a fibre-filled fortnight (part two)

Before the Skip North weekend I spent a marvellous (and exhausting) weekend at Textiles in Focus, a fascinating event held just outside Cambridge. It is a magnet for local fibre enthusiasts and attracts many people from further afield. To my great shame, I've not been along in previous years but now that I know what I've missed... This event has it all: lectures, workshops, demonstrations and supplies galore. (Momentary detour here: is it just me, or does the word "galore" make other people laugh too? Strikes me as one of that category of words usually only found in newspaper headlines: "galore!" "bonanza!" and so on...) Meanwhile, back at Textiles in Focus...I got (willingly) roped in by Liz to teach a workshop on knitting in every direction (log cabin squares, short rows--see hat crown on left--, i-cord) which was huge fun and we also shared a sales stall selling things we'd knitted. Liz added some striking hand-dyed yarns. Remember R2 "paper" yarn (nylon, actually) in strange, almost grubby, shades? Liz transformed it into works of art that were eagerly snapped up by knitters and embroiderers. Perhaps the very best thing about the event, though, is that our stall was placed right next to Woolly Workshop. Oh, the joys of temptation. And the pleasures of giving in. I'm now the proud owner of a set of Denise needles which are a joy to knit with. (Mind you, having seen the pretty colours of Alison's set of Boye interchangeables at Skip North I reckon I may suddenly find that I need 2 sets of intercahgeable needles. Odd that).