A Super Stitchery AGM

This week at KNS there was some serious multi-tasking going on!

Whilst all our members were stitching and knitting away, we voted in a new committee, adopted a constitution and worked extra hard on our craft projects. That's not including the scrummy cake and tea.

 

Pauline is working on this lovely knitted blanket, its a gorgeous blue affair.
Whilst Bonnie has completed this jumper, much to Maggie's annoyance with the cables all running the same way. Shouldn't the cable direction alternate across the jumper? What do you think?

 

It's Wimbledon time; so we've been all over the Strawberries and cake at KNS, well you can't beat a British Strawberry in the sunshine. This week stitching has been far more Match than Fault, with the SANDS blankets coming along speedily.

 

 

We have joined forces with other local groups and shops to really make a difference to this cause, Elaine at The Knitting Basket is busy making some hats, HCS Crafts are busy knitting away and the word has spread to our friends at Sip and Sew Society in Stony Stratford!

 

 

Our junior members had a go at braiding this week, a break from their other stitching projects.

 

 

 

 Some lovely things happening on the tables this week, such a lovely evening. I can't wait till next week.

 

Much love

Sarah Gates

 

 

 

Back home to put our feet up...

Its good to have a holiday, but its lovely to get home. And as our lovely Pat proclaimed last night "isn't it nice to be home." Yes it was KNS fans. And what a busy return. We had a packed house with lots and lots going on. So, enough of this gibber jabber, lets get down to business...
I think I will start with our lovely Junior stitchers, so lovely to see them learning and developing over their time within the group, after all folks, it is a life skill that will see them well in the future. Melodie was a gorgeous new face among them. So what were they up to? Well Jazz and Melodie chose to take part in the embroidery, they both have done a beautiful job so far and we look forward to seeing finished products.

 





Kathrine has chosen to take part in our big SANDS charity knit. So proud of the big heart on that young girl.

 As launched last night by the lovely Judy and Eleanor, who have a personal connection to this amazing charity, this summer we will be knitting blankets and hats for SANDS. This is a very worthwhile initiative that will be a small help to parents at a very difficult time. We hope our members will throw themselves into this activity with gusto...

Pat works away on her blanket....

And still finds time to support new member and virgin knitter Soraya in starting hers . We hope that's a new junior member you are growing us in there Soraya!





 

We also had a visit from Jane Charles and her City and Guilds group. These ladies bought along some beautiful work that we were very privileged to see.

 





This lush hanging by Kathy was greatly admired.

And our own Judy who is also on this course bought her own superb work.

 

We all agree that Jane is a awesome tutor, and we do believe you should go check out her blog for work, and info on her upcoming courses with ACE. You can view Jane here.. Smallbeans ...for your home and coat.

The lovely ladies from Knitting Basket arrived. They had some beautiful quilts to show us

 

But the best thing about Monday, was just how busy we all were. It was great to come home and have our KNS family out on mass. Laughter, Cake, and crafting with good friends. Its what Mondays were made for...

Anyway, just before I go a little reminder that at next Mondays group we will be holding our group AGM.

OK OK!! I know it should say INVOLVED. The D would not fit... Anyway. Our committee needs some more members to help with fund raising and stuff, and we will be adopting a constitution for the group. So please come along and help keep your local craft group on track.

Big love and Keep Stitching
Sue x





Sues Sparkely Stitch Along.

Monday. Its one of them days. We all get up, tired, wishing it was still the weekend, wishing we could have that elusive extra hour, wondering what the week will bring. But that should not be your Monday KNS fans, no, your Monday should be filled with excitement and anticipation of the frills to be experienced at your evening with your KNS friends! Yep, and this Monday is no exception folks. We are back at trusty old New Bradwell Community Centre, and to celebrate our return we are having a little informal stitch along.
I have gathered some stuff so we can all have a little play with design transfer for hand embroidery. I am loving having a play with this at the mo, the beauty being its ability to beautify the dull and worn. Vamp up an old t-shirt, tart up an old apron, give an old cushion cover a little lift. Yep, I reckon, if you can draw on it, you can probably embroiderer (is that a word?) it. I recently stretched my skull and roses piece onto a wood frame and its sits on my antique cabinet looking just fabulous.
So what do you need? Nothing really as we have lots of stuff to start you (apart from embroidery hoops which we had trouble sourcing in bulk) But if you so wish....  needles, if you have a embroidery hoop you might find that helpful, (do you have any spare ones to bring you can possibly lend to another member?), do you have anything you thing you might like to embroider, a tea towel, a table cloth, a piece of clothing... (if not that's not an issue because we have some nice material to get you all started ) threads you might like to use (again we have a load in group to get you started) embellishments you might like to add to your design (beads, buttons.....etc), a design to transfer... If you have not embarked on embroidery before we recommend a simple pattern such as...

We will have lots of sample patterns on hand for you to use, things you need to transfer a pattern,  embroidery stitch instructions, material, threads, and a shed load of cake and inspiration.

 

Looking forward to tomorrow KNS fans. See you there yeah?

 

Big Love and keep stitching Sue x

Dabbling and fiddling

Last night we said Goodbye to Creed Street Theatre and Arts Centre in Wolverton; it's been grand running our sessions from their inspiring and vibrant tea room. Enjoying the exhibitions on its walls and tapping along to the Creedy rhythm of dance and drama groups. KNS wish Creed Street much Love on their adventures and will enjoy their Flea Markets for years to come!
Many thanks especially to Danny Quinn for making us so welcome and looking after us.


KNS Returns to New Bradwell Community Centre - Monday 17th June 2013
presenting...... Sue's Stitch Along!
Yes, we return with a BANG, to celebrate the art of Stitching and how versatile it can be; with Sue's demonstration of pattern transferring. You all saw the skull that Sue recently enjoyed finishing off at our session, we have prepared some designs or you can make up your own to transfer onto fabric.
Sue will be posting more information, what to bring with you and kits will be available on the night.
Its going to be one brilliant stitch along, so don't miss out!

Onto this weeks session of dabbling and fiddling..... Judy busied away on her City and Guilds work, we hope to see more of this in the coming weeks as they come up to deadline and look to finish. We have all enjoyed seeing Jane's City & Guilds students work at our sessions, looking at the techniques and colours they have used has been cause of much talk amongst our members. If you are interested in finding out more about the City & Guilds course please check out this link:
http://www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/adulteducation/displayarticle.asp?ID=90872

Pat, Eleanor and Terri were holding fort with the Crochet camp, whilst I joined our shiny new member Katie and Sandra with the Cross Stitch. Katie brought along a rose design that she's stitching for a friend, Sandra is back on the skull cushions, the Christmas stitching continues and I went back to my old friend and UFO The Winter Queen by Mirabillia.
At the far end of the crafting table was new members Pauline, Maggie and Bonnie with their Knitting of all shades featuring some fabulous techniques, including Loopy and Lace! joining in with the knitting, Barbara is still plodding away with her yellow baby blanket or UFO 2nd prize fame.

We all admired Pat's Daisy Granny blanket in progress, Pat tipped us off on this delicious design from Tillietulip's blog here: http://tillietulip.blogspot.co.uk/
The finished squares have a striking daisy design in the centre, Pat's lilac and lemon yarn is coming along nicely, I will get some pictures up as it is beautiful. TillieTulip's blog features some other scrummy work, you must have a read... And if you like this take a look at Attic24 for more inspiring works.

Many thanks go to Sandra for the yummy homemade Strawberry flan and Devonshire custard - super scrummy! The cake and tea went down a treat after our little break last week!

Some exciting news! The KNS Charity knit this summer will be supporting SANDS and their call for hand knitted blankets for their Always loved Never forgotten Memory Boxes.SANDS, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity www.uk-sands.org are crying out for more hand knitted blankets for their memory boxes and I know we can help them. So calling all knitters? If you would like to support this and join us please come and see Judi Gale and Eleanor Cooper - for a copy of the pattern, if we have enough interest we can bulk buy some white dk - so please get in touch. This charity touches the hearts of our members, SANDS supports anyone affected by the death of a baby and promotes research to reduce the loss of babies' lives.
I can't wait to see how many blankets we can craft for this very worthy cause! I will check out the pattern and size, then suggest a date we work towards getting our efforts completed for - making for a themed session presenting the completed works and some fundraising cake sale too!

Finally, Lisette Vredenburg from University Inholland Haarlem in the Netherlands has contacted us to ask for our help. Lisette is completing her dissertation project and conducting a survey in collaboration with Blacker Yarns and Design in an effort to better understand younger knitters.

 She needs 384 respondents in the age group 20 - 35 years old who are located in the United Kingdom. The survey exists out of 25 questions and will only take 5 – 10 minutes to complete. Here is the link: http://www.thesistools.com/web/?id=350394 - I hope the younger members can help?           

So now I am off out to stock up on yarn, to start my SANDS blanket.... I am too excited in getting started, I know. See you all back in New Bradwell Community Centre on Monday from 7.45pm!

 

Happy Stitching

Sarah

x