Purls of wisdom
Christine Perry extols yarn festivals
February is a bit of an odd month; not nearly as exciting as December or early January, but with no sign of spring on the way either. However, the yarn show season is starting and this is a great time of year to sit down and decide which events might be good to visit. With shows being held from the Shetland Islands to Cornwall in a variety of venues from conference halls to rural auction marts to community centres, there’s bound to be something that takes your fancy. The UK Handknitting website (www.ukhandknitting.com/ events) is a great place to start. It’s a mine of information about these events, which all have two main things in common: they’re places where you can mingle with like-minded people and where you can squish fabulous yarn.
EXPAND YOUR YARNY HORIZON
Why bother with a show when you can get all the yarn you need from your local yarn shop or by buying it online, you might ask? Well, there’s something about a yarn show that makes it quite a di erent experience. For a start, there will be far more yarn, accessories, fleece and fibre there than you would generally get in the average yarn shop, and so many exhibitors, some of whom you might only ever have read about in magazines or heard of in a podcast. It’s a great opportunity to expand your yarny horizons and perhaps even learn a few new things through the variety of workshops that are usually on o er as well.
MEETING FRIENDS
It’s hard for me to pick out my very favourite thing about yarn shows, but meeting people that I’ve only known online is definitely near the top of the list. No knit ‘n’ natter sessions close to you? No problem! An online group is the next best thing and to be able to meet other members of the group in real life is always a treat. It feels a bit like online dating sometimes: gone is the red flower and the copy of the Guardian newspaper under one arm – instead people wear badges, shawls, even tiny knitted socks to help recognise each other. The joy that you see when they come face to face with friends they’d known only virtually before is a wonderful thing.
SHOWING MAKES OFF
It’s also a good opportunity for me to return to exhibitors that I have previously bought yarn from and show them what I’ve made. At first, I felt a little self-conscious about doing this, but I so love seeing the handknitted socks that people show me that I soon realised I wouldn’t be alone and I’m not! My experience has been that the people who create the yarn love to see what it becomes as much as those of us who knit it. I’ve often bought yarns because I saw them become something, and being able to talk to the people who produce the yarns about potential projects is always very helpful.
WORTH THE EFFORT
Yarn show visiting does take a bit of planning, especially if you need to travel to get there or you’re not so keen on crowds – they are usually very well attended! – but my view is that the e ort that takes more than reaps its rewards. We all know how good yarn is for our well-being and a yarn show is therapy on a grand scale – even if your purse might not agree!
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