In late February or early March of 2010 (I can't remember which is was now) I had an idea that I wanted to set up a knitting club in a small bookshop I was working in (and still do occasionally). My manager, Saara, was very supportive of this and gave me the go-ahead and use of the bookshop whenever I decided to set the meetings for. I got the idea for the name from a book I'd read, called The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs and I wanted a name that sounded as catchy as it did. I knew that I only wanted to run the knitting club once a month to start off with and had decided on the last Wednesday of the month as the day it would be held on. So, The Last Wednesday Knitting Club was born.
A little bit of advertising on my blog, other people doing some for me (both online and at other knitting clubs) and a few posters around the Notting Hill area later, the first meeting of The Last Wednesday Knitting Club took place on 31st March at The Travel Bookshop. I think 5 people came to the first meeting and I was gobsmacked that anybody turned up at all! Each month since then The Last Wednesday Knitting Club has developed regulars and people that just want to drop in whenever they are able to. Our biggest turn out so far has been around 10/12 people and to be honest I'm not disappointed by that number at all!
When I started the knitting group, it wasn't about attracting large numbers of people who wanted to knit or crochet or sew socially or learn how to do any of these nor was it to make money (I do not charge for entry or membership and I haven't made any money either by selling things like merchandise, etc). It was about wanting to make new friends and to do something I wanted to do with other like-minded people. If you were a beginner, great! We would have someone to teach you. If you already had the skills, great! You could pass your skills onto another or just enjoy your evening with your knitting. I wanted a relaxed environment where you could just do as you please.
9 months down the line and my metaphorical baby has grown into something bigger. I decided at the end of October that I wanted to start another knitting club in East London, closer to where I currently live. Wednesday Knit² was the outcome of that brainwave and will officially launch on 12th January 2011 at The Victoria Pub on Grove Road. The response to Wednesday Knit² so far has been great too and I can't wait for the first meeting and seeing new faces and old!
I'll be adding more to this blog and telling you more as the week goes on about me and my lovely new contributor, Kim from Art Equals Happy! I'm so glad Kim's on board as she's one of the most creative and cool people I know!
But for now...
xx Knitter Love xx
No comments:
Post a Comment