Crochet
42: Yarndale 2017! The answer to everything
Hello everyone. Its all over for another year, can you believe it? Yarndale 2017 was a fantastic, if tiring, experience and I have two videos to share with you – a sort of before and after…
The first, Episode 41, went out a few days before Yarndale but I just didn’t have time to complete the notes. You can view it here:
Since I got back I’ve succumbed to a bit of a post-Yarndale crash and caught the head cold that someone seems to have been spreading around at the weekend. So many of us have spent this week on the sofa sipping honey and lemon!
Fortunately I did feel OK on the Monday and Tuesday – still on an adrenaline high probably. I managed to record Episode 42 before I keeled over and hit the Lemsips and I’ve got back off the sofa and completed the edit:
The lovely Yarndale decorations
In the first bit of the podcast I go into a bit of background about Yarndale and show some of the beautiful crocheted and knitted decorations that help make it such a special event. Some of this is organised and installed by Lucy of Attic24, including the hearts, the mandalas, the bunting and wrapping up the lamposts in the park, something that I didn’t get to see this year.
Yarndale 2017 was so busy!
I knew it would be as I’ve attended as a visitor but it was still amazing to see so many people on my stand and to experience the other end of fan-girling! So many people came up to say they loved the podcast and what I got up to on my blog and instagram and it was so inspiring. I felt really uplifted and energised by it all. I will still feel that way once my immune system has grappled a bit longer with the post-Yarndale viruses!
I’m very grateful and indebted to Helen AKA Florahoneypot who supported me and my son on the stand. And so proud of Paul who stood side by side with me at the stand, did all the driving and even made tea! A son in a million 🙂
Yarndale was where I launched my range of luxury bases. Falkland merino with silk, sustainable merino with silk and some merino/cashmere/nylon sock yarn. All went really well but I also found that the Fabulous Four laceweight was very popular. I dyed my little socks off before the event but it was so worthwhile, not just because people bought my yarn, but because of the lovely comments too.
The stitch markers were also a hit and I arrived home on the Saturday night with the task of making more as we had sold out of so many. I must have taken about 600 in total to the show and I’ve literally got about 50 left.
I will be updating my Etsy shop with some of the luxury yarns and they should be loaded up and live by the time the podcast is finished and on YouTube.
The custard cream shawl
One of the lovely features on my stand was the Custard Cream shawl, made by my friend Helen, who is Florahoneypot on Instagram.
She used the Florahoneypot colourway that we dyed together and it just looked superb. Lisa Cook, of the Ravelry store Lisasattik, also visited and she very kindly offered my followers and customers at Yarndale 2017 a discount code.
CRAFTERNOONTREATS20 is valid until October 7th and will give you 20% off any of Lisa’s beautiful shawl patterns.
I dyed the Florahoneypot colourway in the Falkland merino and silk blend in the 4 ply weight and it completely sold out. I will be dyeing some more though, as I took 2 custom orders, and the rest will be heading for my Etsy shop. I’m getting a new delivery of luxury bases this next week so will be back to the dyepots soon.
My own little Yarndale haul
I didn’t get a lot of time to wander round Yarndale, so I didn’t spend much money! I did treat myself to this gorgeous basket. I’ve had my eye on these for some time, as they pop up at various yarn fairs and shows. I’m so happy with this and it looks just perfect full of luscious yarn.
I also bought these lovely buttons, perfect for a new cowl I have planned with my American targhee yarn gifted to me by Joanna of the Stitching the High Notes Podcast.
My other purchases were two books of patterns. The shawl book from Lisa at For the Love of Yarn and The Accessories Project book 1, by Kat and Joanne of The Crochet Project, whose stand was right next to mine. We didn’t get a lot of time to chat as we were all so busy meeting people but we did make some time to do a bit of chatting on the Sunday afternoon.
I also did well with a haul of beautiful little gifts from Helen (@florahoneypot), the Yarn Magpie, the lovely Alison and the cupcake from the lovely lady who did a cupcake selfie with me.
Yarndale 2018?
The competition to get into Yarndale as an exhbitor is fierce and having a stall at Yarndale 2017 doesn’t automatically mean that you are accepted for Yarndale 2018. But my experience was a good one and I really enjoyed it so I will be applying again definitely.
If I am lucky enough to be accepted, I will certainly pace myself better next year so that I am not working so hard right up to the start. I was pretty tired before we went into the weekend and although I loved it, I have suffered a bit this week. Totally my own fault but I will learn from it and start preparing earlier next time.
Thanks for watching and hopefully I will be back soon with some project progress to show. I think my crojo is coming back after the headcold, so I foresee a weekend quite rich in hooky time 🙂 xxx Kathryn
Music: Oliver Chester-Nolan. Commissioned and composed specially for the Crafternoon Treats Podcast by Oliver, a young and very talented musician and composer.
I’d love to receive your comments so please leave a comment here, or on my blog or check me out on Instagram or on Facebook or in the Ravelry group – search Crafternoon Treats in the groups tab on Ravelry.
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Thanks for watching, and I hope to see you this weekend! Kathryn xxxxx
Please tell Helen the custard cream shawl is lovely. Enjoyed looking at your items for sale and hearing all about Yarndale. Your son Paul is a special young man! Love the poncho and the colors. By the way, it looks lovely on you both!
Oops. Raverly name is mmoonchld
Wonderful podcast as usual. Enjoyed everything about it. I don’t have anything like Yarndale anywhere around me so it is all very interesting to me. You raised your son well to be so helpful and caring. Looking forward to the next podcast after a while.
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Hello Kathryn, love the podcast and hope you are feeling better. I’m glad you enjoyed Yarndale, I had planned to go and had bought tickets but couldn’t make it as I was still recovering from surgery on my right hand three days earlier. I would love to have met you and seen all your beautiful yarns at close hand, height wouldn’t have been an issue as I am also five foot two! I would love to receive the shawl book my Ravelry name is Ljh1250. Perhaps we will meet up sometime as I live not too far away from you near York. Best wishes and keep up the good work. Lynne x
So very happy for you, Kathryn, that Yarndale was such a great success, and a lot of fun! Loved seeing the podcasts about the weekend, and how wonderful was your stand! You must be sooo proud! And so sweet that your son was such a help, and that he enjoyed the event too–that is special! I would love to go to Yarndale… one day. Must add that to my Bucket List! 🙂 So lovely with prizes for this podcast too… Must say the Island Shawls book looks a treat with fine projects. Do please add me to the draw for that–and thank you! My Ravelry name is: PinkMagic.
Sorry you were under the weather. Sounds like you needed some Yarnsulin – a little something I invented to help deal with fiber overload. OK – so I only came up with the name, not the real thing, but even if I had, I doubt it could stand up to a Yarndale.