Oops.. I did it again (again)

I was pretty good really - only four purchases (apart from the soap, but that doesn't count, does it?) — I was pretty good really – only four purchases (apart from the soap, but that doesn’t count, does it?)

I have just got to stop going to Wool and knitting shows.

Last weekend, I was at the Waltham Abbey Wool Show.

The thing about events like this… many of the stall holders are real crafters. They spin their own wool and hand dye it – often with natural dyes, not commercial chemicals.

And they take such pride in what they do.

I think it’s important to keep these traditional crafts alive, and to support the people who work with such skill. Otherwise, the time will come when these crafts are lost to us.

My writer chum Jean Fullerton (who I totally blame for taking me somewhere I was bound to spend money) remembers and writes about the time when knitting was just what everyone did. A lot of people couldn’t afford shop bought clothes and jumpers – so they hand made them.

These days, hand-made often means expensive and shop bought is cheaper than buying the yarn and making it yourself. Hand made also seems to be associated with unfashionable and old. But that couldn’t be further from the truth…

The spinners are keeping an ancient craft alive - but there is nothing old fashioned about this fabulous dress made by one of them. — The spinners are keeping an ancient craft alive – but there is nothing old fashioned about this fabulous dress made by one of them.

And of course, it’s all about creativity. It’s like writing- but I’m using my fingers in a different way to make the thoughts in my head into something real. And like a book, everything I make is distinctively mine – good or bad – its something that only I have done and it says something about me.

bobbles — The wonderful pompoms were made in Chile. Now I need to figure out what to do with them. The lovely lady from the stall wore them as a necklace – which makes me think I shall knit them into a round neck sweater as a highlight. That could be fun.

The other thing about knitting is it relaxes me. That’s one of the reasons I had to Quinn, my heroine in The Wild One, does it too.

Unfortunately my phone camera had a meltdown at the show and I don’t have as many photos of the event as I would like… but I do have lovely yarn and handmade lanolin soap.

I also had a lovely afternoon chatting to people on the stalls. Do go and check out the fab Chilean yarns and hand spun pure English wool and the soft shiny silk yarns… and maybe you too will get the knitting bug.

I have a feeling this is the kind of Oops moment that is going to happen again. See you at the next one.