it's obvious really...

that if you go to the Knitting and Stitching Show you will be bound to come home several £££s lighter, with sore feet and aching arms and eyes like saucers...carrying bags full of all kinds of goodies, yarns, wools, magazines, fabrics, gadgets, chocolates... (chocolates? how did they sneak in??).... books and more books, just a bit more fabric sneaked in...totally exhausted and totally INSPIRED!!!

I had waited for 2 long years to go as I had bought tickets in 2009, sadly Cumbria flooded and we could go nowhere, last year the police were advising not to travel owing to 2 foot of snow everywhere...so finally....you can imagine my impatience...to get there...to see and explore and experience all the glories which I knew from previous expeditions awaited me...

if you haven't been...put it in your diary for next year......it is a fantastic show...a hotbed of creativity...with hall after hall and stall after stall of tempting wares, makers and their beautiful artwork...and such a variety of goods for sale...international artists...the graduate showcase...challenging modern artwork... traditional techniques on show alongside contemporary work...the working studio area where you can see artists demonstrating techniques...you will need to bring plenty of food and drink and wear cool clothes and comfy shoes!

I loved the wild knitting of the talented students in the graduate showcase..finalists in this year's UK Knitted Textile Awards

Sally Chown's exquisitely soft and sculptural work based around natural organic forms

Claire Nixon's amazing Big Knits, she was sitting patiently knitting yards and yards with such a fabulous tactile result...

Charlotte Waters had made incredible imaginative knits using recycled waste...stunning!

 Linda Sadler's fantastic knitted, de-constructed and felted pieces

Becky Dodman with her gorgeous Hundertwasser-inspired clothing, such glorious colours... and she was still knitting as I talked to her!

And it's not just the stalls and stands... there are so many creative women out there, wearing and carrying their creations....carrying bags and objects they have purchased...you could spend hours just people watching, wandering round the stalls, listening to the conversations...see the groups of women and girls in the Royal Hall drinking tea and TALKING and SHARING...it's wonderful!

And it's all the stallholders too...makers with their inspiring artwork...sellers patiently cutting fabrics hour on hour, talking to customers, sharing their knowledge and expertise,all sharing theie passion for making and creating... it's almost emotional...all these women, with domestic lives left well and truly behind for a day (sorry... and some men!)indulging, showing and sharing their love and passion...for knitting and stitching...

Daughter mine had a great time too, tho' a bit bewildered at times by the sheer amount of things...it's best to get a programme and plan your campaign in advance! Glad she'd old enough now to share properly in such a show. Husband was verry patient, drove us there and back and went round once...then headed to the Royal Hall with a newspaper....bless. Only one of about 40 men in among thousands of women, it's tiring...

Loved so many things...tempted to buy again and again...and I was delighted to meet in person several people whose work I have only seen on the internet...especially Jill Flower whose paper, print and stitched ruffs are exquisite...it was great to see her in the Working Studio...where she had challenged herself to create ruffled painted paper dresses which looked amazing...

and to meet Julia Jowett with her delicate tiny stitched textiles combined with wire forms and printed images of eagles...folk stories and heart and soul mingling...

I loved being able to see and talk to so many artists and makers and to experience the whole wonderful event...so inspired it was hard to leave....I just wanted to go again the next day!! ah shucks...just have to wait till next year....

and finally a little Christmassy thought...

a felted leaf bag for a fab Christmassy Open Studio party thing with Ian, Steph and Phil with all our wares and mulled wine and lovely people in Phils' beautiful studio.... and snow outside...who could ask for more?