NEC, Hobbycraft and Sewing for Pleasure

After breaking down on our way on Thursday, we finally got to the NEC on Friday!
The show was very good and i would say slightly larger than last year. It was better as they had incorparated the Sewing for Pleasure into the Hobbycraft. Alot of different things there this year - wood turning and a gardening section.

We met this lovely lady "Birdy Heywood" who makes fabulous jewellery and figures out of polymer clay. Very inspiring lady and she was very kind to give and and my friend a pendents that she made in while we were watching (about a hour!). I have just to polish it and ill put a photo up when iv finished it. "Thank you Birdy for your great tips and knowledge". This is the link to Birdy's website. http://littlehawksite.webs.com/index.htm

Silk paper and felt artwork has definitely become popular over the last 12 months and there was more being exhibited this year.


Another exhibitor was Kim Thittichai from nid-noi.com also www.kimthittichai.com
Kim is a textile artists. Working with heat tools such as soldering irons, heat guns and household irons can add texture and variety to textile work - whether it's hand embroidery, machine embroidery, quilting or felting. She also has written a book called Hot Textiles. One to definitely get!!

Oliver Twist was also there with there lovely silks, felts and threads. I did have a plastic moment in there!!

I'm was very impressed with my 4 month old baby boy, who was a very good boy throughout the whole day. He definitely liked the attention from the ladies!!

I'm off now to look through my goodies and start experimenting!

NEC Sewing for Pleasure Exhibition

Well iv just come back from the exhibition and had a good time, but i think iv spent to much though! I was also childless this time so i could get into the stalls without the buggie - whether this was a good thing or not is another matter!
So here's my diary of my time there -

Well I dropped daughter off at the grandparents and hear we go!


This is my empty handy pink trolley for all my goodies - It does tend to get a bit full! Yes, i am one of those people that catch your ankles. One lady said behind my back that they should be band....though i wasnt the one struggling with my bags!


Great no one around and i could have a really good look around before the droves of people come.

I had only been in there 15 min and made my first purchase at Knitting 4 Fun.
This is a fab knitting and yarn stall and i loved the hand dyed wool. A really friendly couple running it too. So i thought i would featurer them. There website is www.knitting4fun.com

Fantastic colours and the wool is quite fibrous too. Cant wait to have a play! Yes wool makes me happy!!!!


There was a fantastic display of a knitted house - and everything was knitted! My gran would of loved this stand, she would of looked at it for hours. Love the bizzy bee's round the tree.


Did you like come dancing on the telly? They had some of the dresses from the show there. I was amazed at the detail and work that had gone into them.


The new fashion for all mums, a dress made out of nappy bags! He-he!!

This was a stall dedicated to felting and had some lovely work on it. Flews - feltmakers lacemakers embroiders weavers spinners group!

I also bought a sewing machine while i was there as my last one died about a month ago. It'll be hear next week... cant wait to try it out!
This will be one of my projects that im going to atempt with it http://www.clothkits.co.uk/wp/?page_id=71&category=13&product_id=23
It's the orange one with the red flowers. Iv bought this for my little girl, she will look so cute in it. The pattern is already printed on the material and all you need on for the project is in the kit. Though iv never made a dress before.... it could be an interesting experience! The lady assured me i could do it and it was easy. I have back up - my mother in law, who's a wiz on the machine.

I couldn't go by the Oliver Twist stall and buy some of there silk waste, its great with the felting.

My last purchase was at Lily of the Valley. I love there die cuts, fairies, unicorns, dragons, cats, dogs, etc. http://liliofthevalley.co.uk/LILIOFTHEVALLEY.CO/SHOP_DRAGONS_AND_UNICORNS.html
http://liliofthevalley.co.uk/LILIOFTHEVALLEY.CO/SHOP_KITTIES_AND_DOGGIES.html


Well that's your lot and this was my trolley at the end. I must admit it wasn't as full as it has been in the past, but i do have a new sewing machine coming!! exciting.....

Well im off to show my mother in law my goodies and then its time for tea.