Tuesday 31 August 2010

Money to burn.

SCKC cost me around £800.
Possibly more.

Now I don't know about the rest of you out there in the ether, but to me that is a considerable amount of money. Every summer I go to Scarborough for a week, staying in my friend's small but lovely hotel. I do a lot of walking, reading, sitting by the sea and unwinding - I do it on the cheap. I love it (Scarby holds very special memories for me, family holidays every year, my wonderful nan and gag, all sorts - I love it).

It isn't megacheap (I think it's now more expensive to holiday in the UK than it is to get a cheap flight) but it is considerably less than £800.

I go on my own, and potter about at my own speed. It works for me, perfectly.

So going to something like Knit Camp was a big change. I don't do socialising very much (especially since being so ill), haven't been on top form, and it was considerably more expensive than I could afford.
BUT.
My wonderful friend was coming through from France for the week, we had the opportunity to mix with knitters, spinners and fibre enthusiasts from the world over (I have never even seen anyone else spinning in reality, I taught myself) , I hadn't been to Stirling for many years, my Dr and Occupational health bods insisted it would do me good etc etc.
The opportunity to have a stand for my sewing was superb, it cost (again) a fair amount of money and was the first larger event I had done. So I invested a lot of money in materials and sewed up a storm. Updated my public liability insurance (again, money) - oh,by the way, I was NEVER asked to show evidence of this. Not once.

Without bleating on about the financial side too much - but it is too important not to mention it - I was seriously looking forward to the week for many reasons.
Then (at the risk of repeating my original Knit Camp posts)
it all started to go tits up on Ravelry.
Yes people got heated.
Yes things got het up.
But by hell there was damned good reason for it all.
And no, I am not going to go into the whole thing again because I feel I have done that in detail.

So now here we are - people have not had replies for 2 weeks whilst the 'organiser' has had a holiday.
In her words - played with my children (who I had not seen for two and a half weeks before Camp), baked, been on a few day trips, gone to our wonderful local museum, done some knitting, felting, spinning (mainly the latter) and even washed a pretty dirty fleece. And the most amazing thing - done some much-needed housework

Apparently the blame seems to lie with Britsh Knitters: the British knitting public are unlike their North American cousins in that they do not travel

Eh?
Am I the only person reading this and feeling quite sick?
And then we come to this bit. I am assuming - I suspect correctly - it means me.
I can understand some folks' anger and would feel upset if I were them, (but anger is something I try not to feel too much). When things are true, and come from people who were there and therefore have the right to make valid comments, then I can accept that. And I will try to deal with it. Although there is one person who I believe came with the objective to find fault in absolutely everything. Quite frankly, I feel very sorry for this individual.

OK. So....
1) anyone who is angry is not as good a person as she is
2) erm - my comments are TOTALLY TRUE
3) I WAS there
4) I did not go with the intention of finding fault in everything - check your facts, I had 2 classes booked, and a surprise extra class booked as a present from my friend. I was staying off campus. I have always ALWAYS said that I was aiming to have a brilliant holiday no matter what. Knit Camp was the original intention but was NOT the sole be all and end all of my plans
5) I do not need your sympathy

Instead of writing an incredibly arrogant, offensive, patronising and incorrect blog post which only serves to insult the entire British Knitting public (who in large are an incredibly supportive, innovative, friendly and rather wonderful bunch), maybe it would be more productive to spend the time sorting out refunds, contacting the people who have been totally ignored for the last two weeks, posting out outstanding goods ordered and paid for, paying tutors - get the idea?

We legally have to deal with 'stuff' within 28 days of the end of the event, and we will do that.
Stuff?
How bloody rude.

We're really glad that, despite what some people have tried to give the impression of, several hundred folks joined together in one beautiful place for a week of camaraderie, knitting and cake.
Nobody has - to my knowledge - implied anything else.
People were wonderful - they looked out for each other, they got on with it, laughed, chatted, broke the ice, made their own introductions, made friends, made arrangements to meet again, went for meals, pottered about, shared tips.

But I will say it one more time - they did this despite, not because, of Knit Camp.

Barristers? Perrrrrllleaaaaase .... get a grip.

 ** scuse the strange fonts, I think someone has cursed my keyboard. It's a conspiracy, a CONSPIRACY I SAY!

15 comments:

fibreclaireUK said...

Have I told you that I love you XXX

Anonymous said...

I agree and I was there. Keep telling the truth about Knit Camp! BTW I lurve the bag I bought from you and plan on getting many more. Jac (Ewescool on Rav)

Emma said...

So very, very well said. Calm, reasonable and measured.
I, too, love you SulkyCat !

Anonymous said...

You're so good at this. You are able to dissect, analyse and respond. Very well said. She just doesn't get it does she? Liz (Lizzie39)

sulkycat said...

thank you all - and i love the names added to the anons ;-)

as for the lovely comment about being able to analyse and respond - its part of being a teacher (or should be), being able to cut through the crap to the truth, to the nittygritty

Freyalyn said...

Well said, sweetie. And there are blogs out there which've said much what you have, but given the readership you have got for this theme, no wonder your head is sticking above the parapet. I love Scaborough too - went every year for the cricket festival throughout my childhood.

Anonymous said...

I have been following this on blogs and Ravelry. I wasn't there, didn't even know about KC, but reading about what has gone on has me furious for those people who put out good money and didn't get what they paid for. The organizer's attitude has me even angrier. If anything, I think the customers (because truly that's what the attendees were) have been more than patient with the organizer. I, for one, am glad to see people speaking out about what happened.

The whole thing is, the knitters attending should not have had to make the best of it despite everything. Every attendee deserved what they paid for.

Anonymous said...

sing it loud and proud, sistah! i'll be teaching some knitting classes in the future and your blog posts have redoubled my intentions to be extra prepared, courteous, considerate and to really give the participants their money's worth.
--a knitter from the other side of the pond

Anonymous said...

Who is shaking in their boots at the thought of Ravelry Lawyers? Not me! Kim in Oregon (kim_in_oregon on Rav).

Twelfthknit said...

Self deluded much? No, of course I don't mean Sulky!!!

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that the bit about coming only to find fault is referring to you! Whilst you've been honest about the negative aspects, you've also been incredibly positive about other aspects and have given a completely fair and balanced view. If it is referring to you, then she really hasn't got the point at all.

Joining in the Sulkycat love....

Jo (Squeakygirl)

Anonymous said...

i do hope folk get their refunds and tutors get paid .the lady who organised knit camp has gone bust before with a knitting business i,ve been told .i hope its not a sinking ship

Dulcinea said...

dear sulkycat,

i don't know you, except on rav.... but i love your style.

while i have no vested interest in SCKC, i, along with so many others, watched this train wreck in horror.

my company has offices in Leeds.... if I ever get them to send me there, I'll be looking you up, so that I can raise a toast to you.

(PugUgly on rav)

Anonymous said...

I was only there on Saturday and did have a good time. Went to lace talk, met friends, bought wool, knitted, bought a sock bag and stitch markers from a really lovely woman in the marketplace (who could that have been?)

I didn't get a refund for the Ravelry talk - not offered when I arrived. I'm just writing it off in the 'live and learn' column but then it's only £8. But I feel every sympathy for those who have been shortchanged by their Knit Camp experience.

Courage ma brave!

(GiffnockGirl)

Louiz said...

I followed a link from Samurai Knitter and found your blog, very interesting reading. I read the post you linked before coming here and was somewhat annoyed at the content (despite having not attended, nor intended to because obviously as a British knitter I don't travel (huh?)) and the tone.

I hope it gets sorted out asap.

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