2nd - 4th August 2024
The Tops Conference Centre
51 Bendena Garden, Stanwell Tops 2508
! Please read these notes before registering.
Registrations have now closed. Enquiries to: gathering@knittersguildnsw.org.au
Bookings & Cancellations
All bookings are to be made via the Guild website (www.knittersguildnsw.org.au) not by post. Payment is required at the time of booking, by Paypal or by direct deposit into the Guild’s bank account. Bookings will close on 12 July 2024, or earlier if maximum numbers are reached. Bookings cancelled before that date will receive a full refund. In the (we hope) unlikely event that the Gathering has to be cancelled, all money will of course be refunded in full.
Costs
The all-inclusive price for the weekend is $330 per person. This includes accommodation for two nights, dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, lunch on Saturday and Sunday, morning and afternoon teas, workshops and talks. If you wish to find your own accommodation locally or you live within easy travelling distance of the venue, the price for the weekend is $210, which includes all of the above less the accommodation and breakfast. A Saturday day-ticket is available at a cost of $130, to include lunch, dinner, morning and afternoon teas and workshops/talks. A Sunday day-ticket is available for $80, to include morning tea, lunch and workshops/talks. These prices are for Guild Members. Non-members are welcome at the charges shown on the booking form.
Accommodation
Bedrooms at The Tops are designed to accommodate 5 or 6 people. However, we are expecting to house 4 people in each room. Many of the rooms have bunk beds as well as flat ones, so please indicate on the booking form if you are unable to use a top bunk. Also let us know if you require a wheelchair accessible room, or need to be allocated a room on the ground floor. Each room has its own bathroom. Bedding (quilt, pillow with pillow case, two sheets) and a towel will be provided. If you feel that this will be insufficient, please feel free to bring along your own additional bedding. Wifi is available across the venue.
Arrivals & Departures
We are not given access to the venue until 5pm so if you are travelling by car, please DO NOT arrive before then. Transport will be provided from Helensburgh Station for those travelling by train and will meet the 5.16pm train from Sydney on Friday 2nd. Dinner will be served at 6pm, following which registration will take place and you will be given access to your room. If we’re fortunate enough to gain access before 5pm, we may be able to take some registrations before dinner. A lounge room is available for those who arrive between 5pm and 6pm. On Sunday 4th, transport will be available to return to Helensburgh Station. For those coming by car, there is plenty of parking space at the venue.
Workshops & Talks
The workshops and talks are divided into three sessions – Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. You may not choose more than ONE workshop in each session. Please bear in mind that as numbers in each of the workshops are limited and set by our tutors, you will not be allocated 3 workshops over the weekend if you have chosen 3. When your booking is confirmed after the closing date, we will let you know which workshops you will be allocated. For those not attending a workshop, there will be talks, hands-on demonstrations and the two Marketplaces – the Retail Members’ Marketplace on Saturday (from 9.00-5.30) and the Regular Members’ Marketplace on Sunday (from 9.00-1.00). Or of course you may just prefer to sit around knitting and crocheting with friends – and perhaps make some new ones.
If you have any queries, please contact Sally Gathering@knittersguildnsw.org.au
We look forward to seeing you all!
WORKSHOPS
FIXING MISTAKES - 3 hours (with Ann Budd)
Learn to fix common mistakes, including ripping out, picking up dropped stitches (even edge stitches!), reversing the direction of a cable turn, and correcting a snag that breaks the yarn.
Skills required: Advanced-Beginner knitting skills required. Must know how to cast on, cast off, knit, purl and turn a cable.
Materials required: One partial ball of your choice of yarn (solid, light colour recommended), knitting needles in a size appropriate for your yarn, cable needle, crochet hook.
Homework: CO 18 sts.
Row 1 and 3: (RS) K4, p2, k6, p2, k4.
Rows 2 and 4: (WS) K6, p6, k6.
Row 5: (RS) K4, p2, slide 3 sts onto a cable needle and hold in front of work, k3, k3 from cable needle, p2, k4.
Rows 6 and 8: (WS) K6, p6, k6.
Rows 7 and 9: (RS) K4, p2, k6, p2, k4.
Row 10: (WS) K6, p6, k6.
Rep Rows 1–10 once more (20 rows total). Place sts on a holder. Do not cut yarn.
CUSTOM SOCKS AT ANY GAUGE - 3 hours (with Ann Budd)
Want to make socks that fit perfectly, no matter what yarn or needles or stitch pattern you use? This workshop will teach you how to measure your foot, knit a swatch, and devise a standard top-down pattern for any size foot and any gauge of knitting.
Skills required: Advanced-Beginner knitting skills. Must have experience knitting socks from the top down.
Materials required: Tape measure; calculator; yarn of your choice and appropriate needles; markers.
Homework: None
AN INTRODUCTION TO SWEATER DESIGN - 3 hours (with Ann Budd)
Learn the magical formulas that will allow you to design your own garments or adjust existing ones with ease! No more puzzling over how to increase or decrease evenly in a single row or gradually over many rows—you’ll have the answers in moments. You’ll also learn tips and trick that simplify the knitting and finishing process.
Skills required: Advanced-beginner knitting skills. Must have knitted a sweater.
Materials required: Pen and paper for taking notes. Coloured pencils (optional), calculator.
Ann Budd’s books will be available for purchase at the Gathering at greatly discounted prices (and signed!)
STRANDED COLOURWORK FOR BEGINNERS - 3 hours (with Sue Hobbs)
Skills required: The ability to knit both English (throwing) and Continental (Picking) styles. Purling is not required for this class. Alternatively, you can hold both yarns in the same hand, which some knitters prefer.
Materials required: Two colours of 8ply yarn, not superwash - one colour significantly darker than the other. One short circular needle, or two double-pointed needles (DPNs), a little larger than you would normally use for the yarn. Needles with end stoppers are not suitable for this class.
Homework: Cast on 20 stitches in the background colour of your choice. Knit 4 rows of garter stitch (knit every row). Then knit 2 rows of stocking stitch in your contrast or pattern colour.
10 WAYS TO JOIN CROCHETED SQUARES - 3 hours (with Di Scaysbrooke)
A wonderful class to provide you with so many options for joining those squares together and making a stunning blanket, jacket or bag.
Skills required: Knowledge of basic crochet stitches
Materials required: Crocheted squares (and some will be provided by the tutor), yarn, hooks and tapestry needle.
EXPANSION TUNISIAN CLASS - 3 hours (with Abbey Bongers)
Expand your Tunisian crochet skills by learning how to read Tunisian crochet charts, different methods of increasing and decreasing, expand your stitch repertoire and work in the round with a cabled hook.
Skills required: Sound beginner knowledge and experience (practice the foundation row, Tunisian simple stitch and bind off before attending).
Materials required: Good quality 8ply yarn, 6mm Tunisian crochet hook. If you would like to learn “in the round’ methods, you will require a cabled hook - this is a hook with a flexible cable attached to the end. Abbey will bring some spares for those who don’t have the equipment.
Homework: None
SUPER CABLES (RAISED CABLES) - 3 hours (with Pat McGregor) Make your cabling really stand out!
Skills required: Basic knitting
Materials required: 8ply or 10 ply in a plain, not very dark, colour – Wool, acrylic, cotton or a mix. Needles appropriate to the yarn and a cable needle
Homework: None
EMBROIDERY ON KNITTING - 3 hours (with Kathryn Trippett)
Embroidery is a simple and quick way to add beauty and embellishments to your finished item. You will create a stitch sampler in class that you can apply to a knitted garment or blanket in your own time.
Skills required: Some knowledge of basic embroidery stitches will be very helpful.
Materials required: Knitted swatches, scissors, pen and notebook, if you would like to take notes. 2ply and 4ply yarn for embroidery will be supplied by the tutor.
Homework: 5 knitted swatches in a 4ply, solid colour yarn in 5 different colours. Using 3.25mm needles and 4ply yarn, cast on 40 stitches, and proceed in stocking stitch, with 4 rows of garter stitch at the beginning and end of the swatch, and a 3 stitch garter stitch edging. Create a square of approximately 13cm square - the stocking stitch portion will then be about 10cm.
TUNISIAN CROCHET FOR BEGINNERS - 3 hours (with Abbey Bongers)
Learn all the basics of Tunisian Crochet - casting on, the Tunisian simple stitch, casting off and more.
Skills required: No previous Tunisian Crochet knowledge required
Materials required: Good quality 8ply yarn in two colours, 6mm Tunisian Crochet hook (the pointier the better)
Homework: None
KNITTING LACE, USING CHARTS- 3 hours (with Beth Clothier)
An introduction to lace knitting using charts. An explanation of basic and intermediate charts with practical exercises.
Skills required: Knit, purl, knit/purl 2 together, yarn forward, slip stitches, psso (pass slip stitch over). Will be covered in class.
Materials required: Non-fuzzy 4ply yarn and 4mm needles. (If unsure of ability to work with finer yarn, 8ply yarn will suffice. Stitch markers.
Homework: None
DOUBLE KNITTING - 3 hours (with Clare Hacker)
Learn how to work from a chart to practise the double knitting technique, resulting in a sampler you can use as a coaster.
Skills Required: Basic knitting skills and basic chart reading.
Materials Required: 8ply yarn, in two contrasting colours, 4mm needles
Homework: None
TWO-COLOUR BRIOCHE KNITTING- 3 hours (with Sue Hobbs)
Skills required: Basic knitting skills - knit, purl, slip stitches and yarn overs
Materials required: Two strongly contrasting colours, one light and one dark, DK (8 ply) yarn. Two Double Pointed Needles or one short circular needle, a little smaller than you would normally use for this weight yarn. Crochet hook and one removable stitch marker. *Please note that needles with end stoppers are not suitable for this class.
Homework: Cast on 23 stitches with your lighter colour.
Row 1: WS: [P1, k1], p1.
Row 2: RS: [K1, P1], k1.
Repeat this rib pattern for 4 rows, ending with a RS row. Put a marker on the right side of your work.
MOSAIC CROCHET - 3 hours (with Jane Downey)
In this class you will learn the basics of overlay mosaic crochet, worked flat, and if time permits, in the round. You will also learn how to add a “sandwich” border to hide all the ends! Your class sample can be used as a coaster, pot trivet or similar.
Skills required: You MUST be able to crochet and read a pattern.
Materials required: At least 3 contrasting solid colours of yarn (ideally one each of a light, medium and dark colour), preferably 8ply/DK or thicker (approx 30-50g of each colour), a suitable hook for your yarn plus a hook 0.5mm smaller (eg for 8ply, a 4mm and a 3.5mm hook), scissors and a darning needle.
Homework: None
BUTTONHOLE SKILLS - 1.25 hours (with Clare Hacker)
Learn how to form 6 types of buttonholes by working up a small sampler.
Skills Required: Basic knitting skills
Materials Required: 8ply yarn, light coloured, a length of contrasting 8ply yarn, 4mm needles
Homework: With 8ply yarn and 4mm needles, using preferred cast-on method, cast on 20 sts to begin sampler.
Rows 1-6: Knit
Row 7: Knit
Row 8: K3, purl to last 3 sts, k3 Rows 9-10 Work as for Rows 7 and 8
KNITTING WITH BEADS - 1.25 hours (with Caroline Craig)
Learn to include beads in your knitting (without pre-planning!)
Skills required: Basic knit and purl stitches
Materials required: 4ply yarn and appropriate needles, plus a 0.75mm crochet hook (a few spares will be available and an assortment of beads will be provided by the tutor).
Homework: Cast on 21 stitches and knit 4 rows
GERMAN SHORT ROWS - 1.25 hours (with Tash Childers)
Learn the easy and effective method of German short rows for shaping knitted pieces.
Skills required: Able to knit and purl confidently
Materials required: 20g or more of 10-12ply yarn and needles to match. Preferably a smooth yarn in a light colour
Homework: Cast on 24 stitches, using any cast-on method, and knit 4 rows of stocking stitch (ie knit one row, purl one row).
CROCHETED NECKLACE - 1.25 hours (with Caroline Baker)
The tutor calls this the “Very Expensive Crochet Flower Necklace”. As you can see that it’s
NOT very expensive to make, she will explain her reason at the workshop!
Skills required: Basic crochet skills, chain, single crochet, double crochet, treble crochet.
Materials required: 8 ply fibre with appropriate crochet hook.
