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Original poster

Anyone going to the knitting expo at Ally Pally today?

43 replies

ILoveAFullFridge · 12/10/2013 10:14

I'm quite foolishly excited about this!

I can't quite believe that I'm making a 2h+ train journey with multiple changes to go to a show where I won't be able to afford spending gazillions of £££ on all the lovely luscious yarns and tools that I never knew I needed.

Anyone else going?

OP posts:
TheWoollybacksWife · 12/10/2013 11:21

I went last year and it was brilliant. I bought a bit of yarn and an advent calendar kit to sew. I was unusually restrained! There was also an MN meet up which was daunting but brilliant.

Have a great day.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 12/10/2013 11:30

Last year was great - and meeting up with you was great too, TheWoollybacksWife. I did find the halls got very crowded very quickly, and there was so much yarn, it was overwhelming - but in a good way!

TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission · 12/10/2013 12:23

I went thursday it was absolutely packed but really good. Although most of the lovely wools were still out of my budget price range I got some lovely fabric Hmm

duchesse · 12/10/2013 12:32

I live in Devon but can't bring myself to take train journey for 2.5 hours to go...

but still, Envy.

roguepixie · 12/10/2013 12:57

I was there on Thursday. It was great - I completely get the excited thing - i was too Smile.

I spent too much (as always at these things) but got some wonderful yarns...just need to sit down and knit them now ....

Enjoy your day.

whatdoesittake48 · 12/10/2013 19:31

aaargh - I didn't even know this was on...what kind of knitter am I?

TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission · 12/10/2013 21:17

don't worry whatdoes there's more later in the year Smile

Original poster
ILoveAFullFridge · 12/10/2013 21:26

OMG it was heaving!

So lovely to handle yarns I've only heard about before, like Malabrigo. And play with all those marvellous machines.

Luckily I'd allowed myself £60 in cash spending money and left the credit card at home, as otherwise the flatbed quilting machine might have got the better of me - only £9000.

Some of the work on display was utterly gorgeous.

Exhausted.

OP posts:
roguepixie · 13/10/2013 09:31

So glad you had a lovely time, it is exhausting though, isn't it?

Perhaps we should arrange a meet up at the next London one?

Original poster
ILoveAFullFridge · 13/10/2013 13:29

Oo yes, and everyone could bring something she's working on, and we could have a Stich 'N session when we stop for a cuppa.

OP posts:
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/10/2013 13:56

I would definitely make the trek down on the sleeper for a meet up like that, ILoveAFullFridge!

roguepixie · 13/10/2013 17:18

If anyone is interested in doing the next London one then PM me - I'll put together a little spread sheet of those who are interested.

Show is March 13-16th 2014 at Earls Court Olympia.

If you do PM me, please indicate what day/date you prefer - we'll go for the most popular day.

People can buy their own ticket and we can decide on time and place to meet. And we can all wear a knitted carnation Grin.

Original poster
ILoveAFullFridge · 13/10/2013 18:14

"And we can all wear a knitted carnation"

Or patchwork or embroidered - as long as it is in MN blue! Grin

OP posts:
TheFowlAndThePussycat · 13/10/2013 18:22

I was there on Sat, I went last year too and I have to say, I love it! There was a phenomenal frame-thingy for turning your own sewing machine into a long-arm quilting machine for a mere £700 that I seriously coveted. And I did a brilliant workshop and made two wash bags with zips in for the kids.

I got some quite good bargains too, big-ish liberty print scraps for pound a pop and yarn for a cardie for dd at half price.

Lots of very nice people too - although to my knowledge didn't meet any MNers!

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 13/10/2013 18:51

I can do either the 13th, 14th or 15th, but not the 16th (there's no sleeper down frae Glasgow on Saturday nights.

BigBoobiedBertha · 13/10/2013 19:02

I went Friday and yes it was v busy - didn't even get in the carpark this yr - we had to drive to Wood Green and get the shuttle bus. It does start emptying quite early I find. We left at 4 pm but it was a lot less busy by then. I think, if I could, I would go at lunchtime and stay until they kicked us out.

I saw the long arm frame and machine too although the one I saw was £1,620 ( on the Cotton Patch stand). I got to have a go too!

The man gave me a leaflet - yeah like I am going to get one but I suppose a girl can dream. Problem is, I could save up and buy the machine one day but the big costs would be buying a new house to find room for it!!Grin

This year was our fourth year and I love it too. There weren't so many quilt displays this year I thought but there were still plenty of quilt fabric retailers. I was actually quite restrained except for 20 balls of wool and so bits and bobs.

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 13/10/2013 19:12

I know! I had a go too, it was so cool - I'm no good at machine quilting except in straight lines and too impatient to hand quilt so it would be just fantastic. in my dreams

BigBoobiedBertha · 13/10/2013 19:24

I' m crap at machine quilting on my machine at home but I reckon I could get quite good on one of those machines. If only....... Sigh

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 13/10/2013 20:09

I wanted to go this year and promptly forgot about it until I saw your thread yesterdayConfused It's my dses birthday tommorrow so things have been a bit busy, but I'm gutted to have missed it.

I would definitely be up for a meet up next March, I could do any day except the 16th. I'll have to get savingGrin

Original poster
ILoveAFullFridge · 13/10/2013 23:19

I figure that if I sell a child I could not only put the proceeds towards a quilting machine, but also free up the space for it. Sorted!

There was another, smaller machine which looked like an over-sized ordinary sewing machine positioned with the main body of the machine furthest away from you. That one was less than £2K. If I'm going to make space for the bigger machine, I might as well get the smaller one, too. Or would that perhaps be a bit extravagant?

OP posts:
TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission · 14/10/2013 16:00

now why didn't I think of selling a child Grin I think go for both ILove, it would be wasteful not to take advantage of the extra space!

pmed you rogue Smile

BigBoobiedBertha · 14/10/2013 17:31

Sell a child! Inspired!

There really is a solution to most problems if you look hard enough, isn't there. Grin

roguepixie · 16/10/2013 10:27

By the way, not sure if this is necessary as we all talk on here but is anyone interested in starting a MN Yarn Club on Ravelry? Their criteria states that 3 people need to join in order for it to be a 'go'. Am happy to have a go at setting it up if there is enough interest.

Also, will get back to you all re: Olympia.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 16/10/2013 12:23

Or maybe a FB page? To be honest, I go on FB more often than I go on Ravelry.

roguepixie · 16/10/2013 12:30

Can't do FB!! Don't understand it at all.