Alison McKie is a former lawyer and now a Knitting For All teacher in Glasgow.  As well as teaching children at her regular Kids Knit classes, she also helps a group of deafblind adults to knit.

Deafblind Scotland is a charity that supports the needs of deafblind adults at their national centre in Kirkintilloch.  Their aim is to enable deafblind people to live as rightful members of their own communities, campaigning for the rights of the deafblind people and providing a range of services, support, training and information.

When the charity contacted Alison to ask if she would be interested in teaching knitting and crochet to a small group of deaf blind people, she was delighted.  With plenty of experience of working with a variety of groups previously, she was confident she could offer them something that they would enjoy.  However, initially she was wondered how she would be able to communicate with them.

“I was assured the guide who was with them would...

Tracey Van Loggerenberg teaches knitting classes for all ages in and around Inverurie, a pretty town in Aberdeenshire. With ancestral roots in Scotland, but having grown up in South Africa, she has an interesting story about how she became a knitting teacher. We thought we’d sit down for a chat so she could tell us all about it!

Hi Tracey!  So tell us, who taught you to knit back when you were a child growing up in South Africa?

Both my mom and maternal gran could knit and crochet. My gran taught me to crochet, while my mom taught me to knit.

What do you remember about learning to knit?

I don’t have any distinct memories of learning either, but I can still vividly recall a little white moss stitch top I knitted for my Barbie doll four decades ago.

What is your background and what made you decide to become a knitting teacher?

I’ve reinvented myself numerous times over the years, pushing myself to learn new stuff, but there’s always been a creative...

Fiona Campbell teaches Knit Night & Day classes in the Cramond and Blackhall area of Edinburgh. One of her popular classes takes place on Tuesday mornings in a beautiful conservatory in Ye Olde Inn in Davidsons Mains. Fiona thought it would be fun to introduce one of her knitting companions, so please meet Jaki, this month’s Star Knitter!

Hello Jaki!  Who taught you to knit and how long ago?

My granny taught me when I was about 5 or 6.  I knitted up until my mid-twenties, then I got diverted!  I knitted on and off over the years but not successfully – I had a good friend who finished projects for me!

What do you like about Fiona’s classes?

I like the friendship and banter.  It’s a very sociable group.

What kind of thing do you enjoy knitting most?

I’m now addicted to Fair Isle!

What do you like about knitting?

I find it very therapeutic, and it keeps your brain active, and when you actually complete something...

Claire Pereira teaches knitting and crafting classes in Kings Heath and Moseley. Her classes are popular, so if you want to join in the fun, you can find out about booking your spot here.

We thought you’d like to find out what makes Claire tick…

How did you learn to knit? I learnt to knit as a child when a family friend showed me and started knitting again as an adult when I wanted a hobby that gave an outlet for creativity and imagination (working as a clinician in the NHS with 2 young children had made this difficult!) and help maintain good mental health following a period of anxiety and depression.

What kind of thing do you like to knit?  I think there is a project for every occasion and what I like to knit is usually determined by the situation. I currently have about 7 projects on the go. For example, I have my ‘Netflix’ project (a super easy stripped snood in stockinette stitch that doesn’t require focus and concentration that I...

Since Kids Knit is the UK and Ireland’s premiere children’s knitting programme, we were rather chuffed when the BBC approached our franchisee, Samira Hill, to film one of her Kids Knit classes for a Cbeebies tv show called Down On The Farm.

The Cbeebies film crew braved the snowy weather and arrived one cold Saturday morning at the venue (a gorgeous cafe called Cafe U in Kelso whose scrumptious soup, sandwiches and scones I am happy to recommend), and set up a mini studio to film our little Kids Knitters.

We created a lovely filming environment with all our gorgeous knitted blankets, cushions, throws and cute knitted toys, our beautiful home made knitting needles and baskets of scrumptious wool in delightful colours.  Maddison, Paige, Hope, Kansiray, his mum Geraldine and Samira performed with confidence and poise in front of the cameras ….  and then 5 hours later it was all over!