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Latest Issue

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August 2017 is our current issue so if you order a subscription and latest issue bundle, we’ll send you this magazine. Your subscription will start with September 2017, to be sent out to subscribers on 3rd August.

All good stuff

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Hi Anne

First of all I’d like to thank you for the many years of pleasure I have received from your magazine. I have issues going back to your very beginnings and I take great pleasure every once in a while in going through them, reading the articles, getting inspiration from the great designs and reconnecting with the great designers who are no longer with us. Every month there are always at least one or two must make designs — some months more than others. The June 2017 issue was so full of good stuff I don’t know where to start!

It’s also great after all these years to find a copy at the local Barnes and Noble. You can’t imagine how delighted I was, while browsing craft magazines, to find you there. I couldn’t believe my eyes. That being said, I do like the idea of a digital copy and look forward to subscribing to it.

Best wishes, Florence

All are welcome

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The Guild of Machine Knitters National Guild Day and AGM will take place on Saturday 17th June 2017 from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. The venue is Leigh Park Community Centre, Leigh Park Way, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 3FN and it’s on the A3098 and not far from the A350 and the A36. Nick Traylen will take a good choice of Uppingham Yarns and you can pre-order anything special. He’ll also bring a selection of machine-knitting accessories including needle retaining bars.

Jan Truman is guest speaker and she’s exhibited widely. Her large floating sculptural pieces for ponds and lakes have been seen at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Jan knits smaller pieces, too, including jewellery and she works with wire and beads to create her wonderful pieces. Marianne Henio will also give a talk during the morning. She’s created her own designs on a standard gauge Brother punchcard machine for over 30 years and has now moved on from making bespoke clothes to selling her patterns.

The AGM is held just before lunch, usually takes no more than 40 minutes and often a lot less. You’ll need your own packed lunch, but there’s a local supermarket just across the road. The Westbury Woollies will provide tea and coffee and maybe a few cakes as well. Non-members are welcome to go along to enjoy the day, but obviously they’ll not take part in the AGM. (Members free, non-members £5.) Put Saturday 17th June 2017 in your diary now, to make sure you don’t miss this important day in the Guild year, or enjoy a day out with lots to see and do in a lovely area. For more details, visit www.guild-mach-knit.org.uk

Nottingham Show

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Hi Anne

You did it for Bournemouth, so do let us know who will be at the Nottingham Show and give us some info about the talks please. Looking forward to it.

The show takes place this Sunday 9th April from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm at West Park Leisure Centre in Wilsthorpe Road, Long Eaton, Derbyshire NG10 4AA. Although the centre’s kitchens were decommissioned at the New Year, we’ve some great local caterers who will supply freshly-made hot and cold drinks and food throughout the day. 

 Tickets are available and cost £6 on the door, plus tickets to our talks at just £1 each and we’ve three Guest Speakers.

BILL KING is first to speak at 11.00 am and his talk is called Strange Shapes. There’s always a huge interest in his holding position garments, so he’ll  go into detail about the short row garments you love and include fresh ideas and possibilities. He’ll bring his knitting machine and be available all day to explain techniques personally.
ELAINE CATER  follows Bill at 12.30 pm and she’ll be talking about cables. Let’s Twist Again takes the fear out of knitting a cable and Elaine will explain the cheats cables  suitable for  all single bed machines.
SUE BOOTH is our final speaker at  2.00 pm and she’ll talk about  Finishing Touches.  Sue will include feature seams, zipper enclosures, reversible joins and all sorts of other things using her garments as samples.
Confirmed exhibitors are Anne Baker and Karabee Designs, Sue Booth, the popular button man Arnold Bennett, Elaine Cater, Bill King, Brenda Gould and Knitting Machine Journal, David and Jason Hampson from The Wool Cabin, B Hague & Co with twisters, linkers and accessories, Mary Hawkins representing the Framework Knitters Museum, Guild of Machine Knitters including Ann Matthews from Mapperley Machine Knitting Club demonstrating throughout the day, Knits ‘n’ Bits from Wendy Piper, Machine Knitting Monthly also with Anjo Designs, Metropolitan Machine Knitting, Nina Miklin, Rob Fountain, Erica Thomson and Uppingham Yarns. We also welcome Patricia Dyson and a team of six representing the Nottinghamshire Guild of Spinners, Weavers and Dyers.
I hope this is all the information you need, but do please ask if you’re unsure about anything. 

New for old sponge bar

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Hi Anne

I’ve just replaced the sponge bar on my Singer Model 120. After trial and error, I put a strand of 100% pure thick wool in the bar and pushed it in with a spatula. Then I put white glue on it and laid in another strand of wool. I just pressed with my fingers to make sure it glued on. You might have to repeat pressing with your fingers every two or three minutes for fifteen minutes. Use the same spatula to push both strands about one inch at beginning and end, so the wool doesn’t get caught in the needles. It worked for me! Best, Gisele

We all do what we can to support our craft

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Hi Anne

Thank you kindly for your support. We all do what we can to support our craft.

The Carolinas Machine Knitters Guild (CMKG) is hosting a seminar just minutes away from the airport in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA (RDU). It will be held at the DoubleTree by Hilton, 4810 Page Creek Lane, Durham, NC on Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, 2017, including an optional banquet dinner and fashion show on Friday night. Our demonstrators are Mary Anne Oger, Mike Becker and April Mills.

Anyone interested in registering for the seminar can go to this link: http://carolinasmkg.com/Events/CMKGseminar2017.html and either register online or download and mail the attached registration form with a check or money order, as indicated on the form (sample attached). Below are the seminar costs. The hotel is lovely and we’ve negotiated a nightly rate of $99 for reservations made by April 12, after which they’d be a whopping $139/night. Hotel reservations can be made from a link on our site or by calling the hotel directly. Their number is also on the form.

Friday OR Saturday (One Day) Seminar Registration with Lunch $70 (USD)
Friday AND Saturday (Two Day) Seminar Registration with Lunch $125 (USD)
Friday Banquet Dinner and Fashion Show (Optional) $39 (USD)

Anne, again, thank you so much for your support. Best regards and happy knitting,

Cindy LaDelle

President – Carolinas Machine Knitters Guild

We’ve got EXCITING NEWS!

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Hi Anne

I’m Mary Karnes and I’m writing to let you know that Carolinas Machine Knitters Guild (CMKG) is hosting a machine knitting seminar conveniently located just minutes away from the Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina airport (RDU). Seminar registration includes lunch and chances to win door prizes, and there’s an optional banquet dinner and fashion show on Friday night with prizes. Our demonstrators are Mary Anne Oger, Mike Becker and April Mills. Since we’re all interested in promoting machine knitting, I thought I might let you know how you can help make this a great experience for the machine knitting community.

Carolinas Machine Knitters Guild 2017 Seminar

First, spread the word about this and any other machine knitting seminar. There seem to be quite a few seminars being held across the country lately, and all are great learning opportunities. Please feel free to share this information about our upcoming seminar. Anyone interested in registering for the CMKG 2017 Seminar can go to this link: http://carolinasmkg.com/Events/CMKGseminar2017.html to register online or download a registration form and mail it with a check or money order, as indicated on the form.

Next, consider advertising in our seminar registration booklet to help offset the printing cost. Advertisements that fill one‐eighth of a page are available at a minimal cost of $20. This can help direct our attendees to your shops or services for machine knitting supplies, accessories and parts. Simply e‐mail the contents of your ad to this email address:  Treasurer@Carolinasmkg.com. Payment can be made by PayPal to this same address, for your convenience.

Finally, kindly consider donating door prizes. Anything related to machine knitting would be graciously accepted and your name and business information, if applicable, would be read aloud as door prizes are drawn. Appropriate items include patterns, tools, accessories, magazines, subscriptions, and anything else related to machine knitting. Your generous donations can be mailed to:-

Cindy LaDelle

President, Carolinas Machine Knitters Guild

619 Near Post Drive

Fuquay Varina, NC 27526‐5872

Bournemouth Machine Knitting LIVE!

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Hi Anne

I’ve had a request from some club members wanting to know about the Bournemouth Machine Knitting LIVE! Exhibition specifically. They would like to know about the speakers and the exhibitors who will be at Bournemouth. I did see there was a list of all exhibitors in the magazine for both Nottingham and Bournemouth but no indication of who was specifically going to which show. If you could point me in the right direction that would be appreciated.

The show takes place this Saturday 4th 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 £6 on the door. The school refectory opens and staff provide hot and cold refreshments throughout the day. Cadets and officers from the local branch of St John Ambulance are on standby and also look after left luggage and run a tombola to swell club funds.

 Guest Speaker is Fiona Morris at 11.00 am and Carbery and Ringwood club members organise and will present a fashion show in the afternoon around 2.00 pm.
Confirmed exhibitors are Andee Knits, Anne Baker and Karabee Designs, Anne Croucher and the Knit Clinic, Bill King, Brenda Gould and Knitting Machine Journal, Carbery MKC, Dave 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, Metropolitan Machine Knitting, Nina Miklin, Ringwood MKC, Rob Fountain, Sue Castro and Uppingham Yarns.
 
I hope this is all the information you need, but do get back to me if you’re unsure about anything.