Friday, September 11, 2015

September AGM and 'Show and Tell'

First meeting of the club year started with Annette collecting subs for the year, and handing out pocket-size printed programmes to members listing the speakers, hands-on sessions and challenges for the upcoming year.

As it was the first meeting of the year, it started with the AGM. 14 enthusiastic knitters turned out for the evening. Some suggested that the low turn-out might be because the first Tuesday was also the 1st of the month, so might have been a bit of a surprise to some people. Hopefully there won’t be too many people turning up at the hall next week!

There were a few bags of yarn and knitting books on the charity sales table this month, with all donations going to the Royal Marsden Hospital.

The AGM was swiftly started with a run-down of the accounts by Annette, and formal election of the new committee (details of which were printed in Liz’s summer letter emailed last month). Liz then took us through the programme of the events for the upcoming year.

In February we will be making felt balls, of the size appropriate for making jewellery, or embellishing a bag or scarf. An empty yellow plastic egg from inside a Kinder Egg will be needed, so a good excuse for a chocolate treat! Small scraps of wool yarn will also be needed, so start collecting off-cuts and tail-ends now. Only a handful or 2 will be needed.

Next month will be a hands-on session knitting a poppy. Some red yarn, and either black yarn or a black button will be needed, and either knitting needles or a crochet hook.

The 2016 annual challenge will be to knit the provided V-neck cardigan pattern, using a yarn from your stash. No gauge will be provided, as the pattern will work with any gauge, so use any yarn you like. Be creative with the yarn, stitch pattern and any trimmings, but avoid tuck and slip stitch as that will mess up the proportions. This project has the joy of no tension square! The pattern will be emailed to members this month. We look forward to seeing the range and variety of garments created from the same knitting pattern.

There was a discussion about whether to continue making knitted squares. There was a general lack of interest because they can be rather dull to knit. If you do make any squares, then bring them along and give them to Rita, who will continue to join them up into blankets. Christine has recently knit a lot of squares for Rita, and Rita brought along a blanket she had finished making up.



For those who also attend the local Wednesday morning Yateley group, it has moved to 11am - 1pm on Tuesdays, and relocated to Montego Hall.

With the AGM completed, the show and tell began, and everyone had been very busy over the summer.

Sandra machine knit a sideways skirt in pink Hobby and Silk using a Beverly Wall pattern.



Annette hand-knit a 2ft high Santa, who stands on his own, to go on display in a florist shop this winter.



Vee had knit a striped jumper with a trim, using Marion Nelson stitch pattern cards, with a crocheted neck.

Phyllis machine knit an Ann Brown cardigan in blue Silky and Shetland yarn, with internal seams bound in matching knitted bias binding.

Carole has been hand knitting hats based on doily patterns. A blue hat and scarf, and a pink hat and scarf.






Nina had hand knit a fluffy brown owl.


Christine has been playing with her 1940s shawl pattern. She brought along 3 variations: the original shawl, a lace variation in 4ply hand-knit over 100 stitches, and a variation with lapels hand knit using Shetland 3 ply over 120 stitches.



Liz hand knit a baby hat, a matching family set of ear warmers, and a finger “ring” cable needle holder.

The headbands were based on this pattern:

The cable ring holder is from this pattern:http://www.letsknit.co.uk/free-knitting-patterns/cable-ring