Get your knits out - for charity

Posted 6 months ago 7 responses

“Knitting is the new drinking on public transport, donchaknow?”

Stitch and Bitch London is London’s feisty but friendly knitting group (and the biggest Knitting Group in the UK at the moment). The group’s been crossing needles since 2005 (when there were only three members), and these days around 40 knitters a week are drawn in by the chance to make something pretty while making ugly chat.

The wild bunch meets weekly somewhere in London (pubs, bars, parks, bowling alleys, tasty mezze-selling cafes etc), annoying venue staff with their balls of wool and their ballsy chat. They also do bizarre wool-related events (the London Lion Scarf, Knit at the Movies Champagne Bar, Knit Crawl 2007), a bit of charity stuff, and regularly plan world knitting domination. This Saturday sees the annual knit crawl, when people from all walks of life get together and knit. A bit. There’s a surprise.

We asked Kudocities’ member and leader of the knit pack, Beagleskin, (otherwise known as Deadly Knitshade) all about her love of pointy things, fluffy stuff and evil conversation…......

So the ruddy heck is a knit crawl? Does it involve lots of walking?

A Knit Crawl is a bit like a pub crawl, but with knitting, outdoors, in public, for all to see. Social knitworking, if you will (sorry). No longer are knitters confined to doily-draped sofas. We’re encouraging people to get their knits out in our fair city for Worldwide Knit in Public Day (Saturday 14th June). Five London-flavoured venues (walk it or get between them however you like), much knitting, and as much bitching as you can carry. We’ll be clicking away at Westminster Abbey, St James’ Park, Trafalgar Square, Soho Square, and Carnaby Street. Fear our pointy sticks!

Do you raise money for charity?

This year we’re raising money for Breast Cancer Care. The truly wondrous part of it is that everyone who donates will be entered into a prize draw to win the really rather pink and fabulous hand-knitted king-size Breast Cancer Care Blanket. It’s a work of knitted art, I swear.

People can donate online, or chuck us a few quid on the day, or go to All the Fun of the Fair just off Carnaby Street to see the blanket and donate. The end of the Knit Crawl ends at All the Fun of the Fair for the grand draw. The blanket is truly amazing. We don’t want to give it up.

Do you get pissed?

Does the pope knit in the woods? fills hipflask

How many people will be doing it?

Last year we managed about 40-50 people at each venue (we did St Pauls, Tate Modern, London Eye, and Trafalgar Square). This year we are hoping you’ll be able to see us from space.

Are you looking for more people to take part?

Yes. In fact we demand it. If you can’t knit we’ll teach for free too. As long as folks turn up with needles and yarn. We’re nice like that. Fancy a knit? Hmm? jabs with needles

Are there any blokes in S&B?

There are many. Not as many as girls, but that’s quite a good thing from a bloke’s point of view, no? Men of Stitch and Butch leanings tend to get lots of girlie attention. Chicks dig a man who knows how to hold his yarn.

What sort of people do it?

There isn’t really a mould you can stuff an S&B London Knitcrawler into. We are many flavoured from soft and silky, to warm and snugly, to sort of itchy and rash-inducing.

Just how much bitching takes place? Have you ever taken someone out with a knitting needle?

Much bitching ensues. It’s by far the best bit. And yes, I once took out 100 carefully training ninjas with only a crochet hook and a set of DPNs (google it).

S&B London is run by Lauren ‘Deadly Knitshade’ O’Farrell, and her four lovely, yet equally potentially deadly fellow Stitchettes: Laura ‘Purl Princess’ Parkinson, Joelle ‘Knitting Ninja’ Finck, and Annisa ‘Dr Stitchlove’ Chand (all proud KCL members).

Beagleskin says they work very hard, teaching for free, chucking out a fortnightly knitty newsletter to thousands of members, and “spreading Londony knitty love wherever we go”. The plan is for the whole of London to submit to the knit. They reckon they’re about halfway there.

All the info is on S&B’s website here

Anyone can join. So sign up to the mailing list, get yourself some pointy sticks and sheep hair, and brush up on your bitching, folks.

stitch bitch knit knit crawl sheepy stuff scarves blankets wrong bikinis