Convention is now fully booked. If you book now, you will be placed on a waiting list.
Our venue for 2025 is High Leigh Conference Centre, Lord Street, Hoddeston, Hertfordshire EN11 8SG (the same as last year). Convention runs from 4 pm Friday 5th September to 4 pm Sunday 7th September. Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) starts at 9:30 am on Sunday 7th September.
Join us for a weekend of keynote talks, workshops and sociable crafting. This exclusive weekend is available to Guild members only.
Updated: 14 April 2025.
The Location
Convention will beheld at High Leigh Conference Centre, Lord Street, Hoddeston, Hertfordshire EN11 8SG. Full directions are available on High Leigh’s website: https://www.cct.org.uk/high-leigh/how-to-find-us. You can also download travel directions here.
Cost of attending
If you are delivering a workshop, you are entitled to a £25 discount. This reduction should be listed on your invoice.
The venue charges per person, not per room. This means we cannot offer a discount for sharing. If you prefer to share, that can be arranged – but the cost remains the same.
| Fully residential – Friday 4pm till Sunday 4pm | £ 340 |
| Day delegate – Saturday only* | £ 74 |
| Day delegate – Sunday only* | £ 74 |
| Day delegate – Saturday and Sunday* | £ 138 |
*The day delegate rate includes the talks and workshops, lunch and other refreshments during that day, but does not include overnigght accommodation, evening meal or breakfast.
Day delegate places are subject to availability. The venue has a maximum capacity and must be able to accommodate them. We will check as soon as you enquire but please do not make any other arrangements until we have confirmed that you have a place.
High Leigh is not open on a Sunday night. This year, High Leigh is also not open on the Thursday night unless at least 30 people wish to stay.
It may be possible for someone to stay with you in the same room. If space is available, this will be at a cost of £131 per person per day, which covers accommodation and meals. Accompanying people (unless required for assistance) will not have access to the Convention; the price only provides for hotel accommodation and meals.
The best way to book your place is to complete the online booking form (see button below). After you submit the form we will contact you to confirm details and to arrange for payment.
Only current members can book a place at Convention. Press a button to be able to book. The buttons open pages in a new tab (so that you can easily return to this page and refresh it).
We have to pay for the places we’ve confirmed whether they are taken or not, so we cannot offer refunds. Unless someone else takes your place, we can only refund within the first 14 days of booking. After that, you are liable for the full cost of your place. (We will run a waiting list.) We suggest you take holiday insurance to cover the cost of having to cancel.
Outline Programme
Although we will do our best not to change the programme, sometimes we have to for a variety of reasons. We will inform you if a workshop you are allocated has to change.
You may download a copy of the programme.
Friday 5th September
| Start | End | Event | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4:00 pm | Ongoing | Registration | Reception |
| 5:00 pm | 5:30 pm | Welcome and introductions | Garden Suite |
| 6:00 pm | 7:00 pm | Dinner | Dining Room |
| 7:00 pm | 8:30 pm | Show & Tell | Garden Suite |
Saturday 6th September
| Start | End | Event | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am | 9:00 am | Breakfast | Dining room |
| 9:00 am | 11:00 am | Workshops | Various |
| 11:00 am | 11:30 am | Break | |
| 11:30 am | 1:00 pm | Keynote: Jane Crowfoot | Garden Suite |
| 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | Lunch | Dining rooms |
| 2:00 pm | 4:00 pm | Workshops | Various |
| 4:00 pm | 4:30 pm | Break | |
| 4:30 pm | 6:00 pm | Keynote: Nic Corrigan | Garden Suite |
| 6:00 pm | 7:00 pm | Dinner | Dining room |
| 7:00 pm | Fringe events; craft & chat in communal areas | As notified during Convention |
Sunday 7th September
| Start | End | Event | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am | 9:00 am | Breakfast | Dining room |
| 9:30am | Deadline for clearing rooms and checking out | ||
| 9:30 am | 11:00 am | AGM | Garden Suite |
| 11:00 am | 11:30 am | Break | |
| 11:30 am | 1:00 pm | Keynote: Helen Pleasance | Garden Suite |
| 1:00 pm | 2:00 pm | Lunch | Dining room |
| 2:00 pm | 2:30 pm | Closing remarks and raffle | Garden Suite |
| 2:30 pm | 4 pm | Socialising (refreshments available) | Communal areas |
| 4:00 pm | Deadline for leaving |
Programme
Although we will do our best not to change the programme, sometimes we have to for a variety of reasons. We will inform you if a workshop you are allocated has to change.
Workshops are categorised by their craft, talks are of general interest.
Important note
The Garden Suite, used for plenary sessions, has a sound system that includes a hearing loop. We will be using this to assist those who use hearing aids. In addition, we intend to display automated “close captioning” on the screens during these sessions. If you wish to speak during these sessions, please use ask a microphone. Otherwise those using hearing aids or using the captions will not know what you have said. Equally, if you are near a microphone, remember that what you say may be heard (or read) by anyone in the room or watching the recording.
Please bear in mind that we plan to record Keynote talks and the AGM. If you speak, or are in front of the camera, during these sessions you may be included in the recording.
Keynote speakers
Our speakers have generously offered their time and expertise. We intend to record these sessions for those members who are unable to attend in person. All the talks are of interest regardless of the crafts you practise.
Friday
Friday 5 September 4:00 pm and ongoing
Registration
Sign in and collect your room keys from the High Leigh reception desk.
Your badge will give you access to your bedroom and to the Convention buildings. Please return it at the end of your visit.
Then visit the Convention reception team in the reception area to receive your delegate badge.
If you arrive after this registration period, please collect your key and ask the High Leigh Reception Team to direct you to the main meeting room and register for Convention there.
Friday 5 September 5:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Welcome
Alison Peck will open Convention, welcome delegates, and give general information about Convention.
Friday 5 September 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dinner
We have reserved tables in the dining room.
You are welcome to sit at any of our reserved tables. We realise that it can be daunting to join what appears to be an established group, so at least one table will be designated as “I want to meet other people.” Please do not join this table as a group – though we really hope that you will feel part of a group by the time you leave it.
Friday 5 September 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Show & Tell
Show & Tell
Craft: Hand Knitting, Crochet, Machine Knitting
Experience: Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Summary: Our popular Show & Tell returns to give you another chance to show off your creations to other crafters ...
Friday 5 September 8:30pm – late
Craft and chat
Pick up your project and make your way to the bar or a lounge to chat and craft with other delegates.
Saturday
Saturday 6 September 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Breakfast
We have reserved tables in the dining room.
You are welcome to sit at any of our reserved tables. We realise that it can be daunting to join what appears to be an established group, so at least one table will be designated as “I want to meet other people.” Please do not join this table as a group – though we really hope that you will feel part of a group by the time you leave it.
Saturday 6 September 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Workshops (with refreshment break)
Hand Knitting
‘Knitting with wire’ with Lynda Fiendley
Craft: Hand knitting
Experience: Basic knitting skills
Summary: We will use knitting to make a wire bracelet, adding beads
for variety ...
‘Stripes in the round’ with Rachel Lemon
Craft: Hand Knitting
Experience: You need to be comfortable with knitting in the round.
Summary: We will explore the practicalities of knitting stripes in the round in dealing with ends and jogless joins. We will look at many different stripe sequences and in particular using Fibonacci ...
Machine Knitting
‘Braids and edgings’ with Alison Peck
Craft: Machine Knitting
Experience: Beginner
Summary: Are you looking for something fancy to cover a seam or put over a fault? Look no further than a braid! ...
Crochet
‘Try tapestry crochet’ with Helen Jordan
Craft: Crochet
Experience: Beginner upwards.
Summary: Tapestry crochet is a form of colour work. While it can be worked either in the round or back and forth in rows, the latter gives rise to rather a lot of ends to process ...
“Tunisian crochet bandana/shawl” with Lindy Zubairy
Craft: Tunisian Crochet
Experience: Beginner upwards
Summary: Working from a pattern, we will make a Tunisian Crochet bandana (a triangle). The pattern calls for Tunisian Simple stitch but after a few rows, you can try out any new stitch – a variety of stitch instructions will be provided. This project can end as a bandana/cowl or continue growing into a shawl – up to you! ...
General Interest
‘Getting started with designing’ with Angharad Thomas
Craft: Hand Knitting, Crochet, Machine Knitting
Experience: No specific experience needed
Summary: This workshop will be a fun, hands on introduction to designing your own fabrics starting from pictures or inspirations of your choice – it could be images – postcards, rubbings, wallpapers, or things - pebbles, flowers, stalks and so on ….. Your unique collection of stitches can then be used to make a scarf, a garment, a throw or blanket …. the choice is yours. ...
‘Introduction to Yorkshire Buttons’ with Kelly Ferguson
Craft: General (weaving)
Experience: Beginner
Summary: Learn how to create a Yorkshire Button using a small template and your yarn stash ...
Saturday 6 September 11:00 am – 11:30 am
Break
Enjoy a hot drink and snacks.
Saturday 6 September 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Keynote
Keynote: ‘The comfort of blankets’ by Jane Crowfoot
Craft: General
Experience: suitable for all abilities.
Summary: Join Jane for this evening presentation where she will show examples of her work and talk about her design process, as well as her mission to highlight the differences between home-made and handmade, the importance of recognising yarn crafts as a stage for creativity, and the validation of traditional skills ...
Saturday 6 September 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Lunch
We have reserved tables in the dining room.
You are welcome to sit at any of our reserved tables. We realise that it can be daunting to join what appears to be an established group, so at least one table will be designated as “I want to meet other people.” Please do not join this table as a group – though we really hope that you will feel part of a group by the time you leave it.
Saturday 6 September 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Workshops (including time for refreshment break)
Hand Knitting
‘Double brioche’ with Nicole Hawkesford
Craft: Hand Knitting
Experience: Intermediate / Advanced
Summary: Open up a world of colour play possibility with syncopated brioche and speed up your knitting with one-pass brioche – no more sliding! ...
‘Bohus knitting’ with Maureen Wheeler
Craft: Hand Knitting
Experience: Intermediate
Summary: An opportunity to find out more about Bohus knitting techniques and design. Knit your own swatch and adapt colour work patterns ...
Machine Knitting
‘Knitting with beads’ with Alison Peck
Craft: Machine Knitting
Experience: Beginner
Summary: Beads add both surface decoration and weight to a garment. We will explore the different ways they can be used, and will consider the ‘rules’ you should follow when creating your own designs ...
Crochet
‘Beaded crochet’ with Jane Crowfoot
Craft: Crochet
Experience: Intermediate
Summary: Beads add a fabulous touch to crochet fabrics and edgings. You can use them as a sparkling detail on a lace edge or to form a pattern within your crochet work. Adding beads to your crochet projects is far easier than you think and is a technique that will make you want to put beads into everything you do in future! ...
‘Introducing Double Filet – the Double Granny Square’ with Rose Bowers
Craft: Crochet
Experience: Beginner
Summary: This will be an easy introduction to double filet which involves simultaneously creating two interwoven pieces of filet mesh, sometimes also known as interlocking ...
General interest
‘Adapting to fit’ with Steve Foreman
Craft: Hand Knitting, Crochet, Machine Knitting
Experience: Beginner
Summary: By the end of this workshop we will have identified the steps you would need to go through to modify an existing pattern to create the a garment that was a different size or used a different yarn weight than the original. We will also have identified some on-line resources that you can use to help you with the decisions and calculations needed. ...
‘Ingenious Inventions’ with Barbara Smith
Craft: Hand Knitting, Crochet
Experience: Any
Summary: The workshop will allow participants to examine closely some tools, gadgets and other items (from the Guild collection and my own) that were innovative at the time - shown by the fact that they were patented ...
Saturday 6 September 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Break
Enjoy a hot drink and snacks.
Saturday 6 September 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Keynote
Keynote: ‘Travels with my Knitting Machine’ by Nic Corrigan
Craft: Machine knitting
Experience: no experience needed
Summary: Nic Corrigan discusses her varied career in knitwear design, building her own creative practise, and helping to share her love of machine knitting through tutoring ...
Saturday 6 September 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dinner
We have reserved tables in the dining room.
You are welcome to sit at any of our reserved tables. We realise that it can be daunting to join what appears to be an established group, so at least one table will be designated as “I want to meet other people.” Please do not join this table as a group – though we really hope that you will feel part of a group by the time you leave it.
Saturday 6 September 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Self-guided activities
It is “Delegates’ choice” as to which events take place in this slot and which you attend! The bar, lounges and garden will be available for socialising. In addition there will be:
- Yarn Amnesty. Bring your unwanted yarn, tools and books so that others can benefit from your donation and contribute funds to the Guild. We are only able to accept cash.
- Have a go at machine knitting. The knitting machines will still be in the room used for the machine knitting workshops. Why not have a try at using one under the guidance of an experienced machine knitter?
- Fringe events. Anyone can set up a fringe event – just tell the Convention organisers at the start of the day so we can let people know what you are planning. They are opportunities to get together to talk about a particular activity. As an example, Branch Coordinators at Convention will have a get-together.
‘How to deliver a Trunk Show’ with the Collections Team
Craft: General
Experience: An interest in presenting a trunk show for your branch.
Summary: The Collections Team is bringing a trunk show of some of the more unusual items in the Guild’s Collection for a branch to take away and present locally ...
Saturday 6 September 8:30 pm – late
Craft and chat
Pick up your project and make your way to one of the bars and lounges to chat and craft with other delegates.
Sunday
Sunday 7 September 8:00 am – 9:00 am
Breakfast
We have reserved tables in the dining room.
You are welcome to sit at any of our reserved tables. We realise that it can be daunting to join what appears to be an established group, so at least one table will be designated as “I want to meet other people.” Please do not join this table as a group – though we really hope that you will feel part of a group by the time you leave it.
Sunday 7 September 9:30 am
Please vacate your room and check out by 9:30 am.
There will be space for you to leave your bags in the main meeting room until 4:00 pm..
Sunday 7 September 09:30 am – 11:00 am
Annual General Meeting
All delegates to Convention are registered to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Members who are unable to attend the AGM in person will be able to register to attend by video conference. Members will be told how to do this in the formal notification of the AGM.
Sunday 7 September 11:00 am – 11:30 am
Break
Enjoy a hot drink and snacks.
Sunday 7 September 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Keynote
Keynote: ‘‘So tangled up in wool’: what knitting in twentieth-century fiction reveals about women’s lives’ by Helen Pleasance
Craft: General interest
Experience: No experience required
Summary: Helen untangles some of the meanings knitting takes on in fiction ...
Sunday 7 September 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Lunch
We have reserved tables in the dining room.
You are welcome to sit at any of our reserved tables. We realise that it can be daunting to join what appears to be an established group, so at least one table will be designated as “I want to meet other people.” Please do not join this table as a group – though we really hope that you will feel part of a group by the time you leave it.
Sunday 7 September 2:00 pm – 2:30 pm
Raffle draw and closing remarks
Stay for the big reveal – who has won a prize in our raffle?
Sarah Whitelaw will close Convention.
Sunday 7 September 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Craft and chat
Pick up your project and make your way to one of the bars and lounges to chat and craft with other delegates.
Sunday 7 September 4:00 pm
We have to leave High Leigh by 4:00 pm.
We look forward to seeing you again in 2026!
