'I-KNIT' ...... LONDON!

Hello again! Welcome back! I can't believe another weekend has flown by and a new week is getting ready to begin. It's been a busy and very enjoyable one for me. Hope you've had a good one too!

Friday evening was spent excitedly checking I had everything ready that I would need to take with me on Saturday morning. What did I need ......
- my small camera, to make sure I got lots of photos to show you
- some lunch, so we didn't waste too much browsing time
- my saved up 'yarn fund' ( £1 for every ball of yarn knitted this year!) + extra :D
- a small, simple project for the train journey (plain socks to show off a very pretty yarn)
- some yarn and needles for afternoon workshop with Woolly Wormhead
- train tickets, safely stored!
All done!

Saturday morning dawned and my great friend Josiekitten arrived bright and early. A last check on tickets and knitting and off we went. I love travelling by train and the two hour journey to London was gone in no time, as we chatted and caught up with each other's news. These are the socks I started for the journey.


It's the yarn I showed you last time. I love the colours, they look so pretty together. An important lesson was learnt and acted upon after my train journey a week or so ago, when I came home with less sock that I had gone with! NOT a very satisfactory situation, I'm sure you'll agree. This time though, progress was made; although I do find it very difficult to keep knitting whilst I chat and look out of the window and drink a rather large cardboard cup of coffee.

After a rather overpriced taxi ride, we finally arrived at Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster for the second day of the 'I-Knit Weekender 2009'. We spent the morning browsing up and down each aisle and trying very hard to be selective with our purchasing. That's extremely difficult, when at every turn there is so much deliciously scrumptious yarn to touch and fondle! It was an absolute knitter's heaven! Lots of the on-line shops had a stand and you could even try your hand at 'big knitting', using giant sized needles and thick strips of fabric. Here you are, our day ....


So much fabulous colour, so much delicious softness and so many new ideas for things to make or try.

In the afternoon we took part in Woolly Wormhead's hat design workshop, which was great fun. I don't quite have a hat to show you yet, but I feel Iknow a little bit more about how to begin designing my own! Hopefully I will be able to remember all I learnt and soon show you the finished product. It's to be a beret! I don't wear hats of any shape or form, but I'm sure I will find a welcoming head for it. Here's progress so far, after we had checked head measurements, calculated the stitches, worked out a pattern for the main body and written the first part of our pattern .......


I had gone with no real plan of what to buy, except maybe to find hand-dyed sock yarns that I hadn't tried before. After that, it was whatever begged to be brought home. Here's what I chose...

They are ... going across..... 1. DI4U 2.'Skein Queen' small balls 3.'Natural Dye Studio' DazzleHT sock 4.'Skein Queen' sock 5.'Artisan Yarns' sock - for dyeing 6.'Schoppelwolle's' Crazy Zauberball 7.'Natural Dye Studio' DazzleHT 8.'Malibrigo' lace 9.All my little purchases together! Scrummy!

Amongst yarns bought that I hadn't seen before, were delicious hand-dyed yarns by the 'Skein Queen' , Debbie Orr. Her colours are really beautiful. I had to buy one or two from one of my favourites too. 'The Natural Dye Studio' uses exclusively historical plant dyed to create totally scrumptious subtle colourways. One or two of the photos above show crotcheted items from their stand. I just adore their yarn! It knits up beautifully and washes well too. I also treated myself to some pretty Malibrigo laceweight, which I think will become an Aeolian beaded shawl. It's the beautiful yarn on the bottom row.

We met the contingent of Dutch Knitters and marvelled at some of their beautiful brioche colour work, whilst enjoying their delicious Stroopwafels and chocolates!


The day finished at 6pm and we made our way back to catch the 7pm train for home. It really was a fabulously relaxed and enjoyable day out with great company!! Can't wait for next year.

Today, by comparison, has been extrememly lazy and I still havent finished my planning for school, so I think I really out to say 'goodbye' and wish you all a happy week! See you next time!