Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace

Huh - for some reason, this didn't post yesterday.  Oh well, enjoy it now instead!

On Saturday I was up ridiculously early.  So early in fact that there was mist over the lower part of Bath.  I crept out of the house and headed over to Ruthwhoisnotablogger's place.

The view on my walk

Pretty autumnal leaves

Her lovely husband gave us a lift down into town and we went to the bus station and caught a bus.  We then had a mini adventure on the tube (one wrong turn, some petulant phone navigation and a closed tube line later it was fine!) and arrived at the bottom of a hill leading to here.

About two thirds of the way up the hill

Nearly there!

Once inside Alexandra Palace we met up with my Mum and Ruth's Mother-in-law (both of whom are awesome!).  My mum needed a sit down and some lunch, so we left her to it and the three of us headed into the corridor leading to the main hall. 

Just inside the door I found this.

Apologies for the dire photography

 I promptly went a bit bonkers, and started gushing over it and about it.  Not because I was bowled over by it's amazingness, although I was, but because all the people you see on it?  That's MY family!  And the person who made it?  That's MY Gran! How cool is that?!  How many other people get to go and see work their Gran ha done displayed at the Knitting and Stitching Show?

Eventually I stopped babbling and we got into the hall.  Just like last year it was stupidly busy.  Luckily I am quite tall and looming so I don't get pushed that much.  Which meant I could slowly make my way along our intended route and collect the others as they eddied past in the crush!  After an hour or so of looking mum and I were in need of a sit down.  Luckily we had afternoon tea tickets so off we went!

The waiter who managed the queue was lovely and so kind!  Sadly, the food was not as good as last year, which was very disappointing. The sandwich selection wasn't as large or as nice, the scones were tiny and the cakes were a huge disappointment (in part caused by my dislike of walnut and carrot cake and coconut cake but even so).

This picture taken after we'd had a few sandwiches

Still, the tea was free flowing and it was lovely to sit down and listen to the piano being played as we ate.  After which, we headed back into the main hall, to make our purchases.

 Here's a picture from the only stall I managed to take photos of.  Sorry!  A lot of them had signs up requesting no photos, which made me sad, partly because they were beautiful and partly because isn't it sad that they have to do that to protect their work?

Still, this was a delightful stall of lace and pretty bits.  We were encouraged to take photos and I even got a discount, because I had cash so saved him struggling with the chip and pin machine.  Incidentally, that did seem to be a theme for the day, the chip and pin machines were almost universally unhappy!

I'm sure by this point you'd like to see what I acquired, so here it all is!

Look at all my shinies! Aren't they pretty?

I did take the opportunity to stock up on pretty embroidery threads.  The four on the right are silk (this photo sadly doesn't do the colours justice), the two on the left are rayon, the rainbow braid is much finer than the sea coloured one though and the three in the middle are also silk.  Again, the picture doesn't do the colours justice as they are all actually variegated.

 This looks like a very fun book.  It was actually part of a buy three for a reduced price deal, but I only wanted one.  Luckily, Angela wanted two, so we split and shared!

A dresden plate block ruler!  I know I could have made my own, but I'm lazy!  I am very much looking forward to making some dresden plates, I have an ambitious plan for a table runner and place mats.  At some point.  Probably.

 The faux fur has already been turned into a muff for my new larp character.  I wasn't planning on buying fur to do that, but it was perfect and it's so soft!

 

 Some brown stretch lace from Fine French Laces.  I want to make more fingerless gloves!

 

An extremely reasonable packet of floral trimmings also from Fine French Laces.  I can't wait to explore the contents properly, but I'm trying to be good and leave it alone until I finish my kit making!

And finally, more stretch lace!  I fell in love with the colour...

So there you go.  A lovely day out and lots of pretty things to add to the stash.  Now, I really must get back to Hattie's kit...