Late to the party

My Olympia round up is shamefully late, I know.  It's the usual excuse - work, family, busy, blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, I went along on Friday to help out at the Relax & Knit stand and maybe do a bit of shopping.  It was primarily a stitching show, almost all cross stitch from what I could see but there was a nice little knitting section upstairs.  HipKnits were there, plus a somewhat reduced Get Knitted, Silkwood Angoras and a few others whose names I can't recall.

It was great fun on the Relax & Knit - nowhere near as manic as Ally Pally but still lots of people very enthusiastic to talk about knitting.  It seemed that most people on Friday knew how to knit already and either wanted to try out some of the novelty yarns we had on the tables or learn new techniques.  Domnio knitting proved very popular, courtesy of Yvonne and Mary-Lou was demonstrating the use of the Loopa to quite a few people too.

I got to meet lots of nice knitters and quite a few bloggers as well.  Kerrie, of course, and Ruth.  Nic was there too, helping on the Silkwood stand.  I'm sure there were others who I haven't linked to - apologies if I've missed you out!

I didn't buy much at all.  Get Knitted only had the self patterning sock yarns, which I have more than enough of already, so I showed restraint there.  HipKnits had loads of lovely stuff, but I was good again and just bought

a couple of dye your own sock yarn packs to do with the children over Easter.  If it goes well I might do it with my knitting class next term - so Kerrie, keep some packs for me!

With all the money I saved by not buying yarn I was able to buy something I had been secretly planning to get.  A rather nice wooden frame to use with (ahem) this

No, you're not seeing things.  That is indeed a needlepoint kit.  That sound you can hear in the background?  That's the maniacal laughter of Ms Woollywarbler - happy that someone else has joined her on the dark side.

Don't worry - this is still a knitting blog.  It's just nice to have a change from time to time don't you think?

On Saturday I renewed my knitting credentials and met up with Polly, Amelia, MarydeB and Kay at Liberty for a couple of hours of knitting and chatting.  It was lots of fun.  I hadn't met Kay or Mary before and they were both very good company.  I would have liked to have stayed longer but family duties called.  Family commitments also meant I couldn't make it to Loop on Sunday for Kay's talk, but I hear it went very well.

Coming tomorrow (and this time it really will be tomorrow, I promise) I prove to you that I am still knitting as I reveal the latest mitred square combinations.

Comments

[dawn]

you bought more than me, I managed some storage containers and no yarn (though silkwood had some beautiful angora-wool mix). too hot, too crowded and too much x-stitch!

[Mary de B]

Oooh, those dyeing packs look like fun! I look forward to seeing the results!

[Tracy]

Mwahahahahahaaaaa! Love the kit..there will be more I promise ;)

[Chris]

Oh, I love that needlepoint! How cool.

[Philippa]

Something is up in Blogland, and the knitters are getting itchy feet. Maybe it's the fault of 'Sew? I Knit', multi-talented crafters like yarnstorm, or perhaps forces of a darker, deeper, and as yet undefined nature, but the needles that are very pointy, small, work on their own and have an eye are rallying the troops and writing manifestoes. It's really exciting, and I'm no less involved (although currently hiding it from my blog), but it really is interesting to see the tide that is sweeping up so many knitters and depositing them in the murky dawn on the shores of Sewing. ;)

[Carol]

I think knitting and sewing of somesort go hand in hand. I always have a needlepoint cushion cover on the go as well as knitting. Something to pull out if I fancy something easy. I find it very relaxing. I usually buy one each year I am home, most often from the Ehrman shop in High St Ken.

[Amelia]

I can't get over the fact that something that I used to drink by the gallon when I lived in the US is used to dye yarn. I hate to think of what it must have done to me... That kit looks really lovely - but please do not tempt me with more things I could do, my flat is small and I am running out of space :) A.x