The Knitting and Stitching Show...

It was our day for the Knitting and Stitching Show at Ally Pally yesterday. Our main reason for going was to collect our certificate for winning the Editor's Choice Award in the inaugural Let's Knit magazine awards. Here we are collecting our award and looking well cheesy. We'll have it framed and it will sit alongside our Blankety-Blank chequebook and pen and our Alan Titchmarsh Show National Treasure 2007 Award!

We also did the rounds, dodging most of the non-knitting stalls and making a beeline for our favourites. There seemed to be less yarn than last year, or maybe it was just more spread around the three rooms? Still, we met up with a few friends and we ate some chocolate...

Knitting for the Wallace and Gromit Foundation's attempt at the World's Biggest Tea Cosy...

Elaine Jamieson and Mary MacGregor from the Shetland Islands. Mary's new book of Fair Isle knitting charts is due out in January...

Wyesue shows off the gorgeous Orenburg shawl at the Knitwitches stand. Just noticed how G gets himself hovering in the background of most photos!Big budget yarn mountain. (I was going to write 'wool mountain' but that might be stretching it a bit!)

Cheryl at Cherry Tree Hill displays her wares....

Hyperbolic Crochet in the main foyer...

...and some new bits being added.

We spent the best part of the day at the show, and our feet were killing us by the time we finished. It's so big that we didn't get to see everyone and fighting through the crowds can be just a little wearisome after a while. We got to say hello to some friends along the way and we stocked up on Cherry Tree Hill and Habu, otherwise our purchases were very modest. See above...three hanks of Knitwitches Baby Camel which Gerard bought to make a shawl for someone special, plus some rejuvenation cream, which is really what we need, not more yarn! And, of course, four bags of Linden Lady chocolates.

Here's the shuttle bus back to the station. Can you spot the odd one out?

Craig

Simply Shetland 4 at Tomales Bay

This book is gorgeous! Well worth the wait, we had an exciting package delivered today - in it, more Spindrift rom Jamieson's of Shetland and the new book Simply Shetland 4. Love it!

It's one of those books that really inspire you to knit something - I know I am the laziest knitter ever, but I look at the stuff in here and just think 'I'm going to make that'....mmm, we'll see. There's 21 patterns for men, women and childen, including my favourites...the Autumn Rose pullover by Eunny Jang, the amazing Tomales Bay skirt and the not-quite-decided-yet Passive polka dots by Carol Lapin. It's such a pleasure to see a great British yarn used by some great designers and shown of to great effect. G and I are having a well-earned break over Christmas and I think I've just seen where I want to go - Tomales Bay, California.

Yesterday we also got the new copy of Knitting magazine. I know there's a lot of consternation about the range of magazines for UK knitters, but this one, for me, is always the best. It's published by the Guild of Master Craftsmen (who have a great portfolio of craft books, and sponsor/organise National Knitting Week) and I find it so much more readable than the alternatives. It looks good, it's well laid out and the patterns are versatile and wearable. We're still a way from having a UK 'Knit.1' but Knitting is the best of the bunch in my view, but seems to be overlooked when anyone discusses the state of the UK knitting mags. We'll have to wait and see if the new Let's Knit, due out this week isa departure from the 'safe' route that most Uk mags go down. I'm not just saying this because the latest issue has an interview with Debbie in it, honest!

Last night, another IKL knitting club here at the shop. Great night, as always, I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. We have new stock in the fridge too - the delightful Kopparberg pear cider (4.5% - I think the strength of your alcohol is just as important as your neede size when you are knitting) which tastes like pear drops with an extra kick. Yummy. G is over at Ally Pally for the next few days setting up the WaterAid stand and laying out the knitted river. Go and say hello to him - and sign the cards to End Water Poverty... I stil haven't ever been, so might make it on Sunday...

Craig