Well I went to the Knitting and Stitching show up at the NEC on Saturday 18th September. I hadn’t planned to go there this year, mainly due to a combination of too much stash and not enough money, but when a complimentary ticket was dangled in my direction, I couldn’t exactly say no!

Got there about 1, had a quick scoot round to get my bearings, and then took my time going round again. Met another stitcher I know there as the person to snag the other free ticket going around and when both our heads were buried in the Mary Hickmott buckets! Noticed how many of Hickmott’s I’ve completed (1 !) and how many are still WIPs (~3 !).
Ended up buying a kit one of peacocks although I didn’t really need too. I also picked up some pretty pearlesent threads to play with later, and that’s all I brought -  I did a rummage in the Black Wool Stands, as they normally do some great discount Anchor and DMC kits,but nothing took my fancy.

A lot of the space that was given over to sellers last year were now taken up with the display stands, some of which were very good, and showed output from Needlework students etc. I did notice that a lot of stands that I expected (e.g. Singer, etc) weren’t there this year and whilst I had been looking for something specific (a stand with DMC for example), I couldn’t find it. As someone who’s been to these shows now in Birmingham and many in Dublin, I was a little disappointed with the show this year.

There were also quite a few book stalls. I’m sure there’s been that many at other shows, but when there’s not other stitching stands to “hide” them, then they are more noticible.  And there were several stands that were selling storage boxes (I had the sneaking suspicion they were the same company!), as well as several glitter stands that were new.  What exactly has glitter got to do with knitting or stitching?!

I cant believe how, at 8 pm in early September, exactly how dark it is outside!  The light started fading not long after 5pm, and by the time I got home it was definately evening. I’m now looking out the window and it is pitch black outside.

Thankfully I’ve got most of my stitching done, and doubt I would have been able to do much of “The Wedding” had I started much later.  I have a Daylight Simulation bulb in the lamp that sits over my shoulder, but that’s only 60w, and it has difficulty competing with the stronger yellow lights in the rest of my stitching area.  Since the fabric is 18 count, I need a decent level of light to ensure I’m getting all the holes right!

There’s a stitching show on this weekend (run by Twisted Thread).  I have so much stash (and so little relative money!), that I dont really need to go this year.  However, I managed to wangle a free ticket through a friend of a friend, and there’s no harm in me going up to have a look around.  If nothing else I will check out if there are any stronger bulbs to help me out.

Got a reminder in the post yesterday from Twisted Thread. I first went to one of their shows back in Dublin a good 6 years or so, when it was in one of the smaller halls at the RDS. I watched it grow over the following years, but was always a little disappointed at the size of the show – one it was small, literally, with fewer exibitors than the UK versions of the show. So many of the UK based exbitiors simply couldnt be bothered to pack their bags up for a few days to come over – I don’t know whether the stands were also too expensive. Anyway, the size of the halls cramped their styles, which meant that the paths between the stands were always small. When you are surrounded by little old women with sticks that you don’t want to knock over, so you are being all polite, only for the little blighters to stand on your foot or elbow you out the way it’s not an awful lot of fun!

Last year was the first time that I went to the one in Birmingham and it was the first time they had held it there. What a difference! Many more of the bigger names were there (including Jane Greenoff and husband Bill, literally weeks before he went down sick). Fewer people there, and much larger lanes. Was surprised, but rather pleased, that there was enough room for people in wheelchairs to zoom around and get in close – also without getting in my way either! Something that would be impossible in Dublin, which must be a shame as there are so few crafting (knitting, sewing etc), facilities in Dublin, and even fewer available to those less abled.

Anyway, the shows are coming around again in the next few months. The festival of quilts is on at the NEC between 16-19 August, and the Knitting and Stitching show is on a month later at the same place, between 13th and 16th September