London in the sunshine. What better way to see the city and celebrate Worldwide Knit in Public Day than winding your way down the South Bank wearing a knitted moustache, and dropping stitches as you go?
We took a whole herd of lovely S&B Londoners from the scorching Scoop at Tower Bridge, to the cool shadows of the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, to sun-drenched Jubilee Gardens under the gaze of the London Eye, to the Lion-guarded environs of Trafalgar Square.
And the moustaches, in aid of the Prostate UK Charity, were everywhere.
Knit Crawl Stop One: Tashes at Tower Bridge
Knit Crawl Stop One: Tashes at Tower Bridge
Knit Crawl Stop Two: Tate Modern tasharama
Knit Crawl Stop Two: Tate Modern Tasharama
Knit Crawling: from place to place
Knit Crawl Stop Three: London Eye Mustaschios
Knit Crawl Stop Three: Mustachioed under the London Eye
Knit Crawl Stop Four: Face Fur in Trafalgar Square
Knit Crawl Stop Four: Trafalgar Square
An utterly tashtastic day was had by everyone and we raised an astounding £500 for Prostate Cancer UK.
An abandoned tash at the Knit Crawl end
The hardcore Knit Crawlers ended up in the pub where we raised our glass to the bizarre combination of knitting and men’s undercarriages.
Cake and booze after a long day
The Stitchettes would like to thank every Knit Crawler for their dedication to the manly cause, for proudly wearing their tashes while knitting in some of London’s most public spaces, and for being an essential part of the best S&B London Knit Crawl to date. You guys rock.
Who in the world does not admire a fine bristling bit of face fur? The moustache has been wooing women (and men), winning hearts, and being twirled in a dastardly manner since the dawn of time. We know you’d love your very own moustache but who has time time (or the hormones) to grow one in today’s busy climate?
Fear not that is where Stitch and Bitch London’s fine Tashtastic Knit and Crochet Moustaches come in. Hurrah for the tash!
For a small or large donation you can download these three fine face fur patterns and start getting your tash on right away.
All you need to do is donate to the Prostate UK Charity and the moustache patterns are yours. Any sum will do (we recommend a minimum of £2).
Now find yourself a quiet corner and start creating your tash.
Want to take your tash out of the town? Join us on Saturday the 13th of June on Worldwide Knit in Public Day for the S&B London Tashtastic Knit Crawl 2009. Knitting at Tower Bridge, the Tate Modern, the London Eye and Trafalgar Square.
We’d love to see pictures of you sporting your hairy nose neighbours too. Send your photos and marvellous Moustache tales to stitchettes@stitchandbitchlondon.co.uk and we may even feature them here on our blog.
Knitters and crocheters, get your tash on for an incredibly good cause. Go on.
(Special thanks to Megan for her Finger Moustache pattern donation)
In 2007 we Knit Crawled for Cancer Research, in 2008 we Knit Crawled for Breast Cancer Care, this year Worldwide Knit in Public Day looms once more. The Stitch and Bitch London Knit Crawl 2009 has a far manlier theme…
The Stitch and Bitch London Tashtastic Knit Crawl 2009 will take to the streets of lovely London Town on Saturday the 13th of June.
We’ll stomp our way across four iconic London sights:
Tower Bridge: get down with the ravens and explain to tourists they’re not at London Bridge
Tate Modern: knit it up all arty-like in the gargantuan turbine hall where passers-by will assume you are an art installation
London Eye: get your stitch on in Jubilee Gardens under the gaze of the all-seeing London Eye
Trafalgar Square: a Knit Crawl traditional. Say hi to the Lions and furiously blend in with whatever festival happens to be taking place there, while knitting like you mean it
This year we’re doing it bloke-flavoured, raising money for the Prostate UK Charity in a tashtastic manner. We’ll be knitting (and possibly wearing, for those with no shame) moustaches for that manly feel.
Walkers of Whitehall
15 Craig’s Court
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2DD
Join us for the whole thing, join us for a small part, just make sure you get your knits out on the town for a good cause.
Huge thanks to: Banyan Tree Yarns (the UK home of Lion Brand’s wonderful wool) Soak(amazing stuff for washing your handknits without the horror) Debonnaire Yarns (artistic yarns and all kinds of woolly goodness)
Looking for something knitty to do this weekend? Why not get your knit on down in the farmyard at Spitalfields City Farm for their annual Sheep & Wool Fayre on Sunday 24th May from 12noon – 4.00pm.
If you’re feeling extra helpful they’re looking for willing volunteers to teach/demonstrate knitting. If you think you can help (in return for refreshments and travel expenses) please contact the lovely Helene (farmyard programme manager and self-confessed budding knitter) by emailing farmyard@spitalfieldscityfarm.org.
If you don’t want to teach and just want to knit then go anyway. They’ll be shearing their flock, showing off some rare breeds and also demonstrating how those big piles of fleece can be spun and then knitted, crocheted or even woven into all manner of items.
We’re told that the weather was lovely last year, so fingers crossed for another sunny day!
On the 6th of May Stitch and Bitch London and the lovely Tina B took part in Cancer Research’s Race for Life in London’s Battersea Park.
We knit Cancer Fighter hats as we walked the five kilometres of the race, in support and in memory of Cancer Fighters we know and love and those we sadly lost their fights.
Team S&B London casting on Cancer Fighter caps
Tina B. The lady. The legend.
Pitt stop for cake 100 metres in
The team rev their engines
One km and still going strong
Tina stops for no man
Yay!
A weary Tina and team after walking and cake
We crossed the finish line dead last to the cheers and clapping of everyone watching, as we kept pace with Tina who managed the whole race despite walking with a stick.
Altogether Tina B and the S&B London team raised a whopping £2754.10 for Cancer Research. And probably ate more cake than anyone else racing.
The lovely Tina B (WickedWoollyWitch) tells her Race for Life story:
On the 6th of May 2009 11 girls with sticks and string and one girl (me) with just the one stick for walking (or hobbling) began a 5km journey round Battersea Park on a balmy late spring evening. All intent on just one thing – Racing for Life and raising lots of dosh for Cancer Research.
On May 6th last year my brother died from cancer just days after diagnose. When I saw the date of the Race for Life I just knew I had to do it as it marked the first anniversary. Now I am not the fittest of people or the thinnest, and yes I have to use a walking stick cos of my back but I found determination to do this. It spurred on the ladies of Stitch and Bitch London to play their part as well. Within a short space of time numerous girls had signed up for Team Stitch and Bitch to race with Team Tina B and kick my bum if I struggled.
We gathered en-masse, pinned on our badges and labels, and took up our needles with cast on our chemo caps, yes folks we raced AND knitted for charity (big thank you to Nathalie at Stash Putney for donating a HUGE bag of specialist yarn for these).
During opening speeches the comedienne Amy Lamé, who is also a big girl, said “If I can do it anyone can”. Being bigger than Ms Lamé and sporting a stick I thought “I reckon if I can do it anyone can too.” while male cheerleaders attempted to warm us up.
Emmy-Lou nearly passed out before we had even got to the starting line and it was only with the delicious supplies in the form of CAKE from Hippolyra that kept her going. And the rest of us to be honest, as we knew what cakey delights we had waiting at the end.
We started, overtaken by children, pushchairs and wheelchairs, we flagged a few times, but we cheered as every kilometre marker was spotted. We knew we weren’t going to finish first but as the minutes ticked and feet ached it became apparent we might just finish last. And last we were. The girls actually decided to let me have the honour of being the last of 5000 to cross the line to cheers all round.
Coming up to the finish surrounded by race Marshalls we heard the announcer yelling support and encouragement, shouting out my name as I became a minor celeb for the night, as earlier finishers gathered round to cheer. Just as I got the line the ruddy announcer stopped me for an interview to declare that I had raised the most amount for an individual that night, and that it was the most inspiring story he’d heard all day. He also said I was the only person to have walked with the aid of a stick. I said my thank yous and talked about my brother, and as the crowd cheered I burst into tears as I crossed the finish line, my head full not just of those I have lost but of relief for ruddy well finishing.
Then we did what we do, apart from knit, we ate lots and lots and lots of CAKE. The total raised by these two teams (including Giftaid) is a WHOPPING £2754.10 and money is still coming in so you can still do your part if you haven’t already.
Tina B’s Race for Life page. S&B London’s Race for Life page.
Massive, massive thank you’s to everyone who has donated and supported this fantastic event. Till next year…and more cake.
Limber up your public knitting needles again and join in with another fab outdoors public knitting event.
The lovely Yuvee is creating knitted chair covers, you can see some on her blog, but she needs your help to create a collabortive piece to exhibit at her degree show.
Knitters and non knitters will be gathering at the National Theatre from 1pm – 5pm on SATURDAY 2ND MAY to contribute to the piece.
Bring your own unwanted acrylics and needles and simply dive in.
This will be a fun event, similar to the Knit Me events we took part in a few weeks ago, so please do come down and join in with the project.
We have decided that with so many lovely yarn shops in London we should pay homage to one each month and make sure that you fine people know what woolly goodies can be found in the big city.
We’re kicking off with one of the most central independent haberdasheries in London and one of our faves here at S&B London: All the Fun of the Fair.
The best way to describe this little yarn shop is cute, cute, cute. All the Fun of the Fair is located on the top floor of Kingly Court just off Carnaby Street, which is one of London’s best kept secrets. This little shopping arcade houses a plethora of beautiful independent clothes shops, café’s, a bead emporium and even a vintage hair dresser. It’s one of those places that you take your coolest visiting friends/ relatives when you want to impress them with your superior kooky London knowledge. With All the Fun of the Fair up on the 3rd floor it’s well worth a visit even if you’re not looking for yarn flavoured goodies (although we’re not sure when that might be the case, we’re always on the look out for yarny goodness).
The first thing you see when you pay All the Fun of the Fair a visit is the lovingly created window display, which is updated constantly with the changing seasons and celebrations. Once you are inside the cosy interior is bursting with jars of buttons and buckles, trays of measuring tapes and hat pins, shelves stocking organic hand knit gifts and reels of shiny ribbons as well as a whole wall of knitting yarns for your pleasure.
Best known for their knitted cakes and tea cosies these fill the big table in the middle of the shop as well as a range of beautiful books and magazines on crochet, sewing and of course knitting.
One of the best things about this charming haberdashery is the service. If you are looking for some specific yarn and they don’t have it in stock, but carry the brand, the friendly staff are more than happy to order it in for you. And if you are knitting something big and don’t want to buy all the yarn at once, then they will hold back the yarn until an agreed date when you are ready to pay the balance. It’s the little things like this that count for us yarn fiends.
If you are looking for a knitted centre piece for your home, as a gift or for an occasion, All the Fun of the Fair’s crack team of knitters are available for your knitting commissions. Knitted flower bouquets, three tiered wedding cakes and just about anything you could think of will be made specifically for you at your request. So if you really desire a knitted English breakfast, a pair of fluffy diving flippers or a woollen super hero mask then they will sort you out.
We also have to let you know that at the moment there is a 20% off all yarn sale (until Saturday 25th April), so get down there quick to pick up a bargain. There are reductions on lots of other items too, so it’s well worth a look. Also, you can now buy gift vouchers to use in the shop or online. These come with a suitable knitting/sewing/craft themed card and free mini knitted gift; which would be the perfect present for a crafty buddy.
Weekly knitting classes are held on Monday nights. Booking a three week course sees you learn the basics, pick a project, learn how to read a pattern and get well on the way to finishing your first project. With each small class tailored to the specific person’s knitting needs the classes have a distinct Stitch and Bitch London feel about them; perhaps because S&B London co-founder Purl Princess runs them and demands an obligatory tea and biscuit break during each class.
Crochet and sewing classes are coming soon, so email them to sign up for their monthly newsletter or check out the website for details.
In these turbulent financial times it is important to keep your local independent shops in business, so we hope that these monthly features will encourage you to go and check out your LYS before going straight to the department stores.
Coming up in the next few months: Fabrications and I Knit London.
You might have noticed that there’s something going down in the city tomorrow and as always knitting has just got to get in on the action.
The organisers of the G20 Climate Camp in the Cityare taking action on climate change and are taking to the streets in protest to show how a gathering of people can make a change. Theyhave asked that people come out to ‘transform’ the financial district with theatre, music, and craft and hopefully have a peaceful but powerful protest.
Yarn Bombers, this is your chance to get a little knitting anarchy going, so why not gather a crew of stealth yarn bombers together and get your graffiti knitting groove on? Tag door handles, monuments, lamp posts, railings, trees, whatever you can get your woolly mitts on and show The Man that you’re not going to sit down and take it any more.
After all nature doesn’t do bailouts!
Find out more about the G20 Climate Camp in the City on their website: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/
So picture this: you are sitting on an aeroplane sipping your glass of in-flight vino, you managed to sneak your Denise knitting needles through airport security (yay!) so you’re purling away, you nabbed a window seat to inspire you with planeside views, you peer down on the world, you see tiny houses, you see teeny trees, you see a giant pink knitted rabbit, you see…hang on! What?!
Near the town of Artesina, in the Italian Alps, lies a GIANT KNITTED PINK RABBIT! A group of four Austrian artists called Gelitin have spent five years, and possibly a lot of pairs of needles, knitting a beast so big you can see it on satellite cameras.
Don’t believe us? You can see it on Google Maps in all its finery.
The giant bunny will be lounging on the hillside for the next 20 years (or until a giant knitted fox comes to eat him), so if you’re in the area you are invited by the artists to “climb up along its ears, almost fall into its cavernous mouth, to the belly-summit and look out over the pink woollen landscape of the rabbit’s body, a country dropped from the sky”. Field trip, anyone?
Our website
On the 6th of May 2009 11 girls with sticks and string and one girl (me) with just the one stick for walking (or hobbling) began a 5km journey round Battersea Park on a balmy late spring evening. All intent on just one thing – Racing for Life and raising lots of dosh for Cancer Research.
