The Knitting and Stitching Show 2014

Feeling Stitchy was very kindly invited along to The Knitting and Stitching Show this year at Alexandra Palace in London. The show was gigantic, with lots of shopping opportunities, as well as lots of craft workshops and lectures. I went along to a red work class to make a needle keeper.

I then hit the shopping opportunities big time. There was a real mix of stalls, quite a lot was for crafters perhaps a little more traditional than I am (but even then I found their stuff lovely, like these 3D needlework cottages from The Nutmeg Company, don't you just love the little post office?).

But there was also plenty of more modern stuff and it was great to see stuff actually made up from popular craft books and companies, such as from Louise Walker's Faux Taxidermy Knits (the two animal heads), Merchant and Mills (the dresses) and Sew Over It (not pictured but they do have a new London shop opening soon!).

There was also lots of fantastic suppliers, it was great to see companies I'd previously only known from the web in the flesh, such as The Eternal Maker (some great fat quarters) or to find companies that I hadn't heard of before but totally won me over with their products and their enthusiasm, such as Ernest Wright and Son, who make the most beautiful scissors that feel like you're cutting through butter (check out this short film about how they make their scissors).

There were also lots of gold work and bead work suppliers to, selling stuff that isn't always easy to find even with the aid of a Google search. This makes The Knitting and Stitching Show a great place to find new craft supplies long term, as most of the suppliers also have websites, so even if you go along to the show feeling a bit broke, you can easily come away with a long list of companies you can try in the future.

(Vineyard Silk from West End embroidery)

There were also lots of displays of work, from a fashion show from Coats, featuring among others knitwear from Rowan and fabrics designed by Zandra Rhodes for Freespirit.

As well as art work from individual artists, my favourite was work by Renate Keeping.

Renate Keeping

So, I had a fantastic day, time flew by, before I knew it I'd been there all morning and a good chunk of the afternoon. I will definitely be back next year. But it's not too late to go this year, as it's still on tomorrow (12th October) between 10am and 5pm.