the makers of Innocent drinks! I love the little bottles with their witty little blurbs, the yummy flavours and the fact the fact they started with so little and now have a squillion-pound turnover (but, given the price of the shakes, it's not that surprising, is it?!). But, best of all, I love their Supergran campaign. Last year more than 220,000 hats went out to see the world - with 50p donated by Innocent for every little hat - that's a lot of money!

This year Rowan has stepped up to help, and they have a great deal for knitting clubs: they will send you ideas for Knit in Public day, free hat patterns and vouchers! (Thanks for the info, Wendy.)

E-mail them at [email protected] or, if you're speedy, you can write to them at: Knitting in Public Day, Rowan Yarns, Green Lane Mill, Holmfirth HD9 2DX. (Please mention Bath S'n'B.)

Innocent even give us funny little knitting tips. I've not knitted a hat yet and figure this is the best way to practice: albeit on a mini-scale...if I use mini-needles too will it feel like a normal-sized hat knitting experience?! :0)

Excuses to knit in public

It is World Wide Knit in Public Day on Saturday 9th June!

As if we needed more of an excuse..! 

I've missed the deadline to sign up Bath (dammit) but, that day, I will be sitting in a sunny public place knitting merrily. My Oxford knitting buddy, Rachel, will be visiting: if anyone else fancies joining us please drop me an email!

And they say knitting is for relaxation...

Not that you'd know, from listening to me knit: the ranting and raving

with fury as I gather up all those  dropped stitches and rip inches off my needles (At the last S'n'B meeting I ripped 5 inches of carefully knitted smoke-ring scarf (garrrrh!) Wine please!). But it surely serves other functions. Knitting is a brain-balm: knit and forget...knit, purl, purge. Of late, it's definitely been a way for me to focus attention away from things I'd rather not accept…

Nora of Nori Designs has created a beautiful pattern for Forget-me-Not flowers: all the proceeds go to Breast Cancer Research (the pattern can be purchased through the 'Spring 2007 - embellishments' link from her home-page). Now I can knit, purge and contribute to the scientific understanding of this unrelenting, indiscriminate disease that has cast a recent, dark shadow... (but beware: grief makes for angry knitting...)

Any knitted in memory of loved ones will be worn by Dorret Conway (of Knit Knack) on June 17th Edinburgh when she walks the Edinburgh Moonwalk. Send your flowers to: Noni Flower Appeal, PO Box 1052, Preston, Lancashire, UK PR1 0XS.

I'm off to buy the pattern...and knit like a lunatic.

POSTSCRIPT 17/05/07: Get Knitted at Bristol is now selling the flower pattern online here and in the store.

Shawl compromise

I am a paradoxical lace knitter, I'm afraid. The patterns are so lovely to knit and the creations are gorgeous to gaze at...but the idea of wearing a shawl? Well, as much as I love Jane Austen, I just can't bring myself to don one. Anyway, even if they didn't seem so olde worlde, they just look bad on me. I haven't yet developed that art of sweeping them casually around the shoulders.

So, I end up loving the knitting of them but am never sure what to do with the end-results...  But this garment? I love it and I'll wear it! I've got this lovely wool to play with: Hand Maiden's Sea Silk. Eunny's knitted it beautifully, with some alterations. (It's just a shame it's too hot to wear it for months! Hey-ho.)

Yum!

Look what Sue's found! Mmmmm - the mouth waters.

AND as an added bonus, anyone who buys enough yarn to make 'Annabelle' can have the pattern for free. Hurray! (Just email them when you're placing your order and they'll send you a copy.)

(I really wish they showed a little of each of the yarns knitted up though - my eyes go all funny when I try and imagine what they'll look like as socks!)

What a difference a day makes...

I was lent a lovely wee book by a colleague (thanks Sally!) called 'Traditional Knitting' by the Good Housekeeping Institute from the glorious 1980s. It's got some fabulous stitches in there: Christmas trees, viking boats, llamas, seaweed, turtle tracks...

I liked the look of the strawberry stitch and thought I'd have a bash...but halfway through I was regretting my choice: it had a bobbly, yuk, organic feel about it. I felt like I was knitting intestines. Bleugh.

  But, persevere I did. I took Eunny's blocking advice and glumly finished the work, sticking in the pins with extra force.

And, then, in the morning look what was waiting for me:

Mmmm! The recipient is to be a supervisor of my Zoology project all those years ago at Edinburgh Uni (which initiated my future fascination in pesky trilobites): and, if you squint a little, can you also see a mass of trilobites in this pattern? Ah, the Knitting Gods were smiling.

Thank you, Mr Postman!

YAY! My Get Knitted order has been delivered!! Oooo, be still my shaking hands! Good job they put sugary sweeties in the tissue paper to help steady them! I was lucky enough to get Debbie Bliss Maya 100% wool in my favourite colour:  

And, what's more, it was on offer! Only £6 for a hefty hank! Hurray!

Other wonders were this pattern book (below left) and pure silk (below right):

 

The patterns look lovely. I've not yet tackled a full garment...and this curved edge jacket is top of my list. But I'm not sure I can afford to make it just yet! (9 balls of silk at £6.50/ea is a steep price to pay for something I might mess up!). A word of warning: muppet here tried to convert the hank to ball, created a migraine-inducing muddle, and the eschewing untangling caused the silk to look a little tired. Booooo.

Ooo, and a couple of hanks of this divine wool (Colinette Cadenza in Slate; right). I'm thinking socks when I've more knitting-courage. These lovely colours should give me some help me find the nerve...

How afternoons should always be

What a fabulous day!! Rachel and I took afternoons off work and had Hours of Fun! First, lunch at Metropolitan Cafe, followed by some gasps at the loveliness in Museum of Costume then a successful Button Browse in Jessie's Button Box (more later!) and then some beautiful Daniel Craig in 'Casino Royal' with a bottle of red. Do days get better than this? :0)

Mmmmmmmm!

Look at this brooch and bangle:

 

Aren't they gorgeous?! And for only a tenner... Australian designer Liana Kabel will send them to the UK for a few extra pennies - but, beware, she only makes a few of each piece so once it's been brought it's gone...

Compassionate Knitting

Do you ever sometimes want to knit something but are stumped for ideas? Do you ever run out of people to give knits to? Well, here's your solution. Happy knitting!

 

Never underestimate the power of wool

This little lady made me laugh!

Wonderful woolley-weekend

The details been released for this year's Wonderwool Wales event! It looks fantastic! I am looking forward to the pom-pom race! (Is it possible to make 30 pom-poms in 30 minutes?)

Probably the best combination...

...food and wool! The makers of the Shaun the Sheep movie are sponsoring a PicKnit!

If you're very quick you could knit up a drumstick...but if you're stuck for ideas, how about some tofu or a chocolate bar?

I found these websites here last year when I was looking for free knitting patterns. I couldn't quite believe the food category - and now it looks like it might serve a purpose! (A prime example of not throwing something out incase you might need it one day...). More scary though was THIS! Bleugh. Can you imagine if it rained!!! ;0)

Peep peep!

Here's a pattern for a Easter chick Creme-Egg holder, courtesy of my boyfriend's mum (thanks Joyce!).

This should knit up well with 4-ply but if you're going to use fluffy wool or ostrich wool then you'll need to check it sits nicely on its egg before having a knitting frenzy and ending up with Mini-Egg holders (I speak from experience). (...but Creme-Eggs are surely smaller than they were, aren't they? Even though Cadburys claim that we have just grown!)

(1) Cast on 22 stitches; (2) Knit 3 rows; (3) Increase 1 stitch on each row until you have 38 stitches; (4) Knit 2 rows; (5) Cast-off 12 stitches; (6) Knit 14 (15 stitches now on right-hand needle; (7) Cast-off remaining 12 stitches, cut off long tail of wool; (8) Pull tail of wool through loop of last stitch, pull tightly to secure; (9) Re-join wool and knit 6 rows of 12 stitches remaining on left-hand needle; (10) Knit two stitches together six times until 6 stitches remain; (11) Cut long tail of wool (~50 cms) and pull through six stitches with large-eyed needle; (12) Sew up seams; (13) Sew on boggle-eyes and felt beak; and (14) Stuff head with cotton-wool and body with a Creme-Egg. A chick is born - hurrah!