The morning after

It's been a week full of knitting and tidying for me as my Autumn Workshops have started.

Thursday night was the first of my Learn to Knit workshops in Gleesons

then Friday morning it was Knit'n Natter with my knitting group The Cast Offs and last night was the first of my Knit Nights in the cottage.

After a morning with the Cast Offs I came home and spent the day cleaning - probably the only downside to running workshops in your home.  However, for me, I prefer it to hiring a room somewhere.  All my materials are to hand, I don't have any extra costs, apart from the insurance, and anyone who comes to the cottage seems to really like it.

By 7pm I had the last of the cleaning done and I was ready to go ...

I love that half hour just before I start a workshop where I'm setting everything up and planning what I'm going to do

But what I love most is the workshop itself.

At 7.30 pm I'm waiting for people to arrive,

complete strangers at 7.30 but by 9pm new friends.  

Within minutes all awkwardness is gone,

the tea is flowing,

the wool is being passed around the table, 

the needles are clicking,

and everyone starts chatting and getting to know eachother

and before you know it it's 9 o'clock

and time to go home.

The morning after the table looks like this

Here are some of the hats the ladies made last night. 

These are for the Big Knit campaign.  

They are a great beginners project as they are quick to make and I think it's really important when you run a workshop that the person always has something to bring home with them, something completed.  It's also great for learning all the basics - cast on, knit, purl, k2tog and cast off. 

The pom poms are made using a fork .... you'll have to come to one of the workshops to find out how :O) 

Next week we're going to start our first project - hats for ourselves. 

Right I better go as I've got to get ready for the first of my Crafternoons which starts at 2!!!  It's Sewing Machine Basics today.

Have a great weekend everyone!