Saturday, October 13, 2007

I came, I saw, I spent; I offer a prize...

Ally Pally again! Most of the summer was spent in job-limbo, so it's amazing to realise that it's autumn again... This was forcibly brought home to me as I left the village before it was properly light this morning...





I have no idea what I did to make it look as if there's ectoplasm in this picture, but it's quite creepy, anyway. I had to leave this early because the rail maintenance people are Fiddling with the Track every weekend till the end of the year, and Ally Pally became a train, a bus, a train, another train and another bus each way...


Undeterred, I got there just after 9:30 and found to my delight that they were letting people in to the box office and the Palm Court; don't think I've ever been there before the doors opened before! Talked to a nice lady from Toronto in the queue - she was here on business but had decided to come all four days... Did my usual with the catalogue and ringed the suppliers I wanted to see. There were an amazing number of yarn places again - I thought this was the best selection yet although I know opinions have differed...


I bumped into several people on the way round, including Debbie, who used to teach pottery at Chesterton, and who I seem to bump into every year without fail despite us both varying our days, and despite our living only a few miles apart the rest of the time and never meeting... Also Emily, from the KTog group, at the very first stand... And more expectedly, Gill, who had Cheryl Potter with her on the Cherry Tree Hill stand; and an extremely elegant haircut...

At the Relax and Knit area, Yvonne had just been given a birthday present by Sue - the most gorgeous velvet bag with a hinge closure...




I meant to go back and say hi-and-goodbye, but ran out of energy after about four hours and made my way home! Having been the other side of the counter, exhibiting with Fibrefusion or volunteering on Relax and Knit, for the last few years, I'd forgotten how tiring shopping (which I generally avoid like the plague these days, unless there's yarn involved) and chatting, and things, actually are when there are so few places to sit down and take stock!

So - the damage...


As ever, the first stall I saw was Colinette, next to the doors to the corridor; this skein of Jitterbug whined to come home with me, so I let it. The colour is Slate, and it's actually quite a lot greyer and less lilac than this - while being a lot more attractive than the colour on the Colinette site... I think I'm probably going to turn it into these which appeared on Mim's blog last night...

There were some other delightfully squooshy yarns around, too; this, for instance, from the extremely nice lady at Touch Yarns - I was looking for yarn for Anne at the time and this hopped into the bag with it... It's 100% merino 4-ply, and I think it's probably not robust enough for socks; I'm thinking about a scarf or small shawl in a simple lace pattern (there's 455 yards)...

I went by RKM Wools - I see Rosie has some Lang Mille Colori on her blog so they must have had some somewhere, but I didn't spot it (although I only saw two of their stalls and they had three last year); I did, however, pick up this for the princely sum of £2.50 a ball. Silver Thaw, this is (colour 13)...

Surprisingly, this is the only really purple thing I got this year. I did fondle quite a lot of purply things, though.. And had a lovely conversation with the ladies at Knit n Caboodle about knitters and their involvement with the colour purple. They tried to entice me to buy purple needles, but I have a very similar set from Jan... They were great, though. And have purple carrier bags...

I picked up this DK sock yarn for the next Baby Surprise Jacket (they were also doing the pattern); and these, which may be useful once I start commuting with my sock projects! I saw something similar on the Yarn Harlot's blog last year but I think that one was metal... as I may have to put my bag through an X-Ray on the way into work in the morning, these reinforced cardboard ones look like a better idea... Once I've got something on DPNs I'll try them out and take photos...

There were also needles. Pretty, pretty needles. Lantern Moon needles... Rosewood Lantern Moon needles... Ickle baby 2mm, 5" Lantern Moon needles... This isn't the first time I've bought needles from LM, just the first time I've bought them for me... It'a a ridiculous sum for five cocktail sticks, but they're delightful... And will live in the little bag when not in use - I learned my lesson with the tiny Brittany ones...

And roving! I see all this pretty spinning on people's blogs done with pre-dyed roving... Fyberspates had some lovely stuff...

And so did these people from Finland - yes; it really is that bright... If it's too eye-watering, I have large quantities of plain Jacob fleece and some dark brown fleece to tone it down; but I have a feeling I'll be using it as is. Any hints and tips from the spinners are welcome...

And now to the prize.

My first post was about Ally Pally two years ago, and the blog's birthday is on Friday. I know there are people who read this and don't comment, and I'd love to know who you are; so as encouragement, leave me a comment about anything at all between now and the end of Friday (midnight BST), and I'll pull a name out of the hat - the winner gets a 100g skein of hand-dyed sock yarn (base yarn is undyed Trekking) in a colour of her/his choosing, either custom-dyed or a colourway from the shop.

18 comments:

Katie K said...

Congrats from across the pond! I enjoy reading your blog, even quietly.

Anonymous said...

I'm still dithering about going to Harrogate - I suspect we don't get half as many nice yarn stalls as at Ally Pally and I really have got enough sock yarn to last me a year or so, but...... you may just have persuaded me to go
dawn

Anonymous said...

Pretty, pretty (although why didn't I think to ask you to get me fibre? Silly me! Sigh.)

Oh, and I can talk!!! (This feels very exciting - I can go to work tomorrow - YAY!!!!)

littlelixie said...

I don't count as a lurker but just wanted to say how much I love the colourway I bought from your shop the other week! Am going to mention the shop on the podcast that is due to appear later today...

Stitch 'n Dye said...

I have commented before I'm sure, but just wanted to say how great it was to see you again yesterday, thanks for the pictures of Yvonne and her bag. And also to say I totally agree re the variety of yarn etc available this year - I was very pleased with what was there. I also look forward to going to Harrogate in November for the WHOLE show! Will you be going along at any stage?

Barbara-Kay said...

How interesting that you've been off at Ally Pally, while my blogging friends on this side of the pond are off to Stitches in Baltimore, MD. The markets sound like the same kind of endurance test!

Glad you had such a lovely time.

Ambermoggie, a fragrant soul said...

doesn't seem 2 years since I started reading you Liz. Glad you had a good day and the colours are fabulous~:)

stash haus said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
stash haus said...

Delurking to say hello from across the pond. I enjoy reading about your knitting and non-knitting exploits. Great stuff from Ally Pally. Some day I'll get there.

ikkinlala said...

Happy blog birthday!

I just found your blog through the Lixie Knits It podcast (I think I may have visited before, but it's certainly been a while).

Spinningfishwife said...

I could eat that Fyberspates roving with a knife and fork.....

The other fibre is great too. And all the rest of your haul! I MUST get to Ally Pally next year!

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog page in the Hemlock Ring KAL.
Very nice blog page and I will return. Thank you,
janly12

Jantine said...

Happy Blog birthday! I too am a silent reader, this time from the Netherlands.

It sounds like you've had the best time shopping! I'll be in London for the SnB day and am looking forward to a similar experience.

I have your blog in my reader and enjoy it very much.

Jeri said...

I heard about your contest on Lixie's podcast. I am a knitter and a new spinner from Texas. I'd love to win!!
Not sure if blogger will give you a direct way to contact (sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't) so here's my blog:
soapquiltknit.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading your blog - so inventive and literate at the same time. Happy blog birthday and keep going with it.

E-J said...

"No comment", as Gainsbourg once said. Was good to see you today!

heather said...

I just discovered your blog after listening to the Lixie Knits It podcast. I love finding new knitting blogs and I'm definately going to be adding this one to my favorites links. Oh, and happy blog birthday!

BabyLongLegs said...

I love that Fyberspates roving.....!!!
I now have a roving addiction, as well as a wool one :)
Getting a spinning wheel next week and I am so excited!!! Its a reconditioned Louet S10 from Holland...
Glad you enjoyed AllyPally....are you going to the Stitch and Bitch Day in London?
Love
Sarah xXx