After the show....

Well, I was REALLY excited about going to the Knitting & Sewing Show at Olympia Exhibition Centre, London - to the extent that I'd cleared the decks (see previous post) and got all my WIPs finished in anticipation of purchasing new goodies/projects to start!


Hmmmmmm......

Sad to say, I really was not that impressed with the show - it was no better than the Hobbycraft ones at Birmingham's NEC. I'd expected more of the big 'names' like Debbie Bliss and Louisa Harding to be represented but there was no sign of them and there weren't really many independent spinners/dyers at all. Considering the event was named the 'Knitting & Sewing Show' I'd have expected more. There was a fair amount of sewing items (mainly quilting) which was nice to see but I was more interested in yarn.

And WHY was there a stand selling very expensive chocolate????

In all honesty, I'll not bother to go again - the NEC shows are much cheaper and easier for me to get to, although in the past they've not had a great quantity of yarn purveyors. Then again, it's a while since I last went and it may have changed with the resurgence of yarncrafts.  Still, I've 'been and seen' so I know I'm not missing much.

I DID purchase some yarn though:

400g of James 'Woodlander' DK by James C Brett. 

The colour doesn't come over well from the photo on my phone - in this particular colourway, think 'wolf'! I've no idea what I'll make from it, but I was pleased to actually see the yarn, having noticed it on Brett's website - there are some gorgeous colour combinations .  I plan to knit a swatch this evening to see how the colour graduation works - more later.

~oOo~

In the meantime I'm getting quite excited about a possible new crochet project! I really enjoyed doing my 'ripple' blanket and I plan to do others in particular colourways, rather than the random selection.

I'm currently trying to create a way of representing Bargello/Florentine needlework stitch in a crochet medium. I've done canvas chair covers and jackets in 'flame' stitch before, similar to this pattern:

So, now I'm experimenting with 'peaks and valleys' rather than the gentle curves of 'rippling'.

The first attempt went wrong:

- but even this happy 'accident' has possibilities, I think!

(hmmm....Christmas stars.....?!)

Anyway, once more to the 'drawing board' and I think we're getting a bit nearer:

I'll be working on this over the next few days and share progress here. later!

Now, come here, you gorgeous ball of Woodlander.........where are my needles...!

~oOo~

PS. Just HAD to share this for any of you who haven't come across it!

( http://youtu.be/M6ZjMWLqJvM )

My 20-something son was laughing at it, too - "Good job you don't have long hair, Mum!"