Tuesday 2 December 2014

Knit 1 Bike 1 - Janet's next project and the proposed itinerary...

As some of you will know, my intended next project involves meandering around Scotland by bike and the odd bus or train, crocheting, knitting and spinning as I go. I will offer mini workshops and talks, visiting knitting groups and shops, fellow textile artists and  people that I know - including my grandaughter, and her lovely family who live on Mull.

NB I have applied for funding to do this but have decided to start this blog and my preparations 'as if' the funding was in place - otherwise by the time it is, it will be too late to plan it well.  I set off around the end of June 2015.

The Journey will result in a book and an exhibition of the objects I knit and crochet on the way.  These will be things I see at the side of the road, wildlife and things that simply represent the mood of the day.  So this era of the blog begins with the preparations I am making and the thinking and planning as well as of course being about the things I knit and crochet.

As luck would have it for the first time in my life I have a knee problem.  However a very encouraging visit to the physio today, who tells me that the likely cause was very high cliff top steps on a walk and that cycling is actually good for it.  If feels a lot better already!  So it's back on the bike this weekend...

 Here is a picture of the folding bike I intend to use for the trip and a taste of things to come...
 

It is a Brompton folding bike and it goes on buses as well as trains which could come in handy...














Me and my knitting on Coldingham beach last month during a cycle ride. 



The finished laptop bag

















Finally - a good idea today from a fellow knitter - to put my provisional itinerary on the blog so here it is. If you would like me to visit you and offer a mini workshop or a talk in exchange for accommodation.  Do let me know - the above itinerary is provisional.  A number of the places I stay will also be mentioned in the book of course!.


Proposed cycling itinerary
Depart Mon 29th June 2015  
Day 1                                     leave Dalmellington East Ayrshire. Bus to Ayr.  (South Ayrshire). Cycle Ayr to West Kilbride on bike route. (North Ayrshire)  total 26 miles.  Stay Seamill.

Day 2                                     Talk/meet knitters West Kilbride. Stay B&B Seamill.  (North Ayrshire).

Day 3                                     Cycle to Ardrossan.  Ferry to Brodick Isle Arran.  Cycle to Kildonan.  Camp Kildonan.  Total 19 miles. 

Day 4                                     Meet with knitters/spinners on Arran.  (North Ayrshire)

Day 5                                     Cycle Kildonan to Lochranza 30 miles.   Stay Lochranza campsite. 
Day 6                                     Stay Lochranza.  Knit and crochet, write blog etc.    

Day 7                                     Ferry Lochranza to Claonaig, Mull of Kintyre.  B8001 to Kennacraig, A83 to Lochgilphead A816 to Kilmartin.  (Argyll & Bute) Total 31 miles. 

Day 8                                     Offer talk/mini workshop and meet with local knitters or spinners Kilmartin.   Stay Kilmartin.

Day 9                                     Cycle Kilmartin to Oban.  29 miles.  Stay campsite Oban.    Visit local spinners and knitters etc.

Day 10                                   Ferry to Mull.  Rendezvous with Hubby for bike maintenance/check.  Stay night Craignure Mull.  (Argyll & Bute)

Day 11                                   Craignure to Bunnessan Mull.  26 miles.  Visit Ardanalish weavers.  Camp Bunnessan.

Day 12                                   Craignure, Mull to Tobermory. ( Argyll & Bute).  22 miles.  Meet with local knitters.   Offer 2 hour workshop in return for accommodation. 

Day 13                                   Ferry Tobermory to Kilchoan.  Cycle Kilchoan to Strontian.  (Highland).  28 miles.  Stay bunkhouse or camp at Ariundle centre Strontian. 

Day 14                                   Stay Strontian.  Deliver 2 hour mini workshop.  Catch up with crochet, knitting and blogging.  Stay Strontian. 

Day 15                                   Strontian to Lochailort .  30 miles.  Camp Cambusdarroch camp site. 

Day 16                                   Lochailort to Mallaig.   16 miles.  Visit local knitwear designer.

Day 17                                   ferry Mallaig to Armadale Isle of Skye.(highland)  Cycle to Broadford.  Visit local spinnning studio. 17 miles.

Day 18                                   Offer mini workshop in exchange for camping/accommodation.

Day 19                                   Broadford  to Portree.  25 miles. Visit local knitting business/friends.   B&B.  

Day 20                                   Stitch n Bitch session and/or mini workshop Portree.  Stay Portree.  Blog and knit.

Day 21                                   return Portree to Broadford.  25 miles.  Camp Broadford.   

Day 22                                   Cycle Broadford to Armadale.  Ferry to Mallaig.  Train Mallaig to Fort William.  Train Fort William to Oban.  Cycle Oban to Benderloch to Wool Feis Highland wool festival.  (Argyll & Bute)  25 miles.

Day 23                                 offer   talk/ stitch n bitch.  Camp or B&B

Day 24                                   mini workshop.

Day 25                                   as above. 

Day  26                                  Cycle to Oban.  Train to Mallaig.  Ferry Mallaig to Skye.  (Highland).  Bus to Uig.   Ferry Uig to Tarbert Isle of Harris.  (Western Isles).  Visit Harris Tweed Company Isle of Harris.  Cycle Tarbert to Horgabost.  Camp at Horgabost.  20 miles.

Day 27                                   Spend a day writing and crocheting/knitting. 
Day 28                                   bus to part way to Stornoway.  Cycle 25 miles.  Visit Hebrides knitwear Stornoway.  Ferry Stornoway to Ullapool.   Rendezvous with Hubby for bike maintenance and to replenish yarn supplies/ offload finished crochet and knitting.  Camp Ullapool.  (Highland)

Day 29                                   Visit local spinners & weavers.   Offer mini workshop/stitch n bitch session in exchange for accommodation or camp Ullapool.  Stay Ullapool.

Day 30                                   crochet and Knitting/blog time. Stay Ullapool.


Day 31                                   Train Ullapool to Inverness.  Cycle Inverness to Aviemore 30 miles.  Camp Aviemore.  Stitch n Bitch/ meet knitting group meets Tues 7-9.   Rendezvous with Lee Renouf-Miller for bike maintenance etc.

Day 32                                   Offer talk Aviemore.                       
                                                Stay Aviemore.   

Day 33                                   Sustrans Route 7 Aviemore to Newtonmore. 16 miles.  Visit Highland Folk Museum.  Offer spinning demonstration.  Camp Newtonmore.

Day 34                                   writing and knitting time.  stay Newtonmore.

Day 35                                   Newtonmore to Blair Atholl Perth  & Kinross.  34 miles Stay Blair Atholl. 

Day 36                                   Day off.   stay Blair Atholl

Day 37                                   Cycle Blair Atholl to Bankfoot.  visit Organic fruit nursery Bankfoot.  25 miles.

Day 38                                   Offer knitting and talk Bankfoot in exchange for accommodation or camp.

Day 39                                   Bankfoot to Kenmore. Still on Sustrans route 7.  29 miles.  Stay B&B Kenmore. 

Day 40                                   Kenmore to Lochearnhead 25 miles.  (Stirling)

Day 41                                   Lochearnhead to Dunblane 29 miles.   Rendezvous with Hubby.

Day 42                                   stay Dunblane.  Offer knitting session and talk.

Day 43                                   Dunblane to Glasgow.  33 miles. 

Day 44                                   Visit knitting shop Glasgow. (Glasgow City)  Offer mini workshop/talk.

Day 45                                   Stay Glasgow, blog and crochet/knit.

Day 46                                   Glasgow to New Lanark Woollen Mill.  (South Lanarkshire) Stay youth hostel new Lanark and offer talk. 

Day 47                                   New Lanark to Broughton.  Attend spinner's event.  Or offer session at knitting shop.  Stay campsite Biggar.  19 miles

Day 48                                   Broughton to Edinburgh. 

Day 49                                   Offer workshop to knitting/spinning group Edinburgh.   Stay Edinburgh.  (Edinburgh City)

Day 50                                   Edinburgh to Penicuik return.  (Midlothian) 20miles.  Offer knit and natter/talk.  Stay Edinburgh.  Knitting and blog time.  Rendezvous with Hubby.

Day 51                                   Colinton to Haddington  22 miles.  Stay Haddington

Day 52                                   offer talk Haddington.

Day 53                                   Haddington to Dunbar.  Possible stay at Innerwick.  16 miles.

Day 54                                   offer mini knit workshop Innerwick.  Stay Innerwick.

Day 55                                     Innerwick to St Abbs.  Stay Woolfish St Abbs. 

Day 56                                   Offer talk or crochet workshop St Abbs.  (Borders) Stay St Abbs.

Day 57                                   St Abbs to Coldstream.  Stay Coldstream. 

Day 58                                   Coldstream to Hawick.  Stay Hawick.  Visit Borders Textile museum. 

Day 59                                   Offer talk or mini workshop.   Stay Hawick. 

Day 60                                   Stay Hawick.  Blog and crochet/knit.

Day 61                                     Cycle Hawick to Langholm.  23 miles. 

Day 62                                   Visit craft shop Langhold and offer mini workshop.  Stay Langholm.     (Dumfries & Galloway)

Day 63                                   Cycle Langholm to Lockerbie.  19 miles. 

Day 64                                   Connect with local spinners & weavers. Talk or mini workshop or B&B.

Day 65                                   Lockerbie to Dumfries.  15 miles.  Stay Dumfries.

Day 66                                   Talk Dumfries.  Stay Dumfries.

Day 67                                   Dumfries to Castle Douglas.  16 miles.  Stay Castle Douglas.

Day 68                                   Castle Douglas to New Galloway. 14 miles.  Stay New Galloway.

Day 69                                   Talk New Galloway.  Stay New Galloway.

Day 70                                   New Galloway to Dalmellington  22 miles.  – HOME.  (East Ayrshire)









Sunday 19 October 2014

Look What Susan Did
I wanted to share this photo.  The person who created this wonderful blanket could not crochet at all a couple of months ago.  she has been coming to me for one to one crochet lessons and has created this wonderful knee rug. 
Knee rug in creative crochet by a student.

Thursday 16 October 2014

I just re-felted a bag I made a while ago.  It was knitted then felted in the washing machine but was rather big and the handle a bit 'bouncy'.  Anyway  I rather nervously put it in the washing machine for another ten minutes and - bingo - it is perfect and i have now used it several times this week!  The perfect size for an A4 file which was the original intention.

Now 1 am off to Gorgie City Farm Edinburgh as I am delivering a spinning workshop to Gorgie Spinners tomorrow with lots of yummy new alpaca for them to spin, in four different colours.  Can't wait to get my hands on it too...

Meanwhile look out for the really exicting news on Monday...

Sunday 12 October 2014

Woolfish retreat
I am off to another knitting retreat at Woolfish this month.  Louise's house is wonderful and St Abbs is lovely...
Before we all made napkin rings to use when we shared meals.  Mine now lives in my lunch box along with the cloth napkin I use when eating lunch in my car.  Every time I use it, it reminds me of the lovely time I had and the friends I made...mine is the turquoise one third from the right. 

Napkin rings at Woolfish retreat