Knitting - never to young to join a craft group!

Jessica came along to the Medway Craft Group this afternoon with her Mummy.  Mummy was hoping to work on her quilt, I think she managed about 40 minutes.

Jess had some cuddles before crashing out in her chair for a while.......

with Maggie

with Megan

this didn't last too long

 Unfortunately, the room was very hot and this little one got very hot and bothered so we headed home a bit early, but to be honest she wasn't in the best of moods today.  I did manage a few photos before she decided enough was enough and went home.  Typical to say that she was asleep before they had hardly left the village

This and that

Sorting through the freezer jam

Bargain of the day - paper cutter £1 from charity shop or £20 on Amazon, you choose

New purchase from Ikea - flower from garden

Stash hat

Another stash hat

Laurie's ten stitch - working on this at knitting group today

and yet another stash hat

more flowers cos they are pretty

That's it enjoy the sunshine

Bring me sunshine

The sun was out for a short while this morning. You see the sun, you assume warmth.  Wrong, it is bitterly  cold out there again today.  The flowers and plants are struggling to put forth a bit of a show.  I do think however that the hellebore's and primroses are enjoying this weather as this is the best show we've had in a long time, at least someone enjoys the cold!

The daffodils are bravely putting forth in the driveway and garden.  I have pots of sunshine in the house, purchased last weekend but still looking good, they do help to brighten the day and make me smile

Now on to knitting......

The Frilled dress has stalled.  I was very good, did a tension swatch, cast on for the 9-12 months size, knitted away, decided to check measurements only to find I was knitting up far to big.  A bit of adjustment, I am now making 18-24 month size but of the 9-12 numbers!  Frustrating, but now cast to one side, to be returned to at some point.

So that I would have something simple to knit whilst at knitting group yesterday, I cast on the matching Ten Stitch for Laurie - here is the one I did for Rufus - I have plenty of time for knitting this as he is still in a cot and will be for sometime. Its good to have something mindless to knit, I think I could knit this in my sleep now, this is my ninth one!

A while back I told you about the work we are doing with Jack CECUP School, Lusaka.  Our ladies are busy making quilts, making up information packs on knitting and sewing, patterns etc.  We are collecting sewing machines and all manner of equipment, thanks to everyone who has contributed thus far.  As I'm not much of a quilter so I decided that I would put together a pack of knitted items which they can either use or sell, so this is one of the items I am currently knitting. A simple raglan sleeved sweater, one I've done a few times.  Knitted in acrylic for hard wear and easy wash.  I have sorted a large bag of stash and will just keep knitting until its all gone.

I should now get off of the computer and get on with some housework.  Never a dull moment, housework, don't you just hate it?

Sharing the wealth

You may remember back a few weeks ago I was given a new stash.  I have been through it and ended up with two large bags that I knew I wouldn't knit with.  To that end I took it along to Medway Craft Group yesterday afternoon and asked the ladies to take what they wanted.  This yarn will be going to lots of new homes.  One lady knits for her local church charity, another for an African baby charity.  Another is taking yarn to the local KnitLit group as the ladies there are knitting scarves for charity.  Yarn will be going to the Fusion Holiday Activity Scheme in Huntingdon, so as you can see it is all going to good homes.  So thank you Cherry

I'd like to share with you something that the Group is working on

MEDWAY CRAFT GROUP - Links with Jack CECUP School. Lusaka

Back in July 2012 Medway Craft Group (MCG) had a stall at the Unity in the Community day at Huntingdonshire Regional College. At this event we met with David Bale who told us about Wiseman Banda, who is partner to Cambridgeshire’s Worldwide Connection Project. He also told us about Wiseman’s intentions to set up a sewing group for teenage mothers. After some discussions at our next meeting we decided that this was something we would like to learn more about. We then got back in touch with David Bale and invited him to one of our meetings to tell us more about the project.

Education in Zambia is compulsory, yet there is no funding for vulnerable children. The school has just five classrooms for its 500 pupils who attend in shifts according to age and whose teachers work a ten hour day. Mr Banda and his volunteers work tirelessly, without pay, for the benefit of underprivileged children. It was this selfless dedication that has drawn us to developing links with his school.

During his recent visit to Huntingdon, in January, Wiseman kindly visited MCG to enlighten us further regarding his “teenage mums sewing project”. He told us that his aim is to set up a teenage mothers sewing group which would provide young mums with a skill that would enable them to support themselves and their children. Initially the project would involve making school uniforms for both their school and others.

photograph courtesy of David Bale

We are in the process of making a quilt for each of the teenage mother’s children. These will serve a dual purpose – to keep them warm on cold nights and to give them ideas as to what they could perhaps make to sell. We would also like to include knitted items as the group has a number of experienced knitters. These could also provide them with ideas for things they could make for themselves and to sell. Everything we send will be accompanied by simple instructions.


If you would like to help us to encourage this group to become self-sufficient we are collecting the following items:


* PINS
* NEEDLES
* SCISSORS (Embroidery and Cutting Shears)
* TAPE MEASURES
* KNITTING NEEDLES
* CROCHET HOOKS
* THIMBLES
* THREAD (cotton etc)
* UN-PICKERS
* PENCILS
* TAYLORS CHALK
* SEWING MACHINES (electric or hand)
* COTTON FABRIC
* WADDING
* SAFETY PINS
* DONATIONS TOWARDS POSTAGE
* BUTTONS
* PRESS STUDS

Please contact Mary Adlam on 01480 453219 or Helen Hollington on 01480 456505 for further details – you may like to pop into one of our twice monthly meetings at the Huntingdon Medway Centre, Medway Road, Huntingdon, PE29 1SF


We were pleased to meet two new ladies yesterday, If you would like to join us at Medway Craft Group these are the upcoming meeting dates:


2013

7th and 21st March
4th, 18th and 25th April. The Medway Centre is in use as a polling station on 2nd May.
16th and 30th May
13th and 27th June
11th and 25th July
No meetings in August
12th and 26th September
10th and 24th October
7th and 21st November
5th and 19th December


2014

9th and 23rd January
6th and 20th February
6th and 20th March

I am working on a gift for a friend as well as the Ten Stitch blanket.  Its the Childry Shawl, I am using King Cole Riot, which is double knitting yarn in 30% wool and 70% acrylic.  Its extremely thin double knitting yarn, so is working out fine for this shawl!

For the boys

I got the sweater vests finished before going to see the boys tomorrow.  I took the photos and then noticed that the bottom red pattern is different on the two vests!  I knew the top would be different as the bigger one had more rows, obviously.....

For Laurie

For Rufus

I went through the last two bags of yarn and this is what I decided to keep

actually the 4 large balls of white at the back I'm not keeping bit on the shiny side for me

I now have two bags to go to the Medway ladies on Thursday.  I've sorted it all and bagged it up to make it easier to look through.  Hopefully they will find something they like.

I spent the afternoon trying to find a home for everything I have kept.  Basically I don't have enough room in my cupboard to see clearly, so I will get some plastic storage boxes and have another sort.

I have a big bag of yarn set aside for the orange shades Ten Stitch for Rufus. I just need to get on and finish the one for his bedroom.  I then have pinafore dresses to knit for twin girls due soon; would you believe I have to go buy yarn for these, unless I can convince the youngest to go with something from my stash.

Just a peek of whats coming through in the garden

Medway Craft Group Meeting Dates

Medway Craft Group 2012 Meeting dates

15th January, 26th January , 9th February ,23rd February

8th March, 22nd March, 5th April, 19th April

3rd May, 17th May, 31st May, 14th June, 28th June

12th July, 26th July - August – no meetings

6th September, 20th September, 4th October, 18th October

1st November, 15th November, 29th November, 13th December

 

We meet at the Medway Centre, Medway Road, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 1SF

Why not drop in for a cup of tea and see what we get up too.

2pm - 4:30pm

 

If you fancy joining us then its £2.50 per session, with an annual subscription of £5.00

Facebook no more

That's it folks, I have deactivated my Facebook account.  I am sick of all the recent changes.  It's no longer easy to navigate round.  You find info from friends days after it was posted, which is very unhelpful.  It no longer imports my blog.  So I decided to pull the plug on it......  A bit less time on the laptop, more time knitting.

On the knitting front I am still working on the ten stitch blanket and have started another girly cardigan - its the Little Anna Wrap but with Little Margot sleeves from 634 - The Sixth Little Hand Knit book by Sublime.  I am using Kirkton House Craft Double Knitting yarn in a crushed raspberry which looks very pretty.

Little Margot

Little Anna

On the gardening front, the high winds this week have changed the face of our courtyard.  The privacy panels which a previous owner had erected on top of the walled area finally came down along with all the trellis, a climbing rose, 2 clematis, a winter flowering jasmine and a honeysuckle.  Luckily on Monday evening I decided to put the car away otherwise this lot would have come down on top of it!!  We woke a lovely mess on Tuesday morning.  Peter managed to clear enough to get the car out of the car port and then I spent the afternoon with the cutters and chipper clearing up my devastated plants.  There will be plenty of wood for kindling, but thats a job for another day, at the moment its all just piled up awaiting someones attention. Its all looking fairly bare and open but at least now we can decide what to do with all the extra space.  A wood store maybe.  A chance to sort out next doors guttering which appears to just run down the wall.  There always something to do isn't there?

My Christmas shopping is done, just waiting on delivery of one gift.  I started to do some wrapping yesterday, so I'm feeling pretty pleased.

I have a day off today, so I plan to do a few jobs around the house. Try and find the key to the barn, I had it yesterday.... then I am taking a friend to the last meeting of the year of the Medway Craft Group.  Looking forward to a good natter and knit

I've been tardy.......

I realise that I've not been keeping up with some of my regular posts lately. 

I have missed 2 months of Project Spectrum.  This month is black/white/grey, I've nothing on my needles relating to these colours but do have a few past projects and a couple of signs ........

My stashbust totals haven't been updated since September, but I've not bought anything since my visit to the show at the beginning of October and have been doing a fair bit of knitting, but I guess my IN total is larger than my OUT!

A message to Nick who left a comment yesterday regarding the Kirton Aran, it is the colour and dye lot you are looking for so if you message me I'll see what I can do in helping you to finish your jumper.  Are you on Ravelry, if so I'm SUESPE contact me there, if not email me suespe@hotmail.com

I've not managed to do WIP Wednesday for a couple of weeks either, and I confess I now have four WIP's on the go.  This actually doesn't sit very comfortably with me as I feel no real progress is being made on anything.

Ten stitch - coming along very slowly - not a portable knit anymore

Short row scarf - even slower - usually take this when I go to KnitLit

Patons Teddy Hooded top for Rufus - with close up of stitch below

I have knitted this once before and the colour changing around the front border and hood is very messy so I have decided to make the top section in the solid colour which I think will work well and I will be happier with the results. I'm using Sirdar Snuggly and Denim Tweed DK

Also on my needles but with no photo, is a KAL which I am doing with my Craft Group ladies, we are knitting a Baby Jacket, which I have wanted to try for a while but was a bit daunted by its construction, but so far so good, I have done about 17 rows!

The greenhouse is still working well, not quite sick of tomatoes yet, these I picked on Tuesday and I guess there are about the same amount to pick today if it stops raining long enough to get down the garden.

I think thats me caught up for a bit.  The weekend is looking very wet so I'm sure to get some knitting done.  We are taking mother in law and partner out for lunch tomorrow as a thank you for looking after the cat so often and don't really have anything else planned as yet.

No baby news from my god daughter yet, she is overdue and fed up let hope baby comes soon, lets face it it can't stay in there forever........ I predict Sunday morning, lets see if I'm right

I won!!

I can't remember the last time I won anything - on Saturday I won 1st prize in the Unity Community draw.  The tickets - some I which I sold, were in aid of the Medway Users Group and a local charity - decided on MAGPAS.  The single sized quilt and a wall hanging were made as prizes by the ladies of the Medway Craft Group, of which I am a knitting member - I will get round to trying out quilting at some point, honest!  The Mayor of Huntingdon did the draw so there was no fix. I picked up my prize this afternoon, and I hope you'll agree its beautiful, thanks ladies. I plan to use it as a topper over cream bedding as I don't have any single beds.

If you would like to learn how to make something similar then why don't you come along and join us, we are a friendly group who meet once a fortnight.  We are now on our summer break but meetings resume in September, revised dates below.  Any craft is fine - this afternoon we had ladies working on tapestry, embroidery, knitting, sewing, quilting, whatever floats your boat.

September: 8th, 22nd
October: 6th, 20th
November: 3rd, 17th
December: 1st, 15th