The first of my two days at the Knitting & Stitching Show in Harrogate.
1. I get to chat to one of my favourite crafty people about tablet weaving, which has caught my recently. I took a single hour long workshop with her two years ago but she recognises me, and I tell her how much her methods, and her videos, have helped me: that workshop and her techniques turned me into a spinner. I’m glad I have an excuse to talk to her again and to thank her.
2. I take four workshops over the day – two using recycled sari silk (one machine sewing with it, one making kantha bag), one on needlelace and the final one on cordmaking with a lucet. The luceting is one of those things that is a bit tricky at first but then will become automatic once it clicks – I buy a nice wooden lucet to practise at home – and the needlelace blows my mind at the end – I hadn’t realise the whole thing would be removed from the pad and self-supporting.
2b. I tour the exhibitions at lunchtime. There is some amazing applique/art quilting and some interesting felt work (especially the map with neat squared-off buildings), but it’s Michelle De Silva’s graffiti-ed wall and Stella Harding’s basketry & weaving that really captures my attention. I stare at some of Stella’s willow swirls until they make me feel dizzy.
2c. The hummus at lunchtime is surprisingly enjoyable. Ditto the chocolate brownie.
3. We nearly have to abandon our evening plans but they snap back into focus at the last minute. We start to watch something but then end up just chatting instead. I love my friends.
3b. The night is clear and (despite the waning moon) dark. I can just about see some tiny little clusters and the constellations are strangely clearly defined.
Leave a Reply