Well, Bendigo. A trip and a half to get there, then shopping, then an even longer drive back (same distance, takes longer. Weird...).
Chantal and I started off from her place, with me happily in the passenger seat. I did take the Alphabet Blanket along, with a total of two rows knitted for the day, mostly because there was ginger tea to drink on the way. We made great time getting up there, even with the Malmsbury Bakery required stop, which ended up as take-away.
Thanks to Ravelry I got cheaper entry, and we were off! Shoppers away!
Shiloh 6ply wool silk blend. This feels like a cloud for an angel, and I really wish I was exaggerating. They've perfected the spinning, and their new 4ply is unbelievable. I almost want to start dyeing my own yarn because of it, but that way lies Sparta-like madness. Project: currently undecided. This may become "lookin'-at yarn".
Shiloh 8ply wool silk blend. Project: Hat for newborn Boitjie.
Shiloh Alpaca 4ply pack. How could I resist the colours? Both natural, both adorable. Project: Fair-isle hat for Boitjie. I'm thinking a row of alpacas might be cute.
The Button Lady is a vile temptress and I bought all of these as a shared project between Judith and I. Of them all I'm actually only keeping the purple knots and the ice blue ovals. Copious expense and well worth it.
Tofutsies Sock Yarn. My three favourite colours are green, white and violet ("Give Women Votes - see? That's why they're used!) and when I spotted this I snatched it up. Both balls. One for mum, one for me. Project: Herringbone Socks for mum, maybe some for me. Not too sure if I want to wear it or display it.
The Tofutsies were bought from Melissa at Stranded in Oz, who was one of the lovliest yarn junkies it has ever been my pleasure to meet. There were gift baggies for shoppers, which is how I ended up with an awesome backpack, a set of 2.25mm bamboo double points and a ball of adorable sample sock yarn (Melissa's dyeing). Project: Hat for Boitjie (yes I know that's three hats, but they're all little, okay?).
This is a skein I went back to buy from Stranded in Oz later, simply because I couldn't get it out of my mind. Look at the colours! There was a lot of time spent trying to work out if there was only the one skein (there can be only one!) so I gave in and bought it. Project: Lookin'-at yarn. No other reason for it. The colours stuck in my head, which is a sign for me.
Lastly, Virginia Farms. We wandered in, started looking, and there it was. The Felix Skein!!! I had to grab it, and yes, I really didn't hand it over and yes, the wrong price was given, but I did correct it and was told as it was the last day it was discounted. Bliss! Project: Felix's suggestion was a scarf "to discuss Satre in", no doubt while sipping espresso's in a cafe...*sigh*. If he thinks I'm knitting 2/20 silk into a scarf he is very much mistaken. For now, I have no idea what to use it for. I'm guessing lookin'-at yarn for the time being!
As for the show itself, I was vastly disappointed. It seemed a mish-mash of good and not so good. We didn't find the independent dyers and spinners until the end, and luckily Chantal managed to grab some sock yarn from Ms Gusset (the Strawberries and Cream looked fantastic - I'll have to grab some next time!) but they weren't even mentioned in the program guide. I spent way too long looking for the Flower Pavillion only to find it at 4:20pm when everyone was packing up.
While it was a great day out and I got some awesome one-offs next year I'll save the money, stay home and shop off the net.
2 comments:
The Silk Dream 4 ply not only looks like a dream it knits like one! I bought some Friday and have already finished the back and half a front...3 month size, so only small but oh so lovely. Looking just isn't enough though, TOUCHING is a necessity!!
I swear some knitters were going to need a cigarette afterwards, they way they were groping some yarns!!!
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