March 2016

Marcia demonstrated magic cable on the brother standard gauge knitting machine. The magic cable is formed from using a tuck stitch where the tucks are positioned using a punch card or electronic pattern. loops from the tuck are picked up and moved in or out a few stitches to form the cabling effects if viewed from the right stocking stitch side of the fabric.

The punch card that Marcia demonstrated and talked about was heavily punched, in fact she said she had marked the squares not to punch. There were so few and seemed easier and less work to identify the ones to be left un-punched.

A few samples were handed out. The main observation about the results was that the cable effect had less definition than a true cable but was still an interesting texture. The other observation was to not press the pattern too much as it was easily flattened and lost its texture. A light  steam or damp cloth was recommended.

2 books were passed around for examples of what others had written on the techniques, patterns and instructions. Marcia went on to demonstrate 3 of the patterns from one of the books.  Marcia also produced some instructions with pictures of samples for everyone to try at home. A few pictures of the samples and books are shown.
























This months competition results are as follows.
Beginners group.
1st Jennifer  had created a blue baby jacket with hood in a soft 4 ply acrylic, and knitted in tuck stitch.
2nd Mandie had knitted her first adult complete garment in 25 years! It had overlapping fronts with the top layer across the body and fastened with a clasp near the shoulder. It was knitted in beige yarn.

Advanced group.
1st Janet produced a very professionally finished sweater knitted with a garter carriage and with a cut and sew neck. The yarn is 5 strands of Uppinghams merino 2/30s in blue.

2nd Sue knitted a pair of fingerless gloves in double jacquard in blue and black Uppinghams 2/30s acrylic. The pattern was put together on the DesignaKnit program and downloaded to the Passap. The edging is a striped rib effect with a houndstooth pattern for the body. Thumbs were knitted by picking up 3 stitches at the middle of the seam at the right point and gradually picking up stitches as rows were knitted until correct width then knitted until long enough.

3rd Vee made a cream 3 ply shawl using card 3 tuck stitch and a pretty edging all around.

February 2016

Valerie was demonstrating and talking about making buttons using Fimo clay. It is readily available in craft shops and comes in lots of colours and can be moulded into various shapes for many uses such as buttons. It can also be used to make bigger handles for  machine knitting tools that are easier to use if your grip is challenging due to arthritis or other conditions. Once the clay has been moulded into shape it is baked.

The FIMO compound is made of plastic powder, plasticisers and additives.
While baking in the oven, the plasticiser makes the plastic powder gel; once cooled off, it forms a solid matter

 The pictures and details from the meeting are to be added soon.  Meanwhile here is a link to the website. There are lots of ideas and help.
Fimo website

January 2016

As usual 2016 started with the AGM reviewing what had happened through the year and looking forward with ideas for the year meetings. The schedule is provided on the right. Each February we collect the subscriptions for the year and decided to maintain them at £15.

Stephanie and Vee who had achieved the most votes for their garments during the last year provided a talk about their knitting stories.

The knitting competition votes were cast.
Stephanie won the beginners category with a cute baby hat

 

 

The advanced entries

1st was a navy blue tuck lace shawl knitted by Valerie knitted in a type of crepe.

2nd A blue jacket knitted in Grigna from Yeoman Yarns and another Ann Brown pattern.

3rd Marcia had made a jumper and it had been plated.

 

 

  



November 2015

Shirley was the guest speaker and provided an innovative demonstration on weaving.

Competition Results
Beginners 
1st Mandie green scarf
2nd Jenny blue cardigan

Advanced
1st Shirley - Ann Brown design top plated green and blue with a cream insert
2nd Sue - Ann Brown design, maroon jacket in grigna
3rd Vee - cream v neck top with rose fair isle
4th Marcia with green cowl neck top
5th Phyllis - maroon bed socks

October 2015

A couple of members were fortunate to attend Metropolitan's Dreamweek, based in Cheshire. They brought back some samples, patterns and books which were passed around for inspection and inspiration. They gave an interesting talk about the whole event. They had enjoyed the week from the accomodation, choices of classes, lectures and tutors and chatting to other knitters. Shirley had learned to cast on and knit some colourful samples on the Passap. Sue learned how to design and knit double bed jacquard on the standard gauge. Everyone at the event learned something new, made new friends and went home very tired but happy and had taken more yarns with them.

Each year a challenge yarn is sent to attendees, some months in advance, to knit something for the competition which is judged on the last night. Shirley one of our club members won this years challenge with the main prize of an LK150 mid gauge machine. Shirley's entry was a very cute monkey knitted in the challenge eyelash type yarn and the idea was taken from a Machine Knitting monthly pattern.
 

Sue went for a textile tour of Shetland. Visited yarn brokers Jamieson and Smith and brought back a lot of yarn. Seen domestic and industrial knitting machines hard at work. The industrial machines were knitting garments all in one or in pieces that were joined on industrial sized linkers.  
 

The other topic for this meeting was the annual challenge competition and the theme was knitting something with Christmas in mind. The items all go to the clubs charity, the Berkshire MS Therapy Centre for sale and proceeds towards new equipment. The rules included not buying new yarn but using existing yarn from stash.

Valerie made santa and christmas tree figures.
Shirley made 3 tiny stockings.
Sandra made a slash neck top in a mauve 4 ply with a strand of mother of pearl decorative fibre.
Phyllis created a tuck stitch lacy scarf in silky with a brown cosy hat.
Stephanie made a cute christmas stocking with a teddy.
Marcia made mini Christmas tree decorations from i cord and bells with tiny clangers.

 

    

All of these contributions were really beautiful and it was hard to vote for winners but we managed it.
3rd Janet created a warm and festive white sweater with snoman around the body.
2nd Jenny made a red sweater and hat with reindeer fair isle pattern.
1st Vee made a blue sweater with snomen around the bottom and had lined the inside to cover all the fair isle floats.

We also had the clubs usual monthly competition.
3rd Phyllis - Ann Brown designed brown jacket
2nd Sue - cushions knitted in stripes and 1x1 fair isle using reverse and right side in Dream week yarn and green fine crepe.
1st Shirley - cute monkey from Dreamweek. 

September 2015

During September the person who does the blog was on holiday so an update on the evening and competition  will be added when the details are available.

July 2015

Back in July the club held a sales night with yarns and items from various members and other contributors. Some of the proceeds were put towards the club charity  and others went back to the sellers or into club funds. It was a good opportunity to recycle some unwanted yarn from the everr creaking stash and see it go to good use and homes.

The competition had 2 entries one for the beginners and other for advanced.
Stephanie made the beginners entry, a blue short sleeved top knitted with 2 strands of hobby


Valerie made the advanced entry and was a slip stitch blanket knitted on the mid gauge and finished with a crochet edging. 
Pictures will be added later.