Who's going to Alexandra Palace?

I'd love to have reason (excuse!) to go; can't go Friday: 50 flu jabs in the morning, usual Friday afternoon chaos later. Thursday would be great though. It'd be good to meet up if possible Love Christine

I hope that's 50 flu jabs to *give*, not to *get* :-).

When I know what dh's diary is like - and hence whether I'll need to arrange child care - I'll give you an email.

I'm hoping to go but probably will have to go on the Saturday - work is being very unpredictable at the moment so can't plan for time off during the week. If I end up with no work on Thursday I might decide to go anyway but possibly won't know until Thursday morning.

Ray.

Is there enough for a scarf? Maybe you could add a little commercial yarn to it to make one? So that you have an off centre stripe or something. Cheers...Cher

I'm thinking of the Saturday, but only if I can get there early before it gets too crowded. I went on the Saturday last year, and by lunchtime it was getting hard to move about. I don't like crowds!

Liz

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to get there this year, I've now got to work on Thursday, to cover sick leave, and won't finish work until lunchtime Saturday and it'll be too late to make it worth it with the travelling. Shame, perhaps I'll see you all next year Love Christine

Let's hope so, I'll book some time of work if we plan it far enough in advance!

Liz

" Christine in Kent, Garden of England" wrote

My trouble is that it coincides with the start of the flu jab season, when it's "all hands on deck!" That's why Thursday (my day off) or a Saturday when we've not got a flu jab onslaught are best. It's just unfortunate about having to work this Thursday. Love Christine

I've got my ticket, and the brochure, and I'll be going on Friday.

According to the brochure, Sunday is less crowded then Saturday.

(If you're interested in cross-stitch, I'd recommend looking at the Travellor's Tale stand. Their kits are based on Middle-Eastern textiles and are quite different from the standard cute pictures you can get.)

I hadn't realised it was open on Sunday! That is brilliant!

Thanks,

Liz

The plan for us on the Saturday would be to get there when it opens and leave when I can't cope with the crowds any longer! We have found in previous years that the other approach is to be there very first thing and then around lunchtime take a longish break, look at the gallery exhibits and then head back to the hall later on as it tends to thin out again as the coach parties leave.

Ray.

I've got two of their kits - one bought in a sale elsewhere and one bought direct from them. As you say they are different from the run of the mill. The first one I got is "Puding Belt Design Bookmark" from their Miao Chinese Collection. The patterns are fascinating but the problem with this one is its worked on black 18 count aida so I find I can't do too much at a time. The other I have is a needle case from their Bulgarian collection, which I haven't started.

BLACK 18 COUNT???? No wonder you only do a little at a time!

Katherine

Yes, my first kit from them was using black aida: it's a scissor case. I got that one from the Knitting and Stitching show in 2003. It took me long time to get it finished.

Then a local shop had a very small selection on sale, so I got a needle case, which I haven't started. It is on a cream background. Finally they were involved in the "Bucks Art Week", where various Buckinghamshire artists open up their studios, so I went to their house and got a kit for a bookmark. I haven't started that either!

The scissor case was from their Palestiniam collection as was the needlecase. The bookmark is from their Philipians collection.

(Memo to self: when I go on Friday, I'm not allowed to buy any cross-stitch kits.)

This is a *very* brief overview of the Knitting and Stitching Show: I went today, and my head is full of the things I saw. I might do a fuller review another day.

It wasn't too crowded, so I could get to most things, but there is a lot to see.

The Knit 2 Together exhibition was excellent. None of the pictures I've seen do it justice. One exhibit - "Domestic Interiors" - was really good. I also liked a knitted view from a window. Another good one is hard to describe: a knitted mask, that covers the whole head down to the shoulders, except is was more like sculpture then a mask.

Fushiginoroito was a number of pieces from Japanese textile artists. One had knitted items using video cassette tape, and either bubble wrap or the reels from video cassettes. Another had knitted lots of little sculptures that could stand up on their own.

There was a mix of different textiles at the show; some was yarn based, but there was also embroidery and patchwork too. There were some stunning quilts in the Poetry in Stitches exhibit. I think my favourite was based on the poem "Footsteps", but there were others I liked as well.

There were two different exhibiters who used giant needles: both had very different styles. One knitted fullsize rugs and throws using 60+ strands at the same time. The other knitted smaller rugs using fewer strands per stitch.

I didn't buy as much as I thought I might: I got some recycled sari yarn from the magknits stall. I bought some shetland wool from Jamiesons of Shetland: I thought it was a really nice orangy/browny tweedy colour, but it was half price because the colour had come out differently to their shade cards. (Jamieson and Smith, who Wooly likes, are a different set who spin Shetland yarn, but they weren't there.) The other yarn I bought was Limbo Color from Schieldler and Schell (probably spelt wrong): its a pure wool as well, and is selfstriping with some tweedy and some plain stripes. The stall holder there was really nice, and she has a website

I also saw the Knitting magazine stand: they had displays items from their last issue. The white 'fur' coat is stunning seen close to, and feels wonderful.

Wow, Penny! It sounds as though you had a wonderful time! Thanks for telling us about it.

Katherine

It sounds like a fascinating show and I'm envious of you, Penny.