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Arts and crafts

Discover knitting, crochet, scrapbooking and art and craft ideas on this forum.

Original poster

just spent the day at the knitting & stitching show at the nec

30 replies

lucykate · 13/09/2007 16:54

was excellent

bought fabric, buttons, met up with a couple of magazine editors and talked possible projects

met julie arkell - fab embroiderer/sculptor

flicked through most of the books i have on my amazon wish list and decided which i really do want

best of all - no kids for the day, i was all on my own

bliss!!!

OP posts:
SpookyMadMummy · 13/09/2007 18:08

Ohhh I wanted to go! My youngest DD had her first day at nursery today though! Maybe next year!!!

jeangenie · 13/09/2007 18:15

ooooh...my tickets for the london show have just come through, am very excited. won't have kids with me this year (like I did year before last - BIG mistake). I love Julie Arkell's stuff. What kind of things do you do lucykate? (you must be good if you talking magazine articles - REEEEESPECT!)

Original poster
lucykate · 13/09/2007 20:55

jg - the alexandra palace show is usually the better of the lot, and biggest. julie arkells stuff is amazing in the flesh, i talked to her, bought some postcards and asked her to sign the back of one for me , but i thought, hey why not, god knows when i'll get that chance again. the cheapest thing she was a brooch for £65, lovely but way out of my price range atm!

i freelance as a craft designer, started my own business earlier this year but i have a head start, i worked in industry designing cross stitch and craft kits for 11 years.

spooky - how was nursery for your dd?, don't forget there is one in harrogate at the end of november, is that closer to you than the nec?

OP posts:
grannyslippers · 13/09/2007 21:03

What a great day you must have had! I am nearest to the NEC but am going to Ally Pally this year as i have a promo ticket, a car load of us are going down on a jolly from the Midlands. It's my birthday treat.

I hope the NEC one takes off as a venue once it's been going a few more years.

Interesting about talking to editors as I have a couple of projects kicking around - is it worth taking details then?

So lucykate, you didn't buy any YARN?

Original poster
lucykate · 13/09/2007 21:20

no, no yarn

best thing to do re- magazines is get an email address from them and contact them that way, send images if possible, they love to see actual images.

OP posts:
rantinghousewife · 13/09/2007 21:23

Ohhh, sounds great, bet you felt some of the yarn tho'. I would have had a field day with the touching of the yarn.

Gingermonkey · 14/09/2007 11:39

Can we have a MN trip out next year? PLEASE!

rantinghousewife · 14/09/2007 12:36

That sounds like a good idea. I'd be up for that.

Original poster
lucykate · 14/09/2007 16:31

hey gm - have blogged all my purchases this morning, awful photography though, had to do it quick whilst ds was napping.

i'd be up for a group trip, its fun doing shows like that in a group.

OP posts:
Gingermonkey · 14/09/2007 17:05

LK, it's better than my photography - I just can't get my camera to work properly at the minute A group trip would be FAB! DH thinks I'm a complete saddo (he's probably right!). I got some gorgeous buttons today. I think I'll put a pic on my blog too tonight or tomorrow, because I am in love with them!

warthog · 14/09/2007 17:05

there are knitting shows???!?!?!?!

do you get good deals on needles and yarn? i need to replace all my crap bamboo needles with turbo addis... well 'need' is a relative term.

Original poster
lucykate · 14/09/2007 17:20

warthog, it is like 100 craft shops all under one roof , the last day is best for bargains as people sell stuff off at ridiculous prices. there was a lady there on a stand knitting with the biggest needles ever, about 1m in length

gm - julie arkell looks as mad as a hatter, lovely lady but so eccentric. i showed dh all my bits and bobs last night as he just went 'zzzzzzzzz yawn!', at least i fake interest in his bits and bobs

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Gingermonkey · 14/09/2007 17:32

LK, me too - I showed DH my lovely new buttons (and they are lovely, they are beautiful!) and he went, 'mmmm, great'. But yesterday when he came home with a new pair of jeans that looked like his old jeans but newer he was all excited like a lunatic. I'm going to the Harrogate one, I was going to go on the last day but that meant taking DH and DCs (so no fun) so I am going (with a friend if I can convince her....I'm keeping it a secret until nearer the time!) on the friday instead. I need to go to Harrogate to get some buttons anyway (the best button shop in the world is in Harrgate - Duttons, it's been there since Bible times almost, it's so old )

jeangenie · 14/09/2007 18:43

oh guys - can you post your blog addresses (unless they are private of course) - I love blogs with any reference to arts and crafts...

would deffo be on for group journey next year, am doing mini group one with a pal and her auntie and my sister this year(who is coming all the way from Ireland for the event - well, it seemed like a good excuse anyway!) - looking forward very much

i have the same experience with DH re purchases/creations...it is tedious isn't it

rantinghousewife · 14/09/2007 19:22

Well, haven't posted on it for a few weeks but, he's mine vintagekittykat.blogspot.com/, think I'll now run away and hide......
Can we have yours then?

tribpot · 14/09/2007 19:30

Ooh great - I'm going to this show when it comes to Harrogate. I've got a place on a fabbo Japanese embroidery workshop as well. Woot!

Original poster
lucykate · 14/09/2007 20:57

rhw, i've posted a comment on your blog, my blog can be linked to from that

rather not post address on here. shy

OP posts:
Gingermonkey · 14/09/2007 21:02

Mine's here (I warn you, it's very dull, lol!!!)

Gingermonkey · 14/09/2007 21:05

oooh, trib - I'm going on the friday to Harrogate. I'll be the one running round like a maniac over excited by the fabric and buttons (was there any ribbon there, LK? I am a sucker for ribbon and fancy trim! )
Seems like we'll be planning a craft geek trip next year, sounds fab!!!!

bettythebuilder · 14/09/2007 21:25
jeangenie · 14/09/2007 23:17

great blogs, you talented TALENTED laydees. I left a comment on lucykates and would have done so on the others except they didn't allow unless you had a google account or something...but I was there and I loved them. I will bookmark them all. Thanks for postin the addresses. I don't have one, YET. Don't really do enough craftiness to warrant one (my excuses are the kids and FT job) but winter is coming and a blog might just give me the push I need...

jeangenie · 14/09/2007 23:18

oh yes, belated happy anniversary ginger, that was a lovely post

Gingermonkey · 14/09/2007 23:42

blimey betty! Happy anniversary . Oh, btw - my friend thought the feed wheel was really cool!
Thank you Jeangenie. I can't figure out how to change it so anyone can post on there, I only realised today it didn't allow 'anonymous' posters, silly thing. LK is very talented and I am !!!!! (and I love hooty the owl)

bettythebuilder · 15/09/2007 00:34
rantinghousewife · 15/09/2007 22:06

Loving your blogs, ladies, hope you don't mind but, have bookmarked them all. (So I know what you're all doing)
Very inspirational, think I'm going to have to move my skanky backside off this pc and finish my UFO's!