What's on in January - Workshops at Lee Green

Happy New Year! If one of your resolutions for 2013 is to pick up a new skill, you’ve come to the right place. knitshop.co.uk holds regular classes on Fridays and Saturdays for adults and children keen on knitting and crafting. Classes include felted jewellery making as well as knitting and crochet.

New knitters and those who want to build on existing needle skills are well catered for. On Saturday 5^th January, we’re holding a Beginners’ Knitting Workshop. As well as finding out how to hold the needles, cast on and create your first stitches, you’ll learn how to make your first project. By the end of the two-hour class you’ll know how to create a knitted flower – or even a scarf! The £15 workshop fee includes all the materials you need, so you’ll be able to take the project home with you and finish it in your own time.

Under 18s can also learn to knit. We’ll be running a Swing The Needles workshop for kids in parallel with our Beginners’ Knitting class. Here, children over the age of five will be shown finger knitting. We also teach youngsters how to knit with two needles and how to crochet. Bring them along and see which of these skills they take to.

Swing The Needles costs £10 per child, while Knitting For Beginners costs £15 per adult. Both workshops run from 11am to 1pm and are held at knitshop.co.uk’s Boutique Outlet at 326 Lee High Road.

If you can already knit, but would like to learn new techniques, our Knitting In The Round workshop is a great option. Even if you’re rather rusty with the needles, you’ll soon pick up this great technique, which allows you to make items such as gloves, socks and hats without any seams. During the two-hour class you’ll learn how to make a pair of wrist warmers, a hat or gloves. Knitting In The Round takes place on Saturday 19^th January. Full details here: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2671-knitting-in-the-round.html

Accessories make all the difference to an outfit. Add to your knitting repertoire by learning to Knit a Flower Corsage. The workshop on Saturday 12^th January will teach you all you need to know. You simply need to know how to knit and purl. We can refresh your memory about these skills too.

Both the Knitting In The Round and Knit a Flower Corsage classes cost £15 and take place from 11am to 1pm at knitshop.co.uk’s Boutique Outlet at 326 Lee High Road.

If it’s crochet rather than knitting that you’re keen to learn, we have two workshops for you. Crochet novices can learn the basics at our Crochet for Beginners class on Friday 4^th January. Once you’ve mastered how to hold the hook and creating your first crochet chain, we’ll show you how to turn them into a flower.

On Friday 11^th January we’ll be showing you how to Crochet a classic Granny Square. This class is ideal for anyone who knows how to make a crochet chain using doubles and trebles, but can also be taken by those who have never tried crochet before. As well as working with several colours, you’ll learn how to read a crochet chart and follow a pattern.

Both crochet classes cost £15 and take place from 11am to 1pm at knitshop.co.uk’s Boutique Outlet at 326 Lee High Road.

Finally, we’re offering you the chance to make your own jewellery. Our Creative Jewellery Felting Workshop demonstrates how to make and apply wet felting. During the two-hour course you’ll make a necklace or bracelet with beads and felt. 

 

To book any of our classes, click ‘Add to cart’ and choose ‘self pick-up’ when you check out.

Happy crafting!

Links to this blog:

Creative Jewellery Felting workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2673-bead-jewellery-felting.html

Crochet a Square workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2667-crochet-a-square.html

Kids’ Knitting/Crochet workshops: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2659-swing-the-needles.html

http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2657-lets-get-hooked.html

Knit A Flower Corsage workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2668-flower-corsage.html

Knitting In The Round workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2671-knitting-in-the-round.html

Learn To Knit workshop: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/workshops/2658-beginners-knitting-workshop.html

Knitshop.co.uk workshop schedule: http://www.knitshop.co.uk/156-workshops

Interweave Magazines

Knitting and Crochet Magazines new to knitshop.co.uk

New to knitshop.co.uk are the Interweave Magazines offering a variety of reads including Knitscene, Knits and Crochet. We are offering several issues from all these stunning magazine series.

These quality glossy magazines are informative and provide a fresh view to the knitting and crochet art. The knitshop.co.uk team is particularly keen on the creative opportunities featured across the magazines offering plenty of projects and opportunities to knitters and crocheters to get involved, start new projects and improve their skills.

We are also keen on the technical aspect, these magazines offer lots of advice on developing techniques and including them in projects making the most of your knitting and crochet needles and adding a contemporary feel to your knitting and crochet.

The suggested yarns are all available at the knitshop.co.uk or we can advise on something similar to what the projects offer. We recommend these magazines as gift subscriptions or for treats to keep knitters and crocheters in the loop.

Crochet by Interweave

This seasonal magazine offers in each edition at least 20 projects to get your needles into. These well explained and illustrated projects are for all levels of crochet and will challenge anyone's fingers and needles. Techniques are explained and developed in a lovely section dedicated to improving crochet techniques. These should encourage crocheters to pick-up their needle and yarn and to experiment not just with the technique, but how to hold needles and yarn and more.

Available form just £4.99, four times a year, this will certainly keep you entertained throughout the seasons.

Knitscene by Interweave

Knitscene delves into the finer points of knitting focusing on technique, easing your knitting experience and making sure you become a confident and comfortable knitter.

Issued every season, four times a year, this magazine is filled with amazing tips and step-by-step advice for techniques that can be practised and applied to further projects. The magazine also includes several new contemporary designs and projects to get your knitting needles moving and get you occupied during that particular season.

The magazine has a fabulous social atmosphere with letters from knitters and discussions to get involved in and get you thinking.

The magazine explores every aspect of knitting from techniques, to finishes to complete patterns and various methods of knitting. A lovely all round magazine that we strongly recommend for any knitting fanatic.

Knits by Interweave

Similar to Knitscene by Interweave this magazine also focuses on techniques through step-by-step articles and projects within the magazine. Quarterly, this magazine takes a more traditional angle looking at historical knitting and bringing it into the modern world.

Both magazines are worth a browse and we feel that the strength in their projects and advice will sway your decision as to which one suits you that season. From just £5.99, it's not a sin to get hold of both magazines to really get your knitting juices flowing.

Enjoy!

Links to this blog: 

Knit scene Magazine & Interweave Knits 

Interweave Crochet

Mother's Day Treats

Mother's DayTreat


As March rolls in, Mother's day is just around the corner. And we here, at the knitshop.co.uk, are all keen to treat our mums. It's hard to find the perfect gift which will represent what our mums mean to us, but we've put together a few treats for mums, sons, daughters and more.


Roll-up, roll-up for our Mother's Day Taster sessions, free and ideal to spend some quality time with your mum or loved one. Held on Sunday 18th of March, this session celebrates mums, needles, yarns and more.

Put-together with mums in mind, these session will inspire families and teach new techniques to be carried away and used beyond the session. A priceless gift, absolutely free! Make sure you book your places well in advance to guarantee entry as they will fill-up fast.

Crochet Taster Session is from 11am. Designed for all levels of crochet abilities, turn your hands to to the crochet needle and loop some yarns into pretty pieces. The knitshop.co.uk team will put all students at ease taking you through each step and leading the class at everyone's pace. A fun environment, relaxed, so you enjoy the session with your mum. A full hour dedicated to mums and crochet, what more can you ask for? A Knitting session?

Knitting Taster Session, from 12.30pm, will have mums and daughters clicking their needles away. This taster session introduces all candidates to the art of knitting teaching all the basic techniques and taking students through, at their pace. All levels of abilities are welcome to the class, and we'll provide the rest. The one hour session will push students to knit-up a sample and learn basic steps to take-away with them and continue the art. More importantly the joy of the session, and time spent with you will be well worth the knots and loops of knitting.

Needle Felting Taster Session starts at 2pm sharp! Don't miss this woolly pleasure aimed at all level of abilities this class will teach the basics to needle felting, and you'll be able to take home any samples you achieve throughout the session. This relaxed class will be an fantastic opportunity to wish your Mum a happy Mother's Day and something a little different to usual Sunday activities.

So if any of these three sessions takes your fancy, or perhaps you can see you mum wanting to learn or refresh her skills then make sure you book your places in advance. You can book in store, by phone or online by 'checking out' the session.


All sessions are held by Julieta Brandao from the knitshop.co.uk, experienced in teaching children, adults and family teams! Julieta and the knitshop team will welcome all candidates on this special occasion to the knitshop.co.uk shop in Lee Green to enjoy a session and will provide all materials and tools necessary and you'll be able to take home any project you were working on. Light refreshments will also be included as well as a fun, care-free environment to make the most of the time between family.

These taster sessions are free, but still need to be booked.
326 Lee High Road,
Lee Green, London,
SE13 5PJ

Links to this post:
Workshops at knitshop.co.uk
Crochet Session 11am - 12 noon
Knitting Session 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Needle Felting Session 2pm - 3pm
Boutique Outlet - where to find us

The Perfect Finish - Professional Finishing Techniques

Edges of knitted fabrics can sometimes be a little untidy, the cast-on and off can be a little loser or tighter than the rest of the fabric, and simply for further decoration to your fabric or garment, finishing techniques will create the perfect finish.

There are a vast range of techniques that can be applied to fabrics, and just some of these will be covered in the knitshop's 'Professional Knitting Finishing Techniques' workshop.

The Perfect Finish - Finishing Techniques Workshop:
25 and 26 November, 11am - 1pm from £12.00 per 2 hour session

Casting off

Simple but effective is the cast-off technique. It is key to keep your tension the same as the entire fabric, but more easily said than done, for many people a cast-off will result in a taught tension.

The best way to describe casting off, is to knit two stitches as you have been the entire fabric. The second first of the two stitches is dropped, by being looped over the second stitch and then off the end of the knitting needle, leaving one stitch on the needle.

Knit a second stitch, and repeat the above by dropping the first stitch, looping it over the second and off the needle. Carry on the process, being very careful with your tension, until one stitch remains. I usually cut the remaining yarn and bring it through the last loop and create a knot and weave the yarn back in.

Odds and Ends

All knitted fabrics will have yarn ends, either from yarn breakages, changing colours or similar activities that leave yarns hanging from your fabric. The best way to finish off your fabrics is imply to weave these ends in on the wrong-side of the fabric so it is less likely your stitches will come apart and the ends are tucked away neatly and safely.

Crochet hooks or darning needles are ideal to weave the yarn back into your stitches, however simply threading a sewing needle will achieve a similar finish.

Binding or Stitch decrease.

Another ideal way to finish a fabric is the 'fashioning' or decreasing of the fabric and stitches. Usually this will be used for garment finishing techniques for sleeves, necklines and similar.

Again a similar technique to casting off is used, however the fabric is not cast-off all in one row. Decreasing the number of stitches by casting off a few stitches with each row is the usual pattern. Decreasing will usually occur on the edges of the fabric, each garment will propose a different pattern which, should be followed to achieve the best fit and finish for your project.

Linking

Linking pieces of fabric is a great way to eliminate or finish edges, but also to create a new finished edge. Linking can be done by hand or on a linker. Two edges are cast onto needles and then can be immediately cast off or knitted further so two edges make one. Linking also means two different knitted fabrics can be linked together, and this can be a form of finish. One example is; a fine knitted strip linked to a chunkier fabric. This is a perfect edge for a cardigan. Another example is a ribbed edge, such as a cuff, can be linked to a chunkier and wider sleeve.

Mattress Stitch

The perfect seamless seam. This works best on chunkier yarn, finer yarns require patience and small stitches. But the results is a fabric that has a seam, but it is invisible.

Firstly iron flat your fabrics and lay them flat side by side, correct side facing upwards. The aim is to stitch together the selvedges so they continue and give the illusion of a continuous fabric. Use a sewing needle and the same yarn the fabric is knitted with and use a stocking stitch to join the pieces. Pull tight.

Ribbed Edge

A basic technique is ribbing. This technique is simple and adds a little elasticity to your fabric. However incorporating elastic with your knitting yarn can added elasticity to create edges such as cuffs, waistbands and more.

The rib technique uses knit and pearl stitch in the same row. Knit three stitches, pearl three stitches, knit three stitches and carry on until the end of the row. On the next row, you'll need to stick to your three stitches pattern, but where you did three knit stitches, this time do three pearl stitches. This will result in a vertical stripe design with knit and pearl stitches on the same side of the fabric.Ribbed edges can be linked onto a fabric or you can integrate the stitch from another.

Felting

Sometimes a finishing technique can be felting your fabric. Some projects may require a combination of felted and non felted fabrics. Mixing non felted and felted pieces creates a wonderful and original finished project. Always test your yarn to see how much it will shrink by when felted. And similarly if you are adding a felted piece, make sure you knit-it up large enough to shrink. Felted panels can be cut to size.

If you do want to participate in one of our workshops please reserve a space at http://www.knitshop.co.uk/156-workshops - all our workshop are held at the Boutique Outlet in Lee Green.

Links to this post:
Workshop booking page
How to find the knitshop.co.uk Boutique Outlet in Lee Green

Knittng on the go....

Knitting on the go I literally mean it the way it sounds.... I have been knitting in the parks in Lee Green and Kent, what a beautiful sunshine! Children are out on the playground licking ice cream and mummies get time to knit a nice cardigan or bolero for the cool spring evenings.

The knitting on my needles...
I'm knitting the gorgeous Cotton DK yarn on 3.5mm circular needles in a lovely pink colour with violetred edging. This will be a bolero pattern age 7-8 years once it is finished, watch the space for more information on the pattern. Remember the review about the Cotton DK yarn just a few weeks ago... The yarn knits up very evenly and drapes well in garments and accessories, I just love using it. Although I tend to use smaller needles than recommended, considering this is classified as a DK - aran weight yarn. The yarn is still fairly new to the shop, we only got it towards the end of last summer but I seem to be coming back to it for nice spring and summer knits, I have used it for several projects over the year. 

My second project on the go is a boys cardigan using Cotton plied wool yarn. I have used a lovely neutral colour, the cream white for this little garment and it's worked on 3.25mm needles. The yarn knits up very evenly, it is ideal for textured or plain knitting. It is available in single and multi colours. Ingrid did a great review about this yarn on her blog back in April, she says: "The yarn drapes beautifully and the combination of wool and cotton..." click here to read more. Again this seems to be a yarn I have used several times over the last year for cardigans and baby clothes.

Last but not least I'm working on a Girls Princess Pouch. For this project I'm using 4ply cotton yarn and 2.25mm double pointed needles. OMG this needles are soooooo fine...! And I did already break one of my 2.25mm bamboo's while working with this amazing fine yarn. We do recommend 2.5 - 3mm for this yarn, but because I'm knitting fairly loose I'm using the 2.25mm needles. This has also been used for A Stitch In Time Vol 2 and I will post a review on this yarn very shortly.

All three project will be available as pattern to download for free or to purchase at the knitshop.co.uk website. I will post a link to the pattern and photos about the projects once they are finished. 

Something to read for the Crocheters amongst us - I'm mostly talking about knitting as this is the main craft I do, although I did crochet all three of this yarns before. The mercerised cotton 4ply is my favourite to crochet, I use a 3mm crochet hook and I just love making small crochet flowers with this yarn. They are great for decoration, I use them to put on gifts for a handmade finish. The cotton plied wool yarn crochets up beautifully, it gives a great stitch definition and looks good with nearly every stitch. The cotton DK yarn I find is not as versatile as the other two yarns. Its more crisp and perhaps a little stiffer for crochet, but with the right size hook it will give you a great finish and look very neat and pretty once it is done. 

Watch out for new patterns, project pictures, new yarn reviews and great blog posts in the near future, we will keep you updated here on our knitshop.co.uk blog, facebook and twitter page.

Lots of sunshine and happy knitting!
Julieta @knitshop.co.uk

Links to this post:
knitshop.co.uk
cotton yarns, cotton plied wool yarn
knitshop.co.uk pattern
Ingrid's blog
facebook
twitter
crochet hooks
cotton DK review
knitting needles

Short Courses @knitshop.co.uk

Embrace the Exciting Textile Craft Opportunities

At knitshop.co.uk we have been supplying high quality yarns online since opening in 2004. We offer a wide range of our own branded yarns and fibres for knitting, crochet and felting as well as knitting needles, crochet hooks and other accessories. In 2009 we opened our doors @ 326 Lee High Road were we offer a wide range of exciting textile workshops, demonstrations, tutorials and newly added to the list are our short courses. The short courses are aimed to guide the learner through techniques and topics of one particular craft. We are dedicated to teach traditional skills and advance creative opportunities in the local community. The courses are designed to suit varying levels, from beginners through to advanced and all needs are met through tutorials and group master classes supported by expert tutors.

The possibilities of these crafts are endless and the short course flexibility allows for individual progression. Exploring colour, stitch, yarn, materials and product applications, these courses are perfect for those who are looking to create beautiful handmade crafts with the encouragement from highly skilled tutors. Due to the increasing popularity of these courses we are offering pre-bookings, which can be done on-line at www.knitshop.co.uk/Workshops, by phone or by visiting the shop.

These inspiring short courses include all levels and techniques in knitting & crochet and offer a fantastic opportunity to broaden creative horizons whilst developing practical skills. Workshops are offered for two one hour group sessions and starting from £10/2h session for course bookings. More detailed information with specifics about each of the projects is available on the website.

Visit knitshop.co.uk today to read more about our short courses and other classes available at our outlet in Lee Green. Book your space on-line now to guarantee a seat and get our special pre-booking discounted rate.


Patterns for the knitted Vest and Scarf in the pictures are available at knitshop.co.uk.

Links to this blog:

knitshop.co.uk - online shop for knitting, felting & more

Outlet in Lee Green, 326 Lee High Road, London, SE13 5PJ

Workshops @ knitshop.co.uk

Short Courses @ knitshop.co.uk

Pattern available from knitshop.co.uk

Move

Hello and welcome to the knitshop.co.uk blog.

Knitshop.co.uk will be moving its premises from Charlton (Thames Barrier) to Lee High Road.

We finally signed the lease and will be getting the keys for the new office/shop very shortly.
There will be an official opening in September, however you can visit the new office/shop already from August before the official opening.

The location and address will be published on our website: http://www.knitshop.co.uk shortly.
The knitshop blog and facebook page will keep you updated about the progress of the new office/shop, we will post stories and pictures about the move.

Dont miss the "Moving Sale" on our website: http://knitshop.co.uk/prices-drop.php

Please feel free to post comments about the move, the website, the yarn or anything else about Knitshop.

Bye for now
Julie