Stitch and Creative Crafts exhibition

Yesterday I went with my friend Jennifer to the Stitch and Creative Crafts Exhibition at Manchester G Mex. I haven't been to one for years and I was so shocked how small it has become. Last time I went, admittedly it was quite a few years ago, it filled the whole hall and there was so many wool stalls I was spoiled for choice. This time as we went in it fitted in just over a quarter of the hall. If they had not had the stalls with card making stuff there would have been hardly any stalls left in there.

I counted either 4 or 5 stalls that had wool on them. Some of them I would have been tempted to buy from but as you know I cannot wear wool anywhere near my skin (apart from my feet). The Black Sheep were there with their usual pyramid pile of packs of wool.They may have been a fraction of the full retail price but still expensive to me. I am still not well so I suppose that also coloured my judgment of the whole show as I was rather lacking in patience. Jennifer was also disappointed as she had gone to buy some beads for her jewelry making and whereas last year there had been 3 stalls to choose from this year there was only one. I came away with 2 new crochet books, some rum and raisin fudge and a meat pie for my dinner.

I finished another hat from a Sirdar vintage pattern. I don't think I would have started it had I read the pattern before I started. Each row of has 2 ends to weave in as I could not strand up the sides of the knitting as the wool would have been on the wrong side for my next grey row. Notice the cigarette on the pattern cover?

I have included some photos from one of the books today. I will put the other babies crochet book on tomorrow. I must admit that with a title Crochet that Fits I would have expected more garments and nore pattern fitting techniques and less handbags, headbands etc. The book is Crochet that Fits by Mary Jane Hall and Amazon.co.uk have it for sale if you like it. I bought mine from the book stall SewGoodBooks.co.uk who had a stall at the exhibition. I will put photos from the crochet baby book on here tomorrow.

I am off for a nap as I still haven't managed to get much sleep again. I finished up sleeping in the reclining chair again last night. After today I have 2 more days worth of steroids to take then it will be back to the doctors on Monday if there is no improvement.I still have very little voice and am coughing for England. I have housework that should be done but I am absolutely knackered so I am going to try to snatch a nap until the coughing wakes me up again.

Superior crochet and more hats

I am not blowing my own trumpet with the title Superior Crochet. It is not a description of my crocheting talents but the title of a new booklet called Superior Crochet with designs by Doris Chan and Kristin Omdahl. There is a fantastic shawl on the front cover (click on my blog title to be taken to Doris Chan's blog site for a view) which I would dearly love to make to wear at my niece's wedding in April if my crocheting skills will allow.

Needless to say the pattern is available in the US but one of those that are so hard ,if not impossible, to order from the UK. I had asked my friend Vicky to be on the alert for a site that stocked it as my ordering from the US skills are practically zero and my brain freezes over at the mere thought of Paypal etc. I have only just mastered ordering online in the UK! Anyway, I digress as usual.I was thinking that I would never get the pattern in time to start it for the wedding when a fellow crocheter from Ravelry, whose husband is coming to the UK on a visit, has offered to get a copy for me in the US and post it to me from the UK when he arrives. I will, of course, be paying the cost plus postage. How kind is that.

I never cease to be amazed by the kindness of fellow crafters. We are a wonderful band that sticks together and helps each other whenever we can. I can't think of any other band of people who do so much for each other. I think there is something about the art of crochet and knitting (plus other crafts) that brings out the best in people. I know that Ambermoggie will support me in this one. I was amazed by all the support I received from my knitty community when I had my spinal operation. I had such a show of love and help that really helped me get through it all. Thanks to you all ladies (and gentlemen) you know who you are so I won't name you individually but I still thank you for your kind thoughts and gestures.

I managed to squeeze another hat out of the Rowam Little Big wool. I used the oddments left from the single coloured hats and made one with a 2 row colour change which I think looks quite nice. I then used the oddments left from my cream crochet hat to make one for me to match my bought scarf. I found that my crochet hat was a little on the short side and didn't cover my ears properly so today I added another row of crochet rib to the bottom.

I am hoping that my steroids will start to work soon. They may already have had some effect as although I did wake up coughing quite a few times last night I did manage to get some sleep which is a bonus. I am hoping to be well enough,snow permitting, to get to the Stitch and Creative crafts show at the G Mex tomorrow with my friend Jennifer. Unfortunately the show has the reputation of being less for the knit and crochet people and more for the card making and cross stitch brigade. I just hope that there will be enough to keep this crocheter/knitter happy.