Breien x Boterham x Charities

Matching the theme at Villa Elise "Bring your own cake or cookies", we were visited by the reporters of "De Boterham". This is a newspaper created for and by students learning Dutch as a second language here in Ostend. In order to launch some mutually beneficial activities, Julia (a knitter!), Mariella (soon to be a knitter!) and Petra (still has to finish a scarf started 20 years ago) interviewed us and took pictures.

The resulting article can be admired at De Boterham and here's an extract:

Houd je alles voor jezelf of geef je jouw breiwerk cadeau aan anderen?

Het hangt ervan af. Sommige mensen breien alleen voor zichzelf en anderen maken graag een cadeautje. Er zijn ook veel mensen in Vlaanderen die voor het goede doel breien. Ze breien dekens, en truien voor arme mensen of ze sturen breiwerk naar landen waar natuurrampen gebeuren. Na de aardbeving in Pakistan waren er allerlei zulke acties. 

Which leads me to a little shout-out for charity knitting:

• There's Jan from Hasselt who also knits in Ostend, he creates so called chemo caps for cancer patients and is always happy to receive gifts of soft cotton yarn. As patients tend to have very sensitive skin, this is really the best material to donate.
• Then there are De Breimadammen, a group of knitters from all over Flanders who knit for various causes and have their own site: Breimadammen. One of them lives close to Ostend and will certainly join us again in 2013.
• Just yesterday I came across Zonnedekens, knitting, crocheting and patchworking for children in the hospitals of Ghent.

So, if you have yarn or time (or both!) to spare, you know where to turn to.

Last meeting of the year...

Believe it or not, but last Sunday was the last meeting of the year. It's hard to believe that another year is almost over... time flies! It's been a year of great fun, heartfelt friendship, delicious cakes, superlative beers and wonderful projects. We've loved going to Stoffenhuis Paulette, our KIP day in the park was amazing (thanks Rebecca and Rozemie!) so all that remains to be said is here's to an even more colourful, fun and glorious 2013!

I promise to blog more too (with apologies for the decline in the number of posts these past few months). Dates for the first quarter of 2013 are on the dates/hours page and on our Facebook page. Plus there are lots of new opportunities to knit in the Droge Coo - hope to see you there soon.

Kaffee+ November Rain

October and the first three days of November  were rather filled with our extra knitting dates, as Ines put it, "You can knit til you drop!".

Today we had three hours to get together, and we somehow managed to have two entirely different groups.
First Helen, Ines, Rebecca, Emily and Marianne:

Followed by Rozemie & friend, An & friend.

The only constant being yours truly, paparazza for a day.

For Barbara ...

This post is for Barbara, whom we missed on Sunday because she was in England. Pascale brought a fabulous book to the knitting club - 'Knit Your Own Cat'. Her son had just come back from America and given her this book as a present. But these aren't your average, cutesy knitted cats - they are life like, elegant, beautiful and even exotic (don't you just love the white Bengal tiger?). Barbara, is this a book to add to your Christmas wish-list?

Don't forget that it's Kaffee+ in the Droge Coo and we are all very welcome to come and knit. This is an 'extra', a plus (+), and an addition to our regular dates on the first Sunday of each month. So, let's be spontaneous and get together for coffee and knitting (and tart!). Use our Facebook group page to keep in touch and gather friends together for a cosy afternoon in the Coo. See the 'data and uren' page for a Kaffee+ schedule.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

Knitting Against Aids

Hallo Knitters! Please find a message below from the Knitting Against Aids team. If you can help, don't hesitate to make contact...

Beste,

Vorig jaar hebben we onder andere met asielcentra, scholen, beschutte werkplaatsen, rusthuizen, enz… het project Knitting  Against Aids georganiseerd. Dit project bestaat eruit om groepen samen te brengen om sjaals te breien die daarna worden verkocht ten voordele van de strijd tegen Aids/HIV. Deze sjaals werden tevens tentoon gesteld op verschillende Brusselse standbeelden op Wereld Aids dag. Dankzij de deelname van de groepen en de verkoop van de sjaals hebben we verschillende duizenden euro’s kunnen bijeenbrengen om zo binnenlandse en buitenlandse projecten te steunen die strijden tegen Aids/HIV en serofobie. Een van deze projecten was het opzetten van een HIV Café. Meer info hierover vindt u via www.rainbowhouse.be

In 2012 komt er een nieuwe editie van dit project met nog meer partners en de mogelijkheid om de workshops samen te organiseren met scholen, jeugdbewegingen en andere groepen. We bieden eveneens getuigenissen aan met seropositieve personen om zo een beter beeld te krijgen van de realiteit wat betreft leven met HIV/Aids.

We hopen dat u dit jaar zal deelnemen aan dit project. U vindt alle info in het document in attachment  of op onze website www.rainbowhouse.be

Het inschrijvingsformulier bevindt zich eveneens in attachment of op onze site. U kan ons ook contacteren via 0496/05.05.73
Gelieve dit zo snel mogelijk terug te sturen.

Alvast van Harte Bedankt.

Met vriendelijke groeten,
Emanuel Debruyne

New season, new projects, old friends...

New season, new projects... On Sunday, it felt as though everyone had a new project on the needles. I'm working on a vintage knit in lovely orangey-brown Jamieson & Smith wool that I bought in England, Ines is knitting the the scarf that has taken the knitting world by storm (last photo), Rebecca's also knitting a new scarf and Rozemie has just begun a new shawl in Rowan Fine Lace.
Barbara had the greatest surprise of all though: a piece of embroidery worked in incredibly tiny cross-stitch. It's not finished, but can you guess what it is?

It's always good to see old friends, and I think I speak for everyone when I say welcome back Jacqueline! We've missed you and are so glad your hip is better. Bieke, how lovely to see you too!

Finally - DON'T FORGET - open door day at Rebecca's (Stoffenhuis Paulette) today, Saturday and Sunday (7, 8 and 9 September). Who can believe our new favourite yarn shop is one year old? So let's help Rebecca and her family celebrate with a glass of cava and, even better, enjoy a 10% discount. There's loads of new yarn in stock for all those autumn projects, including a great selection of Rowan. As for me, it's the Fine Tweed I'm after...

See you there!

Brei club zondag!

Beste dames en heren

Groetjes vanuit Engeland! Vanavond kom ik terug en ik zal zeer blij zijn om iedereen terug te zien!

Zondag is het brei club! Het zal zeer leuk zijn om elkaar te ontmoeten en alle verhalen van de zomer te horen. In september is het ideaal om nieuwe brei projecten te beginnen en nieuwe wol te kopen. Rebecca heeft zeer mooie kleuren en garen in haar winkel.

Dus tot zondag 2 september vanaf 11 uur in de Droge Coo.

Veel liefs!
Helen

Breien tussen buien - Knit, purl, rain

Between changing from swim suits to rubber boots we enjoyed some knitting time together, admiring different techniques like colour work, lace and cabling.

See you on September 2nd?

And now for something new....

... weaving! These photographs (click to enlarge) show one of Pascale's first attempts at weaving. This is a test piece, or sampler, of all the different weaves that she has been learning. The most amazing thing is how incredibly beautiful it is. The photos don't do it justice at all. And how simple, yet complex, the art of weaving is. Weaving used to be such a common activity and yet so few people today know how to work a loom. We applaud Pascale for signing up, taking a course and mastering this wonderful craft. She's also spinning her own yarn to weave with, and Ines is dying and spinning her own wool. Are spinning and weaving the new knitting?

Nieuw voor de zomer - breien op het strand!

Nieuw voor de zomer - breien op het strand!

Op zondag 1 juli is de Droge Coo bezet (Dansand!) en dus moeten wij een andere plek vinden - waarom niet op het strand breien?!  Mijn voorstel is om een plek op het strand te vinden direct tegenover de Coo. Dus wij zijn in de buurt als mensen ons zoeken (wij kunnen een berichtje in het raam van de Coo hangen) en ook zijn we niet ver van een WC. Wat hebben wij nodig? Niks speciaal: strand stoel of doek, breiwerk, drankje, iets lekker te eten, sun cream.

Kinderen, echtgenoten,vrienden en vriendinnen hartelijk welkom.

BREIEN OP HET STRAND
TEGENOVER DE DROGE COO
1 JULI
11 tot 15.00

Bij slecht weer: Villa Elise, Frans Musinstraat (bij Ines).

See you there!

Volgende afspraak: zondag 5 augustus in het Coo.

Tot dan!
Helen

WKIP Part 2: Oostende geeft sjette!!

WOW! The very first WKIP day in Oostende took place yesterday and it was a HUGE success!! First of all, and I'm sure I speak for everyone, thanks to Rozemie and Rebecca for all their hard work, enthusiasm and thoughfulness in organising everything so brilliantly. Ladies - we applaud you! We had great weather (more or less, at least it didn't rain) and managed to create quite a stir - I think we were all amazed at the number of people who came to say hello and have a look at our work. Speaking of work, a particular highlight was Rozemie's sister's scarf (shown above). Knitted in kidsilk haze (or an equivalent fine thread), Rozemie's sister had felted little circles of pure wool onto the surface. Ripples of excitement and wonder spread through the crowd as it was unveiled. Last, but not least, the children had fun, especially Nell, Jolien and Leonie who spent the afternoon crocheting bracelets (as well as feeding the ducks and tearing around the park on their scooters and bikes). Articles about the event have appeared in the Zeewacht and Het Nieuwsblad http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20120617_00188253

Click on the pictures to enlarge!

Here's to next year!!!!

WKIP, part 1: gezelschap, garens en gebak!

veel volk!

An en Barbara

Claire

Annemarie

Gisteren was het WKIP dag in Gent en Barbara, Rozemie, Claire en ik hebben een super leuk dag in Soffenidee gehad. Wij hebben van de mooie sfeer en lekker taartjes genoten en ook hebben wij veel gebabbeld en gebreid. Het was aangenaam om onze Gentse kameraadjes terug te zien: Marie Paule, Vera, Yvette en An. Hartelijk dank aan Christine, Nadine en Annemarie voor een fantastische dag en voor onze mooie cadeautjes! Niet vergeten: KIP dag in Oostende op 17 juni vanaf 14.00, Leopoldpark!

Hats off to....

Rebecca and Rozemie for organising the first ever World Wide Knit in Public Day in Oostende! Ladies, you are AMAZING! Special congratulations to both for organising press coverage in four local newspapers, including a feature in the Zeewacht. Look out for Rozemie's interview, it's due to be published a couple of days before the event (brilliant timing!). Don't forget: Sunday 17th June, 14.00 to 17.00 at the bandstand (kiosk) in the Leopold Park. Bring a stool, knitting, sun cream, sun hat and a smile. The excitement is mounting....

Rebecca and her daughter, Emily. Our youngest member and a super knitter - just like her mother.

And speaking of hats.....

... who better to model Carolien's latest hats for cancer patients than our very own Jan (who, by the way, is a hat knitter extraordinaire himself!).

Don't forget the other WWKIP days in Ghent and Bruges - it's going to be a fun fortnight.

Finally, knitting over the summer is ON. Due to Dansand (the contemporary dance event organised by the Droge Coo) we need to find a new home on Sunday 1 July. Picnic anyone? On Sunday 5 August, it's business as usual in the Coo: 11.00 onwards and we can knit till sundown. More info to follow on the July meeting.

See you soon!

WWKiP 2012

As winter is coming to an end and the month of June is getting closer (We're not in Belgium because of the weather, are we?), it's time to reflect on WWKiPs past and present.

Breien in Oostende was founded in February 2009 and that year we decided to take our friend Jan up on his invitation and visit the fair town of Hasselt for a hot knitting day. After a couple of hours in the heat on Molenplein, we pretty much resembled lobsters, but felt like Hollywood stars, thanks to this little feature in "1000 zonnen" 

Fast forward to June 2010:
I met up with two friends from Bruges and joined Ajour's knitting tent on a cold stormy day. Helen went to Gent, if memory serves. Shortly before WWKiP in Bruges, I was contacted by an eager knitter from Ostend, she and her sister would try to find me in Bruges. And they did! For more fond memories of that day, ask Rozemie ;)

In June 2011, a delegation from Ostend and Bruges joined the knitters in Ghent for some quality time at Stoffenidee.
You can play "Find Helen" in this little collage:

This year,

 for the first time ever,

 WWKiP-Day is going to be celebrated in Ostend,

 thanks to the joint effort of 

Rozemie (Breien en Haken in Oostende) and Rebecca (Stoffenhuys Paulette).

Join these two fine knitters at the pavillion in Leopoldpark (the one with the flower clock) on Sunday, June 17th from 2pm til 5pm. Bring sunscreen in the event of unusually sunny weather and maybe a camping chair or similar if you want to sit comfortably. There is a cafeteria near-by, which could be used as a rainy weather retreat (like we'd need that!).