Alexandra Palace - Knitting & Stitching Show

[Flutterbye]

Anyone been in the past? Shall I make the effort and go? Is parking a pig?

Website

I'm into sewing, appliqué, felt, etc.

[LatteLady]

Definitely worth a visit... try to avoid Saturday, parking has always been OK and there are free buses up from the car parks. Food is fairly grim for lunch.

You will have a ball... and make a note of the number of the stands that you want to go back to as you will never find them again.

We are going on Friday (smile)

[greenlotus]

You might have to queue for a shuttle bus or to park your car but it's free parking and a nice walk through the park.

It is craft heaven,really inspiring, but is also a scrum of middle-to-retirement aged ladies with some textile students thrown in. Expect queues for loos and cups of tea .

Whatever you are into you will come back with kits/materials for totally unrelated things because it is all so tempting, I always seem to come back with an embroidery kit when I'm really there for the knitting. I also like the fact that half of it is an exhibition and also the workshops, it's a lot more than just the stalls.

[soccerwidow]

thanks for the thread flutterbye I was also thinking about going.

I have now arranged for my Mum to have the DC on Friday so that I can go! I am hoping that there are still spaces on the classes that I want to do as you can no longer pre-book online.

[neytiri]

i've been to the harrogate one many times, used to go every year with work (worked for coats crafts). it is good, normally very busy as it's an open to the public fair rather than a trade one. lots of stuff to buy (take cash, although most stands take cards too, cash just quicker), and take some sandwiches. ally pally is the best venue, it's usually a bigger show there. if i was going to go again (am now freelance) i would do ally pally rather than harrogate.

[size6feet]

Can anyone tell me which London Rail station gets me nearest to Alexandra Palace?(coming from Birmingham). Won't be using the underground either (shudders) will be travelling up top by bus. TIA.

[soccerwidow]

Ally pally travel info here

TFL website

[Silver1]

I am going tomorrow, with DS in tow. Hopefully wont be the only one taking a child.
I just really want to go and DH working until Sunday evening.

Are there lots of special offers on at the show?

Also does anyone know if Ottobre or any of the other magazines will have a stand there?

[size6feet]

Thanks soccerwidow. £24 return by coach, including admission is great but its for sunday only.
I thought I might go on friday as it may be quieter?

[size6feet]

Just rang the Organisers and their coach places from Brum are all sold out. They said they arranged coaches from here because no other company was offering them.

So am off to town to see about trains.
If anyone has knowledge of an easy route, could you please let me know. I hate travelling; always get lost.

[soccerwidow]

If you let me know what mainline station you are coming in to, I can help with an underground route.
However I am a west london girl so don't know that side of London but I can work out a route on an underground map (and know which stations to avoid when changing lines etc) It will be first my visit to the Ally Pally and I will be going by car.

Otherwise the TFL site has a route-planner section.

[size6feet]

Soccerwidow, thank you so much for your offer of help. I have 2 options:

By Coach arriving at London Victoria; Marble Arch and finally Finchley Road. From there, unknown ???

By Chiltern Train going to Marylebone in 2hrs. Ticket would cover bus and tube.

I dont know if I can use the Tube - all those stairs- I need to save my legs for walking around the exhibition.

Could I get a taxi from any of the above?
Which one is closest to Alexandra Palace?

I have used the site you linked to but cant get an idea of distance or direction.

[GeekyGirl]

I went one year and thought it was a bit of a rip off. £14 to get in!!! I'd rather spend that on wool.

[greenlotus]

If I were you I would do this:

Train Birmingham to London Euston.
If not the tube (easy change I guarantee) then No. 73 bus Euston to Kings Cross (it's literaly about half a mile/2 stops)
Kings Cross "First capital connect" to Alexandra Palace overground station
Courtesy coach AP station to the venue.

The changes are not so good from Marylebone or from the coach stops, you would have to make several changes to get to AP.

You could get a taxi but it tends to be crowded and there's only one road into the venue, you might as well wait for the courtesy bus and sit in the traffic queue for free as in a taxi with the meter running.

[soccerwidow]

what greenlotus said but...

If you are coming by coach though, you would have to walk from Victoria coach station to the train station and get the Victoria line to Kings X/St Pancras and then do what Greenlotus says.

Marylebone station is not that far from Kings Cross but the TFL website is CRAP and I couldnt work out if you could get a bus from one t' other. Marylebone Station is just off the Marylebone/Euston Road and Kings Cross is further up (but not a a walkable distance)

[doings]

Be prepared to spend, spend, spend. Not going this year - I haven't got the self-control and need to keep cash and stash down

[size6feet]

Hi, only just got on to MN.

Greenlotus - I see what you mean about taxi why pay when that bits free. Virgin train to Euston not an option. So either Chiltern train to Marylebone or Coach. I could get a taxi to Kings Cross and overland train to A.P. then courtesy bus to venue.

Soccerwidow - I could get off the coach at Marble Arch which looks a bit closer(on the tube map it does), then taxi to K.Cross.

Thank you both for your help.

[greenlotus]

Good point, treat yourself to a taxi because you'll be on your feet all day and it will be quicker too.

I am going on a private hire coach so hope the motorways are kind to us both.

[isabel51]

I'm going on Sunday - quietest day. Foods not great but there are plenty of different places although there is only one place you can book in advance which is the londsbrough Room. Its a fantastic show and i've been loads of times. Always good if you like that kind of thing.

[Heleninahandcart]

Alexandra Palace station is the closest and is an overland station. It is possible to walk (very uphill) to the entrance to Alexandra Palace - 7 minutes ish or take the courtesy bus.

Trains to Alexandra Palace station can be reached from Kings Cross Station or

Finsbury Park Station (connected to Victoria Line, Piccadilly Line tubes) or
Highbury and Islington Station (connected to Victoria Line, Northern Line tubes).

For the brave of heart, there is a also the W3 bus from Finsbury Park Station right up to the venue entrance. It is a double decker so you can sit in the front upstairs and pretend to drive. Not that I would do that of course, oh no .