Programme for Knitting workshop at Chateau St Julien June 2011

We still have a couple of spaces available for this wonderful knitting holiday in France with Rowan tutors Carol Meldrum and Nicole Wilson. BOOK HERE or see the programme below for a taste of the workshops on offer. For further details for September 2012 email sueculligan@gmail.com

Bedroom at Chateau St Julien

Sunday 12th June - Arrive Poitiers. Transfer to Château de St Julien l’Ars (20-30 minutes).

Meet your tutors and fellow guests for aperitifs followed by dinner.

Monday 13th June
Morning Workshop - An introduction to the workshop.
• Techniques
• Mood boards
• Colour palettes

Afternoon Workshop – Gathering inspiration around and about the grounds of Chateau. Using sketches or photographs learn how to -
• Create texture
• Repeat patterns
• Shapes and details

Evening workshop – Technical class
• Different cast on’s and off’s – where and when to use them
• Button holes
• Add in or take out rows in a pattern

Tuesday 14th June
Full day workshop – working from source material gathered the previous day. Looking at how to interpret them into a knitted fabric through colour work (intarsia/ Fairisle)
Choosing yarns and colour palettes
What pattern works best with the yarn you have chosen
• Lace / open work / texture
• Fairisle / intarsia

Evening workshop – Technical class
• How to improve your tension
• How to improve your fabric edges
• Increasing and decreasing

Wednesday 15th June
Full day Workshop – Building on previous day’s workshop, looking at how to plot design onto graph paper, how to add texture and relief into your design.
• Creating swatches
• Choosing techniques

Thursday 16th June
Half Day Workshop – Beaded Knitting
• Plotting beaded pattern on to graph paper from source material
• How to knit with beads

Free afternoon - optional outing to Chauvigny or Poitiers

Evening Workshop – How to introduce crochet into your knitting, trims edgings and embellishments.

Friday 17th June
Free morning - optional outing to Chauvigny or Poitiers

Half Day Workshop – This workshop will be used to work through remaining design ideas.

Evening review of the week, certificates for all the guests, prize giving and aperitifs followed by dinner.

Saturday 18th June Depart for Poitiers

In addition to the Workshop programme there will be plenty of time for relaxing, eating, drinking and of course knitting! Plus a little retail therapy in Poitiers, or sightseeing in Chauvigny. We have the Chateau entirely to ourselves and access to the 56 acres of beautiful parkland.

Sale of knitting books

We have lots of great pattern books on offer, including Rowan magazines, Rowan Studio pattern books and sock knitting books. Snap up a bargain here!

Kim Hargreaves Touching Elegance

We have just had a delivery of this beautiful new book of knitting designs by Kim Hargreaves. The 21 patterns all use Rowan yarns and include an eclectic mix of chic sophistication and bohemian charm. Order here.

Vintage Rowan Knitting patterns

I have just found a huge box of Rowan knitting patterns (designed by Kim Hargreaves) stashed away in the roof space. They are all single leaflets and unused. The patterns are for Rowan Magpie Aran, Chunky Chenille, Fine Chenille, Denim and Chunky Fox Tweed. All these yarns are now discontinued except for the denim, however the patterns can all be used with current yarns. See the full selection here.

Rowan magazine 48

I have finally got all the yarn quantities needed for each pattern in the magazine on the website, see here. We are still waiting for more yarn stocks, however if you would like to be notified when shades arrive please email me at sue@kangaroo.uk.com 

Sale of knitting yarns

The summer sale finishes next week, we still have offers on plenty of yarns so snap up the bargains now at http://www.kangaroo.uk.com/

Rowan Magazine No. 48

The new autumn/winter magazine Rowan 48 comes into stock mid July and it is one of the best so far. I have to confess to being a fairisle and cable fanatic, so there are plenty of designs for me to choose from. The magazine is split into three sections -
Russian Doll is a collection of gorgeous fairisle and intarsia designs in soft heathery shades, I love the knitted dress Lidiya, but sadly not for my figure! However, Dominika is a must have.
Nomad is full of quick knits in chunky cables, designs for men and women with some great hats and scarves.
Timeless has classic, feminine designs in soft luxury yarns.
The magazine uses all the wool and wool blend yarns - Cocoon, Felted Tweed Chunky, Aran and DK, Big Wool, Kidsilk Haze and Aura, Silky Tweed, Cashsoft 4 ply and DK, Kid Classic, Pure wool DK and Wool Cotton.

The last day of June

It is the end of another month and summer is finally in full swing, hot and sunny with a temperature of 35 in our courtyard, the photo is of the hollyhocks that grow all around the little hamlets here like weeds.

Culli and I have just spent a busy week in the UK, a hectic mix of work and pleasure with not a spare moment for up-dating the blog. We finally got to meet Martha our newest grand-daughter and at the other end of the scale went to my uncle Martin's 100th birthday party! He still lives on his own, does his Tesco's shopping on-line and what do you think we gave a 100 year old for a birthday present? - a webcam!

I also met up with Kay the Rowan rep and got to see all the new autumn/winter range, difficult to think of in soaring temperatures, but the new magazine no. 48 is due out in just over 2 weeks.
The summer sale is still going at Kangaroo for a few more days to make room for all the new stock, so snap up the bargains now.

Summer Sale knitting yarns and kits

The summer sale of yarn and kits has started at Kangaroo, we have offers (for a limited period only) on the following - Hanne Falkenberg knitting kits, Debbie Bliss Cotton DK, Debbie Bliss Eco Aran, Rowan All Seasons Cotton, Rowan Cotton Glace, Rowan Handknit Cotton, Rowan Lenpur Linen, Rowan Milk Cotton DK, Rowan Fine Milk Cotton, Rowan Organic Cotton 4 ply, Rowan Organic Cotton DK, Rowan Revive, Rowan Siena, Rowan Summer Tweed and Kaalund Silk Stralis. The sale price only applies to current stock, so snap up the bargains now!

Happy Birthday Kangaroo!

Kangaroo was 29 years old yesterday. To celebrate we are offering 15% discount on all orders until midnight on Saturday 22nd May, see full details of the offer on the home page at kangaroo

I have a busy week as we are getting everything ready for our knitting week at Chateau St Julien, the sun is shining and it finally looks like it might be here to stay (for a few days at least!) The menus are all planned, bags of yarn and fabric packed and ready to go and Culli has cleaned the cars ready for the station pick-ups.

Soda sleeveless top from Studio 19

What happened to Spring! It has been cold, wet and windy for two days now. All that gardening I had promised myself this week has gone out of the window. My Banana plants have been battered to bits and it is too wet to plant up my new pots that Amy gave me for Christmas.

However, plenty of time to finish the yarn review and start on Soda from Rowan Studio 19, this lovely sleeveless design takes 4-6 balls of Rowan Kidsilk Haze and just 2 balls of Rowan Siena.

Rowan Studio 19

Rowan Studio 19 is now in stock at Kangaroo. The latest pattern book from the Studio range has 8 lovely designs using Rowan Kidsilk Haze and Rowan Siena

Kangaloonies knitting group member Caroline

When did you start knitting? I've been knitting since I was 8 years old. My Grandma taught me. I did stop for a while, but when my son was ill four years ago I took it up again.

Favourite yarn? Anything expensive of course! I really love the Noro yarns for the colours and Rowan for the quality. My favourite has to be Rowan's Cotton Glace, it is so lovely to knit with.

Favourite project? I love doing bags, but I also make jumpers and other garments, mostly as presents for people.

When do you knit? I knit all the time... at work, on journeys, at concerts. I also crochet and when I was a witness in a trial at Court, I took in my crochet and an ipod, caught up on the Archers and finished a blanket! I've even taken my knitting to last night of the Proms! Nobody seemed to mind, in fact they are usually very interested to know what I'm making.

Current project? I'm just finishing the Medina Sweater by Martin Storey for my son's girlfriend in Rowan Purelife Organic Cotton DK, she's a size 8 so it should look really nice. I've just got to do a couple of finishing bits and put some tassels on it and it will be done.

Amy Butler Belle organic aran and DK wool cotton

We have just received a huge delivery of the two latest new yarns 'Rowan by Amy Butler Belle Organic DK and Aran'. They are both a blend of 50% wool/50% cotton and are just gorgeous to knit with. The rich colour range has been selected by Amy Butler and the supporting patterns in 'Midwest Modern Knits' include a unique mix of fashion, accessories and homeware.

Kangaloonies knitting group member Wendy

When did you start knitting? I learnt as a child, but I didn't do very much until my daughter reached her 20's and asked me to teach her, so I did and that started me off again. In fact, I actually like the process of knitting more than I like actually wearing anything I've made.

Why did you come to Kangaroo? I wanted to knit socks, so I came to Kangaroo to learn. Not everyone understands knitting socks (comment from Jo: I can't see the point. Why go to all that bother and then hide them in your shoes?!), but I like the challenge.

Favourite project? Debbie Abrahams Mystery Cushion (pattern available to Knitter subscribers only). I'm a real fan of Debbie, I love everything she does.

Favourite yarn? Rowan Cotton Glace and Noro yarns.

Current project? Which one? I've got several on the go, but at the moment I'm trying out the Double Knitting technique with the Cuthbert Hat by Judy Furlong (the one that Wendy is knitting in the image, whilst modelling her trailing leaf sweater knitted in Rowan Pima Cotton DK). It's for a friend's husband, so I hope he likes it.

Ambition for 2010? To finish what I've started. I've got 'hideous' to finish (a camouflage jumper for my husband which involves lots of bobbins, see a hint of it in the top right hand corner of image). I'm also doing Debbie Abrahams mystery blanket and another mystery cushion from my Knitter subscription, plus a Noro jumper and a Noro waistcoat to finish. I really enjoy following other people's patterns, but ultimately I'd like to design my own patterns!

Kangaloonies knitting group member Jo

When did you start knitting? I've been knitting for ever and I've never stopped
What has been your favourite project? Definitely my 'coat of many colours' which I did before I came to Kangaroo. It was knitted in Log Cabin patchwork. I like it because I am really into the construction of the garments and the technical side of knitting.
Favourite yarn? Anything expensive - especially silk! I also like the Fleece Artist and Hand Maiden yarns - they are such beautiful colours and each skein is slightly different, which makes it interesting to knit with.
What have you just completed? I've just finished a shawl in Crystal Palace Mini Mochi (Strawberry and Lime). In fact, I ended up doing it twice as I didn't like the first pattern - I changed it to the Forest Canopy Shawl which I got from Ravelry. It has beads and has turned out really nicely. I did find the Mini Mochi a bit stick to work with though.
What is your current project? I'm knitting a Silken Smoke Ring using Rowan Pure Silk DK. It's a pattern I downloaded from the internet by Angela Ho and Flora Young - a sort of cowl.
Favourite needles? KnitPro for straights and Addi Turbos and Addi Lace needles for circulars.
Why do you knit? My kids think I'm obsessed, but if I didn't knit I think I'd go ever so slightly mad! I'm very determined despite my limited vision (I'm registered as partially sighted) and will tackle anything, however complicated. The only thing that limits me a bit are the very dark yarns, but otherwise the world is my oyster!

Kangaloonies member Sally

When did you start knitting? I used to knit years ago, but then it became so much cheaper to buy knitted things rather than knit them yourself, especially for the kids, so I stopped.

What made you join the Kangaloonies? I'd started knitting again and was doing the Rainbow cardigan in Rowan's Kasbah Collection, but I had got in a mess with it. In fact, the dog had decided it served a much better purpose as a nest! So I came to Kangaroo to see if anyone could help me sort it out. We decided to change to the Sunshine jumper in the same book and I am delighted with the result. I even had enough Rowan Summer Tweed to make a matching scarf out of all the left-overs!

Was this your favourite project this year? Well, I also made some Noro gloves, the frilly ones from Mini Knits Two and the child's hat with ear flaps for my grand-daughter, they were great fun.

Favourite yarn? Noro - I love the colours and textures and it's great to knit with.

What other projects have you tackled? I've done a few of the KnitKits bags from Kangaroo which I've enjoyed doing - the Rosebud one in moss stitch and also the mitred purse in denim yarn.

And now? Well, I have an on-going project knitting squares (mainly when I'm travelling) for the Picnic blanket in Debbie Abraham's 'More Blankets and Throws' book, but have also just started a project using Rowan Siena which is lovely.

Favourite needles? Skinny Prym's - they'r my favourite needles as I love fine, plain knitting.

Aspirations for 2010? That's easy - learn to knit faster!

Kangaloonies member Linda

When did you learn to knit? I've been knitting since I was 5. My mother taught me when I was in hospital recovering from nasty burns on my neck when someone threw a sparkler at me on November 5th.
What did you start with? I knitted dolls' clothes first, then moved on to scarves and then bigger things. Then I stopped until I had my children and then started up again knitting things for them.
Have you continued the family tradition? Oh yes, I have taught my children and now I'm teaching my grandchildren to knit, they all have a go. Scarves tend to be what they want to knit most.
Favourite yarns: Noro, Rowan and Colinette. I like natural fibres and unusual yarns. Sari silk yarns are good too, anything with lots of texture and strong colours.
Favourite pattern? I like following patterns, but I also like to introduce my own designs and yarns into something to make it different and more personal. I'll often only have one ball of something but I know it will come in handy to add to the right projects.
Favourite project? I'm into socks at the moment!
Favourite needles? Lantern Moon straights and circulars are lovely, I suffer a bit from arthiritis so the the the wooden needles are great.
Kangaloonies Project: my favourite project this year was my Noro jacket (shown in the image)

31st March

It is the end of another month and after more howling gales and rain yesterday we have some sunshine this morning. This is the view from my office window, taken early in the morning. Spring seems to come and go, I can't believe it is Easter already and we have only sat outside in the garden once so far this year!

Rowan have a free pattern on their website for a cute Easter Bunny knitted in Rowan Revive if you want a quick project.

Sale of Debbie Bliss Eco Aran and Eco Baby

We have some special yarn offers for the Easter holiday. There is 10% discount on current stock of Debbie Bliss Eco Aran and Eco Baby and Rowan Milk Cotton DK and Fine Milk Cotton. To obtain the discount enter the codes quoted at the the checkout. All offers end Monday 5th April.