May 2015

 

Sue provided a talk on collars and described her experiences knitting some of the designs from Maggie Andrews book 'Add a Collar'.  Some of Maggie's designs are below.

 

 

 

 

  

Competition

Beginners Group:

 

1st Stephanie. This is an interesting top, knitted in pink with hand tooled lace in a central panel. The side panels are knitted sideways.



 

Advanced Group:
1st Vee created a multi-coloured striped garment with  v neck. The yarn colour change was done with a 2 colour fair isle that produced a wave effect and was  completed with a crochet collar.

2nd Sandra crafted a beige coloured Grigna yarn knitted on standard gauge, into an Ann Brown design jacket.

3rd Valerie (new member) created a small child sized jumper in grey lambs wool with angora.

4th Valerie created a design that can be worn as either a tunic or a shrug by joining the buttons in different ways. It was very versatile and am sorry I hadn't taken more useful photos to show it off. So an action for another time to grab some and update.

5th Phyllis knitted a tuck stitch stole in green single stranded hobby on the standard gauge machine.

 

 

Come and join us to share our passion for knitting over a cup of tea or coffee and we always have a tasty selection of biscuits  

 

 

 

April 2015

Marcia gave a very interesting talk about short row techniques and Various uses. There are many areas of knitting it can be used such as:

• in shaping, casting off introduces definite steps and after joining two edges like this together it can make a bit of an ugly finish. A smoother line is produced when reducing stitches by using holding position then taking off on waste yarn and picking up to join together. This is useful for necklines and shoulders.
• in necklines it can create a very stretchy opening for children jumpers and provide smoother join with an added neckband
• creating shaping for bust line darts
• the back can have added rows in the middle to stop a garment looking like it is riding up
• godet shaping in jackets and tops for peplums
• around skirts to give pleating or fullness at the bottom that kick and can be done in contrast colours and yarn thickness
• around collars to shape and add curves
• used in intarsia to create diagonal shapes or a triangle of each colour in a sweater front or back. Another way is by creating a diamond shape
• to produce a swirl or waterfall effect scarf or front of a garment
• these are just some of the examples of short row use and benefits

Example photos are to be added here later, when I have found some good examples.
Photos are this months competition entries and both are in the advanced group
 

Phyllis made this woven jacket 
and  has lined it and trimmed
the edges and sleeves

It looks quite effective
 the classic Chanel shape



This photo shows a close up of the
 ribbon weaving trim in a different
 colour to contrast



This picture shows the saddle shoulder
 detail for the jumper made by Sandra below

March 2015

A new visitor to the meeting prompted a round the table discussion about the number and variety of machines we have between us.

Plating was the topic of the month. Valerie talked about the technical side of two yarns, one through the plating feeder and the other through the main bed or the ribber. For those that do not know, one yarn knits behind the other so it gives the effect of lining the main yarn.

Samples were passed around to see the textures and look of the knitting.

 

 

Plating Feeder

These are all plating samples

Competition:
Beginners
2nd Black jumper in 4 ply and made by Jenny
1st Purple cushion made by Mandie using a garter carriage and edged with green fauxchet.

Advanced
2nd Pink and brown sweater made by Marcia on the chunky machine. The yarn is a DK and 4 ply twisted.
1st Vee created the blue and green yarns twisted together and made into a jumper and edged in bright acrylic. 
 

February 2015

Crochet was the meeting topic and we shared crochet related stories, skills and books. The crochet techniques could be used on their own or as trimmings and embellishments for machine knitted items.


Mandie had found Fauxchet on the internet and provided a demonstration. Valerie demonstrated Tunisian crochett. A few of us had a go of both types with expert help on hand. The rest of the group brought in their own crochet samples, yarn and hooks to demonstrate and try the techniques.

 February Competition
Beginners: 

• 1 entry by Mandie who made a very colourful neck warmer 

  Advanced:

• 1st Marcia with an Ann Brown jacket with the famous 14,000 rows of cord and handknitted into cuffs and bands. Standard gauge using 3 strands of french crepe.

• 2nd a childs fairisle cardigan by Sue who adpated a handknit pattern and used LK150 mid gauge with double knit sublime merino, cashmere and silk.

 

• 3rd Shirley knitted a standard gauge raglan sleeve jumper in green with a lace trim around the bottom.

 

•  4th Gillian created 2 childs sweaters in Sirdar Crofter random dyed yarn

January 2015

Welcome to our first post for 2015! The main topic was the AGM, reviewing our last years activities and looking forward and planning this years.The charity competition will be xmas top/jumper for any size, child or adult.

This meetings competition results:
Beginners:
Stephanie was the only entry and made a  brightly coloured clown. There is long story with this item. The pattern had been found in an old magazine but part of it was missing due to someone cutting out something on the other side of the page. Confident that it could be found from somewhere, Stephanie put aside the yarn and kept a lookout. Well she looked and looked but years went by and no sign of it. I think at least 5 years had passed when Vee joined our group in the latter part of last year and she brought in some magazines to recycle amongst the group and lo and behold THE magazine with full uncut pattern!!

Advanced:
1st - Vee made a pink multi coloured top with garter stitch collar and bands.
Joint 2nd - Valerie made a necklace with innovative clasps from icing nozzles. Have a look at the photo. Sue made an Ann Brown design jacket in Grigna.
3rd - Phyllis with a 2x2 rib hat and scarf.

Yes it is an icing nozzle! How innovative is that.

December 2014

During December we all enjoyed our annual xmas meal, this time at the ELY, between Blackwater and Yateley. We always exchange secret Santa gifts. This year we also gave out certificates for the end of year competition results and charity competiton. It was a great end to a very busy knitting year.