International Speed Knitting Challenge

This is your chance to win a luxury weekend for two in New York including flights!

The challenge is on to find the UK’s fastest knitter and fastest crocheter for 2007.

The British Hand Knitting Confederation is seeking new speed talents to represent the UK in the New York world finals in September 2007.  You can find all the necessary information on the speed challenge pages at www.ukhandknitting.com.

Individuals, knitting groups and retailers sought out their regional champions for the 2006 Speed Knitting Heats, but so far, this year’s participants have not beaten Hazel Tindall’s record of 255 stitches in 3 minutes. The current UK crochet record still stands at 76.5 double crochet stitches in 3 minutes by Susan Briscoe, so get those crochet hooks out for a spin too.

To ensure an exciting contest, the British Hand Knitting Confederation would like to encourage all experienced knitters and crocheters to check their 3 minute speeds against the current records, emailing or posting your results to the BHKC Press Office (contact details below).

This is your chance to win a luxury weekend for two in New York including flights!

Results of the International Speed Knitting Heats at Alexandra Palace, London, October 06:

Click here for more information about Speed Challenges

National and International Speed Knitting Challenge

The 2006 speed knitting and crochet heats took place at the Knitting + Stitching Shows at NEC, Alexandra Palace and Harrogate this autumn in our quest to find the fastest knitters and crocheters to go on to the world challenge in New York 2007.

Many countries around the world are joining in the fun and several champions, including from South Africa, Germany, France, Finland and Holland, came to Alexandra Palace to add to the excitement. There was a live satellite link with the fastest Cornish knitter, Frances Jago who attempted a new record during the largest National Knitting Week event in the South West, held in St Ives, Cornwall.  

Many countries around the world are joining in the fun and several champions, including from South Africa, Germany, France, Finland and Holland, came to Alexandra Palace to add to the excitement. There was a live satellite link with the fastest Cornish knitter, Frances Jago who attempted a new record during the largest National Knitting Week event in the South West, held in St Ives, Cornwall.

Individuals, knitting groups and retailers have been seeking out their regional champions so hooks and needles were flying but, so far, this year’s participants have not beaten Hazel Tindall’s record of 255 stitches in 3 minutes – so start practicing now! The current UK crochet record still stands at 76.5 double crochet stitches in 3 minutes by Susan Briscoe, so get those crochet hooks out for a spin too.

Whilst some of our continental sisters are faster, we are still seeking new speed talents to represent the UK in the New York world finals in September 2007.  

Click here for more information about Speed Challenges

National Speed Knitting Challenge

 

HOOKS AND NEEDLES FLY in 2006!

The 2006 challenge is on to find the UK’s fastest knitter and fastest crocheter.

We are urging individuals, knitting groups and retailers to seek out their regional champions this spring/summer. To ensure an exciting contest, we are encouraging all experienced knitters and crocheters to check their 3 minute speeds against the current records, emailing or sending your results to the BHKC Press Office (contact details below).

Current fastest knitter, Hazel Tindall, won the title in 2004, completing 255 stitches in 3 minutes. Speedy crochet talents are also being urgently sought to compete with the 92 ½  double crochets (328 points) completed in three minutes by crochet finalist, Lily Chin.

The final 2006 challenge will be at The Knitting and Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace 12-15th October ’06 during National Knitting Week. The emphasis is on having fun and with the popularity of knitting at the moment there couldn’t be a better time to get some practice in!

We are really keen to hear from anyone who thinks they could beat the current knitting and crochet speeds. If you are not training for the London marathon this could be your golden opportunity!

 

Click here for details of the challenge rules and all the latest information

Speed Knitting Creates An International Response

SPEED RECORDS SET AS HOOKS AND NEEDLES FLY in 2006!

The 2006 challenge between the Fastest Knitter, Hazel Tindall and new contestants will be at The Knitting + Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace 12 -15 October ‘06. Hazel emerged victorious, winning the title in 2004, completing 255 stitches in 3 minutes. Speedy crochet talents are also being urgently sought to compete with the 92 ½  double crochets (328 points) completed in three minutes by the American crochet finalist, Lily Chin.

It felt like the gun fight at OK Corral when the last contest was held in Autumn 2004 and Lily strode onto centre stage dressed in cowgirl attire and slinging a holster full of crochet hooks! On the count of ready, steady, go, hooks and needles fly as contestants knit and crochet their hearts out for three minutes. To ensure an exciting contest again this autumn, we are encouraging all experienced knitters and crocheters to check their 3 minute speeds against the current record holders. The emphasis is on having fun and the cowgirl outfit is certainly not obligatory.

The idea for the contest came from Rick Caron, former chairman of the Craft Yarn Council of America (CYCA), challenging the British Hand Knitting Confederation (BHKC) to find the fastest UK knitter and crocheter to challenge the Americans.  Naturally the BHKC rose to this challenge and we are now experiencing speed knitting fever on a global scale.

The BHKC have been encouraging these international contests and following them with great interest. Miriam Tegels from Holland achieved 257 stitches in 3 minutes and Helen Rehmann from Switzerland achieved 295 stitches in 3 minutes in their respective national contests. (Visit www.strickmeisterschaften.ch for images). Still short of the current Guinness record for knitting achieved in September 1980 by British Gwen Matthewman with an impressive 333 stitches and for crochet achieved in June 2005 by American Lisa Gentry with 510 points in 3 minutes.

The momentum continues internationally with two speed knitting contests planned in Europe so far this year. Miriam Tegels is working with the German trade journal, HobbyArt, to run a speed knitting contest at ‘Handarbeit and Hobby’ in Cologne (March 31st - April 2nd 06) and Vanessa Machenaud Dousset from the French knitting and stitching show ‘l'Aiguille en Fête’ in Paris (10th -12th March 06). All the results and relating images will be on the BHKC website in due course.

We are really keen to hear of anyone who thinks they could beat the current knitting and crochet speeds. If you are not training for the London marathon this could be your golden opportunity!

More world records relating to knitting including the ‘Worlds Largest Stocking’ and ‘The Worlds Largest Scarf’ can be found on 'Speed Challenges' page

For details of the challenge rules please visit http://www.bhkc.co.uk/data/speed_challenges.htm

 

For more information please contact the BHKC Press Office:

CK Media, 57 Kiln Ride, Wokingham, Berks. RG40 3PJ

Tel; 0118 973 6796   email; media@thekingdoms.co.uk

National Speed Knitting Challenge

HOOKS AND NEEDLES FLY in 2006!

The 2006 challenge is on to find the UK’s fastest knitter and fastest crocheter.

Current fastest knitter, Hazel Tindall, won the title in 2004, completing 255 stitches in 3 minutes. Speedy crochet talents are also being urgently sought to compete with the 92 ½  double crochets (328 points) completed in three minutes by crochet finalist, Lily Chin.

We are urging retailers and knitting groups to seek out their regional champions this spring/summer. To ensure an exciting contest, we are encouraging all experienced knitters and crocheters to check their 3 minute speeds against the current records, emailing or sending your results to the BHKC Press Office (contact details below).

The final 2006 challenge will be at The Knitting + Stitching Show, Alexandra Palace 12-15 October ‘06. The emphasis is on having fun and with the popularity of knitting at the moment there couldn’t be a better time to get some practice in!

We are really keen to hear from anyone who thinks they could beat the current knitting and crochet speeds. If you are not training for the London marathon this could be your golden opportunity!

For details of the challenge rules please visit http://www.bhkc.co.uk/data/speed_challenges.htm

A range of images relating to speed champions and other knitting related world records are on http://www.bhkc.co.uk/data/speed_challenges.htm

Contact the press office for high resolution copies.

For more information please contact the BHKC Press Office:

CK Media, 57 Kiln Ride, Wokingham, Berks. RG40 3PJ

t. 0118 973 6796   e. media@thekingdoms.co.uk   www.ukhandknitting.com