What’s in your knitting bag?

Are you a neat tidy knitter with a bag to match, a ‘several-projects-in-my-bag’ kind of knitter, or perhaps you have a bag that resembles something akin to a black hole of unravelled yarn and unlabelled needle tips? Whatever kind of knitter you are (or are thinking of becoming) your knitting bag says a lot about you. Of course if you are going to take your knitting out and about it’s also essential to have, well, the essentials but what are they? Let’s take a look at the contents of two knitting bags and what they say about these knitters.

Knitter One – A knitting addict, often suffers with acute and enthusiastic start-itus. Loves simple patterns for garments and accessories, tends to have at least 4 projects on the go at any one time.

Contents of Bag:
Two projects currently still on needles. The first is two half knitted sleeves of striped deck jumper – this knitter always knits two sleeves at the same time, or two legwarmers, gloves - you get the idea. (Toft Tip: Whilst this method doesn’t exactly save on time it does mean that you are less likely to suffer with second sock/sleeve/legwarmer syndrome and therefore never complete a project) Don’t mention her 1 and only 2 ply cable honeymoon sock (the yarn for the second is buried under a pile of ufo's!). This method allows you to ensure the length of each piece is perfectly even and using circular needles is a must in order that you have enough room for both items. They can also easily be put down without risk of losing either piece.

The second project is a small knitted and felted bag that a crocheting but non-knitting friend has asked this knitter to work up in 100% wool – she found this at Unravel and in return she is crocheting a chain scarf (who got the best deal there?!).

1 deluxe set of KnitPro Symphonie Interchangeable knitting needles with extra size tips, 3.75mm 12mm and 15mm – practically every needle you will ever need in one handy case with different length cords (also added a 30cm cord to the collection), plus stoppers for the easy change between projects. Perfect for knitting anything whether circular or straight, lots of stitches or just a few! Since this set is several years old she’s labelled the needle sizes – newer sets have the sizes printed on the needle tips.
2 pairs of fixed circular needles
1 pairs of rosewood and mother of pearl tipped knitting needles size 4mm (brought on a whim at Unravel)
1 crochet hook (4mm) – useful for picking up dropped stitches and crocheting of course.
Scraps of yarn to use as markers etc
The e-mails and telephone numbers of her knitting group ladies
Handcream and lip balm

1 small zipped case holding the following;

Tape measure

1 pair of sewing scissors
1 cable needle (5mm)
1 DPN (lost it’s set)
Needle size gauge
1 row counter
2 metallic stitch holders
Pins
Various stitch markers
Pen for making notes on a pattern

Knitter Two: A meticulous Toft knitter, a perfectionist when it comes to working out a pattern, she's integral in working up samples for Toft’s beginner knitting kits. Recently discovered a love of sock knitting and can sometimes be heard to cry – ‘not garter stitch again!’

Two projects currently on needles, one baby jacket in cashmere and a child’s sock (the second is yet to be cast on) in a wool nylon mix. Like our first knitter this knitter likes to have several projects on the go and this is in addition to her Toft knitting!
One ball of Toft sock yarn in Oatmeal ready to knit another pair of socks whenever the fancy takes her, in fact this is the second of two balls and the lace knee high socks are currently on DPNs at home (in her stay at home knitting bag!)
1 pair of chunky knitting needles often used by her children with scraps of yarn as practice pieces (Toft Tip – chunky alpaca yarn is great to learn to knit with as it knits up quickly and it’s nice and robust for tight tension newbies)
1 notepad and a pen for pattern notes
Set of 4 DPNs for sock knitting
2 pairs of scissors
Small zipped case containing the following;
Tape measure
1 mint
Needle size conversion gauge
Lipstick
1 cable needle
Leftover fine yarn
2 stitch holders
1 crochet hook
Sheephead stitch counter
Various stitch markers

So there you have it an anthropological look into two knitters bags and perhaps a little insight into their personalities too, or are we just reading too much into this?! Let's face it, it’s just an excuse to talk knitting and be nosey! Share your knitting bag photos here on via Twitter or our Facebook page.

So now that Spring seems to have sprung what projects are on your needles? For us we feel it’s time to get some lighter knitting on the needles like a pair of socks, a lacy scarf or our new easy tunic vest all of which can be worn year round.

Crochet is also great for summer especially if you are new to this craft, beacuse what could be better than using up oddments in your stash to practise and hone your technique with small test squares that could be made into a blanket for example. If you haven’t got the foggiest where to start with crochet though why not book yourself on our Introduction to Crochet workshop on Saturday 7th April, spaces are filling fast but we can squeeze a few more in! Another popular summer workshop and passtime is felting (it's so lovely to be able to take this outside in the spring weather) and we have some spaces on our alpaca felt workshop on Saturday 14th April .

Our workshops are proving to be even more popular than usual this year, which is fantastic since we will soon be able to run them in the nearly completed Toft studio. We’ve added to the subjects too, this year we’re also offering alpaca fleece processing, a must for alpaca owners and handspinners alike and a quilted patchwork workshop both of which are available to book online now for September.

To celebrate the opening of the new studio in the coming weeks, we are planning a Craft Open Day on Saturday 4th August. If you came to our 5th birthday party last year you'll have some idea of what to expect, come and join us for craft taster sessions like knitting, crochet and felting, plus tours of the farm and lots more. No need to book, just turn up at Toft Manor, CV22 6NR from 10am!

Toft at Unravel 2012

Last weekend (has it been a week already?!) Carrie and Mr P went to their old home town of Farnham Surrey with a truck load of alpaca yarn and knitted goodies for a weekend of Unravel and the prospect of meeting up with lots of old friends.

This was Unravel's 4th year and in that time the show has grown from just two or three rooms of local traders to filling every nook and cranny of the Farnham Maltings even down to the cafe - resplendent with Farnham Knitwit's creations, to the bridge across the river decorated with crocheted balloons. Every corner you turned there was a fabulous artistic knit related creation to behold and to greet people outside the Maltings were four very cute sheep (breed unknown) one of whom made a heroic escape for freedom on Saturday morning. It was a very funny sight from Toft's first floor vantage point - to see a gorgeous fluffy sheep dashing as fast as she could down the car park closely followed by passers by doing their best sheep dog herding impressions.

This year we were situated in a great corner of the Barley Room that could quite honestly have be built for us. Carrie & Mr P didn't have too huge a row whilst setting up (that blinking wood!) and had a chance to catch up with Ingrid Wagner and her Extreme Knitting as she was situated just opposite, before heading out into Farnham to meet with friends for supper.

Saturday morning saw a long queue outside The Maltings, Carrie spotted lots of familiar faces who all popped by to say hello and satiate their alpaca yarn cravings with the five weights of yarn that we had with us. She also took along a few exclusives from the S/S 12 collection (available online now!) including the Clematis Beret and new two colour bobble hottie.

Firm favourite such as the striped deck jumper and round neck jumper were the most popular, so much so that Carrie sold out of mushroom fine alpaca yarn that first afternoon. The sale lace cardigans were also a hit as we knew they would be with the chic inhabitants of Farnham and surrounds!

Lots of pom poms were also purchased - many as inexpensive and easy to care for pets we suspect, but also quite a few to adorn pom pom beanies and the beginner pom pom scarf. It was also the first outing for our new selection of KnitPro needles, available online now in various fixed chunky sizes as well as two different sets, the feedback on us now selling these needles was fantastic so we're glad we took the plunge.

Sunday was another busy day with more familiar faces and some who decided to come back after having such a good time on Saturday. The fashion show took place in the afternoon and Carrie managed to recruit a keen camera woman (!) to take some pics for her of our outfit - those to follow. We dressed our lucky model in a cross-over dress, a pom pom beanie, the new and exclusive S/S 12 chunky cable cape, some cable wristwarmers and bobble legwarmers - do you think she was cosy enough?!

This little fella was one of three knitted moles and molehills to be found outside The Maltings - we just couldn't resist him! Well we are looking forward to Unravel 2013 already - it's certainly a show not to miss, especially if it's anything like this year!

*Carrie apologises to all the fantastic 'knit' artists of whose work she took photos of however she didn't take down names and feels very naughty.*

On the road with Toft Part 1: Knitting and Craft Events 2012- the insiders guide to the best and worst places to stock up on yarn

Now by all accounts the Toft travelling circus got a bit too big for its boots in 2011. In total we clocked in at over 30 events in the UK and Europe including Scotland, Paris and Dublin. Now don't get us wrong- all these events were good for business- meeting new customers, making sales and converting people to the Toft way of knitting! But...as some of you may well have noticed it was often the same face hawking the wares across the country- and come Christmas 2011 that face was done smiling!

So, a new year and a new game plan to strategically pick out the very best of the events, and begin a one year on one off approach to some of the smaller ones. Here is our guide to where we'll be this year and a few words on some of gaps in our calendar that have opened up...

We have had a leisurely start to 2012 (by this point last year we already had three under the belt) with our first event coming in the hand spun yarny shape of Unravel in Farnham, Surrey this weekend.

Carrie will be taking the show on tour this time as she heads down to Farnham Maltings- a former resident of this town she's looking forward to catching up with some old friends in between customers. This is a really nice fibre and yarn event with all the independents there. Split across many rooms and floors it can be a bit disorientating, but you won't be disappointed by the quality and range of traders. It is probably more for the hardened knitter than the Newbie dipping their toes into crafty water.

Then March brings flashbacks of the 2011 schedule!

We will be down in Olympia 15th- 18th for Stitch and Craft. Now we know that some people have been disappointed by this show in previous years (the glitter/bead count out waging yarn by three to one) but this is now our forth year at the event and it promises to be better for knitters than ever before. The growth in the popularity of knitting has caused a total reshuffle at the event and there is now an entire knitting floor (and not in the dungeon as last year). It really does look promising on the yarn front so fingers crossed this could become a much better knitting event. Bring your own lunch in with you though as catering is hit and miss- and the coffee is pretty awful!

Meanwhile...we will also be exhibiting our SS collection 2012 on the catwalk at The British Alpaca Futurity at the NEC.

A new one for us this year is Sewing for Pleasure at the NEC 22nd- 25th March. We will do a review of the event afterwards to let you know. Feeling is there will be very little yarn there so perhaps one for the multi-crafter's calendar!

Then off to Wales 28th & 29th April and this time with alpacas in tow!! We tested Wonderwool Wales for the first time in 2011 and found the atmosphere lovely, met plenty of new customers and had a lovely weekend away with the dog. This year we will have two dogs and two alpacas (cozy in the tent). There is an emphasis on remembering where your yarn comes from and this is highlighted by all the livestock. Here you will again find plenty of independent suppliers and makers that you can't get at the bigger city events. Well worth a visit if you fancy an excuse to stay overnight in a picturesque part of Wales.
May- tumble weed. Unless I am mistaken May seems to be lovely and clear at the moment!

In June we're heading North up to Woolfest again in Cumbria. Again last year was our first experience of this event and it left us crumpled in a heap. A casual day's trading this ain't! Despite awful weather in 2011 this place was rammed with every manner of fibre and yarn product. This is a very busy show and with that comes queues for catering and loos. We had a great show and are very pleased to be going back this year. It was great to meet so many Scottish customers who had come down to the event. Again a great excuse for a weekend in the lakes.

And that takes through half of 2012. A further review of the end of the year, including all the Knitting and Stitching events, coming up in a couple of weeks.