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Dear Readers

Last month I promised you some captivating reading and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with our centre four pages this month. It tells the remarkable story of a circular knitting machine and its owner. The machine is restored and in full working order, having started a remarkable journey almost 100 years ago in Essex. Milissa Ellison Dewey has researched and written our fascinating story and she lives in America with her husband, Alan. Master Turner Alan is originally from Hull in the North East and he’s the world’s foremost restorer of antique chess sets and spinning wheels. Together, they’re superheroes of the spinning world and are the fibre-tool restoration couple known as Bobbin Boy. Milissa has one of the world’s largest research collections of circular knitting machines. They range in age from the early 1870s and come from 13 countries, including many from the UK. She now has about 80 circular machines, as well as ten or so rigid ‘V’ bed models. Whenever possible, she tries to identify machines with known provenance as it’s the machines, together with the folk who struggled to find the money to buy them, that are of equal interest. Thank you so much Milissa for all your historical research, which has brought one of this country’s knitting machines to life.

I’m pleased to have heard again from Carole Dunkerley, whose Father Christmas hat pattern was a huge success in our December 2018 magazine. Lockdown has given Carole lots of knitting time and she’s been busy making an assortment of knitted ‘heads’. They can be attached to all manner of items such as gift bags, key rings or a Christmas tree. If you’ve run out of time to knit garments for everyone, they’ll be thrilled with a personalised gift bag and you’ll find Carole’s happy collection on Page 27.

Another alternative that’s homemade and original could be one of Bill King’s cards. Uncover a wealth of possibilities in your stash of oddments. The fabric to make 80 or 90 cards will soon be knitted with eight single motifs across the width of the needlebed and Hobbycraft has 50 plain white cards and envelopes for £5.50. Bill tells us what to do and how to do it on Page 52, so you really can knit something for all your friends and family this year.

In this issue, I always remind you that we need to turn our attention to the kitchen in six weeks’ time. This year, though, I’ll not worry if I haven’t made the cake. Carole has come to the rescue with a last-minute recipe and it’s on Page 12. A drop or two of whisky is essential, but it will be the ‘merriest’ cake you’ll ever make! Until next month, cheers!

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Dear Readers

It’s been a happy month, with a steady flow of news that clubs are starting face-to-face meetings again. There are lots of changes in Clubline and our Clubs Directory and I’ll include full details next time that Middlesex Machine Knitters has a new name and new venue. Members used to meet in Hounslow, then kept in touch via Zoom when Covid-19 appeared. They were planning to go back in September, but had a problem with the venue so have found somewhere new in Ealing, West London. This has needed a name change as well. They now call themselves West London Knitters: Machine, Hand & Other Textile Crafts. They’re meeting at the Open Ealing Art Centre at Unit 14 Dickens Yard, School Lane, London W5 2TD. It’s easy to get to by public transport and there’s a car park nearby. Meeting times have also changed to the second Friday of the month, from 1.30 to 3.30 pm. For the most up-to-date details, contact Elaine Cater at info@elainecater.com or call 01305-852255.

Similar news came from Janet Shuttleworth in Christchurch. You may remember me telling you that Carbery Machine Knitting Club had closed and I was especially sad, after a long association with the club and its support for the Bournemouth show. Their new name is Dorset & Hampshire Coastal Machine Knitting Club and members will meet on the first Wednesday of the month from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon. The new venue is St Catherine’s Hall at 17 Marlow Drive, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 2RR. For up-to-date details, email Janet at jan.knitting@outlook.com

Lots of clubs have enjoyed Zoom, but you’ve all told me that seeing each other in the flesh is wonderful. There’s no hugging (of course!) but meeting in person feels as if things are returning to a new ‘normal’. I’ll include full details for Ealing and Christchurch in Clubline next month, along with updating our Clubs Directory. There are also some gorgeous samples from Ealing. In the meantime, do contact Elaine or Janet direct for their latest news.

Next month, the magazine goes out to subscribers on 4th November and it will be time to mention that the ‘annual event’ in December will be just seven weeks away. I’ve promised many of you that I’ll include a selection of your most popular requests. However, if it’s one time of the year that passes you by, you’ll be spellbound reading the remarkable story of a restored circular knitting machine and its owner, who lived in Essex and achieved financial miracles using it. Karin Rogalski has been knitting for us once more and we’ve an Alison Dupernex design. Do join me again next month and, until then, knit happy!

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December 2021

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Dear Readers

This month I’m acutely aware that my letter to you each month is turning into an obituary column. However, I can’t ignore the fact that one of our greatest fibre artists and machine knitters, certainly in my lifetime, has died and I can find almost no record of her passing. My friend Susan Guagliumi gave me the sad news that Susanna Lewis has died. It seems Susanna had surgery for an aneurism that was apparently successful, but heart complications followed and she died on 15th July. Susanna was born on 1st November 1938, lived and worked in New York, but she was an extremely private person so that’s one possible reason why I can find no obituary elsewhere.

I met Susanna at a Metropolitan Show in Bournemouth, back in 1986. Machine knitting was on the crest of a wave and I’d just started to publish and edit MKM. Susanna was a guest speaker and in the UK to promote her new and now legendary book. It was published by Lark Books, together with co-author Julia Weissman. She signed my copy of ‘A Machine Knitters Guide To Creating Fabrics’ and I’ve lasting memories of a softly spoken, but amazingly talented fibre artist. It had taken over five years to develop and write this important book and I don’t know of a knitted fabric that’s not included.

Susanna’s work is displayed in many museums and galleries in America and she was one of that country’s first generation of machine knitters. Already well-known in 1971, she wanted to settle into one technique to create fabric and bought her first knitting machine. She spent four years learning to knit, because she went through the machine manual very methodically. She often said that almost everything she knew and taught was in the owner’s manual. At the end of four years, she could make a domestic knitting machine do anything she wanted.

By 1993, Metropolitan had a new home with Carol and Mark Hocknell and I took over publishing To & Fro, with masses of help and support from Hazel Ratcliffe as Editor. Susanna guarded her copyright fiercely, but most graciously gave To & Fro an exclusive two-part article to publish on Split Mitres, incorporating techniques she’d included in her book. In the world of domestic machine knitting, she was way ahead of her time and the work she created is simply without equal. Susanna and Julia included the following dedication at the start of their book and it’s written for all of us.

“For all knitters and fiberists of the past and present, whose love for their craft has inspired the continual evolution of skills and techniques, and whose use of the craft helps us see beauty and meaning in the continual evolution of life. They provide the heritage and legacy for the knitters and fiberists of the future, so that they too may experience the thrill and joy of discovery, understanding and creation; in turn to promote communication and understanding in oneself, and between people and cultures worldwide.”

“My self-concept is as an artist,” she said, “and I use the knitting machine as a tool in creating art.” May your work live on Susanna, to bring joy and inspiration to future machine knitters all over the world. Thank you for your immense legacy and we’ll always remember you.

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November 2021

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