Tuesday 7 July 2015

The Knitting & Crochet Guild Convention Part Two

Here is Part Two of my post about the Knitting and Crochet Guild Convention. It was such a great weekend, it needs two blog posts to do it justice! Our speaker after lunch on Day two was the very talented Louise Walker of Sincerely LouiseLouise is a commercial photography graduate who was determined to include knitting in her degree work! 

Faux Taxidermy Knit by Sincerely Louise
After several extremely creative projects, including knitted wigs, an appearance on the Alan Titchmarsh show and a Boden campaign, Louise was asked to create a book about faux taxidermy knits. Faux Taxidermy Knits has been very successful and Louise told us about the styling and photography she used in the book. You can find all Louise's knit kits on her Etsy Shop, Sincerely Louise. She is currently working on dinosaur knits and I can't wait to see what she tackles next!! You can read more about Louise on her blog


Faux Taxidermy Knit by Sincerely Louise
Faux Taxidermy Book and Knits by Sincerely Louise

Louise in conversation after her talk
After her excellent talk, Louise ran a "Photograph Your Knits" workshop. I was lucky enough to have been on one of her previous workshops at Unravel in Farnham two years ago and was keen to learn more. Louise had lots of tips for us and very kindly allowed us to photograph Hippo! 

Our photography workshop group
Our photography workshop in progress
Hippo by Sincerely Louise

The other excellent workshops that were going on at the same time were Brioche Knitting with Marie Wright, Irish Crochet with Sally Magill and Two Handed Stranded Knitting with Ann Kingston. 

Marie Wright's Brioche Knitting Workshop
Ann Kingstone's Two Handed Stranded Kniting Workshop
Sally Magill's Irish Crochet Workshop
After dinner, Tricia lead the Show and Tell session. I was absolutely blown away by the talent of my fellow delegates. The knitting and crochet on show ranged from exquisite shawls to protest banners and from fantastic dresses to heirloom garments that have now been donated to the Guild Collection.    Here are just a few of the many highlights of the evening.

Designer Ann Kingston was at the Convention with her beautiful new book, Lace KnitsAnn explained to us that the designs in her book are all named after her local area and that her best friend from school is one of the models! It is a gorgeous book with lots of detailed information about lace knitting and stunning garments and accessories to knit.

KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
Ann Kingston with her Lace Knits Book

Designer Rita Taylor was also at the Convention and talked to us about her lovely new book, Vintage Knits for Babies. If you look closely at the photo you can see Rita's crochet slippers! 

KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
Rita Taylor with her Vintage Knits for Babies Book
Betty had brought along her beautiful fuchsia waistcoat. She had knitted this lovely garment using the fuchsia chart I had designed for her after last year's Knitting & Stitching Show. You can read about Betty's Fuchsia Challenge here

KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
Betty in her beautiful waistcoat
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
Betty's Fuchsia Waistcoat
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
KCG Convention 2015: Show and Tell
I was honoured to be asked to join designer Ann Kingston and crochet specialist Sally Magill as a judge in the Time for Tea competition. Thank you to everyone who entered and well done to our winners! 
The Winners!
Our last morning began with a detailed run through of the Guild's new website. Tricia took us through the new layout, page by page, highlighting many of the excellent sources of information that are available for both members and non members. You can take a look here.

After coffee (and cake of course!) we split into workshop groups. The workshops included Tunisian Crochet with Anne Flanagan, Knitting and Crochet for more than two hands with Judy Jones and beginners crochet with Trisha Basham. My workshop was with designer Sarah Alderson, who very gently led us through a double knitting project to make a Love Owl Coaster. I have done a little bit of double knitting, but changing colours was challenging! Sarah showed us how to correct mistakes and cast of in a beautiful braided edge. We didn't complete the coaster in the workshop, but my train journey home gave me the perfect opportunity and here it is!
Love Owl Coaster by Sarah Alderson,
knitted by Emma Vining
Love Owl Coaster by Sarah Alderson,
knitted by Emma Vining

I had a really excellent time at the Convention, catching up with old friends and making lots of new friends. I am very proud and happy to be part of such a knowledgeable, interesting and friendly knitting community. If you are not already a member, please do come and join us!

The Knitting & Crochet Guild Convention & AGM 2015: Part One

What great weekend we all had at the K&C Guild Convention! All of the delegates were very impressed by the University of Sheffield facilities. We were looked after very well, from fixing plumbing late at night to sorting out return trips to the station during the Sheffield Sky Ride road closures. There are so many highlights from our two days that I have split them over two posts. 

The Guild's theme this year is Afternoon Tea and there was a lovely display of tea related items from the Collection. Some of these will be on display at Shows over the next few months. 

KCG Collection
Photo by Emma Vining

KCG Collection
Photo by Emma Vining

KCG Collection
Photo by Emma Vining
After introductions and dinner on our first evening, we were all treated to an entertaining and informative talk by Kerry Lord of Toft Alpaca. Kerry took us through her journey from her English Literature degree to her successful business, Toft luxury yarns.  Her clarity of vision for the business is very impressive. Kerry illustrated the high level of skill required during all phases of producing the luxury Toft yarns by describing in detail how she achieves colour blending with natural Alpaca fleeces. We all fell in love with Kerry's Edward's Menagerie Collections and were very lucky to preview the first copy of Kerry's new book, Edward's Menagerie: Birds. The crochet birds are fabulous and I love the descriptions of each one, written by Kerry in her very distinctive style. I know I am not the only one planning a trip to see Kerry at her wonderful studio and shop!

Kerry Lord's new Book
Two of Ed's Animals by Toft Alpaca
Our day on Saturday began with an excellent presentation by Meg Boyce. Meg is a student at Huddersfield University and has been working with the Guild Collection Team at Lee Mills. Meg took us through some of her research and her responses to the Collection. She also introduced the concept of using Forensic Science methodologies to find new ways of looking at the Collection. Her work with the huge number of knitting needles in the Collection has resulted in some beautiful artwork that will shortly be produced as cards for the Guild to sell. I will definitely be buying some!

Pence Jugs by Meg Boyce

Meg showing her smallest Pence Jug

Meg's Knitting needle inspired artwork

Meg's beautiful knitted response to the Guild Collection

Barbara Smith's presentation was all about beautiful Fair Isle items that we have in the Guild Collection. Barbara is the Publications Curator for the Guild Collection and I particularly enjoy how she links images, patterns and items together to show the social history behind the designs. Beginning with the classic 1922 fair isle sweater worn by the Prince of Wales at St Andrews, Barbara showed how this type of image began appearing in adverts for knits and yarns in the 1920s. Barbara's other examples of Fair Isle in the Collection took us through the decades and ended with the sweater that was recently "Visibly Mended" by Tom of Holland. You can read more about all kinds of knitting and crochet on Barbara's fascinating blog.

Barbara Smith's presentation

"Visibly Mended" Fair Isle Cardigan from the KCGuild Collection

Here are some more photo highlights of the Knitting and Crochet Guild Convention 2015 showing our delegates in action!


KCG Convention 2015

KCG Convention 2015

KCG Convention 2015

KCG Convention 2015

KCG Convention 2015

KCG Convention 2015

KCG Convention 2015
More on the Convention coming up in Part Two........