News

It’s the time of year for last-minute ideas, so check out the following website for something seasonal from Texere.

http://www.texere-yarns.co.uk/texereshop/Shop_Sections_Single_Sheet_Crochet_Patterns_317.html

If you live in the area, the Little Northern Contemporary Craft Fair at Christmas is coming up on the 7th of December. As a not-for-profit company, your support would be much appreciated and full details can be found at:- www.greatnorthernevents.co.uk

Pollyanna Pickering is coming to Leicester’s Creative Crafting World (CCW) craft warehouse, 2 High Street, Oadby, Leicester LE2 5DE on the 13 December, from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Customers at the craft outlet will be able to see her paintings first hand and talk to her about her fascinating expeditions. There will be Pollyanna Pickering gift products on sale including her exclusive craft kits made by CCW. There will also be knitting yarns and lots of special offers. Refreshments will be served too as well as the opportunity to enter a raffle to raise money for Pollyanna’s charity. Lynda Chapman, a regular guest demonstrator on the Create & Craft Channel, will also be on hand to advise and chat to shoppers.

Pollyanna Pickering is the most published fine artist working in Britain today and is recognized as Europe’s foremost wildlife artist have won over thirty international awards as well as exhibiting her work at internationally renowned galleries including the Royal Academy. Pollyanna also has a raft of celebrity collectors including Princess Anne and Pollyanna has recently hit the headlines with her work with Queen’s Brian May.

www.creativecraftingworld.co.uk feels immensely privileged to be working with such an enormous talent and is pleased to bring her intricate designs into the paper crafting arena where it is certain they will be a big hit.

This is the perfect start to your Christmas celebrations. Experience this unique Victorian setting and enjoy a day packed full of family festive fun. Santa will be in attendance to welcome children to his grotto with gifts for all. Traditional music, food and activities will make this a festive day to remember.

Step back in time and explore this magical Victorian setting. Visitors after dark can enjoy the site by lantern. The Ruddington Community Choir, the Maids of Clifton and a traditional barrel organ player will be in attendance to provide a day of festive family entertainments. Roasted chestnuts and hot crumpets will help keep you warm and refreshments will be available in the Chapel. Demonstrators will be on hand to bring the crafts of framework knitting to life and visitors are welcome to have a go on the circular knitting machines. As expected, the museum’s Textile Emporium offers a wide range of Christmas gifts for all ages and budgets.

Paul Baker, the museum manager, said “this will be our biggest and best Christmas event yet with a wide variety of activities and entertainments throughout the day. The museum’s Victorian buildings offer the ideal setting and our volunteers will be in period dress to make the experience all the more authentic.”

The Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington is Nottingham’s only working textile museum and celebrates the workers and trade which gave birth to Nottingham’s Lace Industry and the violent Luddite uprising. The unique historic site includes workers cottages working machines a Chapel and Britain’s only Luddite exhibition. For further information contact:-
Paul Baker Manager Framework Knitters Museum Chapel Street Ruddington Nottingham NG11 6HE
Tel 0115-840 3105
Email office@frameworkknittersmuseum.org.uk
Website www.frameworkknittersmuseum.org.uk.

Needles at the ready . . . the new Christmas Knits book is out NOW! Create your own Christmas Sweaters with a whopping 38 design possibilities in a great range of sizes from 61 to 112 cm (24 to 44 inches).

Take a look at the website at http://www.tbramsden.co.uk/catalog/designs/wendy-1/christmas_knits

As part of Channel 4’s Christmas craft programme with Kirstie Allsopp this year, Raise The Roof Productions is running a Christmas jumper competition that’s open to men of all ages!

If you’ve hand-knitted a Christmas jumper that you’re immensely proud of, or you intend to knit one (yes, there’s still time!) they’d love to hear from you!

Please contact them ASAP on 07725-221140 or at Christmas2014@raisetheroofproductions.com including a photo of your work.

I think your filing system might be somewhat better than mine so I wonder if you could help. Thanks and best wishes Phil Jackson

Here are a couple of patterns to knit with any 4-ply oddments, Phil.

BED SOCKS
Version 1
Push 39 Ns at centre of machine to WP with extra N at right. Using MY, cast on by hand. Set RC at 000. Using MT, K 50 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of every 10th row until 29 sts rem. RC shows 100.
* Shape heel ** Set carriage to hold. Push 1 N at carriage end to HP on next 16 rows. Push 1 inside N at opposite end to carriage from HP to UWP on next 16 rows **.
Sole K 60 rows. Adjust length at this stage, if required.
Shape toe Work as given for heel from ** to **.
Instep K 60 rows. Adjust length at this stage, if required. Place marker at each end *. K 100 rows. Push Ns to UWP. Lay yarn over Ns and K by hand taking Ns down to NWP, then cast off with a latch tool or work a loose cast off.

Version 2
Push 38 Ns at centre of machine to WP. Push every 3rd N back to NWP. Using MY, cast on by hand. Set RC at 000. Using MT, K 1 row. Using MT-1, K 39 rows. Push empty Ns from NWP to WP. Make a hem by placing loops from cast on edge evenly along the row. Inc 1 st at right edge. 39 sts. Set RC at 000. Using MT, K 10 rows. Dec 1 st at each end of every 10th row until 29 sts rem. RC shows 60. Work as for Version 1 from * to *. K 60 rows. Transfer every 3rd st on to adjacent N. Push empty Ns to NWP. Push Ns from WP to UWP. Weave in nylon cord, under and over Ns as a marker. Using MT-1, K 40 rows. Push empty Ns from NWP to WP. Make a hem by placing loops of marked row evenly along the row. Using MT+3, K 1 row. Push Ns to UWP. Lay yarn over Ns and K by hand taking Ns down to NWP, then cast off with a latch tool or work a loose cast off.
Making up Join foot and side seams, matching markers to sides of heel.

Every nook and cranny has been turned into a storeroom. However, Paul is confident that stocks will reduce once the museum opens from Wednesday to Sunday each week from the beginning of April. In the past, local companies have donated end of run yarn and whilst gratefully received, this has tended to be in just one or two colours. One huge bonus of readers’ yarn is that it’s come in every colour of the rainbow. This means that each area looks vibrant and exciting and the museum has sprung to life. More details from museum manager Paul Baker, Framework Knitters Museum, Chapel Street, Ruddington, Nottingham NG11 6HE.
Tel 0115-984 6914
Email Rfwk-Mus@btconnect.com

We’re a group of 16 ladies who meet once a month, we’re all experienced knitters and our excellent committee works very hard. Each month we’ve a guest speaker, mostly concentrating on knitting and related crafts. Also, each year two ladies come from the Guild of Machine Knitters to demonstrate. We meet on the second Monday of the month and we also have an all-day workshop every two months. We look upon it as a ‘help day with a theme’ and the first one this year is on the single bed colour changer. We’re all there for each other, we’ve room for lots more members and the more the merrier! To join our group, please call Mrs B Fenton on 01772-684712. Thanks and best wishes, Alwyn Yost