Episode 174 - With Extra Dogs

This episode is kindly sponsored by Loch Ness Knit Fest 2017.

You’re welcomed to the beautiful Highlands of Scotland for Loch Ness Knit Fest 2017 (Inverness Ice Centre, 13^th-15^th October 2017). Inspired by the hugely successful Danish Fano Strikkefestival, Loch Ness Knit Fest pulls on the rich cultural crafting traditions of Scotland. Join the thousands of visitors that are expected to flock to Inverness from all over the world for this wonderfully woolly event. The truly unique programme is bursting with creativity that’s sure to inspire your knitting projects and provide lots of opportunity to meet new people. The best bit, your festival entry is free when you purchase a ticket to any of the Loch Ness Knit Fest workshops. Browse the Loch Ness Knit Fest Marketplace with 40+ stalls selling irresistible quality yarn and other crafting goodies! To make your trip all the more memorable, you can experience highland hospitality first hand with a knitters special cruise of Loch Ness, ceilidh dance with renowned Scottish band Blazin’ Fiddles or seat at the annual gala dinner complete with exclusive fashion show. Check out the Loch Ness Knit Fest website for further details: www.lochnessknitfest.com or email ask@lochnessknitfest.com

 Are you a Raveler? We are on Ravelry as LNKnitFest and would love for you to befriend us! We also host a group where Loch Ness Knit Fest goers can chat ahead of the event.

Hello Section

Wots e craic

Retreat 2018

24-27 May 2018. Please express your interest now and get your name on the list. A full cost will be announced shortly but it won't be far off £310 from last year.

Coming Up

Perth Knitting Festival is on 10 September 2017 featuring Gong Crafts and many more

Cheshire Fibre Festival is on 1 October 2017 featuring Yarns from the Plain

Festiwool is 11 November in Hitchin Hertodfordshire www.festiwool.com featuring Gardening Witch

Loch Ness Knit Fest is 13-15 October at the Inverness Ice Rink www.lochnessknitfest.com

Loch Ness Knit Fest charity drive this year -

The Queen Mother’s Clothing Guild (founded in 1882) do a remarkable amount for causes across the UK. Charities local to us that have benefitted from the Guild include Women’s Aid, Raigmore Hospital, Highland Hospice, Horseback UK and CHAS Children’s Hospice.

So what do they do?

The Queen Mother’s Clothing Guild collect knitted items (as well as bed linen, anoraks and other items) from generous crafters like you and distribute them across all their charity partners after packing and sorting in the autumn. Incredibly, they manage to gather around 20,000+ items annually for those in need.

And how can you help?

We’ll that’s just the thing. Without people like you, who love to knit, the charity wouldn’t achieve such great things that genuinely aid so many across the country. So we challenge you to get those knitting needles in action and help us add to the collection of crafted wonders.

The items that they’re most in need of are…

• hats, gloves, scarves and socks for men, women and children
• Premature baby clothing
• Baby clothing
• Pram or cot blankets
• Knee rugs
• Bed blankets

So if you’re an avid knitter and able to help, we’d love to hear from you. Or if you’re a beginner, a simple knitted square or two will do and we can transform these into beautiful blankets.

This Knit-A-Long is about the participation and sharing of finished objects. A few prizes will be awarded to people that post in the associated threads in our Ravelry Group ‘Loch Ness Knit Fest Chat’. Exact details will be confirmed but we will award prizes for:

• Most helpful and congenial
• Most prolific crafter
• Best team effort
• Most Highlander – themed
• Random prize draw

To show just how marvellous you are, we would like to display your finished objects at the festival and present them to the Guild so please send them to:

Loch Ness Knit Fest Ltd.
8 High Street
Invergorden
Scotland
IV18 OET

Me Me Me

Lots and lots about MEEEEEEeeeeee.

Dragonfly Rising by Helen Stewart

Paving Mitts by Ellen M Silva

Croft Hoose Hat by Ella Gordon

Rapunzels Tower socks by Becky Greene

TTL Mystery Shawl by Kirsten Kapur

Spinning - Alpaca and silk

Sewing - a Mackay tartan project bag, 2 fabric boxes

Reading - Wee Free Men and A Hat full of sky by Terry Pratchett, Libravox A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens and Dunstan by Con Iggluden (909-988ad not 11th centuary)

Shoppy Section

www.etsy.com/shop/caithnesscraft

Blah Blah Blaaaa Section

Louise Hunt on Raverly, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram as CaithnessCraft

www.caithnesscraftcollective.podbean.com for the podcast

(sound is a wee bit loud at the start so please turn me down, but don't turn me off, you don't want to miss out).