win, lose or knit

We started February with a visit to Carlisle for the wedding of Craig's sister. It was a very cold day in the north but we had a brilliant day and the bride and groom, obviously, looked gorgeous. Craig read at the wedding and we all felt very proud, it was also great to see his Dad, too, who was over from Spain.

This is me and Ali. She was a bridesmaid, apart from the bride, Ali has the most beautiful eyes in the north.

It snowed in London and in other places. It's been really cold but brilliant to have snow - I hope you are all knitting lots to keep you warm! The TV news the night before 'warned' us of snow and I couldn't help but feel a bit old by remembering that when I was young we got snow more regularly and I was really happy about it! London tends to worry about falling apart when there is a spot of 'extreme' weather. You'll be glad to know that we're all still here, just a bit colder and soggier than before. There has been much more snow around the UK!

The snow didn't hinder our trip to BBC broadcasting house (although it took Jon over two hours to get there). We were there to try our luck on the quiz show Eggheads.

Here are some of the pics from the day. I will not tell you how we did on the show but it was a very exciting, surreal and an unforgettable day. All the production staff were lovely, Dermot Murnaghan was gorgeous and the Eggheads were great.

don't we look great? I sat closest to Dermot! I was team captain (!) so I spoke the most. I'm not very good in these types of situations; the anxiety tends to freeze me. Esther was chosen by the producers to be the standby, I thought about falling off the set or pretending to faint so I could get out of it...
We made egg cosies for each of the eggheads. Daphne and Judith liked us most as they both knitted. They talked with us for a while after the show and they were really nice. Because it was a quiz and because I'm from Liverpool I had the idea that it would be a bit of a battle and I went in thinking it would be a bit of a clash but it was so relaxed and all the Eggheads, Daphne and Judith especially were lovely.
Shop news; we've had a couple of massive deliveries, including one from Rowan! And lots more expected, so much so that another trip to the flatpack shop was required and so there are more shelves than ever to display the gorgeous yarns and things.

We also got lots of and tables chairs so there will be no messing on Wednesday nights in the shop from now on! As the shop knitting nights are so popular, but only once a fortnight, we have decided that every Thusday night in the shop will be a knitting in the shop night! So, come on down!

We will soon get a big television for the shop so we can have film nights, we'll keep you posted...if you have any ideas about the films you would like to see...

...also, we had a nice suprise when we opened the latest Simply Knitting. They have featured our website, Craig is very proud! The shop part of the website is being upgraded as I write (I don't think Craig sleeps!). We have never had the complete range online but we will over the next fews days...

And finally, bad news. The German embassy have refused to meet with WaterAid if we are going to have a public demonstartion outside. They have told us one or the other. So we have had to cancel the public lobby, I will let you know as soon as it is rescheduled.

Gerardxx and Craigxx

IKL

Help us lobby the German embassy with the knitted river

WaterAid would like your assistance with lobbying the German embassy with the river.

The river is spectacular and we need as many people as possible to help carry/hold it outside the German embassy in London. WaterAid policy officers will be in a meeting on 14 February. The event using the river is not yet scheduled - it will be on or around the 14th, though.

If you would like to attend the lobby; hold the knitted river to demand sanitation and water for all! please send an email (address below), we'll make a list we let you know as soon as the WaterAid press team have decided the best time for the event.

info @ iknit.org.uk

Keep it to yourself but I've heard a rumour that the Greek nuns are coming out of hiding for this event!!!!!

Gerardx

Knitting nuns...on the run

I wanted to share this story with you all. It made me laugh, although I don't think the Greek Orthodox Church find it as funny. I wonder who would bale us out if we went overboard?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2001875,00.html

Craig
x

The knitted river is very long indeed

We have done some rough, dare I say guestimates, on the amount of squares we have received for the river.

WaterAid have grown concerned about our capacity to sew up the river, I share those concerns. We had no idea how successful this campaign would be. The amount of people who have made and sent squares, I've said this before, is inspiring and breathtaking.

I am not sure if anyone reads this but, once again, thank you.
Thank you to all the people who come to the different I Knit London group events and make squares and helped us sew it together.
Thank you to knitblogland, your blogs have spread the news of the campaign all over the world.
Thank you to the thousands of people who anonymously sent in squares.
Thank you to the thousands who sent warm wishes and encouraging, inspirational messages with their contributions.
Thank you to Mindy from San Marco, Texas, we talk about you all the time as yours was the first ever square we received through the post.
Thank you to all the teachers who have brought the river to their students and helped them learn a new skill while developing their social conscience.
Thank you to Olga Cowden, I know you must have spent a fortune posting the fliers.

There are too many people to thank and I have so much sewing to get on with.

WaterAid campaigns are using the river to lobby the German Embassy in London mid Febuary. Germany host the G8 summit this June so they have much power and influence as Chancellor Angela Merkel sets the agenda, as yet sanitation and water are not on the agenda. (more on what we can do will follow soon) There is no date set for this event yet as the campaigns manager is awaiting a reply to the request for a meeting. As soon as there is a date I will post it here. If you would like to join WaterAid at the event we would love to see you there. You can leave a comment or email.

I doubt we will be using the full river, not just because it is not all sewn up but also because it's too big for this event. We will use it all later in the year, more than once! We have also had to bring the deadline for squares forward to the end of this month/early February, I hope this does not disappoint too many of you but we really had to as there is not enough time to sew it all up.

We found another use for some of it, post WaterAid campaign events. Battersea Dogs home are asking for blankets for the animals they care for. We can sort them out! I've been to the dogs home twice, I live a short walk away and while the animals are very well cared for and made very comfortable it's still heart breaking to see them in their pens waiting to be taken home and loved. I hope you would agree.

There will, of course be more Knit a river news as well as photos,, I'll keep you posted. But, I almost forgot, the stats!!!!
Hiya

Wwe counted the number of squares in a bag then counted the number of bin bags...we guestimated that we have 34,000 squares so far.

The river as it is = 14 rows wide - 34,000 / 14 = 2428 squares long x 6inches = 14571 inches long

1457 x 2.5 = 36427.5 cm long

36427.5 / 100 = 364.3 metres long

364.3 x 3.28 = 1194.9 ft long

the London eye is 135 metres high

Canary wharf is 800 foot high

The tv tower in Berlin is the 4th tallest building in the world, it stands at 368 metres

The Empire state building is 1453 feet high – if we do not receive another square and all the squares are sewn into a river it would be just over 250 shorter than the Empire State Building

pom poms and nipple tassels -Saturday night at the Royal vauxhall Tavern

Thanks to Amy Lamé last night at Duckie at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern was craftastic. Amy kept me company in the shop yesterday afternoon and she finished a beautiful scarf in colinette point 5. Thanks for the cakes. There's one left, for Craig.

Another calorimetry finished pre Duckie...when we got there we found Amy at her activity island in the middle of the dance floor where she was organising the pom pom table. We dived in and I made an anorexic pom pom while Craig made a gorgeous black and white stripe pom pom which I had to be involved in to make myself feel better about my effort; I did a little bit of finger knitting to hang the pom pom and make it stand out even more!

Then I crocheted a little which is quite hard when you are not that good and it's dark and you've drank wine.

Then...! Another show started, the gender bending burlesque! I caught the nipple tassel!!! It was funnier last night than it was when I found it in my pocket this morning. That might be because it looks a little lonely.

more knitting news

This week has been busy at the shop again. The knitting beginners was packed again, lots of people to teach - very exciting! Although the crazy wind practically ruined London on Thursday so we had to cancel the beginners crochet. What more has to happen before we sit up and pay attention to the climate change crisis?

WaterAid's battle to end the global crisis in sanitation and water continues. There is a campaigners conference in Manchester next weekend, if you would like to attend you would be very welcome.

The last meeting at the shop was well attended, I had a bit of a cold so was slightly unprepared for how busy we were but it was great fun and brilliant to see some new faces. I even had a go at teaching someone very basic crochet.



Next weeks pub meeting , Wednesday 24 January, is at the Crown and 2 Chairmen, Dean Street, Soho where we have booked the upstairs room, just for us, so it will be gloriously smoke free. See you there, knitting.

Gxx

Meanwhile, I looked after the place yesterday and welcomed a new delivery from Wales of some organic pure wool. It's amazing just to see a ball of wool in the colour of the sheep! After a few hours, thanks to Gerard, I already have a crocheted hat in chunky Jacob Marl, and I'm glad it's still cold enough to wear it.

And on the subject of hats...we had a few men around last night for our regular Friday night boys' knit night, including Giovanni, who finished off his mega-chunky ribbed hat. He's only been knitting for a couple of months and was disappointed with his previous hat efforts...but this time he went for it and got what he wanted. Big, bold, chunky and blue!

Craig

x

calorimetry

I made one and it's gorgeous. I can't say who it is for; it will ruin the suprise. In The background is some Jamieson's Shetland yarn that arrived today, it's fantastic yarn and people have been feeling it up all day.

I can't wait for Glastonbury, it gets cold at night! The yarn is Rowan Tapestry knitted on Denise 4mm. I still cast on 120 stitches and it fits me perfectly (I've got a massive head I'm told when people try on my hats!). I'm in a Rowan mood so I think I will do another in Country. This was the first time I've used Denise needles and I love them. The outside of this set is pink and the cable is pink, some of the money goes to a Breast Cancer Charity in the US.

While I was writing I saw some squirrels playing in the tree just outside the shop window. I thought squirrels hibernate in the winter. Anyway, they went mental when a Jack Russell came along and tried to climb the tree.

what a week!

The end of a long and amazing week. The WaterAid job is amazing and we're very busy at the moment with lots of meeting this week and I have been asking people for the last two days 'how are you supposed to get things done when you are in meetings?' The things will get done, it just means they are done with a air of suppressed panic. Gareth will have to wait for his hat though!

The week began rather disappointingly, the sign we love that was on South Lambeth Road which told people we existed was stolen on Sunday night. The sign was rather heavy so we got into the habit of leaving it on the street. It was locked to a lampost, though, so the theives must have broken it to steal it. We were very annoyed and upset and although I don't hold a grudge it has been very easy each day this week to wish that the theives fall down the stairs.

To the theives who stole the sign we worked hard to pay for - I hope that you fall down the stairs. In addition I hope that you are carrying the big metal A-board and that it hurts you more on the way down.

On a brighter note Craig and I were interviewed by the lovely Fiona (below modelling her gorgeous handknitted scarf) for Resonance FM. The show goes out tomorrow between 3.30pm and 4.30pm so if you have the chance please do. We might be busy ourselves - more on that later...

Anyway, it's friday night, the men are here and I'm not knitting!

Gxx

ps Craig has stopped blogging probably because I have taken over post camera present - if you miss him just holler!

learning

Last night was beginners knitting class at the shop. Sue and I started seven people on their knitting journey. I love the first class in the sessions as I'm thrilled by the delight in the eye of someone who, after 5 minutes struggling, suddely gets that cast on is easy.

It is great to have so many people wanting to knit, we had to turn people away - there is always lots of teaching at the knitting in the pub club but that's a very different, informal and can often be a distracting situation.

I've been picturing it (and re-hearing the squeals of delight) all day!

Long live the knitters, for happily they shall reign.

the afternoon the queen came for tea

We had a visit from the Susan, editor of Knit on the net yesterday. The new online magazine is brilliant we are very exited about it. Susan and her family are brilliant and we didn't actually have tea, obviously, just a couple of glasses of wine and a late meal.

Contribution from knit on the net jr, we love it, thank you jr.

Since we started I Knit London we have met a new best friend almost every month, Susan being our newest. You must visit Knit on the net, if you haven't already, I think we have blogged about it before, it has great free patterns as well as articles (Knit a river is featured in the latest issue!). The second issue is out late February.

We are very excited about all the plans we are making for 2007, some of which include KNIT ON THE NET!!!

Knitting news, knitted some new baby presents for my friend Sally, or rather her new baby whose arrival is imminent.

Stocking stitch mini mittens.

Moss stitch booties, I love moss stitch.

Erika Knight patterns, knitted in aran weight silk. Can't wait to meet the new baby.

My Sunday evening project is a hat for Gareth Gates using garthenor organic Portland chunky yarn.

Gxx

drink anyone?

Of water obviously! It is January, after all, and I for one am having a little rest after the new year celebrations. Oh but what about the knitting at the pub club....oh well, I'll tackle that when I have to. Maybe just one glass of wine...or two just to be social.

Actually to make it even harder we now have a drinks licence for the shop so, party on I guess. We now sell wine by the glass and beer, at very reasonable prices, obviously!

sewn a bit more of the river together, if anyone remembers the size of it when it was taken to Jubilee Gardens then now it's more than twice that length!

Below are some squares that were sent in as you see them from Shirley and her family in Cwmbran. Be sure to click on the picture as each square is a work of art. Shirley sent the blanket in weeks ago. I have taken so long to take a picture and post it as (I didn't have my very own camera until Christmas day!) it has been lovingly cared for by the staff at WaterAid where it has been on display in the office.

Thank you Shirley, it's gorgeous and we love it. It's amazing. People in the shop said we should frame it but it was made for the river and it's going in the river.

Have I mentioned the river will be used mid Febuary in a stunt in central London?

Gx

IKL

Almost knitted river

Here is a picture from one of WaterAid HQ store rooms.

This is a picture of just some of the unsewn squares for the river. They are still pouring in. I thought that Christmas might force a cesation but I think people have been extra caring over the festive season and made their contribution.

Thank you thank you thank you. We are humbled by the response we have received with this campaign and I find it difficult to adequately express my gratitude for your contributions of blue squares and the help we've received sewing them together.

If it's not obvious from the picture there are 12 bins bags full of blue squares. Some of the bin bags are industrial and so are bigger than the normal black bin liner. A further 10 have been sent to storage. Other bags are at home, at the shop, temporarily houses in a vacant corner at WaterAid or with people who have volunteered to help sew them.

Which brings me to a request - if there is anyone who would like to spend a hour or more sewing/knitting/crocheting blue squares together, please get in touch, we would be delighted and honoured by your help.

Gxx

looking forward

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Craig and I wish you all health and happiness in the coming year and beyond.

We had a great NYE which started at the Victoria and Albert Museum for a look around their textiles rooms. Although not much was on display the garments were amazing and the examples of crochet and lace work dating back for hundreds of years (some more than 1500 years) were inspiring. I can't wait for the galleries to be open fully later this year.

This was just before midnight. We'd had a small pub crawl from Knightsbridge to The Retro Bar.

There were a couple of bottles of this!

Craig isn't asleep. Nor is he drunk! Well maybe a little drunk.

There was a range of hats but I think you will agree I wore the best. Ellie co-ordinated her hat with her blowy thing.
Although we were about a minutes walk from the river we could not leave the pub as about 6 million people came to London for the firework display. We watched it on the pub screen. I may have been a bit tipsy by this point but I think we could hear the fireworks from outside as well as from the screen we watched them on.

It was odd to watch them on the screen knowing we were so close to them.

When we left the pub just after 1am there we thousands of people on the strand. It was amazing to see so many people, sometimes I wonder how London doesn't sink under the weight!

So, happy new year and happy new knitting! My major knitting ambition for the coming year is a big lace shawl.
Now I can crochet (a little bit) I might even push myself and crochet a shawl for my mum.

Gxx

cosies

As it's Christmas, I thought it would be good to show you a couple of Christmas Cozies.



this is a jaywalker cosy for my brand new shiney camera.

I love the jaywalker pattern, it looks great and it's so easy.

I love point 5, too, it's knit so quickly and this tea cosy took about 2 hours. I made it ages ago but people in the shop love it. It would be nothing without the pompom.

p.s. thank you (and sorry) to those of you who have left comment. I had no idea that they needed to be verified before they would appear on the blog. We weren't ignoring you, we're just a bit tecno-shy.
Gxx

The best present

Thank you, Valerie, my mum was a bit upset but it really is the best Christmas present, ever.

I thought I was going to die

This is a picture of what I thought would be the cause of my death this Christmas. After a very relaxing Christmas, although my plan of sitting in front of the TV all Christmas was almost foiled by the crap that was on offer, we ventured into central London. We found ourselves in Leicester Square with a idea about seeing a film but we came upon a mini fair ground.

The fair is there very year and gets bigger each time. We decided to go on one ride. The ride had no queue (which later attributed that to the fact that it cost £5).

I've no idea what it is called but it looked great fun. It wasn't for me but Craig loved it. I just swore a lot. It was like a big spinning scales type of thing with 4 people at either end and naturally in order for 4 of those people to exit/enter the other 4 people had to sit a the top waiting. We were lucky as we only had this experience at the end of the ride but by that time I was actually shaking and I hink I even prayed! I've no idea how high it was but it was just higher than all the building in Leicester Square.

It took a while before my legs stopped quivering. I used to love going to the fair. I can't believe I got so scared, I'm getting old! I'll probably moan about the noise of the fire works on new years eve!

The views of London were amazing though, particulary as I spun upside down at the top end of the cycle.

As I said I just swore a great deal.



















We also visited a couple of music shops and we saw the second single from 586. I went to college with Deborah, the lead singer and we've been close friends since, If you haven't alreadyget the record, Money is the drug, now, you can even download it from iTunes!






















The shop was quiet yesterday, apart from the noise of the sewing machine - the river is almost twice the size it was when we took it to Jubilee Gardens. There are still thousands to sew together and we are using it in a stunt in central London in Febuary so the pressure is on.














This is from a school in Darlington. If it's not obvious, this role contains over a thousand squares, they very kindly sewed the squares into blankets which made it very easy for me to produce what you see above.

I got a camera for Chritmas, can you tell. From Craig, isn't he lovely.

Get 'em while they're young...

Hey Jackie, here's the pic as promised! We held a kids party in the shop last weekend (get 'em when they're young I say) and it was great. It was really inspiring to see them get so involved and take their knitting away home for more. Jackie helped out and took some stuff for her kids too (she nannies, not really 'hers' if you see what I mean) and here they are knitting away. Great stuff, I can see an owl already, the sky's the limit now. Thanks for the pic Jackie, and thanks for being such a big part of the knitting group this year....

And thanks too to everyone who has been to an I Knit London meeting, visited us at Spitalfields Market or popped into the shop. We've been encouraged by everyone's support, we've had a great year, some brilliant nights in the pub, we've learnt lots about running a business (and we're still learning) and we've knit quite a bit of stuff too - but most of all we've genuinely made some great friends and had a fabulous time. Awww. This whole experience would not be the same without all the I Knit Londoners who make it worth doing in the first place. We are gearing up for 2007 with more knitting, more club nights, more cakes, more drinks....

Crochet, Christmas, classic movies and Caroline or Change

It's been another busy week. The Wednesday meeting at the New Players Theatre was much smaller affair than usual but just as enthusiastic. They had the most amazing garlic bread with cheese I've ever tasted. There was a nice relaxed feel about it, even though there was a rush to finish stuff in time for Christmas. It was great to see Tom's huge scarf getting a public airing, it's so big I bothered that it might never get cold enough to actually wear it.

I'm getting there with the Tapestry hat for my lucky Secret Santa recipient. I was struggling at first but have got into the rib and it's going to be finished in time. Hurray! Unfortunately, out of all the people I thought I'd knit presents for this year the only one seems to be somebody from work. The family will have to wait til next year for theirs. There is such pressure to get everyone somehting knitted this year I just don't have the organisational skills to plan that far in advance. Not like Jon, his fabulous cardy for his mum was done and dusted weeks ago.

Gerard's crochet blanket is storming ahead though. Gorgeous Wensleydale pure wool, it's just perfect and his crocheting skills have usurped the knitting for now at least. I'm going to stick with the knitting for now and get more and more adventurous. it seems socks are the next thing cos everyone's doing them and I'm not.

We had some great news for the shop this week too - we got our premises licence. This means that we can officially supply alcohol to all those knitters who need some sustenance or just a relaxing glass of red over their knitting. Now there's even more reason to pop in and stay all day. We had a new face at last night's boys' night, and thanks to David for popping in at 2 in the afternoon and staying all night. We've also now got a licence to show films so we'll be having get-togethers in the New Year for a session with an old classic. It's taken an inordinate length of time to sort his out, what with

On the knitting group front, I've managed to grab a bunch of tickets for the brilliant musical Caroline, or Change at the National. On the 27th we'll be having the meeting there in the foyer and for those who want to see it there are some top price seats (£37.50) reduced to only a tenner. I first saw this show on bradway with Tom and loved it, and I'm so pleased we managed to get it to come over here. It's not your average happy-clappy musical though so don't expect any tap-dancing or jazz-hands.

Knitting with nets, secret Santas and the smoking ban pub crawl.

This knitting isn't good for the liver! We had a lovely Wednesday night meeting last night in the shop, mulled cider, choccy biscuits and Bing Crosby on the iPod. Ahh Christmas is here at last but we must be the only shop in the country that hasn't got a tree yet. Actually, Bing outstayed his welcome after a few numbers so we went back to shuffle. Nice biscuits though, and cider. Thanks to Jon for slaving over a hot stove with clementines at the ready and welcome back to Chris who hasn't been for a while but will always be welcome.

Work continues apace with the net curtains (started this months ago but as I do I put it to one side while I got on with other stuff) and it's taking on a nice shape. I left it unattended in the Pit Bar on Sunday night and it was vandalised with the addition of pink yarn and hideous acrylic spangly stuff...but I've kept it in as part of it's organic growth...and it looks quite good too. It'll be hanging up in the kitchen doorway soon, and I might just raid our stash and heap in a load of old yarn to give it a lift.

We also picked our secret Santas at (proper) work and the lucky recipient will be getting a stylish Rowan Tapestry hat...it won't really be a secret when he gets it but hey-ho. I usually end up getting someone I don't like (of course I like everyone I work with, who doesn't?) but this year I'm pleased and the hat will be lovely.

Gerard and I have been busy restocking after Rotterdam and we are wetting ourselves with anticipation at the gorgeous box of Tilli Tomas that's somewhere over the mid-Atlantic as we speak. There's also a box from Shetland winging it's way to Bonnington Square as well. I just love being in there surrounded by the wool and huddled around the heaters all snug like (and a mug of cider in one hand and a bit of knitting in the other - a bit tricky that). Speaking of multi-tasking I heard of someone who took up the needles to help give up the dreaded weed and has ended up doing both...at the same time. Can't quite work out where you hold what though.

Speaking of which, it's officially happening on the 1st July next year - that's no smoking in pubs no more! Hurray! We will be arranging for a very special IKL pub crawl for that day so keep your eyes posted on the website for further info. Perhaps we could link up with all the knitting groups in London and have a whole unofficial knit-in-the-pub Sunday? We'll see. We had a visit from the lovely Melanie who runs the East Dulwich knitting group at the weekend and we were inspired to celebrate the ban. Melanie's group have been lucky enough to find two non-smoking pubs already in the area so if you're one of those knitters who likes their yarn fresh after a hard day in the pub then go and see them on Sundays at the Herne Hill tavern.

Craig
IKL

A licensed pit of darkness, a trap of temptation, profligacy and ruin

So Charles Kingsley said of the Old Vic Theatre in the 1850s....and at the weekend you could add knitting to the list. We had a great time Sunday night at IKL's second club night for knitters. The Shellacs, Jodie Paxton, Gerard's rum n raisin n banana cake, beer, Lindy-hoppin' and loads of knittin' and purlin'. I've had a long day at workj today recovering from it, not least the bike ride home at 1am with a trailer full of yarn.

It was such a great do, and by midnight the knitting was still going strong. We had some non-knitting friends in who appeared stunned at the sight of a floor full of knitters and a floor full of dancing sharing the same space with three wind-up gramophones and copious amounts of alcohol. I'm still deciding whether to use the quote "It's the most surreal evening I've ever had" on our fliers in future. Thanks to everyone who came down, old and new and non-knitters alike, cake bakers and lindy-hoppers.



An especially big thanks must go to Jodie who tinkled the ivories in fine style and belted out 'Video Killed The Radio Star' like I've never heard it before, and the gorgeous Shellac Sisters who mustered up the wartime spirit and battled through a dodgy amp supplied by yours truly (care of the National Theatre).




The full photo gallery is now online at www.iknit.org.uk/photogallery-ikloldvic.html if you want to relive the soiree. We'll be doing it all again in a month's time so put it in your diary now and you might even get a seat next time.

C&G
IKL

what to do when the knitting's over?

After a long days knit we turn to www.reclaimyourself.co.uk

But the knitting should never be over, especially at the weekend! This weekend we will mostly be relaxing and knitting to the glory of the Shellac Sisters at The Old Vic Pit Bar, from 6pm on Sunday.

Apart from cake there will be drinking, dancing, singing, the river and lots and lots of hot needle action.

Time Out seem to like us, for obvious reasons! Knitting, apparently, is the new pomegranate. Check out this week's issue pages 132 and 133 - it's what Sundays were made for!

As if we needed to be told! See you on Sunday, and bring your knitted Christmas decorations!

G&C
xx

we miss Marika

She said she misses I Knit London but maybe not that much as she now lives in Seoul. Marika we love you and your knitting!

Ik Brei Rotterdam...

Back on home ground after an exhausting but exhilirating weekend on Rotterdam. We made the trip after an invite from the organisers of the official Dutch Stitch n Bitch day and became 'Ik Brei Rotterdam' for one day only!

After a short drive through 'beautiful Essex', laden with yarn, needles and a large portion of knitted river, we made it to Harwich for the stimulating 5 hour ferry crossing to the Hook of Holland. I left all my knitting in the car so had to jolly myself with card games, crosswords and shopping in the on board gift shop - does anyone ever buy a StenaLine woolly hat or a model of their hovercraft? These kind of shops are always filled with the most useless tat but you end up with a bag full because there's nowt else to do (drinking and eating are a dangerous option we discovered). Met a lovely knitter from norway though, who wasn't actually going to Rotterdam, just happened to be on the boat.

Anyway, after the brain-numbing boredom of a North Sea crossing we drove the short distance to Rotterdam through some of the most uninteresting (and flat) countryside I've experienced. There were quite a few sheep though, which we like. Once holed up in our little B&B we wandered the streets in search of sustenance - found it in Historisch Delfshaven in the form of tapas and beer. It's at this point I should point out that Dutch beer pouring with half a glass of head is something I won't get used to in a hurry. And what's with the small glasses? Anyway, just as well, we were in bed by 9pm. Shameful.

Up at the crack of dawn though for the show on Saturday. Car loaded up with arrived in the dark at the incredible Van Nelle at 7am. this is an enormous relic of the Dutch tobacco industry; a giant factory now converted into exhibition space, workshops, warehouses and offices. It looms large on the landscape and in the dark it's glass and metal framework are a reminiscent of Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Filling such a cavernous and industrial building with all the trimmings and tradition of knitting was an inspired juxtaposition of the elements.

And so it began. The invasion of Dutch knitters started at 10am and continued relentlessly all day long. Once we'd got some basic phrases into our heads and worked out just exactly what a Euro is worth we had a brilliant day. The river had pride of place in the exhibition room and looked stunning - so many squares were brought in for us too, and those who were dedicated enough even sat down to sew a few rows together. Thanks go to everyone who did this and to the hundreds of Dutch knitters who turned up with their squares. There are news pics of some squares posted on the Knit A River pictures blog so you can have a gander.

Gerard was busy with the river for much of the day and basking in the glow of his new celebrity status! If hobnobbing with Debbie Stoller and Miriam Tegels wasn't enough he also made his Dutch TV debut. Debbie signed a copy of The Happy Hooker for us, although we didn't take our own copy so now we have a Dutch version which is useful. She also added her support to the river project which is great news. Miriam is the Dutch speedknitting champ (currently awaiting confirmation from the Guinness World Records about the international title) and she was busy beating off all contenders for her title. It's an incredible sight to see.

One of the funniest things of the day was just how popular our I Knit buttns were - at one point wandering around the building it was hard to avoid those bright yellow circles pinned to the bosoms of hundreds of Dutch knitters. Unfortunately our order for limited edition 'Ik Brei' badges didn't make it in time - but everyone understood them anyway.

For photos of the weekend visit our photo gallery at the website: http://www.iknit.org.uk/photogallery-dutch%20stitch%20n%20bitch%20dag.html

as I have been unable to post pictures to this blog for weeks.

IKL at The Retro Bar on 15th November

We've been going to The Retro Bar for a few years now, mainly for their Tuesday night pop quiz and the occasional Eurovision party. We like to think of it as our local, even if it's not actually our local. It took us a while to get round to knitting there but I don't quite know why. The upstairs bar was spot on, enough room for all us all and some extra, which is just as well because tonight's meeting was the biggest yet (I think...I stopped counting a few months ago!). As ever, loads of old and new faces and plenty of stuff to be getting on with. It was a great night and we were predictably there until after 11, some of us even still knitting! So, thanks to everyone who came and thanks too to Wendy (who looked glorious) and the staff at The Retro. We'll be there again I'm sure.

Here's a selection of pics of current works-in-progress from tonight's group, just to prove that we do get some knitting done in between the drinking and the blathering.

Chris - bloody impressed by this! Yeah, so there's a few holes (a bit of character) but I remember teaching you your first few rows at the Duke of Argyll a few meetings back....look at him go! Aww, I'm so proud.

Also, in a packed programme tonight...

Hats....

Socks...

Jumpers...

Honeymoon bolero jackets (in black?)...

Shrouds...

Finger knitting...

Drinking...

and profound conversations about the fabric of the universe, Halloween costumes loaded with maggots, conjugated verbs, 'to showjump or not to showjump?', Lordi and chocolate money.

Thank you knitters, you are all gorgeous. We're off to Rotterdam on Friday morning for some official Dutch Stitching 'n' Bitching so boys' night on Friday will be in the capable hands of Stefan, Jon, Tom, Eamonn and assorted men who knit. We'll be back on Sunday with lovely Dutch photos and stories from Holland. Meanwhile there are some new pics up on our MySpace group page (click the 'chat to us....blah blah blah' on the top of our right hand column to see them).

Craig

IKL

PS I HATE Blogger. Three pics and it won't do anymore. What's that about? Frustrating to say the least.