Yarndale 2014
It's not going to be too hard for you to guess what I've been up to this weekend is it?
Yep, I went and had a fun filled time at Yarndale!
My sister and I have been planning and looking forward to this trip for a while, along with plenty of others from the blogging and IG community, so we were pretty excited come Friday when it was time to get ready for the off. We did have a few last minute problems though, like suddenly finding out we had no hotel to stay at! I was beginning to fear it wasn't going to happen at all, but after some fraut telephone negotiations I managed to get a different hotel booked and the trip was saved. Phew!
I'm so glad it was, because despite the arduous 6 hour trip up the builders yard's that is the M1 at the moment, we made it to Yorkshire in one piece and it was fab.
There was a wonderful atmosphere about the place and you get right into the spirit of the event straight away with pretty crocheted Yarndale signs and yarn decorated trees. Then, once you are inside, you are greeted by the famous great swathes of bunting, which looks just amazing. If you walk through the bunting and onward into the main space you can turn around and look at the wall of mandalas decorating the walkway above too.
As you'll probably know, Yarndale is held at Skipton Aution Mart and although it would normally be a most bizarre location for an exhibition, for this wooly wonderland it works brilliantly. If you haven't been, let me see if I can give you a picture. Imagine a huge farm barn, warehouse sized, filled with rows and rows of metal animal pens, the kind that are usually filled with straw and contain pigs or sheep or some such. Now imagine that you removed the animals and the straw, cleaned the place nicely and then re-filled the animal pens with lovely stall-holders selling a myrid of yarn and yarny related delights. That's Yarndale!
In the center of it all is a enclosed area which I think is usually used as a auction area, but is repurposed for this weekend as the Knit and Knatter Lounge, resplendent with one completely wonderful crochet superstar, Lucy of Attic24 fame. I wandered in to see if I could catch a glimpse only to realise I was practically standing right next to her. My sister told me off for behaving like a ditsy fan-girl and I admit I was a bit excited! I must have been a little star struck because I didn't pluck up the courage to speak to Lucy, although I'm sort of kicking myself about it now, I let my shyness get the better of me.
Anyway, after we had seen everything, at least twice, we went back to our hotel, tired, hungry, spent out, but very happy. It was a good weekend.
LAST CHANCE...
Today is the last chance to buy the Granny's Christmas Tree Skirt pattern and get a 25% discount.
The offer is only available in September so hurry if you haven't got yours yet!
S x
♥
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I'm so jealous! I wish I could've gone this year but it just wasn't to be. Next year, definitely! It sounds like you had a brilliant time and your description of the market was spot on. Was it as insanely busy as it was last year? You should've said Hi to Lucy, she's completely and utterly lovely. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful time you and your siser had! It sounds like yarn heaven!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to say how much I'm enjoying your crochet corner and have recently mastered the art of the Foundationless Crochet Stitch!
I'm sure Lucy would've loved to have met you! Glad you had a good time with your sis. Looks like you have brought home lots of lovely goodies to play with! Such a lovely part of the world to visit for a weekend too, Sam xxxx
ReplyDeleteOoh look at the pretty stuff you've got! Glad to hear you had such a fun weekend with your sister :-) I'm savouring the pictures in the meanwhile, cursing my stupid back because of which I wasn't able to go. Ah well, I made a Deramores order to compensate ;-) xxxx
ReplyDeleteSounds like it was wonderful - I feel bad that you didn't speak with Lucy ((Attic24) - because I think you are as talented as she. In your first picture there are these colorful little balls and they look like they are attached to form a trivet - are they little wool balls? They caught my eye....
ReplyDeleteIt looks like such a fun event! Maybe one day I can get the plane from South Africa...
ReplyDeleteStel
OOO It looks divine. I would so love to go but it just works out way to expensive flying over from Ireland. Maybe next year. In the meantime to cheer myself up I've just downloaded your gorgeous Christmas Tree Skirt pattern. I've just ordered some ink for my printer and am dying to get the pattern printed and started!! I know I could follow on screen but I just love having a paper pattern. xx
ReplyDeleteI've been anxiously waiting to hear/see reports of Yarndale and yours is the first I've read! yay! What an amazing time everyone must have had! Thanks for the report!
ReplyDeleteYaaaaay Yarndale! I'm glad you seem to have had just as awesome a time as most other people did. Which stalls did you get your goodies from? I'm guessing that's Drops in the top right? xx
ReplyDeleteI was there last year, when a lot of the people I know weren't. and this year I missed it and in consequence missed many of my blogging chums. Like Gillian I'm looking forward to next year already!
ReplyDeleteOops, posted too soon ... I was going to ask about your plans for all that lovely yarn?
ReplyDeleteOh it looks so fun and nice. Once again regretting that I live in Denmark and not in the UK;)
ReplyDeleteI wanna second the question, what are your plans for the lovely things you bought?
I am so cross with you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was looking forward to meeting you so much, and looked out for you, but you never said hello?? :(
ReplyDeleteSandra, smacked wrists!!!!!!!!!! Next time please come right up to me and give me a hug, ok? Then we can chat about yarn and colour and crochet and be giddy!!!!!!
Lucexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Sandra! Glad you managed to go and had such a good time! It must have been very busy! Thanks for the lovely photos, nice to see the mandalas and bunting in place! And your 'loot' looks cool, I love the Yarndale bag (a great place to store your project whilst on the go!) Looking forward to see what you will make with your new purchases!!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely week!
Ingrid xx
http://myfunkycrochet.blogspot.be
So glad you had such a great time! I think that I would have been star struck by seeing Lucy as well! You obviously enjoyed it! xx
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you had a great time, I am definitely going to go next year. Lots of lovely yarn bought too, can't wait to see what you make.
ReplyDeleteLucky Duck!!! I always think the bunting on the rafters look like prayer flags fluttering in the wind somewhere in the Himalayas! Lovely haul and all those pom-poms, Can't wait to see what you're going to do with them. x
ReplyDeleteps Is that Jameson's Shetland in top right-hand corner of haul pic? Lovely colours.
ReplyDeleteI went to Yarndale on Sunday with my friend from Knit and Natter. We parked in Skipton and walked up through the park, past the yarn-bombing and bikes that Lucy had worked on with the local schools. It is a great day out and Coopers is a lovely café, their latte is gorgeous and all the food is fab.
ReplyDeleteSaw some interesting crochet clothing there ..... granny square trousers.....
We spoke to Lucy last year and she is exactly as you would expect her to be from her blog, really lovely, you totally should have spoken to her, you are kindred spirits!
Wow. That's just lovely. Sounds like my kind of place!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that you said you were shy about speaking to Lucy because I found your blog from her blog (she has you listed on her "Blogs she loves" list :) and judging from her response above, she wanted to meet you too!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos from Yarndale...I love seeing how wonderful the Crochet community is out there in England...here in upstate NY, I have yet to find a similar group of people in my age range that get excited over yarn. Someday I hope to make a vacation of it and visit Yarndale and that seemingly charming Skipton :}
Seeing all the lovely photos which are appearing, I'm so wishing I'd gone to Yarndale this year. I didn't think my purse could stand the strain though! I so remember what it was like trying to pluck up the courage to say hello to Lucy last year - I circled her area over and over before I eventually found the nerve - and she's so lovely! You must say hello to her next year. Julie of Home Jules. x
ReplyDeleteI will probably never get there as it is a bit of ways for me..lol! But thank you for sharing and I follow Lucy too so I knew about the mandala making all summer. I loved the tree hangings and those little felted wool ball coasters or mats. I may have to start decorating outside now!
ReplyDeleteI already bought my tree skirt but need to get the yarn now! Glad you got to go and have such a great time!
I appreciate your sharing your lovely photos from your weekend at Yarndale. I understand about being shy to introduce yourself to her. I don't really consider myself a shy person, but I am reserved when meeting someone for the first time!!! Both you and Lucy inspire so much creativity in others-- I, for one, am grateful to have found both of your blogs. (and I would be a bit "star-struck" myself if I were to meet you or Lucy!)
ReplyDeleteI've written my own Yarndale blog post (I went on the Saturday) but I'm loving reading everyone's and getting their perspective. It was amazing!
ReplyDeleteI bet it was amazing, and frankly I would have been star struck standing next to you!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
Ha ha, I know what you mean, there is some saving up involved for these things! I’m glad I’m not the only one who is a little bit shy about these things, I wish I had plucked up my courage enough too, I might have done exactly that, circled around and maybe worked up to it but I had my sister with me so I didn’t dally around too long - she though I was being enough of an idiot as it was! ;)
ReplyDeleteSandra x
Yarndale looks beautiful and so exciting! Ohh and thank you for the discounted pattern, I quickly bought a copy, hugs Wendy xx
ReplyDelete