Knitting holidays in France

A new year and there is lots happening at La Verderie! We still have just a few spaces available for the 2015 knitting holidays in May, September and October, see further details here 

I am tutoring a residential workshop in July for 'Basic knitting techniques' at a beautiful new venue here in France. Le Logis de la Courade is not far from La Verderie and is the perfect place for a luxurious and relaxing holiday. The workshops are aimed at beginner knitters or those who need a little reminder,  however, more experienced knitters are very welcome to come along with their own projects just to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Visit the Le Logis website here for further details.

The new KnitKits website is up and running, I am still adding stock on a daily basis but Culli's yarn bowls are flying out.

Knitting, crochet and textile holidays in France

Happy New Year!
Back to blogging at last with a revised list of dates for workshops and retreats in 2012

For full details visit www.knittingholidaysinfrance.com

If you live in France and would like to attend on a daily basis without the full board please contact sueculligan@gmail.com for prices.

The venue

Courtyard at La Verderie

La Verderie is the home of knitting designer Sue Culligan and is situated in South West France, close to the towns of Cognac and Saintes. Sue runs regular residential workshops for 4/5 guests and knitting retreats for up to 5/6 guests in the comfortable old farmhouse in the heart of rural France. The workshops are led by expert tutors and cater for all skill levels, with small groups allowing for one to one tuition. For a more relaxing holiday the knitting retreats are designed for single travellers or small groups where like-minded people can enjoy each others company and swop knitting tips and patterns. There is no scheduled tuition on the retreats, but Sue is on hand to offer help and advice with any knitting problems. The full board at La Verderie includes delicious meals cooked with local produce and plenty of wine. Outings to colourful markets, elegant chateaux and French yarn shops are included in the holiday.

We are happy to accommodate two or more guests for a Knitting Retreat on alternative dates to the ones suggested below. Please email sueculligan@gmail.com with suggested dates.

2012 workshops and retreats

22^nd-28^th March - Knitting Design Workshop at La Verderie with tutor Debbie Abrahams

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement) (FULLY BOOKED)

11^th-16^th April – Knitting Basics Workshop at La Verderie with tutor Sue Culligan

£295 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(5 spaces available)

25^th – 30^th April – Knitting Retreat at La Verderie

£225 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(3 spaces available)

NEW CROCHET WORKSHOP WITH TUTOR JANE CROWFOOT

Colourwork Crochet

5^th – 12^th May - Crochet Design workshop at La Verderie with tutor Jane Crowfoot

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(4 spaces available)

24^th – 29^th June – Knitting Retreat at La Verderie

£225 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(FULLY BOOKED)

16^th – 22^nd September – Knitting and Crochet design workshop with tutors Jane Crowfoot and Debbie Abrahams at Chateau St Julien l’Ars, Poitiers, France

£725 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£100 single room supplement)

(FULLY BOOKED)

TEXTILE WORKSHOP - BONDAWEB FOR BEGINNERS WITH TUTOR KIM THITTICHAI

Bondaweb for Beginners

26^th September – 1^st October – Hot Textiles workshop – Bondaweb for beginners with tutor Kim Thittichai at La Verderie

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(4 spaces available)

TEXTILE WORKSHOP LUSCIOUS LAYERS WITH TUTOR KIM THITTICHAI

Luscious Layers

3^rd – 8^th October – Hot Textiles workshop – Luscious Layers with tutor Kim Thittichai at La Verderie

£425 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(3 spaces available)

Visit Kim's blog to see more of her amazing work

21^st-26^th October – Knitting Retreat at La Verderie

£225 per head based on two sharing a twin room (£70 single room supplement)

(5 spaces available)

The cost of the holidays includes full board with wine, workshops (if applicable), selected materials for the workshops, 10% discount on any purchases made from KnitKits during the holiday, visits to local towns and transfers from *local airports or stations.

*La Verderie – La Rochelle airport or Angouleme station (return transfers from Bordeaux or Poitiers can be arranged for a supplement of £15)

*Chateau St Julien – Poitiers airport or station (return transfers from La Rochelle or Bordeaux can be arranged for a supplement of £20)

NOT INCLUDED: your travel to France, refreshments on outings and entrance fees to museums, exhibitions etc.

Local market stalls

Sample programme for knitting retreat at La Verderie

Day of arrival	Arrive at Angouleme/La Rochelle/Bordeaux/Poitiers Transfer to La Verderie, meet your fellow guests over aperitif’s followed by dinner.
Day 1	A relaxing day at la Verderie with your knitting. Explore the local lanes by foot or bicycle, browse through the library of knitting books and be wined and dined in style.
Day 2	Optional visit to the massive street market at Rouillac (27th of every month). This bustling market is held once a month and takes over the whole town. The stalls include everything ranging from live animals, regional food and drink, clothing, haberdashery, buttons, yarn, homewares, plants and flowers.
Day 3	Relaxing morning with your knitting. Afternoon visit to the Alpaca farm near Ruffec. Meet the gentle herd of Alpaca’s and purchase the luxurious soft yarn, gorgeous woven shawls, duvets and pillows.
Day 4	Optional visit to Chateau Roche Courbon. This beautiful Chateau is known locally as the sleeping beauty’s castle. The ornate interior has painted beams and furniture dating back to the 17th century. The formal French gardens pre-date those at Versailles and feature terraces, geometrical flower gardens and lawns, fountains and a small lake. Return to La Verderie for a late and leisurely Sunday lunch and more knitting.
Day of Departure	Return transfers to your chosen airport or railway station.

KnitKits Sock Blockers

New stock! Our own KnitKits sock blockers are available now. This pair of perspex sock blockers come in three sizes (EU shoe sizes 36-38, 39-41 and 42+), they have a handy ribbon tie for hanging and storage and are just £9.99 a pair. ORDER HERE

Sock knitting gift pack. The perfect present for sock knitting fans. The kit contains two balls of Mini Mochi sock yarn, a basic sock pattern and a pair of perspex sock blockers. This is all packaged in a fabric drawstring bag embroidered with the word 'Socks', use the bag to carry around your sock knitting projects or to store socks in the drawer. ORDER HERE

Knitting and crochet workshop at Chateau St Julien, September 2012

I know I said never again, but as one of the guests said to me at the last Chateau workshop 'never say never......'

Sooo, I've gone and done it and booked another week at the lovely Chateau St Julien de l'Ars. Debbie Abrahams and Jane Crowfoot have volunteered as tutors and the week will run from Sunday 16th September to Saturday 22nd September 2012.

It promises to be a fun packed week, the theme is going to incorporate knitting and crochet with a view to designing an item for the home, if you would like further details please email sueculligan@gmail.com or visit http://www.knitkits.co.uk/ to reserve a space (they are selling out quickly!).

Sale of handknitted samples

I have a few ready made garments that were shop samples and are now available at bargain prices on KnitKits, so pick up something for less than the cost of the yarn here!

Goodbye Kangaroo, hello KnitKits

The end of an era, I have sold the Kangaroo website and am concentrating on my other business KnitKits The KnitKits website has been around for some time, but is in serious need of some up-dating and at the moment all it has on it is a list of the knitting, crochet and textile workshops in France for 2011 and 2012. I am working on a new range of kits which will be available to order soon, plus knitting needles, buttons and accessories!

I also have some exciting new workshops planned for 2012. Jane Crowfoot has agreed to tutor another workshop in June 2012 at La Verderie (more details to follow) and having said that this year would be the last time at the Chateau I have already weakened, so I am working on some dates for autumn 2012 with Nash. Watch this space! If you would like to be on the mailing list for KnitKits and the workshops please let me know here

A day in the garden

For the first time for ages I have actually had the time to spend a whole day pottering in the garden in the most glorious sunshine. I have tackled the weeding, sown seeds, planted out some Cosmos seedlings, potted up cherry tomatoes and rocket and sat in the sun with a glass of wine - bliss!
The Roses and Clematis are just starting to flower and the vine is working it's way over the pergola to provide some much needed shade.
During a clear out in the the mess that I call my potting shed I discovered a bucket of dried lavender that I had completely forgotten, so am going to spend this evening making up some lavender bag kits for KnitKits.

The little Minature Shnauzer guest who is staying with us for a couple of weeks seems to have settled in really well, although Bix and BeBop ignore her most of the time which is a bit sad as she is desperate to play with them.

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 Iris

Favourite Yarns: Silk and Mohair
Favourite colours: all of them!
Favourite projects: I really enjoyed knitting the Knitkits Beaded Bag Kit. I'd not knitted with beads before, even though everyone was telling me it was easy (which it was), so I was very pleased to have a go and master it.
Best Pattern: I much prefer patterns that are written out, rather than ones with charts, If there is a pattern I want to do with a chart, I'll either avoid it or sit down at the computer and 'write' it up!
Future Project? I'd really like to knit a Shetland 1-ply shawl - in fact, I may make that my 2010 project! I've made 2-ply shawls before and love them, but a 1-ply one would be the next challenge.
When do you Knit?: As often as possible. I was in a hospital waiting room recently for four hours and did a lot of knitting then, I got through 50g in one session.
Other Pastimes: Well, apart from knitting, I also love lace-making and quilting and often go to groups and classes especially for the latter.
Kangaloonies Project: I've just started working on a mohair jumper with a lacy design from a pattern I've had for ages.

Knits for Kids

Well what happened to November? I can't believe I haven't written anything on the blog since October and it's now nearly Christmas!
I seem to have spent the last 6 weeks commuting between France and England, however no more travelling now 'til January for a belated Christmas with the family.
I have also been busy on the knitting front. Kangaroo now has a small range of ready to wear, pure wool handknits for children, these designs are also available as knitting kits. I will be adding more designs over the next few weeks, including a classic cable sweater and a ballerina cardigan.

New KnitKits

We have two new seasonal additions to the KnitKits range.

Pumpkin hat - this adorable hat is knitted in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and the kit contains sufficient yarn to knit a 6 - 18 month size.

Christmas Cracker - knit a set of brightly coloured crackers that can be filled with your own choice of gift and re-used for years to come.