Thursday 19 November 2009

The Knitting and Stitching Show.

Have just returned from Harrogate - from the country's leading textile show which comes here once each year and brings with it the best textile art and the best stands to buy materials. As usual it was fantastic. Thousands (and yes, I mean thousands) of women (only saw about half a dozen very brave men) descend on Harrogate, many of them in organised bus loads.
It all went swimmingly - a bus from our nearest town, dropped us at the door and collected us there five hours later. Wonderful embroidery and textile art, marvellous stands of vibrant materials to buy. I took my camera but was too busy looking and buying to think of taking a photograph.
At lunch time my friend and I went out, crossed the road and had a lovely lunch in The Old Swan Hotel (chicken and caesar salad wraps since you ask). Any Agatha Christie fans amongst you will be interested to hear that that is the hotel to which Christie went when she disappeared off the radar for some days. There is a plaque in the foyer to tell you this.
Now I have unloaded and filed away all my goodies. My first plan now is to write all my poems (the ones I think are good enough) into a book I bought today. I shall decorate the cover before I do so - and then the book can be left to posterity (or put in Dominic's drawer). So watch out for "before" and "after" photos of the book.
TFE's Poteen Party is in full swing, over on his site. There is an opportunity to read his interview with Liz Gallagher - plus a conversation with his dog and a lot of celebrity guests, all pretty inebriated when I left.
Terrible floods over in the West - Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway - today we were lucky to miss it all - it was a warm, breezy, sunny day in Harrogate and here too - but the farmer drove up to Hawes (15 miles West of here) and there it was absolutely pouring down. I wonder how our bloggy friends in Wales and the West Country have fared. More rain is forecast for the weekend, so spare a thought for the poor people who's homes are flooded. Have a pleasant evening.

23 comments:

Titus said...

What a lovely sounding break Weaver, and yes, you certainly are in the right part of the country. Dumfries is shut, as are most of the roads round here! Should have been off to Stirling tonight but leaving it till the morning now. Work not so important sometimes.

The book sounds like a beautiful idea, and I look forward to seeing it.

Jeannette StG said...

Not a good thing those floods! That's a great idea Weaver! I have an ongoing journal for the process of my paintings and occasional poems.

Anonymous said...

I guess this was one of the ICHF shows, and Harrogate the perfect setting. Hope you enjoy writing in that journal - I cannot resist blank books and gradually fill them to overflowing. There's something about pen on paper that tapping on keys will never emulate. Hope the floods do not reach you; it's a massive low pressure system we are in at present.

Cloudia said...

I enjoyed this visit!



Aloha, Friend


Comfort Spiral

Heather said...

I would have loved to get to the K&S show in London but didn't have the energy to last all day at that time - may be next year. Glad you enjoyed the Harrogate show and will look forward to seeing your book cover. It has been very mild today down here in the Bristol area, with strong winds but no rain. Everywhere is pretty saturated so every dry day is a bonus.

Gigi Ann said...

Oh, it sounds like you had a wonderful day with your friend at the Knitting and Stitching Show.

And yes I remember reading about Christie disappearing for eleven days. I guess that is one of the mysteries she took to her grave with her. Agatha Christie: The Woman and Her Mysteries.

Totalfeckineejit said...

Never been to Harrogate, Weaver, but it it looksa really nice place from the pictures I've see.I really like the sound of that Chicken salad wrap too,I'm famished after all the drinking and dancing.Thanks for mentioning the party and joining in,your yellow miniskirt was the envy of all the girls. (Oh yes,I nearly forgot, maybe you should pop back as Dominic has been singing!You'll se him right at the bottom of the post.)
Great idea to put all your best poems into a special book.If I were you I'd think about possible publication too.Pip pip!

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Sounds like a great day, Weaver! Looking forward to seeing the book. Nexi would've loved the Harrogate show, pity she couldn't have come through the portal, although she'd have spent too much on materials!

Golden West said...

It's so inspiring to see new materials and what other people have been creating! What a treat to see so much great stuff under one roof. Looking forward to seeing your project unfold.

Jane Moxey said...

Sounds like a really lovely outing. I hope you came away inspired for starting something new! I have heard about these great British textile shows but haven't ever been. So hard to keep your pennies in your pocket with so many vendors hawking their lovely and tempting wares! I too shall look forward to seeing what you whip up.
Big rains here in the Pacific Northwest of the US, too -- rivers rising really high. Almost time for people who live in lower ground near water to get their sandbags out!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

How I would have loved to attend that show! Such wonderful treasures to be found, I'm sure.

I'm so sorry about the flooding. We have had more than our share of that type of weather the past two months...with two "100 yr" floods hitting the area in two months. I do feel so badly for the people who were flooded. Such a devastating thing.

Hildred said...

I am green, - absolutely green with envy. Glad you enjoyed the stitch and knit, - it must have been a real treat.

Caroline Gill said...

All is calm this morning here in South Wales. It is too cloudy to see Exmoor.

It was windy last night, but our main spot of 'weather' to date was last Friday and Saturday morning. We had a writers' day in Porthcawl, with folk coming from the Midlands and West Wales - and were pretty concerned.

However, this was nothing in comparison with the Cockermouth and Kelso regions. My heart out goes out to those who have been affected.

I look forward to seeing the poem book.

Dave King said...

Well, I wish I could have been the seventh man!

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

Glad you had an enjoyable day out. I always love the trade fairs even though they can be exhausting! We certainly got the rain yesterday, though no flooding thank goodness, but a friend who liver nearer to Berwick on Tweed has the river lapping in her garden this morning! After a dull, damp start, we have bright blue skies now.

Acornmoon said...

Glad to hear you had a grand day out and Harrogate is such a lovely place to visit. One day I will venture over to see one of those shows.

The weather has been very mild here and very sunny this morning, I suspect it is the lull before the storm.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks Titus - sorry about your weather.
Jeannette - I shall post pictures as soon as I have started it. I have not sewn for so long that my sewing machine is rather like a foreign country.
Wild Somerset Child - yes - the exhibition is so very professionally set up - it is a pleasure to walk round (and buy!)

The Weaver of Grass said...

Cloudia - thanks for the visit.
Heather - I was worried that I would not have enough energy - but as it turned out both my friend and I found it easy - she has severe RA but we paced ourselves and endured the day easily. I think the walk out to a quiet hotel for lunch was the key to the success of the day.
Gramma Ann - next time I go to Harrogate I shall take photographs of The Swan Hotel.

The Weaver of Grass said...

TFE - not sure I want to hear Dom singing - but shall pop over all the same.
Raph - spending too much was the order of the day I am afraid.
Golden West - I shall show you my book as it progresses.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Jane - sorry you are getting the stormy weather too. Wish you could join my at one of the textile shows.
Yes Pamela, I agree it must be so awful to experience flooding.
Hildred - sorry you couldn't be here to see the goodies.
Thanks Caroline - hope the weather is holding for you still.

The Weaver of Grass said...

No Dave - I don't think you would have liked it amongst all those chatty, bossy women - we are all pretty daunting when we get together.
Derrick - thanks - of course you will have been in the Exhibition Halls at Harrogate - they really are good aren't they?
Valerie - you should venture to one of the textile shows - you would not be disappointed.

Michala Gyetvai (Kayla coo) said...

Hi,
I'm so glad you had a great time at the show.
I wished I could have come to this one too.x

BT said...

Oh I would have just loved that show Weaver. I'm jealous. And the lunch!

What a great idea to put your poems into a book, I'm looking forward to seeing it.