Features
By
Sooz L.
Stitch along with the Swindon Stitch and Bitch in #CraftInTheCity and crochet a poppy for charity!
Meeting Details
Date & time: Monday 19.30
Address: Manor Farm, Lady Ln, Haydon Wick, Swindon SN25 1JE
Phone: 01793 705222
Where was the workshop held and what was the venue like?
We meet in a pub in Swindon. It has lots of parking and it’s a friendly pub that looks oldie worldie and in the winter, it has an open fire which is rather cosy.
We tend to stick to soft drinks or hot beverages, do want to drop any stitches!
We sometimes eat there if it’s a big birthday or Christmas. Sometimes when we are finishing a group project we have a pudding night and we all order something sweet and sticky.
Who’s in your group?
In recent months, our group has really grown and we have a lovely collection of ladies, they are all great fun and a joy to spend Monday evenings with.
There are about 20 of us now with ages ranging from 39 to 72.
What are the main crafts your group do?
Well we are all crafters and I think we all dabble in multiple crafts, but some are more practical to take to the pub than others.
On Monday evenings we tend to knit, crochet, Tunisian crochet and cross stitch.
The ladies also sew, spin, card make, and scrapbook to name but a few and we are always up for trying out a new craft. Last Christmas we all had a go at making rag wreaths on one of our Monday meets.
Can anyone join and how should we sign up?
Anyone can join, just turn up to the Manor Farm pub on a Monday from 7.30pm and introduce yourself and bring some knitting with you. We're a friendly lot and whoever you sit next to will make you feel welcome.
What’s projects is everyone working on at the moment?
At last night’s meeting I took a survey....
Jo is making Christmas Cards (cross stitch)
Jane is making baby cardigans & socks
Barbara is making a baby cardigan
Jan and Lindsay are making scarves
Eileen is crocheting a unicorn
Linda is knitting a baby jumper
Sue is making poppies for charity
Ali is crocheting beanie hats for the Swindon Homeless
Tracey is crocheting a poncho
Jan is crocheting a mermaid’s tail and Dusanka is knitting a mermaid’s tail
Rosemary is crocheting a cushion
Mandy is crocheting a blanket
Suzy is knitting a tea cosy
Where else should we check out when we’re in town?
If you're visiting Swindon, don't forget to check out the Steam Museum, Swindon was built on railways, but also take in the Designer Outlet Centre, Lydiard Park, Coate Water, the Orbital Shopping Centre, The Town Gardens, Stanton House and Park, The Old Town Museum, the Wyvern Theatre, Queens Park, Lawn Woods and Old Town. And you must drive through the Magic Round about, five mini-roundabouts arranged around a sixth central, anticlockwise roundabout; it’s Magic! Well, not really magic, but it’s an experience.
Where are the best places to buy craft supplies to bring to your group?
The girls said they bought their yarn supplies from Sew Craft, Hobbycaft, The Range, Shaws the Drapers, Woolshop in Cricklade when they were buying from high street shops but also bought from Woolwarehouse and Woolfactory online.
Is there anything else we should know?
As a group, we like to do projects together and to raise money for charity. The local paper The Swindon Advertiser document most of our ventures http://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/search/?search=stitch+and+bitch
More recently we were in the Swindon Advertiser helping with an article promoting the awareness of the benefits of knitting and crocheting.
Our next group project is to knit and crochet poppies for a Yarn Bomb extravaganza in the town centre and to also sell poppies we make to raise money The British Legion. We make poppies every year so we have got it down to a fine art. Between us we need to make around 1000 poppies, fancy lending a hand? We have posted a tutorial on how to crochet a poppy.
In addition to meeting up on Monday evenings we also go on trips together to knitting shows like Ally Pally and we have a yearly weekend to the Manor House Hotel; it’s a Craft, Sports and Spa hotel in Devon. We have an amazing time. Check it out here http://www.manorhousehotel.co.uk/
Last Summer we went on a basket making course and we are always looking for new day courses we can do together to try something new and to spend sociable time together.
The group is a great place to talk to other ladies if you need inspiration, you can pick someone’s brains for ideas.
If ever you are stuck on a pattern you can go along for help, someone always manages to sort the problems out.
The ladies are always quick to share skills. The girls are happy to teach newcomers to knit and crochet.
Eileen is amazing at untangling unruly balls of wool.
The group offers banter, fun and friendly support from likeminded ladies.
One member of the group described it as "a good excuse to go down the pub!"
Are you part of an awesome craft club and want to be interviewed? Send us a message!
Share
Follow
