craftravaganza!

Today it was the Bust Craftacular at York Hall, Bethnal Green and I was there with my good friend gingerknits (check out the great cartoon about knitting she has posted this week).

The weather was probably a little too warm to spend a lot of time in such a toasty hall, but that didn't put off the hoards queuing to get in when we arrived. It was sometimes too crowded to see what was on the stalls, so we decided to take refreshments in the form of iced tea in these wonderful cups - I want some in china, and the tablecloth to match! All very summery.

Ginger and I noticed that there were quite a few themes throughout the show, including moustaches, birds and perhaps strangely for East London at the moment, foxes! (although these seemed way friendlier than the Hackney ones!)

I loved these birdie buttons from Four and Plenty and couldn't resist them, although I was very jealous of the last flamingo which Ginger snapped up quick smart.

I also loved Brat and Suzie's cute rabbit vest or squirrel on a motorbike cropped tee (more animals!) but resisted temptation. (If they'd had it in a red or green or stripy, like some of their other prints I may have succumbed...)

We then of course had to go to Prick Your Finger as it was just around the corner and had a chat to the lovely owner Rachael, who was busy knitting the new sign for the shop! Ginger had not been before, so of course had to buy some lovely new yarn, which happened to be a J C Rennie yarn in the exact same colour I have at home...I think we are turning into the same person....

I loved the mini exhibit they have in the window promoting John Paul Flintoff's new book, Sew Your Own, a book about a man's quest to find the meaning of life through making his own stuff...or something.

I must now read the book and see what the hype is about, as I love some of the products he made on his journey. This dress is for Rosie, the favourite bear of Flintoff's daughter and his sewing is on a par with mine (which isn't a compliment) but I love the naivety of it and the pretty print and the fact you can tell it is hand made. Fortunately for my sewing skills, I have always admired the childlike finish is sewing and the reverse of sewn works, with all the colourful tangling of loose threads.

All in all, it was a lovely day out in very good company so I am glad we dragged our freckled skin out into the midday sun.