Tag: knit and natter

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Knit and Natter Friday #3 – 29 November

Posted on by Jackie B
More lovely knitwear for our charities.

Those attending today’s Knit and Natter group at Alnwick Medical Surgery, once again brought along an impressive haul of beautiful handknitted items. The little angel tops for premature babies are proving popular with some of the knitters, along with hats, baby cardigans and bootees. The item in the foreground is one of the “fish and chip baby” tops that we’ve made for a maternity clinic in Zambia, Knitted items were needed because newborns were being wrapped in newspaper (like fish and chips) to keep warm. We are grateful for all the donations of yarn and knitting needles that have been donated to help us make these items.

Over the weeks we’ve also swapped knitting and crochet patterns, taught each other new techniques and made some good friends. Sometimes there’s more nattering and laughter than knitting!

We were all pleased to see that the refurbishment of the room where we meet is going well – we now have new lighting and windows!

The practice staff are very supportive and have totally embraced knitting too – here is Jon, who managed to find a spare moment to knit in a break from officiating at a swimming gala.

I wonder if he read my post Where Do You Knit?

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Stashbusting Blues

Posted on by Jackie B

As my stash of yarn is getting ridiculous and I need the space, I’ve embarked on a new big project – I do seem to have been knitting a lot of small items like hats, socks and baby clothes recently. That’s the way it goes – at any given time I usually have about three things on the go – a large item, usually for myself to wear; something small, which could be for me or a gift for someone else or for a charity; and something simple that I can do at knitting groups when the other stuff is too complicated for me to knit and natter at the same time!

I have a really useful cape/poncho which I wear loads in the winter if the weather is dry – it’s made of fleece fabric with fake fur trim on the collar and sleeves – not waterproof but lovely and cosy – `I’m going to try a knitted version, so I’ve measured it up and done lots of calculations (my first attempt at designing a pattern really). I originally thought about crocheting it, but I don’t think that will drape as well as a knit, so I’ve acquired extra long 5.5mm circular needles and sorted out a load of oddments of yarn in various shades of blue, grey, cream and white. For the body of the poncho I plan to use several strands at once – 2 of double knitting, more for thinner yarns. and mix the shades up to get a sort of marled, stripy effect.

I’m beginning with the collar, which will be in a single colour – I’m going with a sort of button-up polo neck style, so it can be worn buttons closed right up the neck for added warmth or left with the buttons open. I’m using a deep slaty blue 4ply with a hint of purple that’s left over from a crocheted shawl and 3.25 mm needles. It’s worked in k2p2 rib and incorporates some vertical buttonholes on one edge

Whether it works out or not remains to be seen – watch this space!

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Knit and Natter 2.

Posted on by Jackie B

My local GP surgery has started running a variety of activities beneficial to health, through their social prescribing initiative. The knit and natter group are thriving – it’s a lively group with a purpose – dozens of items have been made for good causes by the group over the last few months – they meet on Friday afternoons.

One of the GPs has done voluntary work in a clinic in Zambia, where baby clothes are scarce, to the point that newborns had to be wrapped in newspaper for warmth. We started by knitting “fish and chip baby “tops, blankets, bootees, hats to go to the clinic and others nearby.

We continues with this and have also been making items for premature babies at RVI, Newcastle, hats for the homeless and twiddle muffs for dementia patients. Here is what group members have made in the last week alone

There’s more waiting to be posted off to where it’s needed.

My tiny contribution this week was a pair of bootees made with yarn left over from a pair of socks I knitted recently.

To view discussion, click on the title of this post

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Knit and Natter 1.

Posted on by Jackie B

I’m in two knitting groups: a weekly one and a monthly one, both Fridays – today was one of those Fridays!.

The Knit and Natter Group I’ve been in longest is at The Amble Pincushion https://amblepincushion.co.uk – which sells all sorts of yarn, fabric, haberdashery and craft materials – it has the most amazing range of stock for it’s size. The group meets in the upstairs training room (there is a programme of workshops and courses too) on the third Friday of every month from 10-12. It costs £4.50, including tea/coffee/biscuits and entry into the raffle, and 10% discount in the shop on the day,

A while back we reviewed some cotton yarns for a knitting magazine and our verdict appears in this month’s edition.

We nattered about our pets, our parents and of course our knitting – Anne was on hand to help with problems and queries. We were also celebrating the arrival of a new grandchild for one of the group. Here is our work in progress: two ombre shawls, a red aran cardigan and a Santa Claus tree decoration for the new baby (not in the picture) – the dark blue piece at the bottom is my current experiment – if it works out I’ll tell you more another time.