Knitting AND Stitching....

and so much more...The Knitting and Stitching show at Harrogate 2013 was a joyful experience, all the better for going on a Sunday when it was quiet and you could see everything with ease! so here for you in the comfort of your own home...no travelling required except in your mind... a taste of what we saw...

Mandy Patullo's wonderful thrifty artwork handstitched to perfection... 

 

 

again handstitching but this time with printing, some small and some huge abstracts from the landscape by Dorothy Caldwell..love the texure of her stitching here

Bobby Britnell and Ruth Issett side by side, so different but equally inspiring

how's this for a sketchbook?!

and stall after stall of colour, texture and creativity...and sheer hard work!

a stop for lunch in the opulence of the Grand Theatre, where Husband of Patience sits with his newspaper and a cuppa when he's had enough! and the Man count was quite high this year...

lots to look at and absorb...and lots of tempting things to spend your pennies on!

got some beautiful yarn from this original stall run by a young lady at Lily and The Dub!

one of my favourit parts is seeing all the students work, full of imaginative use of their medium, in a contemporary way which is so fresh

I've always loved the K and S show, but even more now I go with Daughter Mine, who has a shared love of all things textile...and we have a really good family time together! She's just done some wonderful work for her Textiles GCSE mock...and I could easily see her artwork here!

thanks for all your kind comments and donations for Gwendoline, we hope soon to have a new donkey companion for Ned, who in the meantime is getting lots of extra ear tickling and carrot and apple treats...

for those who missed my last blog post, this is Gwendoline and we are raising money for The Donkey Sanctuary in her memory, click here if you would like to make a donation...thank you

have a quiet week...there's plenty of time before it's Christmas...honest!

Emmax

apres Woolfest...

so Woolfest is over for another year...and thanks to everyone who made it such a fab event...again! I had so many wonderful people visit my stall, friends and strangers, lovely feedback, lots of chat and made some good sales too...

 

so did you miss me?? I am sorry not to have been here for a while...somehow I just needed a breather as I put such a lot of energy into my stall ...but I was very pleased with how it looked ...a BIG thank you goes to husband of patience who painted everything white (and himself!) and to him and daughter mine for being the tech team setting up the stall...and she and I did the arty arranging, she always has such good ideas...

and I did get time out to look around too, daughter mine and I enjoy going round and shopping together...

here's a few of  my favourite stalls this year...I would so like to make a basket like this one...made by High Fibre...check out their website here

 

 

and every year I buy some lovely felt items from Jenny Pepper...they're irresistible! see more here
 

Lindsey Tyson is another feltmaker, with such beautiful felt creations... see her website here
 

and still more lovely things I spotted...beautiful knits by Jennie Atkinson...see more of her gorgeous patterns here

stunning hats and scarves made by Felt by Bridget...and still more here 
 

and of course some beautiful animals in amongst all the stalls...

and loads and loads of people, and such a bustling happy atmosphere...

and to sum it all up...




my next challenge is ArtFest North in Kendal 27th and 28th July... put it in your diary if you're nearby

have a great week...summer is here so it's icecreams all round and sitting in the garden...haha I'm off to work!

Emmax

travelling light...with added crochet...

a day trip to Glasgow...an early start... a train to catch...
and yes I took my making stuff with me for the train journey and afternoon...after all what else do you do whilst sitting far away from all housework and paperwork and domestic chores...

although the ride up was so beautiful I just wanted to look out of the window as we came up through the Southern Uplands...it was a magical wintery wonderland....





lunch from M&S (how I love their Simply Food shops!)...a bus and another bus...a ride through the bustling city streets on the top deck for extra thrills (yes I know should get out MORE!)...

 
 mm is that a shopping opportunity I spy...my favourite shop...
 




there's something rather attractive about the rhythm and pattern of windows tower blocks...





 can you tell it's Scotland??

 

and then an exiting afternoon of International Athletics with husband and daughter...altough I found it hard to concentrate on knitting with the runners and pole vaulters and long jumpers...and my favourites the Paralympic athletes who just make you so glad to have all your limbs and be able to see...and they are just incredible...beautiful young women who think nothing of long jumping with a metal spring for a leg...inspiring!



and the highlight of my day...apart from the amazing athletes who  were awesome of course...was a purchase of a much looked for magazine...new out from the team behind Mollie Makes and Simple Things (have you seen that gorgeous temptation?!)... 

Simply Crochet

does what it says on the tin...and refreshes the parts other crochet mags just don't reach...for me at least and I'm not telling you which parts those are!





 
despite the distractions I did manage my own personal best...I made a heart!

 not too bad for a first effort...more will follow as I am hooked!
 

this magazine is great...modern and up to the minute with ideas and patterns and inspiration...plus how to do it from basics...I would soo recommend it! and there's a special intro offer of 3 issues for £5 so no reason not to try it...

hope you're having a great weekend too! hoping I may have a little exiting news for you next week...watch this space...

Emmax