Ally Pally 2014

When I discovered that I actually had this weekend free, I decided to book a place on a coach trip to Ally Pally. It's been 6 years since I last braved the crowds there. Travelling by coach is great. The pick up point is just a couple of minutes down the road and you get dropped off right at the event. No stress travelling on public transport clutching your purchases! 

There was a stunning pergola in the Palm Court entrance hall. A great number of knitters and crocheters contributed to the project and it looked amazing. I'm not sure if it's travelling around the country, but if it does come near you, it's definitely worth a view. I love the little slug, don't you?

The trouble with going to Ally Pally on Saturday is that it's going to be BUSY! There was gridlock in the aisles at various points in the day. You just have to go with the flow and shuffle your way around. I did get my ankles bashed a couple of times by people pushing their trolleys too! Those have definitely increased in number since my last visit! I decided that I would try and have some kind of system and walk up and down each aisle so as not to miss anything. As well as all the stands, there was some absolutely amazing textiles work on display. I only managed to take a few photos; here's a little flavour of what was on show......

Lucy from Attic24 was on the Stylecraft stand helping them to promote various packs of yarns to crochet her beautiful blankets. I had a bit of a 'fan' moment and snuck a photo of her. The yarn packs were flying off the shelves but I put my sensible head on and decided that I didn't need to buy one that instant!

Her crochet blankets are so, so lovely. The ripple ones are my particular favourites. This is the Coast colourway. I think the other one is either the Cosy or the Cottage colourway in a new blanket design. I shall keep my eyes on her blog for details.

I took a class mid way through the day on wet felt making. It was good to break the day up a little and sit down! I learnt loads in a very short space of time and will share it all with you once I have finished the project. Here's a sneak preview!

So what did I buy?! I set myself a budget and you will probably be astonished to hear that I came home well under budget!!

I bought 4 balls of alpaca yarn from Eden Cottage yarns. I have been a fan of Vicky's yarns for years and was delighted to see that she now has some commercially dyed ranges too. I bought some ribbon, a couple of fat quarters, a little sewing kit, a pattern, some silk throwers waste and a knitting kit. I came home very happy with my purchases and also pleased with my restraint!!

Walking back to the coach, the views across London were wonderful. I always find it exciting to see the skyline of our capital!

On the coach, my neighbour and I shared our experiences and purchases and agreed that it had been a grand day out! If you went to Ally Pally, I'd love to know what you thought of the event. xxx