Save the Women's Library Tribute

If you want to offer some support to the campaign to keep the Women's Library in Tower Hamlets, you might want to go along tonight to a free tribute event running from 6pm - 8pm at the Women's Library in Old Castle Street.  Details here.

Knit & Natter, Wednesday 6.30pm

Thanks to Aneeta's fabulous talk, we're all getting our knitting needles at the ready for tomorrow's Knit & Natter group: Wednesday the 28^th from 6.30 – 8.30pm.

This time we're meeting at The Coborn Arms, 8 Coborn Road, Mile End, London E3 2DA. Click here for a map.

This EEWI-inspired group is open to anyone who feels like popping in with a project - knitting or otherwise. It will be a casual meeting, and everyone is invited – not only knitters! Bring along your stitcheries (cross-stitch, crochet, tapestry, finger-knitting or pattern planning) or simply join us for a few drinks and a good catch-up.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

knitty gritty november

As we get well into our pre-Christmas crafting groove, we're delighted to have Aneeta Patel of Knitty Gritty fame to introduce us to her new book Knitty Gritty the Next Steps at our 20th November meeting.  Aneeta's first book laid down the foundations for novice knitters.  This follow-on book takes knitters into more challenging territory.  Aneeta will be able to tell us what writing a knitting books entails - quite a lot of hard work as it happens - and talk us through how to move up a step in our knitting adventures.  We'll also be able to have a go at a bit of knitting ourselves with Aneeta offering expert advice on any knitty gritty challenges you may have.  Do bring along your own knitting project if you wish.  We'll also have some spare needles and yarn for those who want to have a go, but if you have some spare to share too that would be great. You'll be able to buy a signed copy of the book on the night too.

We're also playing host to Esther, a bright young woman who is participating in a Channel 4 documentary and wants to get a bit of practice in public speaking.  Esther is going to speak to us for five or ten minutes and about feminism and encouraging women into public life.  She'll be filmed during her talk and later you will be able to give some feedback if you wish.  Don't worry if you do not want to be filmed - that will be arranged in advance.

We're at our usual home - St Margaret's House, Old Ford Road E2 9PL, but don't forget - earlier time of 7pm for a 7.30pm start.  All women are welcome - if you are not a member, we invite a donation of £3 to cover costs.  Tea, coffee and cake available, or something a little stronger for a donation.  If you are an enthusiastic baker we'd love to taste any recipes you want to test on us.  We're always kind.  And if you don't fancy getting out the mixing bowl, any other refreshments gratefully received.  Just saying.

Our coffee morning on Friday 23rd will be at the Larder Cafe in Globe Road starting at 10.30.  We've been before and it's a good spot for a follow up trip to the Museum of Childhood or, erm, Prick Your Finger, the local yarn shop...

Knit & Natter, Wednesday 6.30pm

Inspired by our last meeting on changing the world and working together, we've decided to start a regular knit & natter group at local venues. This EEWI-inspired group is open to anyone who feels like popping in with a project - knitting or otherwise. It will be a casual meeting, and everyone is invited – not only knitters! Bring along your stitcheries (cross-stitch, crochet, tapestry, finger-knitting or pattern planning) or simply join us for a few drinks and a good catch-up.

Our first drop-in Knit & Natter will be on Wednesday the 24^th from 18.30 – 20.30pm.

Venue: The Crown, 223 Grove Road, Bow, E3 5SN.

The group is likely to be fortnightly and at a more accessible venue; we'll post more info once we've taken a vote and agreed.

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

personal power

My head was spinning a bit last night after John-Paul Flintoff's talk about how we can change the world.  All those inspiring stories about small steps building up into big changes.  I especially liked the idea of growing too many tomato seedlings and sharing them with your neighbours to encourage them to grow their own, and the fabulous reminder of how Rosa Parks changed the world because she'd just about had enough that day. I was very taken too with the process John-Paul took us through.  Find your spark, try getting your mates to help out with ideas, write them down, try small steps, watch them grow, change the world.  And as for the big reveal of that home-made shirt... it was a tour de force.

Big thanks to John-Paul for g-whizzing over to the East End and donating a copy of How to Change the World* to the honesty library at the Mill too (Isabel was delighted).  We hope you enjoy your marmalade, jam and Knit-Nurse's Granny's boiled fruit cake because we think that a decent piece of cake can make the world a better place too.

So come on people - how are you going to change the world? Let us know.

* you can borrow a copy at Tower Hamlets Idea Store

apple days and coffee mornings

If you are a regular at EEWI you will know that we like to celebrate apples at this time of year and this Thursday (18th) is Apple Day at the Queen Mary Farmer's Market.  

There will be:

• Apple juice pressing demonstrations
• Varieties of apples decorating the market
• Apple games including apple bobbing
• Apple and spoon races!
• Cooking up of tasters

It'll be an opportunity to get children involved in particular, as they can help with mashing, juicing, and of course the all-important tasting of the juice.

The apples and pears on sale on Apple Day will be seasonal and brought straight from the farm by the grower. 

You can taste apples and pears you’ve never come across before. There will be many Mertons, a plethora of Pippins, perfect Pearmains and several seedlings. These names may reflect the areas from which the fruit hails – Ribston Pippin or Howgate Wonder; or bear the names of their makers such as Lady Studeley; other give indications of their taste or characteristics – Rosemary Russet or Pineapple Pippin; others still, such as the Devonian cider apple Slack Ma Girdle, may be a warning against overindulgence (or an inducement for it).

Enjoy the market and Apple Day this week.

And f you are confused by the dates I put on the newsletter for the coffee morning, it is on Friday !9th ( that;s right - I can't read a calendar!).  10.30am, Museum of London at Docklands.

how about changing the world next week?

Writer, thinker and sewist John-Paul Flintoff is a man after my own heart.  His first book, "Sew Your Own" is his story of starting off on a journey to have a suit made, and ending up sewing his own shirts - and lots of other things too.  His wife is very funny too about his adventures into making do and mending.   Now John-Paul, a member of the faculty of the School of Life, has been thinking about how we can make more of a difference if we want to by changing the world.  And we all have something we want to change, don't we?  We are the WI after all.

If you want to share John-Paul's words and wisdom, join us next Tuesday 16th October at 7.30pm for 8pm start at St Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green.  Refreshments are available, but donations of home baking are always very welcome.  You might also want to join in the fun by wearing a little something you sewed yourself, just so we don't leave it all to our speaker. Non-members are very welcome - we just ask you to make a donation of £3 to cover costs.

October is also a very good month to join EEWI as you get a recession-busting 15 months membership for the price of 12. What's more, existing members can also bring a guest-for -free this month so we can spread the goodness a little more widely.  So bring your mates, have a cup of tea and a piece of cake, and get to change the world a bit(e) at a time.

If you want to consolidate your world changing plans, you can share them with us in the cafe at Museum of London Docklands  at West India Quay on Friday 19th October, 10.30am (free entry, map here).  All welcome - though you will have to pay for your own tea/coffee/cake.