We have reached that time of year dedicated to giving and receiving. But giving nicely wrapped pressies to your loved ones isn't the only kind of giving you can do.

This week we bring you alternative ways to give your time and knitting skills for a better cause. We hope you can spare some time to get involved in knitting for peace, runaway children or....shopping for fish on eBay. (Yes, you read that correctly!)

At the last few meetings we reached nearly 50 people at the Royal Festival Hall, with so many of you picking up your needles to join us. The S&B baby was paraded around, lots of newbies learned the tricks of the trade and Stitchette, Doctor Stitchlove (Annisa), stitched with us on her birthday. Happy Birthday Annisa! 

Stitch and Being Rather Crafty 

Details of the next meeting:  

Christmas festivities and crafty goodness go together like tea and cake, so why not join us at Craft @ Late at the Museum of London to make something cute to adorn your Christmas tree.  With a variety of craft workshops to choose from (including knitting) you will be spoilt for choice! 

THURSDAY, 4^TH DECEMBER
Time: 5 - 9pm
Venue: Museum of London,
London Wall,
London.
EC2Y 5HN

Stitch and Knit One, Eat One 

Details of the meeting after that: 

Get to the scrumptious mezze, delectable salads and big mugs of hot chocolate before everyone else does at our favourite deli in central London.  Think of this visit as an early Christmas present (for your stomach).  

WEDNESDAY, 10^TH DECEMBER
Time: From 6pm
Venue: EV Delicatessen,
The Arches,
97-99 Isabella Street,
London.
SE1 8DD 

Stitch and S&B Xmas Party! Secret Santa! Woo!! 

Details of the meeting after that: 

This is our last meeting before Christmas and for 2008.  Don't forget to bring your Secret Santa presents!  

TUESDAY, 16^TH DECEMBER
Time: From 6pm - Secret Santa from 7pm - Party time from 8pm
Venue: The Clarence,
53 Whitehall,
London.
SW1A 2HP 

Stitch and Knit for Peace!  

We all want to feel warm and fuzzy inside from doing something good, and at this time of year it becomes even more important to lend a hand to those that need help.  

From 10^th & 24^th December, the UK charity Charities Advisory Trust will be holding a Knit In at the.gallery@oxo on London's South Bank. They want you to be a part of their team of volunteers, to help knit scarves, socks and other winter warmers for cold people around the world including:

• children and old people in former the Soviet Union
• children in Rwanda
• displaced people in Africa (including Sudan)
• families in fuel poverty in the UK

Also featured at the Knit In will be an exhibition of photographs celebrating the success of Knit for Peace around the world.  

Great company and lots of fun is guaranteed and all wool and needles will be supplied. If you're not able to join in, but would like to contribute to the project, why not help by donating wool or needles? 

10^TH & 24^TH DECEMBER
Time: 11am & 6pm, Monday & Sunday (until 8pm on Thursdays)
Venue: the.gallery@oxo,
Bargehouse Street,
South Bank,
London.
SE1 9PH

Stitch and the BIG Stitch 

Help knit 100,000cm for 100,000 young runaways.

The Children's Society is calling all knitters to be part of a big new challenge. Help knit a kilometre long scarf and raise money for The Children's Society and its work with young runaways.  

Knit as far as you can and raise money by getting sponsored by the inch or centimetre or make a donation with your knitting. Every centimetre will represent one of the 100,000 children who run away each year.  

For many children, home is so unbearable that staying is not an option and the only solution they can see is to run away. The funds raised will mean that The Children's Society can continue to be there for children like these, providing drop-in centres, counselling, access to emergency accommodation and someone to turn to.  

Stitch and Craftacular Christmas Shopping 

Many of us start planning knitted Christmas presents with the best of intentions, but with the big day rapidly approaching, you may be starting to run out of time. Well fear not & (handcrafted) help is at on its way! The fantastic Bust Magazine, published by the one and only Debbie Stoller, queen of Stitch n' Bitch, is bringing its Christmas Craftacular event to London on SATURDAY, 6^TH DECEMBER, just in time for a spot of pressie shopping. 

Head over to St. Aloysius Social Club, NW1, to shop for handmade gifts for your nearest and dearest (and maybe yourself), dance along to some funky tunes and join the ArtYarn graffiti knitting crew for a spot of guerrilla knitting.  

Stitch and Fish 

Now for something completely different…a Knitted Fish Auction!  

Bid on eBay auctions for unique knitted fish to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's Yellow Wellie Challenge.