Birthday Workshop

Hitchin Stitchin'

What a great turnout for Hitchin Stitchin's 7th birthday.

birthday cake

At the time of the cake cutting, I counted 33 members.

We were also celebratng Alicia's (yesterday)  and Angela's (today) birthdays.

We sang the traditional birthday song to us - Hitchin Stitichin'.










The workshops were a great success thanks to

professional finishing

Jane, for demonstrating drop spindle spinning and wheel spinning. I didn't get any shots of Jane in action. She is in the background, at her wheel in this photo.


Alicia, for demonstrating professional finishing techniques,

advanced crochet

Andy for teaching a new crocheted construction,

Beginning crochet

Helen, for teaching beginner's crochet,

Philippa for demonstrating arm knitting and finger knitting. (Again there is no shot of Phillipa in action.) She's in the background in this photo, with her back to the camera,

Continental knitting

and Tanja for teaching the continental style of knitting.

jewelery making

I thought that the beading workshop was going to be knitting with beads, but it was a full-blown jewelry-making workshop, with all the materials and tools provided by a relatively new member.

hard at work

There is a great diversity of talent and skill in this group, and a generous sharing of those skills and knowledge. Thank you to everyone who attended and participated. I hope you all enjoyed it.

Workshop Day March 4th

Happy Birthday, Hitchin Stitchin' and Alicia. 

Venue: The Sun Hotel, Sun  Street, Hitchin
Time  : 10am - 4pm
Cost    : £8.99 (Buffet Lunch) - due by 26th Feb. payable to Alicia


We are celebrating Alicia's birthday, together with seven happy years of Hitchin Stitchin'.

Members attending (so far)

1. Alicia     (Workshop - Professional Finishing)
2. Grania
3. Andy      (Workshop - a new crochet (or knitting) stitch)
4. Jane H    (Workshop - Drop spindle spinning)
5. April
6. Lesley
7. Sandra
8. Maxine
9. Linda
10. Claire
11. Colin
12. Helen (Workshop - beginners' crochet)
13. Pat
14. Tania (Workshop - continental knitting)
15. Mary
16. Fran
17. Maria
18. Philippa (Workshop - Arm knitting)
19. Pam
20. Ann R

Buffet Menu

All-day workshop

Patchwork session

Hitchin Stitchin' had a very successful workshop today. We welcomed a new member, Elizabeth, who joined in with the Patchwork session, expertly led by Linda.

The Sun Hotel allowed us free use of the second, smaller conference room which was ideal for Linda's purposes.

Some regulars couldn't make it and were missed, especially Alicia who was going to run a repeat of her 'professional finishing' workshop. I was disappointed by this as I was going to make a second attempt at finishing the cropped bolero which has been waiting for almost two years. It's now finished, thanks to Jenny (on the right) who heard my complaints, tried to help me finish it off, and finally twigged that my whining was a plea for her to do it for me.

Dorset button

An ad hoc 'button making' session filled Alicia's slot and I now have the perfect button to add to my bolero once I've finished weaving in the ends.

Drop-spindle spinning

The drop spindle spinning tuition went ahead as planned. Martina demonstrated throughout the day and set people going whenever they showed an interest.

I, unfortunately, had to give up just as I was getting the hang of it as my right hand (the one holding and teasing the fleecy stuff) suddenly flared up in a mass of hot blotches. Seems I am allergic to lanolin - a common complaint but one of which I was unaware until today.

Jane's spinning wheel

Jane and Martina also demonstrated spinning with a wheel throughout the day. At one point, Martina brought out the torture device (a carding machine) and showed us how it worked.

Hitchin Stitchin' lunch

A very big thank you to everyone who helped make this day such a great event.

Special thanks to the staff at The Sun Hotel for the smooth running of the catering, especially the lunch which met everyone's requirements and was delicious.

All-day workshop

We have an all-day workshop coming up on **4th Feb.** to which everyone is most welcome. The Sun has generously given us the use of two rooms. There will be drop spindle spinning (Martina), spinning (wheel) demonstrations and the chance to try (Jane)), finishing projects (Alicia), and patchwork (hand sewing)(Linda). The event will run from 10am to 3pm. Lunch (two main meals for £9.95 or a choice from the set menu) is available from 12noon.

If  you haven't already done so, please let me know if you are attending.

Thursday 29th April was Knitting Group Workshop Day.

In the morning, we learned how to 'finish' a project professionally. The afternoon session was 'free knitting' where each member worked from her imagination to create a piece that would be added to a group wall hanging later in the year.

Lunch was in an 'un-mucked-about-with' pub in the village, just across the road from the workshop venue.

This is an unusual pub - it doesn't have a bar. There are various-sized rooms connected by a wood-panelled corridor. In the middle of the pub is the 'back room' which houses the drinks cabinets and till. Transactions are conducted in the doorway of the 'back room'. The group was served in the largest of the customers' rooms at the rear of the pub, adjoining the kitchen.

Beaded Knitting Workshop

The workshop was a great success. Everyone had fun and most people said they'd learned at least one new skill.

The day in photos

Getting started. Jenny leads the workshop.


Beading is fun - and easy.


It's going well so far.


There was much concentration,


and biscuits.


And then there was lunch -


.... a working lunch.


with Winter Mess Pudding


There will be lots of little beaded 'purses' heading for Christmas stockings and at least one garland of beaded Christmas Trees for one mantlepiece as a result of our day's work.

BIG KNIT (Round 2) Daytime Group

Today was BIG KNIT day for the daytime knitting group. Lots of little Smoothie hats flew off the needles. Lots of little pompoms flew off the pompom makers. The promised biscuits had been left at home.

But the company was good, as always.

Jane won the raffle and chose the 'Posh' contents in the sunflower bag. Maya's disappointment was soothed by the present of the 15mm needles and skein of yarn from the 'Beginners' contents, at cost.