Stylecraft Blogstars blogging all over the world (and I like it!)

I teased you at the weekend with a photo of the Stylecraft Blogstars, and as promised, I'm back to tell you more about a really fabulous day. This was the second time that we had been invited up to the Stylecraft HQ at Slaithwaite in Yorkshire, and we had a delightful weekend filled with knitting, crochet, lots of yarn and chat. Some of the Blogstars went to the Knitting and Crochet Guild on Friday afternoon and it looked fascinating. I wasn't able to go as I had to work, but if you want to get a flavour of what they saw, take a look at Kathryn's blog post. I arrived in time for dinner, and it was a very relaxed affair where it was quite normal to bring your your knitting or crochet to the table! Here we all are at the start of the meal - the wine was flowing nicely! From the left, Kathryn of Crafternoon Treats, Juliet Bernard, Jane Crowfoot, Lucia from Lucia's Fig Tree, Annabelle Hill, me, Phil from The Twisted Yarn, Sandra from Cherry Heart and Sarah from Annaboo's House. 

Thanks to Phil for the photo.

The following morning, we met up at the mill. It was really good to see everyone. Not only that, but we were also able to 'meet', thanks to the wonders of technology, two of the Blogstars team who live in the Southern Hemisphere and joined us via Skype. Here are Angela and Zelna getting comfortable in their front row seats for the presentation! 

And here they are greeting us! 

Thanks to Sophie for the photo.

We were introduced to lots of new yarns and colours that will be released over the coming weeks and months. I'd like to tell you all about them, but my lips are sealed for now! We also got to see and feel some of the garments that have been designed using these new yarns, which was a real treat. One of my favourites, which is already in the shops, is an aran weight yarn called Jeanie. Think about your go-to, most comfy denim jeans and you have it! The yarn comes in four shades and the colours were created from actual pairs of jeans, so are absolutely spot on! I fell in love with a gorgeous blanket - all cables and stripes. I reckon Flo might like it too! I have some to play around with at home...

 

We also had a session about social media; I clearly have so much to learn here and am about to dip my toes into the big pond called Facebook! Once I have a 'josiekitten' page set up, I'll post a link so you can mosey on over and hopefully 'like' it!  

There was yarn a-plenty in bowls all the way down the table for us to pick up and fondle, ooh and aah over and start playing with, not to mention a goody bag, filled to bursting with the new yarns to take home. You are in for a real treat this spring, let me tell you! 

A couple of the Blogstars - Heather and Lucia - brought along some of their stunning blankets which were very much admired. Thanks to Sophie for the following photos...

We all loved the mix of yarns that Lucia put together for this blanket; I think she was lucky to get it back to take home with her!! Lucy, Jane and Sarah are getting a closer look here.

After a yummy lunch and some exceedingly squishy chocolate and cherry cake,  (I think it was ok as part of my '5-a-day') Sophie showed us how to do Tunisian crochet. Although I can crochet, I've not progressed much beyond basic Granny squares, so I wasn't sure how easy I was going to find it. But actually, it was ok - a weird mix of crochet and knitting. I used a cotton yarn and the fabric I produced was quite dense - perfect for washcloths. There was a real air of concentration in the room as we got the grips with the technique! 

Here's my efforts from the session...

Blogging is a pretty solitary activity and although you 'know' people through their blogs, it was such a treat to be able to get together with such friendly, creative people and talk about what we love best - yarn! I feel incredibly lucky to have been asked to be part of the group. To be able to sit and chat with people who are as enthusiastic as you about their craft is pretty special. Thank you so much to Annabelle, Juliet, Sophie and Charlotte for giving us such a brilliant and inspiring weekend. I drove back to Norfolk with my head whirring with possibilities and can't wait for our next meet up in July! xxx