Tuesday, February 20, 2024

 Oh, my, it has been ages since I posted anything on this blog!! I have been busy machine knitting, hand knitting, and offering advice and help on Facebook to many machine knitting groups. 

I have been attending our twice a year Knit ins at Camp Agape in Fuquay, NC about 45 minutes from Raleigh. I will be at the Carolina Fiber Fest in Raleigh on March 8-9, 2024 where our Triangle Machine Knitters will have a booth to demonstrate machines and machine knitting. 

I have entered each of our NC State Fairs each October for years and keep winning ribbons for my entries. Between times I encourage members of TMK (Triangle Machine Knitters) to enter the fair. I have been successful in getting quite a few of them to enter, then they turn around and get better ribbons than I do!! those backstabbers!!<G> I am so proud of them. 

The TMK is again having a Knit In at Camp Agape, April 22-28, 2024. Because of dwindling attendance, we have opened the registration to other machine knitters. Last fall we had a delightful knitter from Tennessee stay and knit with us. It is a joy to meet other knitters and learn from them. 

Here is info about our knit in.

Twice a year we members of Triangle Machine Knitters group in Raleigh, NC, rent out a building at a church camp for 5-6 days and hold a Knit In. We bring our machines and yarn and patterns. We bring our bedding (sheets, or sleeping bags) as pillows, quilts, and blankets are provided. We bring food to share. We bring our personal items (clothes, toiletries, shampoo, towels, etc.)

In the past we have had about 12 people staying for the Knit in. But lately our number is dwindling, as we knitters get a bit older and health issues arise. As of today we have 6 knitters who plan to attend for at least part of the “week”.

We would love to open our fun activity to machine knitters living in nearby states. Each bedroom has a queen bed and a bunk bed. After discussion we have decided we can double up in the bedrooms a bit to free up 2 bedrooms to those not part of TMK. Some of us even prefer to sleep in the lower bunk!

This would allow 2-4 new people (don’t you love being called a new person!!) to attend.

Our next Knit In is April 22-28, 2024

We need a head count by March 30 to tell the camp people. The sooner you let us know, and pay the $100 deposit (this is not the total cost of the knit in, which depends on how many people split the cost of the cabin rental) the more likely you will “make the cut” and be in the 2-4 new people we approve to attend. (Ha, sort of like sorority rush??)

It is a very nice facility with a big room where we set up our machines and enjoy each other’s company and knit whatever our hearts’ desire. It is fun to see the various machines and to be able to ask each other for help when we need it for our personal projects.

The Retreat House, the building we rent, also has a full kitchen such as in a home. There are 8 bedrooms surrounding the big knitting room (which also serves as the dining room). We sign up on Sign up Genius to take turns preparing the meals.

Each of the 8 bedrooms has a queen bed and a bunk bed, so they could comfortably sleep 3 people (if one climbs to the upper bunk) and a private bathroom with a shower. We sometimes share a bedroom (2 people) and sometimes there are not that many people attending, so we get a single room.

The facility is Camp Agape in Fuquay, which is sort of near Raleigh (45 minutes away).

Here is a link to the Retreat House, the facility we rent at Camp Agape. You can click to see the various rooms and the floor plan. (The pool is not open at this time, but the hiking trails are!)

https://agapekurebeach.org/camp-agape/facilities/retreat-house/


We would love to have you join us.

Contact Rita ritamcelroy24@gmail.com

or Mary Karnes (our treasurer)

Check my blog for April 2018 where I wrote about the knit in and posted photos of my room.