A taste of the Knitting & Stitching Show

I'm home! Had a fabulous break, tired from traveling, but refreshed - I needed it.
I'd normally talk about things in Chronological Order saving the best til last but this time I'll start with the highlight of my time away; the last day (not counting friends & family visits, of course!)

I've been waiting for months to get to the Knitting & Stitching Show at Ally Pally - I realized that I could just catch the first day of the show on the last day of my holiday & spurred on by the possibility of seeing the work of          Cas Holmes in real life, I made it happen.

 I asked permission of course for taking photos, introduced myself as a follower of her work, book & blog.

She was very busy along with her friend & collaborator Anne Kelly

but still made time for all the young students around - I include myself in that lot ;)

Being a follower of Cas' work I was quite amazed at how much I hadn't seen before,

 I mean I think every piece was new;  absolutely stunning & magical in real life!

 I took some pics of them on their cameras & just managed one on mine

 I desperately wanted to touch her work, very carefully of course, & on a technical aspect

 see how the work was hung - very tight to the top of the work, a thin quilting sleeve

 & hers are softer to the touch than I manage, I probably use too much pva or acrylic wax to attach & seal the work

 she was inviting people to join her in making little squares, above - I like a good square - then they'd get strung up & taken to each of her shows. I sat down & made one, didn't photograph it ;(  & I can honestly say that 10 minutes was the one serene & calming few moments of the day! It was desperately hot & airless.

 I got a pic of Anne by her 2 pieces of work before she left. While Cas was rearranging a sign just outside her stand, leaving me in charge.....ME! some of Anne's students came in & said 'look, it's Miss's work' Imagine having a 'Miss' like that to teach you at school!

Some more beautiful smaller pieces of work including books, oh so lovely.

I can't really do justice to the excitement I felt seeing this work in person & having a chance to talk to Cas; I'm sure I could have asked so many more questions but it can get quite overwhelming, from both sides, I imagine & I just enjoyed absorbing it all. Completely inspiring & so great to meet them both, thank you!  I'm so looking forward to the book coming out next year ;)

Well, again, the best first, not last. Tho certainly there was so much more amazing work there.

You first saw on walking in the Embroiderers guild North east Region work - above & below

 called 'Mining a gold seam' I hope you can read the names on the cards.

Then I decided to walk round half of the suppliers hall - I love the bottom right particularly

 I should have gone straight to the exhibition bit as it's exhausting in the crowds, Stef, above.

Oliver Twists, my fave bit top right (can't find a direct link)

Then look at this a nettle knitted short jacket! lovely. I asked everybody first could I take a pic & blog about them. 

 Oh, I'm inspired to put more flowers in my work by this wonderful piece by Jill Denton I'd honestly never seen her foxgloves before!

& fun & happy mixed media pieces by Sue Dove (I saw sue but can't be sure the google links are her, anybody knows, please tell me ;) ! - theirs was the first stand as you entered the exhibition bit.

 I met Frances Pickering, too busy looking to take a pic & Lynda Monk's work, above, demonstrating on Art van Go's stand.

 Jean Littlejohn & Jan Beaney very busy people being greatly encouraged to go off for their break by their tireless DH's, just caught them.

but I'd never seen the work of Judy Merchant, just wonderful

Can't resist a circle, can I? If you go to the show tomorrow, the last day, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I've more, but this is enough for one day, I think. Here I am, home to my very own pot of gold.......
ok so I was fiddling with the camera & missed the most amazing rainbow.....! darnit!