Meet the KCG!

I had a wonderful weekend!

On Friday Wye Sue picked me up from Bristol station and drove me to Get Knitted, some small purchases were made, all of them for exchange gifts so no photos for the present! We then had lunch at a delightful restaurant where I indulged my passion for Dutchpot Lamb with Rice+peas. Then it was time to head off to Cheltenham for a spot of shopping before meeting up with some of the KCG for an evening meal. No photos of any of this as in the passion for shopping I forgot the one thing I had to buy - batteries for the camera! A great drive through the Wye Valley to spend the night at Sue's sleeping in her stash room - I shared space with her 4ply stash (see her blog for details) and can assure you that none of it came home with me - I was so paralysed at the sight of all that choice!

Saturday morning saw us set off to Cheltenham again for the AGM. We had the opportunity to shop with KCGTL before the meeting and a few minor indulgences were bought. Then on to the serious business..... anyone who had not brought their own needles and yarn was provided with them to knit through the AGM and start the KCG's contribution to The Great British PicKnit

The committee skillfully lead us through the complexities of reports to the Charity Commission, Financial Statements and the matter of appointing new people to the committee. Thanks were given to Jane and Pattie who were standing down as Directors.

Sheila used the occasion to demonstrate how wonderful the art of scumbling is when done by an expert. I need to make time to visit the Reading group and learn more from this talented lady.

Alison Dupernex was our first speaker and there are no photos of the work she showed us as I was too busy trying to sketch and note down her wonderful ideas - I hope to see one of her wonderful Kimono style coats in my wip queue soon. She talked so enthusiastically about attending yarn shows in Italy that I think many of us went home to check out flights and hotels!

Jane Sowerby of Victorian Lace Today fame, was our second speaker, it was our chance to see some of the wonderful shawl and lace yarns that she has found on her travels. I was inspired by her linking the upsurge of knitting today with that of the developmentsin the victorian era - I just hope that the modern trends sparks as much interest as the times she studied. I also enjoyed her suggestion that one could own one good dress and ring the changes with a different fichu everyday - that's just the excuse I need to knit more lace.

I was fascinated by her discussion of the early Victorian patterns and when she mentioned one of the earliest sources it rang a bell in my mind. During the interval I was able to check in my bag for the little knitting book I carry around with me ( sentimental reasons - it was my gran's) and it was by the same Mrs Hope that Jane had mentioned. A few words with Jane and I discovered it was a book she hadn't found in her research and I'm under strict instructions to keep it safe , wrapped in acid free tissue. I'm going to miss it's company on my daily travels, some of the homilies in the book were just what I needed at the end of a trying day!

The AGM competition this year was inspired by the date of the meeting - 07/07/07 and there were some very creative entries. Voting was done by the placing of coins next to each item and there were two clear winners. Here's Mary's wonderful wire work

and here's Sue's dance of the seven veils

I think this sums up the spirit of the women and men I met that day - we may be getting older and greyer but our spirits are free and creating.

Posted by Yvonne at July 15, 2007 11:51 AM