Trauma Ted

I'm always amazed at the wondrous things produced by the ladies at the Age UK knitting group. The last time I was there (as I write) I was beginning to sew together the pieces of the purple sweater I was making. 

I was too lazy to go around and ask permission, so I just scribbled on some faces...

The ladies had a bit of a laugh at my perplexed expression (I needed another cup of coffee and then it was better - I found the instructions in the book!). However, they also gave me loads of tips for next time. Like knitting the first stitch of every row regardless of the pattern. This provides regular 'bumps' that can be matched up when sewing pieces together. Also, they can tell by looking that yarn has been pulled out; apparently if you hand wash and dry it, it comes out like new. 

I always enjoy just looking at the rainbow of colours in the boxes - I'm so grateful I'm not colour blind! I also had a look at some of the things people had brought and was once again amazed at the beautiful things they had created from discarded yarn. (They call it all 'wool' but most of it is acrylic). On one hand I'm thrilled that all this yarn will be used to make something that hopefully will meet a need. On the other, there is never a shortage of what people have bought and have no use for. Much of what we get is unopened...

It was a beautiful sunny day - but still bitter cold!

I particularly loved these little dolls. Muriel, who made them, called them 'Trauma Teds' and Audrey looked for a pattern for me in the back room. In addition to bags and bags of yard, they also receive hundreds of patterns, knitting/crochet needles and other yarn crafting tools. Most of the non-yarn items end up at charity shops up and down the coast.

Audrey found a pattern that was far more sophisticated that these teddies and I said I'd look online for a pattern. I scored! I not only found a knitting pattern, I found a crochet pattern (UK) and an American crochet pattern. The stitches are made the same, but called by different names. (Two countries divided by a common language and all that...) 

We meet about fortnightly (on 1st & 3rd Thursdays) and the ladies never fail to fill the tables with amazing things. 





Though I think handmade things are coming back into fashion at the moment, for a long time it struck me that no one wanted to know about them. 





Sadly last year someone stole a large box of items awaiting shipment from storage and we are sure they found their way to a flea market table or car boot sale. I suppose that is one way to gauge the demand for such things, if someone is prepared to steal them!




As usual, I'm torn between trying to make a lace shopping bag from my Stitch n Bitch book, making another jumper like I just finished, trying a different sweater, trying out a blanket or having a go at a doll! I think I'll toss a coin (several times).