Once again Daphne wowed us with another of her magnificent blankets.  We were relieved to hear that Daphne doesn't whip these up between meetings, but have been knitted over a few years.  The one Daphne showed us today was made for her brother-in-law.  It has a multi-coloured yarn that is used in each square to create a constant theme.  Each square starts with the striped triangle, using the multi-coloured yarn plus two other colours. The second half of the square is made by working two smaller triangles in the two other colours that were used in the stripes.  The squares were then crocheted together with the smaller triangles meeting to make a diamond and the larger striped triangles also forming diamonds.  Daphne finished the blanket with a crocheted edging, using the multi-coloured yarn, and this blanket also features a "pocket" on the reverse side that the blanket gets folded into.

Daphne has also been busy knitting hats for Christmas presents.

Today we had two meetings, our normal formal meeting and then our AGM.  After 3 years in the role of Secretary, and doing a fantastic job, Sandy has stepped down and Jill Rowling has kindly stepped forward to take on this role.  Jill Francis continues as Convenor and Hazel Reddish continues as Treasurer.

Some other points to come out of the meeting were:

• our Christmas celebration will be on December 3 - see calendar for more details
• the last meeting for the year is December 10
• the first meeting for next year in January 14

In Show and Tell, Daphne produced two more of the magnificent rugs she has made.  These two examples have a "quillow" that the rug folds up into. The first rug consists of freeform knitted and crocheted squares, framed with black crochet.  Daphne then embroidered "squiggles" over the top.  The second rug is made up of pattern test swatches all joined together.  Both rugs are made using 8ply yarn.

Susan had a mobius of her own design to show. She had used a pattern stitch which is very similar from both sides and is made from Bendigo Woollen Mills 2 ply yarn.

My apologies to Daphne and Susan for the poor photos - I must remember my camera in the future, I just can't seem to take good photos with the phone.

Here are some photos of what some of the Epping members have been working on.

• A number of people have been knitting for charities, including more of Jacqui's wonderful teddies.
• Daphne has been busy making more rugs.
• Now I think they are Sue's socks.
• And I really don't know who made the scarf, but I will find out!
• A new member Maree is showing her stunning cape.
• Anne's grass tree, for Yarning Our Country.
• Finally Brenda's woven bag, lace edgings, and scarf for her daughter's mother-in-law in Greece.

At the Epping group monthly meeting on Monday September 3, the guest speaker will be from WEFTshop (Women for Education, Freedom and Textiles).  WEFTshop is a non-profit organisation supporting refugee women on the Thai-Burma border and displaced women in Burma to earn a fair living wage from their handmade and traditionally loomed textile products. WEFTshop facilitates textile development workshops on the Thai- Burma border and locally in Western Sydney. For more information about WEFTshop see www.weftshop.com.

The guest speaker, along with telling us about what WEFTshop does, will also have products for sale.  This includes bags ($20 - $40) and woven fabric pieces that you can incorporate into your own creations.  Please note that sales are cash only.

The guest speaker will start at 10am, to be followed by the meeting at 11am.

On Monday 13th August, Epping Group welcomed 7 visitors from Kurring-gai and Northern Groups and Jude Skeers from Upper Blue Mountains.  With 44 people attending there was a lot of sharing, making new friends and catching up with old friends.  Show and Tell was inspirational.  Jill’s Grand Champion Castle Hill Show shawl was shown along with Yvonne’s finished double-sided leaf pattern scarf that she started for the Camp last year as well as bonnets for preemie babies, some wonderful cardigans, jumpers and shawls being worn by their creators, Eleanor’s machine knitted shawl which won a prize at the Bendigo Show and many works in progress.  Meg showed her finished sugar glider for Yarning Our Country and Anne showed a work in progress, a tawny frogmouth on a tree stump while others are knitting gum leaves and Linda is working on squares for the backdrop to go behind the gum tree which is a group project.  One of newer members is also one of the new Retail members.  Jill Rowling showed some of her alpaca yarns made from the fleece of the alpacas on her farm.

Thank you to everyone who came along to make the visit such a success.

Anne Moore

Here are some photos from this meeting.  Enjoy!