We have helped to organise a mini knitting festival with Malvern Library which runs throughout October. The highlights are 2 Rowan Workshops run by Emma King and Sarah Hazell. They are 2 hours
long and cost just a fiver! It’s a great opportunity to try out a workshop without having to pay for the whole day. Anyway, here is the complete list of events:

The BIG Knit-In

Saturday 3^rd October 2-4pm in the Gallery

Come and join this one-off knitting club to launch Knitting month @ the Library. If you can knit, bring your knitting. If not, come anyway and we will help you
get started.

Mini crochet workshop with Rowan designer Sarah Hazell

Wednesday 7^th October 6-8pm

Sarah will be running this mini workshop and you should go away with something you’ve made! Unfortunately not suitable for beginners because of time
constraints but fine for anyone with a basic knowledge. Cost £5 plus materials. Booking is essential.

Men’s Learn to Knit Workshop

Saturday 10^th October 2-4pm

This is a men only learn to knit session. Men and ladies will be on hand to teach the basics; casting on, knit,
purl and casting off. It’ll be held in a meeting room so you won’t be in public! Materials will be available to borrow.

Men’s Knit ‘n’ Natter Sessions

Saturday 17^th & Saturday 31^st October 2-4pm

A social knitting session for men only. No booking necessary, just turn up with your knitting. It’s a great way to get new ideas and meet other knitters
without the risk of turning up to a knitting club where it’s all girls…

Professional Finishing Tips with Rowan designer Emma King

Friday 23^rd October 3.30-5.30pm

Emma will be presenting an abridged version of her popular professional finishing workshop. She will cover the all-important mattress stitch along with other
top techniques for finishing your knitted garments. Cost £5. Booking is essential.

Kids Learn to Knit Workshop

Saturday 24^th October 2-4pm

A workshop to teach children the basics of knitting. We will cover basic ways to cast on, knit stitch and casting off. There will be ideas of things to make using basic knitted
squares. Suitable for children from 7 years old. Materials will be available to borrow. Booking is essential.

The Webmaster is giving blood today and thought he may be too weak to ride his bike home, so I had to walk to work so he can have the car. It is a great walk and I happened to have my camera with me so I took some pics for those of you who are not Malverner’s. This is my favourite part of the walk. It is halfway down the hill and there is a great avenue of trees and I always imagine the Victorians strolling up the hills along this avenue. (Crikey, this is sounding very bloggy!)

There’s a stone channel down the side of the path to carry the spring water, actual Malvern Water, down the hill. It doesn’t look super pretty at the moment because ot’s full of leaves but it’s still cool.

Anyway, I had my camera because I finished a project last night and have pics to show! It is a hybrid knitting and sewing project that I started after Amy Butler’s talk when I was really inspired. Mid way through I lost my enthusiasm because the Webmaster wasn’t impresses with my vision. So last night I just decided to get it finished and I really love it. Who cares what anyone else thinks?!

 It is for a baby, I don’t know which baby. It is quite girly and both of my friends who are pregnant haven’t found out what their’s is. I guess the first girl can bags it. If my daughter doesn’t get there first…

Our village school has been raising money towards building an extension and yesterday they held an event to raise serious cash. It was called ‘Red Knees Day’ because we crawled up the Worcestershire Beacon. Not on the paths, but straight up the side and crikey, it was steep and seriously hard going. I made some stylish knee pads from some gorgeous Anna Maria Horner fabics and they held up very well although we had to strap them on with electrician’s tape which kind of ruined the look. I did have red knees afterwards ironically.

My five year old daughter was the star of the family as she managed to get to the top in 15 minutes, a very impressive time. There was a trophy for the family who raised the most in sponsorship and unfortunately that was never going to be us sut the first 100 kids to the top could get a medal and she really wanted the medal. I think she finished in the first 10! My son and I managed 20 minutes which we were still pleased with and he got a medal too.

I will post some photos once I have them from my friend who was ‘marshalling’, another word for skiving out of the crawling! I had to give my hands a rest from knitting last night as I have some nasty blisters on my knuckles. My technique must have been a bit off!

It’s not too late to donate if you are impressed with our crawling prowess! Go to www.justgiving.com/redkneesday1  Needless to say, I would have let the kids do it on their own if I’d realised how hard it would be!

Yes, Amy must have had a great time last year because she is visiting us again on Monday 17th August! She is giving a talk at the Abbey Hotel at 7pm and will be doing a book signing. Her talk will be different from last year, we have been told, and really whatever she says is inspirational!

We will be there with Amy’s new collection of ready made bags and her books, patterns and fabrics all of which will be available to buy. There will be special discounts!

All in all there is no better way to spend next Monday evening. Tickets are still available from the Knitting Parlour or you can call to reserve one and pay on the door.

Hey! I have finally joined Twitter so you can follow what’s going on in the shop. Interesting, I know. My name is knittingparlour but hopefully the Webmaster will be able to put it on the side of the blog if you’re not a twitterer yourself.

Actually, today, new yarn from Sirdar has arrived. It’s called Nomad and it’s a lovely boucle (I know, but honestly it’s not ’80’s) in natural shades with a HIGH natural fibre content. Fabulous patterns too and good yardage. What more could you want? I am tempted to start a cute short sleeved cardi for layering in the autumn and winter but I am going to resist as I just added a baby blanket to my list yesterday for my good friends Stu and Bethan.

Our summer sale has started! We have up to 20% off a good range of yarns including some Rowan cottons, RYC Bamboo Soft, Sirdar Juicy, Araucania cottons, Debbie Bliss Eco and Aran Tweed and lots more bits and pieces too.

The sale will make way for the new yarns some of which have already started arriving. Just today the new Sirdar Nomad came in. It is a boucle in natural shades with some fantastic patterns one of which I have my eye on for my next project.

The Webmaster is busy revamping our website as it is starting to object when we add new things so we will start adding the new items in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime you know you can ring us or email if you want something that isn’t on the website.

The new Rowan Magazine will be out on 15th July and the Rowan yarns are arriving on 1st August. I think it is one of the best Rowan seasons ever. We’re also going to be a stockist of Gedifra. We have dabbled until now but they also have a great winter collection so we coudn’t resist!