Harrogate Knitting and Stitching

Well it's been a while since I updated. Been busy with a new niece - who is as beautiful as her brothers and sister. Also - just busy and often tired and couldn't face more time at the computer in the evenings to update. There - you have it - I couldn't be bothered...

But have decided to try again and what better start than a report on the great time the past few days at Knitting and Stitching at Harrogate - as a volunteer with the Relax and Knit gang.

I'd left it late to bok B&B - so ended up a bit outside Harrogate and was not impressed with the place - shall not be staying there again. Not the level of service one would expect - but hey the rest of the weekend made up for it.

Left home just before 06:00 on Thursday for the 07:35 out of Kings Cross - to Leeds. Off the train at Leeds and I bumped into Liz - from the blog Knitting on the Green (no I still cannot do links). We travelled along on the 'arrogate (well that is how the announcer announced our arrival) train together - a great start.

Then got stuck in. I liked the layout in smaller halls than the - everything crammed into one huge space - as at Ally Pally.Taught lots of finger knitting to school girls as well as more conventional knitting.

Met Kathleen, John, Anne for the first time. This is John - who knitted a couple of scarves during the weekend as well as taught lots of people - including showing me how to start my first shawl. Well it was early on Saturday and I was not 100% after two nights of not very sound sleep. John also is wearing a beautiful sweater he knitted himself - from gorgeous Wensleydale yarn - it's one of my favourite types of wool.








Also became reacquainted with Mavis and Janet - whom I'd previously met at Birmingham. We had heaps of fun and Mavis made some lovely gold and silver finger knitted bracelets which many of us proudly wore all weekend. It helped enormously with the inevitable 'but what is it for?' question re finger knitting.




I had lunch with a friend who I hadn't seen face to face for a long while - in fact since the last time I visited Harrogate - but for the old Madeira show - which must now be several years ago.

Friday I did my main shop and bought far too many things:)

A couple of books - Folk Shawls and Folk socks - as both garment types are increasingly of interest. A baby pattern book and yarn for some bootees / knitted shoes for the new baby.


Yarn - far too much - but only one or two balls - sock yarn for myself and for a swap in which I am participating, some swedish yarn for a simple garter stitch shawl and some fine stuff from Renaissance for sampling.














I finished several things at the show. Including a sock - after one of the volunteers kindly showed me how to finsh the toe, also my hat - it has been knitted for over a year - but I hadn't managed to get the velvet ribbon from Mulberry Silks that I knew would finish it off.

Also my fab scarf. Crocheted with Baby Alpaca in aubergine in the middle and crystal palace violet blue mohair and little flowers to finish it off.

Also my angora fingerless gloves - which I cannot at this moment lay my hands on to photograph. They are a violent purple - so you will just have to imagine...

I learnt how to knit an icord, and a new cast on and edge courtesy of Sarah Lawrence needing lessons from Yvonne (and which lessons I gatecrashed).