Tuesday 30 September 2014

Yyyyyyarndale!

This is most certainly going to be a big one and I just can't put it off any longer (I'm desperately still crocheting the cream sweater for dying tomorrow, it might be done, something has happened that's made my plan even more possible, I'll explain later). 

WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT?!!?!? I'm talking about YARNDALE! OH ME OH MY WHAT A DAY! I was determined to take more photos than last year when I had a phone that would hold a charge for about three hours and no longer. And I did. But it's still not enough! There's not enough photos in the world that can capture the pure JOY that is Yarndale!!!! Let me start from the beginning. Kinda. 

We set up a coach trip. We did the same thing last year and it was a huge stress but I knew I couldn't miss this year so stress it was. Only it was less stress because we didn't do the deposit scheme which probably was a bad thing for some but it meant that once it was paid it was paid and I knew who was coming on. I also kept very up to date (like by the minute) with who was coming whereas last year I made notes and updated at the end of the day. Only, you lot know what my note taking is like - it didn't work, it led to more stress. So that was a good thing even though it fell apart at the last hurdle... more about that in a mo. We had a slightly bigger coach than last year, 53 as opposed to 48 and we could have gone bigger but I'm an anxious businesser and I didn't want to book a big coach and not fill it and by the time I knew we could have filled it it was gone. I've been told about a VIP coach for next year, which is a distinct possibility but that takes 80 people - can I find 80 mad knitters!?!?!? I DON'T KNOW! And I also don't know how much it cost. Oh god. We'll see. Anyway. There's a 60 knitter coach too. Maybe that's more feasible. I don't know. And I don't have to worry about it until at least May. Ahhh. Anyway, we took a coach: 


This was actually on the way back. Look at those beautiful women! Clever and talented and a bit mental. Every single one. :) It was such a lovely combo of people and it was so great when people made friends and connections that I hadn't even thought of! Lots of people cancelled because of dogs and work and life which meant that lots of people that missed out at first got a chance to come on but it did mean that I got into a bit of a pickle when Helen and her Mum weren't on the list - it was okay in the end, I'd just not swapped Iris and Sarah over but my heart sank and I honestly thought I might cry. Too early for that sort of mistake. Ugh. Anyway. We got on the coach. I had a fag before we set off - sorry ladies - but after that I deffo needed one. We picked up lovely Krissy and Kate from Meadowhall and we were off! 

We had to divert through Bradford because apparently that is just the way to Skipton but we didn't have to go through the centre this time so it didn't take as long and I think we got in at about 11? It was all such a blur that I can't work it out. This time the team were much more organised, so we all had a sticker which meant that we could get out hand stamped without me being here. It was great! And then everybody else was off! I had to stay back and speak to the coach driver who had a slight anger management problem. By the time I got to the entrance most people were off and giggling. :)

Me and Vezza decided to stick together and that meant I had to do a few bits with her. Truly Hooked yarn was on the Samantha Grig stand so we spent a few lovely minutes having a rootle through that. 


Samantha was absolutely lovely. In fact everybody was lovely.

Then we had a date with a lot of talented dyers and their fave customers. The only one I can remember is Jodi from Pollyorange because she sat next to me, had ridiculously good hair and had a drink of my water. Everybody else - sorry! They were lovely ladies but I must admit me and Vezza were pleased to get going back into the hall.

It was a really weird experience because we just knew where to go and where not to go. Last year, I think I was overwhelmed by all of the pens. I'd go in and get chatting to a lady about weaving or a bloke about dying when actually I am there purely and solely about the wool. You can take your alpacas and shove 'em where the sun don't shine I'm after neon 4ply wool/wool blends. That's it. Ha. AND I FOUND IT!

BEHOLD!


Right at the top. Green, yellow, green, yellow, green, yellow. Nobody knows! Isn't it divine?! It's from the Easyknits stall (I bought some more yellow/green neon deliciousness last year that I still haven't done anything with). What happened was I saw this colour in a rainbow of beautiful yarn at the back of the till, I was looking a little lost and a little hopeful and the bloke (who everybody fancies btw) asked me if I was okay. I asked him where this colour was on his stall and it wasn't anywhere! It was specially dyed to make his stall look pretty and he simply grabbed it and let me have it even though he ruined his rainbow. I ADORE THIS SHOP AND I ADORE THIS MAN AND I ADORE THIS YARN! So much so that I feel sick. I've sorted out my pattern:

It's the Komet sock from Stephanie Van Der Linden but I'm going to make them into hand warmers. I'm going to start them tomorrow. Maybe. If I can find the right needles. I can't wait. But I'm still doing the cream thing and that needs finishing.

Anyway, once that was bought I was sure that I'd finished purchasing and the rest of the day was just going to be loving and touching and appreciating but as you can see from the pile above I bought quite a bit more. Once more?


The red stuff is a merino, cashmere and nylon sock and the colour does not show on there like it should. It's almost like old fashioned cough sweets which is like my favourite combo of colours ever. Apart from neon green and yellow. 


Oh god. I've just made myself hungry for cough sweets now. 

The rainbow stuff underneath that is a pure wool that's PROPER scratchy. I cannot wait to get that soaked in some hair conditioner, it's gonna soften up like a dream and everybody that passed it by because it wasn't merino or bfl or cashmere or angora is gonna regret their lack of foresight. I started a jumper in it on the bus and nearly finished but decided I didn't like it at the last minute. It's now going to be a hooded scarf but I can't quite work out how to do it, I'm considering like a hat with a scarf-y bit? Anyway, I can do that tomorrow because it's best on a biggish hook like a 6mm or 7mm even though it's aran and I've got to go to Lincoln Crown Court to be a witness which I was looking forward to when it was Nottingham Crown Court but now I'm being given a police escort there in the morning because I spent all of my money on Yarndale and nobody can tell me what time they're picking me up so I've just got to wake up early and hope that's early enough. And look presentable. Anyway, the biggish hooks mean that they're both plastic so I should be able to use those as I'm waiting to be called. I feel a bit sick. 


And more. Can you see right at the bottom left there's a yellow yarn? Well, that's exactly the same yarn as I bought when I was on holiday in Weston and I started a beautiful shawl but lost the ball. So I bought more. It's gorge. And I also bought this pattern: 


Which is Lush from Tin Can Knits from Baa Ram Ewe who deserve some love because they're the ones who put Amy Singer in touch with us. :) Lovely ladies. One day I will get to their shop!

And finally I bought this beaut: 


Which is a brooch from the Tudor stall (Vezza's got the details - I'll get them from her later). And then I lost it so I bought another (they were only £3 and I fell. in. love.) which leads me nicely onto the next competition prize; 


Seeing as I had two of them it seemed rude to keep them both to myself. :) The plan was to spend £20 on the competition - picking what I thought was the best of the show. I'll be honest, I'm not sure I got it - there was just. so. much. But I think you'll love what I do have. First, the yarn: 


It's Artemis 4ply from fivemoons. 75% superwash merino, 20% nylon and 5% stellina (SPARKLES!). It's the same thing I made my Fantasm shawl out of so I know it's a gorgeous base at with 100g/400m you've got well enough for a pair of socks, mitts, gloves, shawl, scarf, hat. Loads of stuff! I chose the colours because it was either that or something that looked like a macaw and I had to think about what would be more popular - mermaid colours are always popular. :)

Next is the cup: 


Which Versace is skillfully modelling. You could only get these on the day because the team at Yarndale were worried about how they would post - I'm not worried! I'll wrap it up good and proper and hope for the best and if not you can make a mosaic out of it. haha. We're crafty people ey! :)

Next are these beautiful buttons; 


From skybluepink-designs. I couldn't resist a little bit of rainbow. They're gorgeous, printed on wood and a proper soft, smooth finish. :) Dead good. 

And finally, the piece de resistance (is that how you spell that!??!!?):


Beautiful brooch/shawl pin from the Tudor stall which was literally my favourite stall of the entire day. I LOVED THEM! But I know no more about them.

Anyway, these things are all available in our current competition, so you know the rules by now (and if you don't then they're here), get tagging and retweeting! Only, I've had a slight stress over this, so bear with me. There are a LOT of entries. 1241 for the last one and counting. At 531 for the last one it took me just over an hour to process so.... I'm going to do this differently so I still have time to eat and sleep... I'm going to enter 1 to whatever the total comments per post come to in a random number generator and generate 20 numbers, then I'll copy the people and their taggees that correlate with that number to a spreadsheet - so 40 entries. I'm going to do that for each post relating to that prize for facebook and twitter. So that should give me 160 random entries and then I'll randomly generate a number from that. Does that sound fair? I don't mean to change the goal posts but I'm on my own and it's starting to drive me bonkers. Hahahaha.

Aaaaaaanyway, back to Yarndale. I've told you about the coach and what I bought so now for some random photos: 


The view as you drive up is actually stunning.


Me and Vezza only swept through here on our way to meet people and I didn't think I'd seen Lucy - I was just trying to get a photo of the mandalas and then when I looked through my photos there she was!!! But I didn't speak to her. I'd have been too shy. I saw Little Tin Bird there too and didn't speak to her either. Me?!? Shy!?!? I know... 


For some reason the alpacas weren't there, but some toys were. Can you see them?


The brass band played ALLLLLLLL day!


The police turned up. Seriously, it was like Harlem out there. ;)


MANDALAS!


Bunting. :)


This lady had knit print nail stickers! We met her as we were waiting to go in, she was wearing a beautiful shawl. Good woman. 


Easyknits. Can you see the green/yellow by Vezza's hand? That's what I got last year. Still divine. ahhhh. 

And that's it for my photos (and one or two of Vezza's) I've been inundated with photos from other travellers so I'm going to do a separate blog for them - not least because it's 10 to 8 and I told my mum I'd be back for 7. Haha. But we can prolong the joy over a few blogs can't we?!

Thanks to everybody that came on the coach - you were all great. Made my life as stress free as possible and with the amount of stress I put myself under, can you imagine if you'd have made it actually stressful? Haha. Next year?

Love Eleanor. xxxxx

1 comment:

  1. I love Lush! I've blogged about mine and you can also see it on Ravelry Isla111 it's a great pattern and the finished cardi is ace! Quite a few of us who took part in the Lush Pod KAL wore our Lush cardis to Yarndale and had a photograph taken.

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