Craft Hobby & Stitch International

I've been off this week with hubby and Monday was the Craft Hobby & Stitch International trade show.  This time last year my wool stall was merely a twinkle in my eye and I attended the show as a special favour.  However this time round I was able to go as a bona fide retailer and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

These are a couple of handmade sweaters featured in the fashion show.  You would never have guessed that they had been hand knitted.  It's all down to the finishing off.
I also took a few snaps of a new product from Blossom Sugar Art.

Cupcakes decorated with marzipan flowers

Blossom Sugar Art Flowers

Wedding cake with flowers

This was an amazing little silicon press mould.  Firstly you roll and cut a flower shape with the cutter.  This is placed in the mould with a little circle for the centre on the other side.  The mould is then closed and when opened up there inside is a perfectly formed flower.  The demonstrator used marzipan but you can use ready made fondant icing.  There are six moulds to choose from including a butterfly.  I will definitely be ordering these.  I know they are a bit of a deviation from knitting but I think they might just be something a bit different for people who like crafting but not necessarily needlecraft.  You have to speculate to accumulate you know.  They retail at £9.99 for a bag with one mould, one cutter and the instructions or £14.95 for the mould, cutter, instructions and a pot of edible shimmer and a paint brush.  As you have guessed I love them.

Sewing Up

At the time it always seems like a good idea to keep knitting and to not worry too much about sewing up.
The only problem is that when you run out of knitting you have to sew the pieces together anyway.

I need to get all of this sorted so it is my mission for the next couple of days.  I also have to finish another hoodie and a pair of crocodile shoes.  Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.

Valentine Hearts

I hope your Valentines Day went well.  We didn't do anything really although we did have a Chinese takeaway.  Unfortunately it was pretty dreadful.
I did wear my new tights though.  They caused quite a stir.

I love fancy tights.  I used to wear all different colours when I was a teenager and I still do, only now they're fashionable.

Violin Lessons

Having had such a lovely time listening to the old time American music the other night I now want to add another string to my bow (did you see what I did there) and start to play the violin.  Goodness knows how I'm going to fit this in to my busy lifestyle but anything worth doing is worth doing don't you think.
Steve has already started researching instruments and teachers so by next week I should be able to buy the right one and organise some lessons.
The Knit and Natter group went well last night with eleven including me so we were up this week.  A couple of people from last weeks meeting were ill so they should be back next week.  The atmosphere felt different this week as we all settled down quicker and got on with our individual projects.  It was lovely to see everyone again and I got the opportunity to teach Holly to crochet.  It is very satisfying and makes you appreciate just what a difficult job teaching really is.  This is new ground for me as I have never taught crochet.  It makes me very happy to be able to pass on my skills to someone else.  Magic. (Sorry no photos today)

The 18th Festival of American Old Time Music and Dance

On Friday evening we ventured out in the freezing cold to attend the Festival of American Old Time Music and Dance. This is an annual event held Gainsborough.  There was a concert on Friday night where we saw lots of great groups all steeped in the Old Time Music history.

Christine Cooper, Barry Southern & Alan Wright

Moonshine Hollow

Riley Baugus

The first group were from England and the guy in the checked shirt had the most distinctive voice I have ever heard.  He was great.  Moonshine Hollow were from Holland and you could tell they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.  Finally Riley Baugus who was such a pleasant man worked on the film Cold Mountain with Nicole Kidman.  If you've ever seen it he sang the songs when the men were sat around the camp fire.
Steve went back the next day and attended a couple of the workshops.  That's where the musicians above take masterclasses in their chosen instruments.  Steve plays the Banjo, mandolin and guitar so there was plenty to keep him happy.  I would have liked to try the Flat Foot Clogging but had to go to work on my stall instead.
It's the second Knit and Natter group tomorrow night so I had better go and get prepared.  I haven't unpacked the car from yesterday yet.

Knit and Natter

At last I can proudly say that I have my own Knit and Natter group thanks to Catherine my lovely friend who has encouraged me all the way and gave 100% to ensure that everything went smoothly.
Last night was the first gathering and it was amazing.  Everyone seemed really pleased to be there.  The room was perfect and the atmosphere was exactly as I had hoped it would be.

Look at the concentration on their faces. There's Deborah holding up her knitting.  She had just learned the purl stitch and was very pleased with her handy work. 

It was lovely to be able to sit and make new friends whilst doing something creative.  There were ten of us which I think was incredible when you think that we had to endure thick fog and snow to get there.
Thank you to everyone who braved the weather to make this one of the most memourable nights of my life. 
I can't wait to do it again next week x