Showing posts with label Ladyfest festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ladyfest festival. Show all posts

Saturday, 8 November 2008

I didn't go to Ladyfest



The title is not strictly true as we did go to Ladyfest. Jen and I got on the wrong bus so had a bit of a walk to find the Zion Centre. When we got there the lady on the door said £14 and we thought that was for both of us. It turns out that it was £14 each despite the flyer saying tickets from £5. Apparently that price was for the whole day from 12 pm until whenever and including the price of watching the bands. Jen and I had only gone down for the craft workshops and only wanted to spend a couple of hours there so we decided that it was far too much to pay just to go in for a couple of hours.

I felt rather embarrassed as I had told all the ladies from the Knitty Noras about the event. I am glad now that only Jen decided to come with me otherwise there would have been even more disappointed people. £14 would have meant that I couldn't have bought anything from the stalls. I only have so much money to spend on myself and I have been out rather a lot lately. Sylvia and Kath were thinking of going tomorrow but when Sylvia rang the Zion centre to enquire how much it is she was told it's £14 for tomorrow as well even though the venue closes at 5pm. They have decided not to go either. I will read flyers more carefully in future and be wary of passing any information on to other people without knowing the true situation. I felt bad enough getting Jen all excited about a craft fair and dragging her all the way from Bolton as it is.

We spent a happy hour having a chin wag in Piccadilly Gardens listening to a rather good street musician for free and eating our bargain sandwiches, crisps and a drink on offer for £3.50p from Sainsbury's. We went up to Abakhan on Oldham Street but I was very restrained and didn't buy anything. Jen bought some fleece to make some fabric mittens for Christmas presents.

We walked back to Victoria station and fought our way through droves of Mosher kids all around Urbis. I am so glad my son has grown up and doesn't walk about with his pants under his bum and all of next week's washing on display. The kids look like film extras from some very bad B horror movie. I am all for kids expressing themselves but red eyeshadow all around the eyesockets, green lipstick and black dyed spiky hair with a star tattoo on the shaven bit was all rather too much for me. How does his mother explain his looks to the neighbours? How do their trousers stay suspended in mid air without falling off their boney little backsides I do not know. Blu-Tack?

Not much progress on the aran and the socks. I told you that I slow down to a crawl with knitting. The aran curls up at the sides as I am knitting it so it looks rather long and skinny at the moment but I have measured it and it will block out to the right size. I am debating about the fronts though as they have the ribbing knitted along and I always think that makes the front hang down loose. I will either knit the ribbing along but on a smaller sized sock needle or leave the stitches at the bottom edge on a pin and knit the ribbing separately.

I didn't sleep at all last night so no doubt I will nod off in front of the TV tonight and so not much knitting will be done once again.

Thursday, 6 November 2008

Ladyfest in Manchester


Not much to report on the knitting front. I have done a few more rows on the aran and started my first pair of mens socks. I don't know why the wool looks so fluffy on the photo as it doesn't appear that way to me when I am knitting with it.

I am hoping to go to this craft festival this weekend. I am putting the details on here in case anyone is interested in it.

Overview:
A craft event including workshops, an exhibition and sale will be taking place on Saturday the 8th and Sunday 9th Novemberas part of Ladyfest Manchester. Workshops include hand spinning yarn, basketry, embroidery, felting, dressmaking, knitting and crochet. The exhibition has some exciting contemporary craft including handmade toys, knitted pumps and includes beautiful collages and paintings by artist Lisa Marsh. There will be a range of crafty items for sale, including hand spun yarns, knitted bags and colourful sewing machine covers.

This is an informal event and everyone is welcome. There will be a knit circle all day Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-5pm.Details:Kate Heppell from greeneyedmonsters.co.uk and

Craft Mafia will be doing a workshop on hand spinning yarn (8th 2pm-3pm). Kate will be selling and displaying her hand spun yarns. (8th and 9th).

Sculptor Louise Woodcock will be demonstrating simple basketry techniques with unconventional materials to make weird and wonderful shapes (8th 3pm-4pm). Louise will be displaying her work. (8th and 9th).

There will also be embroidery with Liz Kenny (8th 12pm-1pm), felting by Alison Cooper (9th 1pm-2pm) plus crochet, knitting (8th and 9th 12pm-5pm) and a dressmaking workshop (9th 2pm-3pm). There will be some equipment and materials to borrow but would be helpful to bring some along if possible.

Selina from Candypop (Afflecks) will be selling colourful hand made items such as bags and sewing machine covers, as well as displaying her hand embroidered Ladyfest fliers from around the globe. (9th)

Candy (Knit and Destroy) will be displaying her wonderful knitted pumps and selling knitted bags and scarves. (8th and 9th)There will also be handmade toys on display from Harriot (8th and 9th) and Claire Walls (Craft Mafia) will be selling and displaying her crafty wares. (8th and 9th)As part of LADYFEST MANCHESTER Festival

Weekend Tickets from £5 - www.wegottickets.com Zion Arts Centre, 335 Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5ZA. 0161 2261912http://www.zionarts.com/about/contact-us/how-to-get-here/www.ladyfestmanchester.com