News

End of the cold weather?

Many of you ask repeatedly for inspiration and I hope we can provide it this month. There’s an amazing Andy Holden exhibit at the Tate until 10th April and I can’t wait to go into London to see it. Yes, your eyes aren’t playing tricks : there’s machine knitting at Tate Britain! Andy broke a Knitmaster and Silver Reed machine before seriously injuring a Brother chunky during his epic knit-in. The result is absolutely awesome and I’ll include a feature in the next couple of days.

I’ve had more inspiration on from the next generation of Oz knitwear designers. Tony Bennett has sent us some great examples of their work and not one of them had any experience with machine knitting at the start of their year. Tony was a tutor at his local college and I wish he was over here to share his undoubted talent with us. Interestingly, lots of the yarn the students used was from Yeoman so we can replicate some of the ideas.

For those of you who like to attend workshops with eminent names in machine knitting, I need to mention that there’s a rare opportunity to work with Iris Bishop on an individual basis from July 19th to 23rd. It’s hands on and you’ll experiment with single and double bed fabrics, in preparation for textiles and garments. It’s for Japanese machines only, but single or double bed. Places are strictly limited and for more details please call 01270-628414.

Good luck with your endeavours and happy knitting.
Anne

Starting up

Any suggestions you could offer would be most welcome to help them get off to a good start and perhaps attract more members. Glenys ends by saying ‘I do hope you can help as we really don’t know what we’re doing’. If you run a successful club, do please get in touch.

Hi
I’ve been looking for a machine knitting club since resurrecting my machine after 12 years. I’m interested to know if your club is now up and running and where it is situated?
Petalmum
2012-01-09 12:32:24

Shades of Cashmere closing down

Hello Anne
I started Shades of Cashmere in August 1997, with about five kilos of Pure Cashmere, two kilos of Cashmere Blends stock and one pattern. All the stock was kept in a spare bedroom and it grew from there into a barn, which many times was full to the rafters with boxes of the most lovely yarns in almost every colour and blend available. Over twelve years later, my how it has grown. Now, after many thousands of kilos of Pure Cashmere and Cashmere Blends, many patterns and quite a few exhibitions, I’m ready for a rest, so it’s retirement for me! With two grandchildren this past two years and two more expected in January, I don’t suppose I’ll have much of a rest, but I will thoroughly enjoy helping out. At last I may get some time to myself to actually get my knitting machine out and use it more often!

I’ve enjoyed running this business, meeting new people and making several friends through the years and had quite a few good weekends away with either Diana, Iris (my mum) or Wendy. Special thanks to them all for the help and support they gave me through the good times and bad. I’ll miss the contact I’ve had with many knitters both machine and hand, plus all the conversations over the phone – ‘knit chats’ as I call them. However, now it’s time to move on. There’s still just a very small amount of yarn remaining and I’d advise a phone call or e-mail to check availability of yarn and postage options and prices before ordering. Some patterns also remain, not many and not all of which have been in Machine Knitting Monthly magazine – although past issues do contain many of them and I’m sure some of them are still available from you, Anne.

So after 12 years of successful trading, Shades of Cashmere is finally closing down. Thank you so much for all your custom during the last 12 years. I feel I’ve made many good friends with customers during that time and will miss the contact with everyone, but it’s time for me to take a break. I’ll continue to sell off the yarn until all of it is sold. So stock up now with some of the best quality yarns you can buy, ready for the coming months of knitting and perhaps for some lovely knitted presents. Happy knitting!
Jane Woodward

Happy Harrow

She’s been able to help Joyce White (down the road in Bushey) get back to machine knitting and would welcome anyone who used to be a member or would like to return. New faces are especially welcome and for more details call Elaine on 020-8863 7000.

New from Nina Miklin

The pattern is available on its own or free with the yarn purchase. Pattern M59 (for machine knitters) or H59 (hand) is a short, sideways knitted jacket in Cashmere and Wool. The yarn is available in nine shades : White, Turquoise 22, Lavender 59, Pink 56, Purple 58, Bright Red 03, Dark Chestnut 30, Melange (Light Beige) 41 and Green 16.

MKM Special offer until 31 Jan 2010
The jacket requires 250g of Nina Miklin Cashmere & Wool yarn blend.
Regular yarn price £47 for 350g of yarn.
Pattern price £3.50 each (M59 for machine knitting or H59 for hand knitting).
Great saving £29.90 for the yarn and either a hand or machine knitting pattern.

Postage
For the pattern only, there’s free postage anywhere if it’s sent as an e-mail attachment.
By post UK 30p, overseas £1
Yarn and pattern Add £2.50 for one 250g cone to UK addresses and add £4 for one 250g cone overseas.

TO ORDER
The yarn and/or pattern can be ordered by post direct from Nina. Don’t forget to include your full name and address plus telephone number and the shade you’d like if you’re ordering yarn. Please enclose a Sterling cheque made payable to Nina A Miklin or send the usual credit card details to Nina Miklin, PO Box 32503, London W3 8GD.

Tel 020 8740 3599

Projects for Christmas

I also had the pleasure of taking with me a watercolour painting of Joan and her grand-daughter. It had been copied from the photo of the two of them in October 2009 on page 59. I know you’ll all remember Ruth Cox. When she retired from Pippin Designs, Ruth took up painting as a hobby and I asked her if she’d accept a commission to copy the photo for me. It was absolutely lovely, so it went with me and I was delighted that Joan loved it. It’s to be framed to fill just the right size gap on one of Joan’s walls. Now I need to nudge Ruth’s son Chris into action, because it would be nice to have his cartoons in the magazine again.

My other good news came as a result of Glenys Taylor’s plea for help in the December issue (Clubline, page 10). Joyce Monks has run a very successful club in Warrington for 37 years and she’s offered to be a new Knitting Buddy. Joyce wrote a very useful and popular series on setting up a club from scratch and running it. It was first published in World of Knitting and I’m sure the ideas might help Glenys and others wanting to start a small group. Some of the suggestions may also be useful for giving existing clubs a new lease of life. We’ll bring Joyce’s articles up-to-date and start the series next time. Clubline will therefore take on a new look but please continue to send in your club news, because we’ll include it elsewhere in the magazine.

Now all that remains is for me to join everyone at MKM in sending you the compliments of the season and wishing you a very happy New Year.

Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting

Scotland’s Fair Isle is celebrated the world over for its distinctive, stranded-colour knitting and Alice Starmore is famous for her expertise in designing and instructing knitters in this appealing regional tradition. This volume is profusely illustrated with colour photographs, plus drawings and charts that illustrate the art’s history, patterns and techniques. The book is a reprint of The Taunton Press Inc, Newtown, Connecticut, 1988 edition and an absolute ‘must have’ if you didn’t buy a copy the first time round. It’s a fabulous bible for every knitter, by hand or machine. There are masses of charts and colourways to keep all knitters busy on a desert island for ever.

ISBN 10 0-486-47218-3
ISBN 13 978-0-486-47218-8
Pages 208 Size 275 x 210 mm
Dover Publications, 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501-3852, USA
Website www.doverpublications.com”

New courses

You’re just in time for Festive Flowers & Floral Decorations (5th December) to fill your house with wonderful arrangements in time for Christmas. You’ll complete two different festive floral decorations including door wreaths, garlands and mantelpiece and table arrangements and the tutors are both experienced florists. For more information, contact:

West Dean College, West Dean, near Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0QZ
Tel 01243-811301
E-mail enquiries@westdean.org.uk
Website www.westdean.org.uk

Sheepskin for babies

As lambskin is hypoallergenic, it’s a ‘must have item’ for any baby with sensitive skin. There are also Merino clothes, booties and accessories all made in New Zealand. All ranges are designed specifically with babies and toddlers in mind and are completely handmade in rural New Zealand with all the materials ethically sourced and each piece made of natural fibres. For further information please contact Babies In Sheep’s Clothing, 102 Abbeville Road, London SW4 9LU E

Tel 020-7720 9159
Email them
Website

”

Christmas is on the way!

We’ve another fabulous idea worked out on the machine by Dianne Bunyan and you’ll find her pattern for a scarf and hat on page 24. Diane has produced a fascinating stitch design that shows on the right side and is completely hidden on the reverse. This means that the beanie can be pulled down and worn as a plain navy hat, or have the brim turned back to show the intricate eyelet holes with a navy backing. Any small pattern repeat of six rows can be used and it really is a new technique to try. Our packed issue has meant we’ve had to hold over news from Anne Reid about Undy YarnCrafts’ move to a country park outside Lydney. We’ve also had to postpone Norman Whitfield’s return to our pages, but they’re both waiting in the wings.

Our cover design this time is from Clair Crowston and knitted in a gorgeous DK acrylic yarn from James C Brett. Marble is 100% acrylic in 15 marled and variegated colourways. Texere is selling it online, so it’s sure to be a website winner as well. At just £1.75 per 100g ball, you’ll just go into the third ball and there can be no grumbles at looking as good as our cover girl for £5.25!

Finally, don’t miss Carl Boyd’s easy-to-make clutch bag on page 16. You need just 100 grams of yarn plus a few bits and bobs to be bang on trend. There’s still time to check if there are any vacancies for Carl’s Hands On week at Metropolitan. The date is Monday 23rd to Friday 27th November, from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm each day, at a fee of only £175. Call Carol Hocknell now on 01270-628414 to see if she can fit you in. Carl will be with them for the whole week as a tutor. It’s a unique opportunity to absorb and put into practice his innovative ideas. If you wish you can make this bag or any of his designs, with his special finishing touches and expert guidance.