I first went to an Oxford Bluestockings meeting some time in 2005 because I wanted some help with a pattern I bought:

I turned up with a huge carrier bag full of cheap acrylic yarn and realised from the moment I’d walked in that there was now a whole world of knitting that I just knew nothing about.

Lace knitting (what’s that?) and different fibres (really?) and knitty (what is knitty?) and long-tail cast-on (you can cast-on in different ways?) and blogs and shops and projects and stoles and knitalongs and podcasts and, and, and…

I bought some books on sock-knitting and a self-patterning sock kit as a starting thing. I continue to knit whimsy like soundsystems and fireworks and of course, knitted walking stick cosies.

I learn loads from the other Bluestockings knitters and this year have really enjoyed loads of outings, trips, visits, birthdays, tea and cakes. And I love reading everyone’s blogs and our meetings.

The Oxford Bluestockings also played a crucial role in my final project for my MA Programme. The Missability Radio Show’s Knitted Walking Stick Cosy Competition  couldn’t have happened without all the support and input I got from the other knitters. Judging the competition was really a lot of fun and I was very grateful to all who came. It really made the show for me; the opening night was so great and the feedback I got on it was super-positive also. It’s going to be interesting to see how the competition develops in its second round.

I’m happy to be part of something so creative and I’m grateful for all the friendships evolving out of The Oxford Bluestockings.

I too was remarkably restrained on Sunday. I only came away with the Cookie A. “Twisted Flower sock” pattern and a skein of Colinette Jitterbug in the colourway I’ve been lusting after ever since I saw Liz knitting with it.

Oh, and the 10 balls of Jaeger Matchmaker which were a bit of an impulse buy. But they were cheap… and it’s discontinued…

By the way, does anyone have the Icarus shawl pattern? Could I borrow it? I only really want to know how the cast-off works. Someone suggested to me that it might be a better option for the incredibly slippery silk Kiri than the version that’s in that pattern.

On Sunday Ellen, Aliki, Helen and I visited the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace. There were loads of amazing yarns there and I think I did very well to come away with just one skein of Lorna’s Laces Helen’s Lace in Black Watch and three of Louet Gems Superfine/Fingering merino sock yarn in teal.

The Helen’s Lace is for a shawl to match a dress for my cousin’s wedding in early December so if anyone has/knows of any lovely shawl patterns which would be suitable (and not take too long to knit!) let me know.

The Louet Gems is for the Thelonious socks by Cookie A (for which I also bought the pattern at the show) - I accidentally bought one skein too many but it’s so lovely I don’t really mind.

Hello all!

Given that various people went to the Knitting and Stitching Show on Sunday, and bought yarn, I am wondering if it would be better to move the meeting to my house (in Headington) just for this week?

That way, anyone who has anything that needs winding to do can do it themselves, and get to take back their new yarn when they go home, rather than leaving it with me for a week.

I’m happy to provide drinks (tea, coffee, diet coke, open a bottle of wine etc), and we could sort out some food between us.

Given that the weather is getting colder, and people are starting to think about Christmas presents, this seems like a good time to have a (semi)-impromptu winding party.

What does everyone think?

(ETA - Please note, everyone’s first comments are automatically sent for moderation as part of wordpress’ anti-spam code. I will unlock the comments as quickly as I can. You should be fine once you’ve had one comment unlocked.)

I’ve been a member of Oxford Bluestockings since November 2005.

I remember that I nearly didn’t go the first week. I was certainly nervous, and - having never been to a stitch n bitch before - had no idea what to expect. I didn’t know how old everyone was likely to be, or what sort of things people knitted.

I hadn’t been living in Oxford for very long at the time, and I didn’t really know anyone outside of my partner’s friends. Certainly I didn’t have any local crafty friends. I’d just got married, and made a major change to my career and lots of things were feeling really new.

In the end I shouldn’t have worried. I said hello, started knitting whatever project I was working on (I have no idea what?) and slowly but surely got drawn into the conversation. It turned out there was a lot of crossover in interests outside of knitting; alot of ‘Oh well if you like that, you’ll probably like…’ and left feeling like I’d returned to the land of the living some what.

Certainly being part of the Bluestockings made settling into a new city much easier than I expected. I now have a good group of friends who are creative, and kind, and interesting, and who understand my need to make things.

They have been a massive support about starting my own natural yarn dyeing business, Oxford Kitchen Yarns. It made a big different to how brave I’ve felt about it.

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Katie http://www.oxfordkitchenyarns.com/blog/