Knitcetera is a hit!!

I keep bumping into people who are thrilled at the exhibition and what is has to offer.  Almost every person has said "It's nothing like I expected - it's wonderful"!!  Low expectations.?  Stereotypes around knitting and the 'old ladies' who do it?  Whatever they initially thought, people are thrilled - as am I - at the variety, the creativity, the wonderful examples of fun, frivolity, expertise and design on show.
It's not too late - the exhibition doesn't end until 3rd July - and then parts of it will head south to North Shore, where there will be more Knitcetera moments, and another group starting to think outside the traditional scarf, sweater & babyclothes 'square'.

Today (Sunday) my lovely daughter-in-law, Shelley, with her friend and neighbour Sandra ( a pseudo-Grandmother to Hayley) brought my grand-daughter Hayley to see the exhibition.  Hayley will be 2 at the end of August.  She was entranced with the spiders, the 'dollys', the birds, etc, etc.  Just gorgeous to see and hear her totally absorbed in everything.  She is certainly bright - a fish was "fsh - shark!", and when we left she sat in her carseat waving, saying "goodbye spiders, goodbye dollies, goodbye fishies, goodbye Rusty (the Director's dog), etc, etc" through everything she had seen.  So cute!
I am now making a list of all the things I want to knit for her birthday!

Workshops for the exhibition

We have put together a programme of workshops.  These will cost $20, unless otherwise stated, and the cost will include materials.

Knitting a square

Covers casting on and off, plain and purl stitches and combinations to form different patterns, ideas for using squares to make: blankets, toys, garments.

Ideal for beginners through to experienced knitters.

Thursday 16^th June   10.30am to 12.30pm

Thursday 23^rd June  10.30am to 12.30pm

Thursday 30^th June  10.30am to 12.30pm

Knitting a picture

Choose a pattern or graph your own, then knit using 2 or 3 colours using both Fairisle and Intarsia techniques.

You will need to be able to knit and purl.

Sunday 10^th June   2pm to 4pm

Tuesday 21^st June  2pm to 4pm

Crochet for all levels

Jennifer Kipfer will teach new crochet enthusiasts the basics, including making a curlicue to add to the Seagardens Aotearoa installation, while at the same time Sharleen Greer will teach more experienced crocheters who want to take their craft to a higher level.

Friday 24^th June    10.30am to 12.30pm

Friday 01 July      10.30am to 12.30pm

 Tunisian knitting

Using a long needle with a crochet hooked end, learn basic techniques for making blankets, rugs, bags and more. 

Saturday 25^th June    10am to 12pm

High tea at the Estuary

Buy or bring your drink and join Sian Wray and Jennifer Kipfer to start to knit a cupcake, a sandwich and an asparagus roll.

Saturday 25^th June     2pm to 4pm

Freeform Knitting & crochet   $50   Full day

Join award winning freeform knitter and crocheter Jennie Eade to begin your bagmaking experience.

By the end of the day you will have started your bag and will be able to finish it in your own time at home.

You will need to bring:

 size 4 knitting needles,  scissors,

small balls or hanks of complementary coloured  and textured dk weight wools,

a crochet hook, a darning needle, a bag frame (wool & bag frame available from Spotlight). 

Some other materials will be available for purchase from Jennie.

Saturday 02^nd July  9am to 12pm, then the same day 1pm - 4pm


We'll also have people available almost all the time the exhibition is running for informal and spontaneous sessions on whatever people want to learn - including hyperbolic crochet and troubleshooting - bring your item for some advice and assistance.  Or just join us with some work to sit and chat in a convivial atmosphere!

Starting ...

Hi all

Today marks the start of this blog about the fun and adventures of 'Knitcetera'. I am an avid knitter, convenor and teacher of groups of knitters young and old in and around Orewa, a small seaside town north of Auckland, New Zealand.

Wednesday 09th February 2011 saw the start of several classes at the Estuary Arts Centre, Orewa. Classes will be held in ten-week blocks there each Wednesday, the first at 9.30am til 11.30am, the next at 12.30pm til 2.30pm and the third will start at 7pm and end at 9pm. People may attend any of these sessions - I will be teaching the same theme each day to each of the three classes.

This week saw an introductory session where I outlined the background to these courses, handed out a course outline and showed pictures and video clips of things knitting - especially some wonderful, fun ideas from YouTube.

I have been granted funding to pay for hiring the Estuary Arts Centre for the whole of June this year to mount the KNITCETERA exhibition, and planning for this started in my 2010 classes. Early this year I placed an advertisement in our local community newspaper and received application from over 30 people! To date now there are 22 people for the daytime classes - I am leaving it to them to attend whichever they wish - morning or afternoon - and there are 10 enrolled for the evening group. So exciting!

The two groups are quite different - those in the daytime seeming to be more socially oriented, with those in the evening more keen to learn new skills. Time will tell!

More later - I will post regularly, including the course outline and ideas, details of the lessons and our planning and progress towards the exhibition.

:)