This was p/hop’s second year at the iknit weekender and it was lovely to be back in familiar surroundings. The iknit weekender holds some sentimental value for me as it’s when I first enquired about the p/hop volunteer role and met the energetic and indomitable Pete.

As always we had a smashing team of volunteers on the p/hop stand ready to guide knitters to the patterns they would get the most pennies per hours of pleasure from. Yellowpurplezebra Claire and Atomicknitting Emma did a sterling job on Friday as well as my non-knitting yet understanding other half Alex who helped me get everything to the venue and set up.

Claire and Emma on the Stand

On Saturday two p/hop designers, Thimbilina Joy and ProbablyJane, volunteered which was great as they got to hear the squeals of delight and enthusiasm their patterns generate. SarahAbroad and Knittingtastic Rachel also did an excellent job on the stand with their depth of knitting knowledge and enthusiasm for MSF. I think it’s really important that different people get to enjoy volunteering with p/hop. It helps keep the banter fresh and reflects the inclusive nature of the project. Keep an eye on the website and our Ravelry group for further volunteering opportunities. It’s fun, you get to talk about knitting, fondle other people’s yarn shopping (after asking their permission) and do your bit for an excellent organisation.

We held an excellent raffle thanks to the vendors and prize donors. We had a very special prize, the beautiful barn-raising blanket, which has been made by p/hop supporters, which drew a lot of attention to our stand.

Alex and Beanz model the blanket

As well as the p/hop group I’d like to say a massive thank you to the following people Sunflower Swifts, IKnit London , KAL media, The Bothered Owl, Halifax Spinning Company, Natural Dye Studio, High Fibre Design, Ida’s House, Sparkleduck, easyknits, Blacker Designs, Fyberspates, KnitterScarlet, Gary Northfield, Loop, Anova Books, Prick Your Finger, Selvedge, Artisan Yarns, Knitwtiches, picperfic’s fluff’n’stuff, The Knitting Noras, Debonnaire, volunteer and p/hop designer Joy who donated some gorgeous sock yarn and pattern from one of her yarn clubs, volunteer Emma who donated some of her Atomic Knitting kits and Knitlewes who donated some rare Blue Face Leicester and Swaledale conservation yarn.

I’d also like to thank Gerard and the brilliant IKnit team for all their help and support.

As always it was a fun and friendly event and the best part was the response from you, the knitters. I know I’m always rambling on about p/hop being a sum of parts but it’s true and we couldn’t do it with out you. We raised a massive £933 for MSF which will help a lot of people.

PS. If you’re wondering where the fabric on the stand is from it’s a traditional East African kanga (sarong) from Tanzania and Kenya.

We’re looking forward to the the IKnit weekender on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th September.

We’ll have a stand there so if you’re visiting the marketplace please come and say hello. We’re holding a raffle with some great prizes including a swift, beautiful stitch markers, some gorgeous yarn from Loop, a Fyberspates pattern kit with some stunning Scrumptious yarn, a signed and cartooned Gary the Sheep book, a beautiful knitted tea cosy donated by Rhonda (who you may remember held a tea party event for p/hop earlier in the year) as well as books and yarn.

There’s also a rather special prize. This beautiful blanket has been lovingly crafted p/hop supporters.

We’ll also have a new pattern on display. This will be on the website next week if you can’t make it to the IKnit Weekender.

If you’re coming to IKnit Weekender please do stop by the stand and say hello.

Back in August myself and other p/hop volunteer Jenny boarded a train north to Scotland loaded down with knitting samples and patterns to take p/hop to Knit Camp. It was well worth the long journey as…

…we had a lovely, bright stand to show off all the p/hop samples, check out all those socks…

…we met some very famous knitters and told them about p/hop…

… here’s Jared Flood and Norah Gaughan…

…and Debbie Stoller (thanks to her I re-learnt how to knit and crochet)…

… the Provost of Stirling (like the mayor for those of you South of the border) who is a sheep farmer (he farms Shetlands – yes, that’s why I look so excited!)….

…watched the Sheep to Sweater (Back to Back) challenge take place in the courtyard next to our stand…

…met hundreds of lovely knitters from all over the planet (China, Japan, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Europe, Australia as well as the UK to mention a few)…

…and raised £835.58 for MSF which was donated to their Pakistan floods appeal.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came and said hello and made a donation, as always knitters are a fantastic bunch of people, to all the other stallholders who made the event fun, and to the organisers for donating our stand and providing our accommodation and meals which meant more money could go to MSF.

I stayed up in Edinburgh for a few days after Knit Camp and went to a few Edinburgh fringe festival events one of which was MSF supporter Josie Long’s show. She volunteers in the MSF office so I asked if I could take along the collecting buckets to her show. As she’s brilliant and kind she said yes so myself and other MSF volunteer Colin held collection buckets at the end of her show. The audience were very generous, helped along by Josie’s excellent appeal to do good in the world and we raised a further £185.48 taking our Scotland fundraising total to £1021.06. I’m looking on this as p/hop’s first international event (tongue firmly in cheek) but who knows where p/hop will go next?
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OK, our next event isn’t international (depending on your point of view) but it will be fun. We’ll be at the IKnit weekender at the Royal Agricultural Halls in Victoria on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th September. If you’re there do come and say hello to us.