Stitching and Knitting Show*, Harrogate

I seem to have visited lots of shows this year and I had been looking forward to going to Harrogate with some of the ladies from the Liverpool Sewing Club, but last minute changes of plans meant I could no longer make that date. Just when it looked as though I was going to miss the show, I spotted a coach trip in the local paper for a day I could make and then in a further moment of serendipity, I won a ticket for the show from Pin It and Stitch.

So on a sunny Saturday morning I was sat on coach, stitching a few EPP hexies and on my way to Harrogate.  We arrived about lunchtime and had four hours before the coach left, so it was straight into the show.  After stopping off at the Pin It and Stitch stand to say thank you for the ticket (and being tempted by some skinny quarters), I started to look round the rest of the stands. Last year I visited on the Sunday and so I was expecting the Saturday to be a lot busier but I didn’t find that to be the case.  Generally I have thought the shows to be quieter this year than last year and at this year’s Harrogate show there were also some stands that were notable by their absence. One improvement (or perhaps it was just better sign posted) for this year’s show was the extra seating and “picnic area” in Hall F – very welcome when it came to finding somewhere to eat lunch.

I had a shopping list with me, but seeing as my list always includes “bargains” it is quite easy to claim that I stuck to it. As well as the skinny quarters from Pin It and Stitch, my purchases included a Kona Charm pack and some Wickerweave from Simply Solids, a couple of bargain bag frames from Bag-Clasps, some Egyptian cotton sheeting from Empress Mills (which I want to try pairing with Liberty lawn), a ¼” clear foot with guide for my machine, a pair of teeny scissors for my travelling EPP kit (I already have a pair, but am bound to lose them one day) and a vintage pattern from Judith Mansfield Books.

After all my sewing shopping, I had about an hour left to visit Harrogate’s shops and do a little bit of non-sewing shopping. 

Then it was back on to the coach (amidst all the chaos that is Harrogate's coach pick up zone) and home in time for tea. 

(*I hadn’t realised until I came to write this post that the show is actually called the Knitting and Stitching Show, but as I'm a stitcher not a knitter this could explain why I get it the wrong way round.)