Knitting and Stitching Show 2013

A few days ago I made my first ever trip to The Knitting & Stitching Show in Alexandra Palace with Jenna from Sew Happy Geek. Before I went I wasn't sure if it was going to be worth the expense of a trip to London plus overnight stay but I am happy to report that it was.

There was a really good range of fabrics to suit all tastes and budgets plus lots of fab needlecraft stalls.  I had spent £20 within a couple minutes of walking in!  There was temptation everywhere!  I got to meet lots of my customers who I have never met before, it was a great chance to put faces to names.  I had a brief look at some of the displays which were stunning, but have to admit I got sidetracked by the huge number of fabric stands to browse!

Haul part 1

I planned to take pictures from my phone whilst in the show to upload to Instagram but there was no signal inside the halls and so many people I don't think the pictures would have worked well.  So instead I'm going to share pics of my fabric haul with you.

As you can see from the picture above I managed to get a copy of the new Love Patchwork and Quilting magazine.  Only had a quick flick through so far but it looks fab, I love the spool quit from Katy Jones. 

I also picked up the hot of the press new issue of Sewing World in the shops next Friday.  This is the November issue and includes my Crafting for Charity article.

Haul part 2

The second part of my haul appears to have a pretty seasonal theme (not planned), lots of Autumnal fabrics and a few Christmassy ones at the back.  The grey one back right has silver swirls on it, it reminded me of a snowstorm. I just love the tree prints at the front, I've never seen any fabrics like those before.

The last lot had an oriental theme, some lovely Shibori fabrics and a Sashiko kit.  Plus I got the most stunning Chinese dragon wall hanging.

The best thing was I was even under budget!  I spent so much time gossiping and catching up with people I haven't seen for ages I didn't have as much chance to shop as I would have liked.  I was there for 9 hours but it just flew by!

Oh I forgot to say I also met Stuart from The Great British Sewing Bee who was just as lovely in real life as he seems on screen.  He was wearing the most amazing Tula Pink shirt.

Image credit - Burda Style UK

So did any of your go?  What did you think and what did you buy?

Minerva Blogger Challenge

Minerva Crafts Blogger Challenge

We took a little break over the summer but now the Minerva blogger challenge is back!  

Minerva Crafts want to see what you creative bloggers can do with their products so every other month we will be posting details of a new product from their site.  If you would like to receive the product please tell us what you would do with it, and what other materials from their site you would need to go with it.   

We will select a few lucky bloggers to receive the goodies they chose in exchange for them blogging about what they make and allowing us & Minerva Crafts to share pictures of their creations on our sites or social media.

The product for this challenge is their new range of premium cotton prints.  You can choose any fabric from the range. 

 How do I join in?

If you have a great idea of how to use this month’s product comment send us an e-mail on challenge@thesewingdirectory.co.uk giving us:

·         A link to your blog.

·         Details of what you plan to make.

·         Tell us which fabric you want, and how many metres you need for your project.

·         Details of which country you are in if you are outside of the UK; this won’t exclude you but allows us to calculate the postage. 

Please get your entries in by midnight on the 15^th.  Don’t worry if you don’t get picked this time there will be plenty more chances to take part.  

FAQS

• Can I submit more than one idea?     Yes you can but please send each one separately.
• Can I use the supplies to make up a commercial pattern or project from a book or magazine?  Yes you can.
• Can I enter if I am outside of the UK?  Yes but please tell us what country you are in
• Can I enter if I’ve already been picked in the past?  Yes you can.
• What do I have to send you if I am chosen?  A link to your blog post & a couple pics of what you have made.
• When do I have to blog/send pics by?  Within 2 months of receiving the supplies.