Glasgow Stitch and Bitch - the truth

 

I am posting this on my blog because I have THREE times tried to post on the Knitting Meet Up board and the organiser has removed it. This isn't any sort of breakaway or takeover, it was just a notice about an extra get together that we, including Karen, have been discussing for a week or two, as explained below

In addition to the censorship, she has sent out an email which is full of poisonous untruths. If there are any more emails about me, please come and check with me.

A couple of weeks ago, at a Tuesday meeting some of us, including Karen, had a chat about how much we had enjoyed the weekly meets, and should it become weekly? We, including Karen, decided that 'formal' weekly meets might 'dilute' interest too much, so it was decided by all of us, including Karen, that some of us that wanted might meet on alternate Tuesdays, trying out different locations, though Karen wasn't keen on joining in.

Today at the Tramway several of us continued the discussion as part of the group get together . It wasn't a secret and it definitely is not a conspiracy. KAren was sitting near me, I don't know if she was listening at that point. Our discussion was just part of the general run of conversation. We all thought it would make a nice addition to the group activities but didn't want it to get very formal because, as we had all agreed, that might dilute things. Nonetheless, we thought it would be nice to give everyone the chance to have a get together before the next formal meeting. Because not everyone was there when it was discussed, and not everyone who was there had been involved in that part of the conversation, I decided to post it ON THE MESSAGE BOARD so that EVERYONE COULD COME WHO WANTED. This was supposed to be just another gathering of our group. It definitely isn't any sort of breakaway

Karen, the organiser, removed it because it 'went against the rules'.

I emailed her to point out that it did not go against the rules, because this was a meeting for our group, posted by a member of our group. It just wasn't a formal meeting organised by Karen. When she removed the posting I pointed out that we weren't breaking the rules and were just trying to have an extra get together, then I posted again - and she removed the notification again

I am sure you can understand how distressed I was to receive the email that all the GS&B Members recieved today - here is part of it

"Also, I just can't understand why they would want to set up another group? It can only serve to create disharmony and create a very awkward situation for each of the Tuesday night knitters: that isn't what knitting groups are about, we're friendly and supportive and we all enjoy meeting up and knitting together so why cause disharmony? I just would never have expected this from members of our own group, shafted from the inside, who'd have thunk it! "

I am really offended at the suggestion that anything we have said, done or planned is in anyway undermining the group. I am particularly appalled at Karen's abuse and her use of the word 'shafted'.

So, to set the record straight:
This is NOT a breakaway group
This was discussed with Karen
I have tried several times to make everyome aware of this EXTRA meet up
Karen has REMOVED the notification, is MISREPRESENTING the situation,has now been grossly offensive to me in a public email and most importantly is DENYING ME ANY RIGHT TO REPLY.

Many people will be aware that there have been problems in the past and that Karen appears to have found it difficult in the past when people have expressed views, or made suggestions that she wasn't completely comfortable with. I am, though, very surprised that she has managed to interpret a few people picking up on a suggestion that we meet more often as some sort of revolutionary coup. I know knitting is important, but for goodness sake! I am not comfortable at being accused of engineering a takeover, which is definitely not what is happening, and I am very unhappy at having my actions misrepresented so grotesquely and at Karen's absolute refusal to let me respond in any way to her horrible and completely unfounded accusations.

I don't know what is wrong with Karen, I hope she gets over it before the next meeting.

Let me state once again, this is not a breakaway or takeover. Anyone who wants to come is welcome, and I look forward to seeing everyome at the next formal meet up.

In the interim, if any members of Glasgow Stitch and Bitch would like to meet up this Tuesday, 20th February, we will be at Jam, in Shawlands, from 6 - 8 pm. I haven't been here before, but by all accounts it's a nice place - oh, and I think I have the right place in that link, but best to check yourselves, in case I send you on a wild goose chase!

India