Fleet Knitting Club: Newsletter No 19

Hi Everyone

I had hoped that I wouldn’t need to assemble an August Newsletter but as we aren’t returning to actual meetings just yet I feel it’s the best way to keep in touch.

Thank you to everyone who contacted me following the Newsletter No 18 and the email I sent regarding a September meeting. It’s good to know that so many of us are thinking alike and that I’m not the only one urging caution. The decision to not have a meeting in September was a difficult one, but I’m sure it is the right one, especially when you hear about numbers going up and up and people who have been double vaccinated testing positive. I’ll contact the school a week or so before the October meeting is due and see how things are, and a decision will be made then about whether we can safely meet.

When we can meet again I will be sending everyone guidelines for meeting safely, including any requirements from the school, and collecting phone numbers for track and trace. It will be your personal responsibility to decide whether or not to come to the meeting. If you’re not on my email list then please get in touch and I can add you.

Gaynor has had a good idea. She has put all the dates we should be meeting on her calendar with the aim of keeping it as her “knitting club time”. When we can’t meet or she can’t make it for some other reason (such as babysitting!) she will knit or plan a future project. She might even phone a friend and talk knitting just as we would if we were meeting (although maybe not for the same length of time!). Would you consider doing the same? Let me know if you’d like to talk knitting with another club member and I’ll pair you up.

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Exhibition Update

At the time of writing some exhibitions are going ahead, with restrictions. It’s too late now, but I was interested to see that tickets for The Southern Wool Show were not sold out on the day the show opened.

I’ve also just heard about a festival at Farnham Maltings. Called Sweater Weather it’s for like-minded knitting and crochet enthusiasts and takes place on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th September. Entry is by timed ticket which may need to be purchased in advance.

KCG News and Notes from Sally

Firstly, we heard this morning that the September issue of Slipknot has been delayed. It’s down to the printers and distributors and outside the control but it will be out as soon as possible. If you can’t wait for it to arrive, there is a digital copy available from the members area of the website. KCG have also been busy digitizing and uploading back issues which are being uploaded to the members area to either read on line or to download. There’s still a few gaps but give them time. It’s volunteers doing this after all!

Guild members have until midnight on Wednesday 8th September to cast their votes for the 2012 AGM. Each member will have received an email tied to the voting poll and their email address to enable them to vote. There was also an email sent regarding the AGM which once again is taking place on line.

Some Branches are hosting their meetings on Zoom and it is possible for KCG members elsewhere to join in. Look at the Sharing Knowledge page of the website for more information.

There are also a number of events and things happening that may be of interest. Here’s just a few of them:

à The Bedfordshire Regional Day will be held at Leighton Buzzard on 2nd October 2021. Tickets will be available from 1st September

à Oxford will also be having a Regional Day, and Lichfield are planning one for next year.

à The Fabric of Britain TV series is available on the BBC iPlayer. The episode on the History of Knitting, featuring Angharad Thomas of the Collection Team, may be available for a few more days.

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I have a note in the folder for this newsletter to say that there is a lovely piece on Radio 4 “You and Yours” about the huge interest in knitting and crochet being taken up and it’s mindfulness quality. It’s worth listening to. I can’t remember who told me about it or where it came from, so if it was you, thank you and I’m sorry I didn’t make a note of your name.

Browsing the World Wide Web

Would you like to see knitted glass? Take a look at Carol Milne’s website. Maybe it’s me, but I found the hands a bit creepy! There’s a little i in the bottom right corner which, when clicked, brings up more info about each piece.

Do you have problems counting rows? This page on the UK Hand Knitting Association website may help.

Here’s a Teddy hand puppet pattern from the Knit a Square website. You can either work from screen or download as a pdf. There’s a link to a website for where to send a puppet on completion and it’s also suitable for shoe boxes.

It’s complicated by I’m sure an experienced knitter could work this fancy cast on. The commentary is not English a picture tells a 1000 words and there are text on screen that are in English. This will lead on to other cast-ons if you look to the right of the screen at the suggestions of what to watch next.

O-go is an innovative new format for tangle free knitting. If I’ve understood it correctly you can start the yarn at any of the colours. As for whether it’s tangle free, I think it’s something you have to try to be convinced. If you try it let us know how you get on.

This crochet wind spinner caught my eye. I’ve had a go (see show and tell), but I think I did the last row too tight.

If you were as fascinated as I was by the way she was making the slip knot, then this demo video may help. Ophelia also has other videos so look round for them too or click the red subscribe button.

I found a video showing three other ways to make a slip knot, so if you don’t get on with the one above then try one of these from Bella Coco.

What do you do with sheeps fleece when you can’t spin with it? Lay it down as part of a path of course! This article from the Irish Times tells more.

Whilst we’re visiting Ireland, here’s a link to Irish Moss Stitch.

I haven’t been able to find anything for machine knitters, so if you find anything of interest do let me know and I can either include it if there is another newsletter or tell all at a meeting.

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My Stay and Home and Keep Busy List/Chart

Crafting of any sort has been a bit slow since the last Newsletter but I have finished the blanket of squares. I was especially pleased when the edges turned out neat enough not to require a crochet edging! There’s a picture in show and tell.

I’ve also had a go at the crochet wind spinner mentioned earlier. Still yarn from the stash, but the choice is getting more limited and so is the quantities. I’m looking forward now to having a reason to go and buy more!

Just because I haven’t done much crafting doesn’t mean to say I haven’t been busy and occupied. I have been doing some more sorting out and rearranging of the stashes, as well as some housekeeping on the computer. It’s amazing how much stuff you download and never look at again. I’m also not very good at filing things properly and then, because I can’t find what I’m looking for on the computer, I go and download another copy!

Another job has been to go through the paper filing cabinet and chuck out paperwork, much of it from when I was working (and I haven’t done that for 10 years!). I had to look at each page, not to decide if I wanted it, but some of it would need to be

shredded as it contained personal information. Part way through the shredding the shredder ground to a halt. I’d tried to do so much it had over heated, but luckily, once it had cooled down, it still worked so I took it slower and eventually reached the end. Other papers went into recycling of course!

We’ve also spent time in the garden. Now the pond has been relined and is leak free it’s time to make it look neat and tidy and a nice place to sit and think (or knit/crochet!).

The Christmas card kits worked really well. It was good to have everything to hand and be able to show progress immediately, and without spending time looking for things or deciding what to do. I still have to put the stamped greeting inside, but that can be done when it’s time to write the cards.

We’ve been invited to a wedding in October, so I’ve been thinking about clothes! I’ve a few ideas for makes, but must not leave it too long to make decisions or I’ll run out of time. But more on that next time. I must get this Newsletter finished and emailed out!

Show and Tell

Alison has once again had to do plenty of resting and whilst doing so has had plenty of time to knit for her children and nieces. Here’s some photos she sent.

These look really lovely Alison. I’m sure the pictures don’t do them justice. I’m looking forward to seeing more of your knitting when we meet again.

Gaynor didn’t have any photos to send, but she did send some links and told me that she has been teaching her granddaughter to knit. Whilst looking around for some easy patterns she found some great website. The first is some weird but awesome knitted things. The next is for Odd nit where you can browse by knitting level or category amongst other things. Another site to while away time is Fact Retriever where there is almost 50 facts about knitting!

Thanks Gaynor. I wonder if you ever found something for your granddaughter to knit.

Ros has send some pictures of her latest bits. Like most of us she still has some WIP’s. The cardi was knitted with two ends of 2.30’s and the ribs are industrial 2x2 and the braid was made on an inkle loom that her some made for her. It’s her first attempt, but you’d never know it.

These look great. I think it will be a long time before I never have any WIP’s!

Candida has knitted a fairisle yoke cardigan. The front was knitted as one piece and steeked. We’d talked about it when we did our one and only Zoom call and suggested knitting a different stick to show the line for cutting to keep it straight.

Candida tells us that she is now knitting 4ply on a 3mm circular needles and doing short rows and wrap and turn for the first time. She got a book on that, and also watched Youtube.

Before I finish—here’s my photos. One is of the squares I’ve knitted and sewn into a blanket and the other is of the crochet wind spinner. This isn’t the full length, and I took a close photo for more detail! Ends and a hanging loop still to do and it might need a bit of steam too. Done in the right colours this could make a good Christmas decoration or tinsel substitute.