I Knit London
Encyclopedia
I Knit London is a knitting organisation based in London, England, UK, comprising a knitting group, knitting shop and knitting events. I Knit London was formed in December 2005, and is run, by Gerard Allt (b. Liverpool, UK, 9 July 1973) and Craig Carruthers (b. Carlisle, UK, 21 March 1973).
, knitting groups and knitting circles as a place for knitters and crocheters to come together socially to share and enjoy the craft. Although using their own name, the I Knit London knitting club is one of the many similar groups including Stitch 'n Bitch
, Knit & Natter and Knit 2gether, and in the long tradition of community and social craft circles.
Attendance is open to crafters, knitters and crocheters of any age and level of expertise and is free. Notifications of meetings are sent each Monday via an e-newsletter and also posted in the club's Facebook
and MySpace
groups and on their website.
operating on Sundays from February 2006 to September 2006. In September 2006 their shop, also called I Knit London, opened in a residential Victorian square in Vauxhall, south London. In March 2008 the shop was closed and relocated to newer premises in the historic market street, Lower Marsh
at Waterloo, London.
The shop stocks a range of materials for knitters and crocheters, including varying types of yarn; knitting needles, crochet hooks and accessories; patterns and books. The shop is regularly used as a venue for the knitting club and other events, including classes, film nights, a book group (The Kniterati), late night opening and is the first knitting shop in the UK with a licenced bar selling alcoholic drinks.
The IKL shop is described as 'a club, shop and sanctuary for knitters'.
to mobilise knitters worldwide to create the world's first knitted petition - a huge river of knitted blue squares. The purpose of the project was to create something to show off at WaterAid events as a means to grab public attention and to engage people with their vital work. Over 100,000 squares were created for the project which was used throughout the year at various venues and events.
In May 2007 a large section of the knitted river was carried by demonstrators along London's Albert Embankment and into Parliament Square as a protest to the British government ahead of the G8
summit in Germany. A small section was handing in to the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, at Number 10 Downing Street. In July 2007 the longest piece of the knitted river was used as part of the Watch This Space festival at the Royal National Theatre
in London. Pieces of the project were draped across the terraces of the building, from the top of the Lyttelton fly-tower cascading down into Theatre Square, where WaterAid volunteers were on hand to talk to passers-by and hand out literature about the charity's work.
, author of the Stitch 'n Bitch
book series, and the official UK launch of the fourth in that series, Son of Stitch 'n Bitch. Other designers, including Jane Waller, Sally Muir, Joanna Osborne, Jean Moss and Jane Brocket held workshops alongside contributions from Stitch and Bitch London
, performance poet Peter Wyton
, DJs The Shellac Sisters, Amy Lamé
and comedy duo Girl & Dean and a number of charity projects.
(aka The Yarn Harlot) making her first UK appearance, and featured contributions from other notable knitwear designers; Sasha Kagan, Erika Knight, Sandra Polley, Jane Sowerby, Jane Waller and Hélène Magnusson. Like its predecessor, the event was sponsored by the online knitting magazine www.knitonthenet.com.
In 2009 the event doubled in size to make the I Knit Weekender. Held on the 11th and 12th September 2009 it followed a similar format to 2008's event and hosted an array of designers offering workshops and presentations. These included Alice Starmore
, Debbie New, Annie Modesitt and the Guinness World Record Fastest Knitter in the World, Miriam Tegels. The 2009 event also featured a fashion show and live music from 22-piece all-girl choir Gaggle (band). The Weekender is now an annual event with the fourth show taking place in September 2010 at the same venue. Once again knitting designer Alice Starmore
will be hosting exclusive workshops to coincide with the republication of two of her most sought after books, Aran Knitting and Fisherman's Sweaters, alongside further appearances by a number of well-known knitwear designers, including Erika Knight, Martin Storey, Debbie Bliss and Susan Crawford.
and Aardman Animations
founder Nick Park
. Nominations were submitted by the general public and the nominees were announced on the KNIFTAs website on Monday 2nd February. Nominees included Jack McBrayer
for 30 Rock
, Chi McBride
for Pushing Daisies
and Jane Wood for her role in the British medical soap Holby City
. Winners were be announced at the KNIFTA party on Sunday 22nd February 2009 at the Crown and Two Chairmen in Soho, London. The winners in two categories were present to pick up their awards: the team from advertising agency McCann Erikson, and actress Jane Wood.
's Watch This Space summer festival of outdoor events on London's South Bank on 5 July 2008 On the weekend of 18 July 2008 the project spent three days at the Camp Bestival
festival, held at Lulworth Castle
in Dorset as part of I Knit London's knitting tent.
. The book, by Gerard Allt, includes knitting projects designed for giving to others, or for sharing with loved ones or those in need. An introductory section includes a brief history of IKL and covers in details their Knit a River and The Great British Sheep projects. Knits to Care and Share includes work by a number of designers, including Heather Dixon, Susan Crawford, Sue Hanmore, Eirwen Godfrey, Emily Blades and many others.
(2006 to present), the Institute For Figuring
's Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef (2009) as well as one-off craft events and booksignings held at the IKL shop.
Knitting group
The I Knit London knitting group is a social group meeting in pubs and public spaces mostly in London and occasionally in other venues across the UK and overseas. The first meeting took place at The Beehive pub in Vauxhall, London in December 2005. The club meets every week and takes the same format as many other knitting clubsKnitting clubs
Knitting clubs are a feature of the recent revival of hand knitting which began in America and has spread to most of Europe. Despite the name, knitting clubs are not limited to knitting: both crochet-centered and knit-centered clubs are collectively called "knitting clubs." While some may say...
, knitting groups and knitting circles as a place for knitters and crocheters to come together socially to share and enjoy the craft. Although using their own name, the I Knit London knitting club is one of the many similar groups including Stitch 'n Bitch
Stitch 'n Bitch
Stitch 'n Bitch is a phrase that has been used to refer to social knitting groups since at least World War II. Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitters Handbook, Published in 2003, was the first in a series of best-selling instructional books on knitting and crochet all titled with the phrase Stitch 'n...
, Knit & Natter and Knit 2gether, and in the long tradition of community and social craft circles.
Attendance is open to crafters, knitters and crocheters of any age and level of expertise and is free. Notifications of meetings are sent each Monday via an e-newsletter and also posted in the club's Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
groups and on their website.
Knitting shop
Following the knitting club, I Knit London opened a market stall at Old Spitalfields MarketOld Spitalfields market
Old Spitalfields Market is a covered market in Spitalfields, just outside the City of London. It is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets....
operating on Sundays from February 2006 to September 2006. In September 2006 their shop, also called I Knit London, opened in a residential Victorian square in Vauxhall, south London. In March 2008 the shop was closed and relocated to newer premises in the historic market street, Lower Marsh
Lower Marsh
Lower Marsh is a street in the Waterloo neighbourhood of London, England. It is the location of Lower Marsh Market.The northern tip of the ancient parish of Lambeth was marshland known as Lambeth Marshe, but it was drained in the 18th century and is remembered in the Lower Marsh street name...
at Waterloo, London.
The shop stocks a range of materials for knitters and crocheters, including varying types of yarn; knitting needles, crochet hooks and accessories; patterns and books. The shop is regularly used as a venue for the knitting club and other events, including classes, film nights, a book group (The Kniterati), late night opening and is the first knitting shop in the UK with a licenced bar selling alcoholic drinks.
The IKL shop is described as 'a club, shop and sanctuary for knitters'.
Knit a River
Knit A River was a campaign to raise awareness of the 1.1 billion people without access to safe water. Between May 2006 and July 2007 I Knit London joined with WaterAidWaterAid
WaterAid is an international non-profit organisation set up as a response to the UN International Drinking Water & Sanitation decade . WaterAid is dedicated to helping people escape the poverty and disease caused by living without safe water and sanitation. It is based in London, England and was...
to mobilise knitters worldwide to create the world's first knitted petition - a huge river of knitted blue squares. The purpose of the project was to create something to show off at WaterAid events as a means to grab public attention and to engage people with their vital work. Over 100,000 squares were created for the project which was used throughout the year at various venues and events.
In May 2007 a large section of the knitted river was carried by demonstrators along London's Albert Embankment and into Parliament Square as a protest to the British government ahead of the G8
G8
The Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for the governments of seven major economies: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1997, the group added Russia, thus becoming the G8...
summit in Germany. A small section was handing in to the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, at Number 10 Downing Street. In July 2007 the longest piece of the knitted river was used as part of the Watch This Space festival at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in London. Pieces of the project were draped across the terraces of the building, from the top of the Lyttelton fly-tower cascading down into Theatre Square, where WaterAid volunteers were on hand to talk to passers-by and hand out literature about the charity's work.
UK Stitch 'n Bitch Day 2007
On 11 November 2007 I Knit London hosted the first UK Stitch 'n Bitch Day, held at the Royal National Hotel in Bloomsbury, London. The show featured a number of workshops, exhibitions, entertainment and a marketplace offering knitting yarns and accessories from a number of independent suppliers. The event was notable for the first UK appearance of Debbie StollerDebbie Stoller
Debbie Stoller is a New York Times best-selling American author, publisher and feminist pundit whose work includes magazines as well as books. She lives in Brooklyn, New York City, New York....
, author of the Stitch 'n Bitch
Stitch 'n Bitch
Stitch 'n Bitch is a phrase that has been used to refer to social knitting groups since at least World War II. Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitters Handbook, Published in 2003, was the first in a series of best-selling instructional books on knitting and crochet all titled with the phrase Stitch 'n...
book series, and the official UK launch of the fourth in that series, Son of Stitch 'n Bitch. Other designers, including Jane Waller, Sally Muir, Joanna Osborne, Jean Moss and Jane Brocket held workshops alongside contributions from Stitch and Bitch London
Stitch and Bitch London
Stitch London is a knitting group in London, England, who meet weekly in various venues across central London to knit in public. It is also a virtual knitting group whose members join via newsletter, Facebook, Ravelry, and Twitter...
, performance poet Peter Wyton
Peter Wyton
Peter Wyton is a 'poet of page and performance' who has published a number of books and who has appeared on BBC Radio. He is a widely published and prize-winning poet who has appeared at venues as diverse as Cheltenham Literature Festival, Glastonbury Festival, Ledbury Poetry Festival, Oxford TV,...
, DJs The Shellac Sisters, Amy Lamé
Amy Lamé
Amy Lamé is an American-born, British performer, writer, television and radio presenter and producer.-Biography:Lamé was born Amy Caddle and raised in Keyport, New Jersey. She attended Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland and moved to London in 1992...
and comedy duo Girl & Dean and a number of charity projects.
I Knit Day 2008 and the I Knit Weekender
I Knit Day 2008 is the follow-up to UK Stitch 'n Bitch Day, to be held at the Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster, London on 6 September 2008. The event is similar in style to the previous year with a number of workshops, exhibitions and entertainment. The event played host to best-selling author and blogger Stephanie Pearl-McPheeStephanie Pearl-McPhee
Stephanie Anne Pearl-McPhee is a writer, knitter, or International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and doula living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-Life:...
(aka The Yarn Harlot) making her first UK appearance, and featured contributions from other notable knitwear designers; Sasha Kagan, Erika Knight, Sandra Polley, Jane Sowerby, Jane Waller and Hélène Magnusson. Like its predecessor, the event was sponsored by the online knitting magazine www.knitonthenet.com.
In 2009 the event doubled in size to make the I Knit Weekender. Held on the 11th and 12th September 2009 it followed a similar format to 2008's event and hosted an array of designers offering workshops and presentations. These included Alice Starmore
Alice Starmore
Alice Starmore is a professional needleworker, photographer and author of books on needlework, born in Stornoway, Western Isles, Scotland....
, Debbie New, Annie Modesitt and the Guinness World Record Fastest Knitter in the World, Miriam Tegels. The 2009 event also featured a fashion show and live music from 22-piece all-girl choir Gaggle (band). The Weekender is now an annual event with the fourth show taking place in September 2010 at the same venue. Once again knitting designer Alice Starmore
Alice Starmore
Alice Starmore is a professional needleworker, photographer and author of books on needlework, born in Stornoway, Western Isles, Scotland....
will be hosting exclusive workshops to coincide with the republication of two of her most sought after books, Aran Knitting and Fisherman's Sweaters, alongside further appearances by a number of well-known knitwear designers, including Erika Knight, Martin Storey, Debbie Bliss and Susan Crawford.
Knitting in Film and Television Awards
I Knit London have established the first ever awards for the promotion of knitting in film and television with the light-hearted Knitting in Film and Television Awards (KNIFTAs). The awards were split into four categories; Best Knitting Scene, Funniest Knitting Scene, Best Knitwear and Best Advertisement. There was also an award for the Outstanding Contribution to Knitting in Film and Television which went to Wallace and GromitWallace and Gromit
Wallace and Gromit are the main characters in a series consisting of four British animated short films and a feature-length film by Nick Park of Aardman Animations...
and Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations, Ltd., also known as Aardman Studios, or simply as Aardman, is a British animation studio based in Bristol, United Kingdom. The studio is known for films made using stop-motion clay animation techniques, particularly those featuring Plasticine characters Wallace and Gromit...
founder Nick Park
Nick Park
Nicholas Wulstan "Nick" Park, CBE is an English filmmaker of stop motion animation best known as the creator of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep....
. Nominations were submitted by the general public and the nominees were announced on the KNIFTAs website on Monday 2nd February. Nominees included Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer
Jack McBrayer is an American actor and comedian. He gained national exposure for his characters on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"...
for 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...
, Chi McBride
Chi McBride
Kenneth "Chi" McBride is an American actor. He starred as Steven Harper on the series Boston Public, as Emerson Cod on Pushing Daisies, and recently appeared in Fox's drama Human Target.-Early life:...
for Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
and Jane Wood for her role in the British medical soap Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
. Winners were be announced at the KNIFTA party on Sunday 22nd February 2009 at the Crown and Two Chairmen in Soho, London. The winners in two categories were present to pick up their awards: the team from advertising agency McCann Erikson, and actress Jane Wood.
The Great British Sheep
During summer 2008, a new project was launched to promote and celebrate British wool and British sheep. The Great British Sheep is a large wooden sculpture, standing approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) tall, built and designed by puppet-maker Yvonne Stone. It's wire frame will be covered with knitted and crocheted swatches, squares, ringlets and other shapes which have been made by members of the public at a number of festivals and fetes. All the wool used in the project has been sourced from UK farmers and yarn producers and is entirely made up of 100% British wool. With over 60 breeds native to the UK it is hoped that this unique 'knitted fleece' will contain wool from all of the sheep. The sculpture has been on display at I Knit Day 2008, a knitting show in central London in September 2008 and also as part of The National TheatreRoyal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
's Watch This Space summer festival of outdoor events on London's South Bank on 5 July 2008 On the weekend of 18 July 2008 the project spent three days at the Camp Bestival
Camp Bestival
Camp Bestival is a British music festival, the "little sister" of Bestival, both organised by BBC Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank. It is held annually, in July, at Lulworth Castle in Dorset and is targeted at families with small children. It has a capacity of 10,000 adults and 5,000 children...
festival, held at Lulworth Castle
Lulworth Castle
Lulworth Castle, in East Lulworth, Dorset, situated south of Wool, is an early 17th century mock castle. The stone building has now been re-built as a museum....
in Dorset as part of I Knit London's knitting tent.
Knits to Care and Share
The first book from the team behind I Knit London was published in December 2008 by David & CharlesDavid & Charles
David & Charles is a publisher. The company was founded - and is still based - in the market town of Newton Abbot, in Devon, UK, on 1 April 1960 by David St John Thomas and Charles Hadfield. It first made its name publishing titles on Britain's canals and railways...
. The book, by Gerard Allt, includes knitting projects designed for giving to others, or for sharing with loved ones or those in need. An introductory section includes a brief history of IKL and covers in details their Knit a River and The Great British Sheep projects. Knits to Care and Share includes work by a number of designers, including Heather Dixon, Susan Crawford, Sue Hanmore, Eirwen Godfrey, Emily Blades and many others.
Other events
I Knit London regularly organise and take part in other craft-related events across the UK. They have contributed, or will do so, to festivals, fetes and exhibitions including the Dutch Stitch 'n Bitch Day (2006), Camp Bestival (2008, 2009 and 2010), The Knitting and Stitching Show (2007), Unravel (2006), World Wide Knit in Public DayWorld Wide Knit in Public Day
World Wide Knit in Public Day was started in 2005 by Danielle Landes and takes place on the second Saturday of June each year. It began as a way for knitters to come together and enjoy each others company....
(2006 to present), the Institute For Figuring
Institute For Figuring
The Institute For Figuring is an organization based in Los Angeles, California that promotes the public understanding of the poetic and aesthetic dimensions of science, mathematics and the technical arts...
's Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef (2009) as well as one-off craft events and booksignings held at the IKL shop.