Bournemouth Show is cancelled

Friday 2nd March After speaking with all the exhibitors, the school and friends in Bournemouth, I’ve decided to cancel the show. Some exhibitors had already set off, as some roads are clear. However, safety must come first and the dreadful weather across much of the country means we must all stay safe. Please spread the word as best you can and I’m truly sorry this year’s event can’t go ahead.

Ann Croucher posted at 11.00 am this morning (Friday) in her Facebook Group The Bournemouth show is cancelled. We had storm Emma come in last night and there is ice everywhere. It might all melt by tomorrow, but there are trees down, crashed and abandoned vehicles and it would be very dangerous for the exhibitors to travel today to set up in time for tomorrow – though some had set off early this morning to try to reach us. Apparently the Dunkirk spirit is still going strong. Please contact anyone you know might have been intending to travel to the show, just to be sure that the news is passed around asap.

Thursday 1st March (The first day of Spring!) We spoke to the school this morning and everything is ticking over as usual. The roads in and out are okay and the forecast for Saturday is five degrees, chilly with a thick cloud cover and a little rain in the afternoon, so we’re still optimistic. We haven’t had an update from the area about the progress of Storm Emma, but we’re keeping a close watch.

Anne Croucher posted at 11.23 am on Wednesday in her Facebook Group “If you are coming to the Machine knitting LIVE! do in Bournemouth this Saturday and are worried about the snow, there isn’t any around here. It is too warm for it I think – the year the country looked like an iced biscuit when viewed by satellite, we were the bit at the edge which had been missed. The road to the school is a main thoroughfare anyway, and close to the hospital. so it would be amongst the first roads to be treated if there is ice, but that is a rarity too. The ground is simply too warm here.”

Wednesday 28th February At 11.00 am we’ve just spoken to friends in Bournemouth. There’s no snow and any frost there may have been overnight is gone. The sun is shining and the sky is blue. It’s cold, but there’s no frost to be seen on roof tops and the roads are running smoothly.

The ‘beast from the east’ has definitely blown in and the weather has disrupted travel in some parts of the country. At present our Bournemouth Show will go ahead this Saturday and we’ll keep the website updated for your reassurance.

 

 

 

Andrea from Andee Knits writes:-

I am currently keeping everything crossed that the red weather warnings around the country are lifted before Saturday so that all the exhibitors can make it to the show.  The Beast from the East is due to hit me here in Somerset this afternoon and we are all being advised to be warm and indoors by 12.00 noon before it hits!   Hueemonster the Van is loaded to the hilt with Yarn, Spares and Books and we really hope to see everyone on Saturday as planned!

Lift to Bournemouth wanted

Hi Anne, just wondering if you know of anyone not too far from Old Windsor who is going to Bournemouth on Saturday? I’m desperate to go and I’ve arranged for someone to sit with my Aged P. Will pay petrol if anyone is willing and I can meet someone not too far away, but I’m just not sure my car will make it all the way to the show. Here’s hoping, Clare

Your prayers have been answered Clare and we’ve had the offer of a lift for you.

March 2018 – Issue 242

March 2018 is our latest issue. It went out to subscribers on 1st February and was officially on sale on 8th February. If you order a latest issue and subscription bundle, we’ll send you this issue and your April 2018 magazine will be posted on Thursday 1st March.

Bournemouth Machine Knitting LIVE! 2018

 

This year the show takes place on Saturday 3rd March from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at Bournemouth School for Girls in Castle Gate Close, Castle Lane West, Bournemouth, Dorset BH8 9UJ. Tickets are available and cost £5 in advance or £6 on the door. The school refectory opens and staff provide hot and cold refreshments throughout the day.

Fiona Morris is our Guest Speaker at around 11.00 am. She’ll be talking for the first time about her journey into knitting, her adventures into machine knitting and her latest exciting project.  Marianne Henio, together with Carbery and Ringwood club members will organise and present a fashion show in the afternoon around 2.00 pm. Many of Marianne’s designer garments will be on show for the first time and she’s available all day to chat about her work. 
Look out for Andee Knits, Anne Croucher and the Knit Clinic, B Hague & Co, Bill King, Carbery MKC, Dave and Jason Hampson from The Wool Cabin, Elaine Cater, Fiona Morris, Guild of Machine Knitters, Knits ‘n’ Bits from Wendy Piper, Machine Knitting Monthly also with Anjo Designs, Marianne Henio, Nina Miklin, Ringwood MKC, Rob Fountain, Sue Castro and Uppingham Yarns.
Buy advance tickets now in the shop and save £1!

Each one teach one

Dear Readers

This month’s Slice of Life rang lots of bells and made me smile. Fran hooked a couple of teenagers and I may well have added my three-year old grand-daughter to the list of knitting machine enthusiasts. There’s always lots to do when she comes, as I’ve loads of paper and pens, books and crayons. She sits on my knee at the desk and we flip from stickers to dinosaurs and stamps to Play-doh as we while away many happy hours.

The last visit included mummy, daddy and her other granny, so we were all sitting round chatting when she announced that her bunny was cold and needed a scarf. I was ‘volunteered’ to make one, so we went up to my knitting room and she pounced on a luscious ball of multi-shade bright lime and emerald yarn with lots of shiny green knobbles. (Smooth DK? Not a hope!) I found a short pair of knitting needles and we went back to join the others. Having cast on six stitches and knitted a bit to start us off, I sat on the floor with her between my legs and we managed two rows. She held the ‘sticks’ and lassoed the yarn round the top of the needle, until dismay set in. She stood up. pulled it off the needles and with her hands about eight inches apart, announced she needed it ‘this long’, not just a tiny square!

For years I’ve had a Mattel toy knitting machine tucked away in a corner, which was holding much promise as we opened it up. There were balls of lemon, mauve and pink yarn sitting neatly on the top, soon destined to become a scarf for dolly. Instructions? What self-respecting machine knitter needs a manual? Having used one of those little French Knitting machines for years, I worked out a way to cast on and, with an easy turn of the handle, we were soon knitting. Round and round she turned and out of the bottom popped the knitting. We changed colour twice and, in no time at all, made a very fetching scarf to keep dolly warm. Slightly in danger of strangling herself, she pulled the rather short strip tight round her neck and waltzed through to the adults. She pushed the hand knitting out of sight behind a cushion, with the style of Joan Lafferty and announced: “I’ve made a scarf for my dolly, but this is proper knitting on a machine and I can do it”. It was huge fun and if ‘each one can teach one’ we’ll soon have a full-scale revival on our hands!

Do come and join us on Saturday 3rd March at Bournemouth School for Girls in Castle Gate Close, Castle Lane West, Bournemouth BH8 9UJ. There will be lots to see, try and buy and do bring a hand-knitting with you. We could try conversion tactics or, at the very least, have a really good knit ‘n’ natter!

 

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If you live in the USA or Canada, you might like to know that we ​send out copies from the UK, but we also also ​offer a bespoke service. Dorothy and Bernie Rosman are our distributors for the USA and Canada and they look after all our readers personally. They sell new Silver Reed knitting machines, used Brother, Knitking, Studio and Silver Reed models as well as carrying many needed parts for Brother, Studio, Singer and Silver Reed knitting machines. Machine Knitting Monthly can be ordered direct from http://www.customknitsmfg.com and they also distribute Machine Knitting Monthly by subscription or single copies.

 

Garter carriage help needed, please

I have garter carriage KG-95 with a Brother 950i machine. I’m having difficulties getting started for the auto cast on. The Instruction Book says: “990 men button/men button insert 901 m” but the machine won’t accept 901 and the error light keeps coming up. This makes it a problem for the garter carriage to operate the cast on row. Also on the garter carriage when it’s operating, the slide No. 3 keeps changing and this changes the direction of the knitting. Can someone please help me? I live in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and would appreciate any advice. Many thanks.

National Needlecraft Awards

The Spring Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia London in March will be hosting an exciting new celebration of the world of needlecraft –  the National Needlecraft Awards (www.sewandso.co.uk/national-needlecraft-awards-2018). Developed by online needlecraft shop SewandSo (www.sewandso.co.uk), the awards are open to individuals and for nominations for talented friends and family. There’s also an opportunity to vote for favourite designers.  There are General, Cross Stitch and Needlecraft categories and awards include Needlecrafter, Young Needlecrafter and Best Joint Needlecraft Project of the Year, Stitching Hero of the Year, Best Use of Colour and Designer of the Year for both Cross Stitch and Other Needlecraft and Best Contemporary Embroiderer. Entries are via the National Needlecraft Awards website and must be submitted by midnight on Thursday 15th February 2018.  Shortlisted entrants will be notified by 17th February and will be required to post their submission for final judging.  The awards take place at The Spring Knitting & Stitching Show at Olympia London on Thursday 1st March 2018 at 4.30 pm in the Creative Living Theatre.

One week only – save 25%

At this time of the year we all need a treat so, for this week only, Marianne Henio has slashed the price of all her patterns, both hand and machine, by 25%. Use the coupon code 25percent Check out her website for those patterns that have tempted you and buy them now with great savings! Click here…