Along with about 200 other Ravellers (or "Revellers" if you believe the sign at the Shamrock Hotel on Friday night) and many many other knitters, spinners, weavers and crocheters, I headed off to the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show last weekend. Long jealous of the Americans with their Rhinebeck, their Stitches East, Stitches West and so on, we have adopted Bendi as our own version.
And it was great. Tara (FiestyWench on Rav) did a huge amount of work organising the "Revelry Baa" on Friday night at the beautiful Shamrock Hotel, and the Brekky on Saturday morning, and the Ravelry shed at the show itself. Here she is looking a bit blurry (sorry about that Tara) - I think it's probably an accurate reflection of how she felt at that time!!
It was great to see so many knitters all together at once, and the weather played along, being a bit chilly and allowing us all to bring out the knitwear en masse.
And since I know this is what you are all dying to see, here's the stash enhancement:
The big white packet is gorgeous Silk Dream 4ply silk/merino from Shiloh Wool - this stuff is just SO SOFT it is unbelieveable. Only comes in cream, which is perfect for dyeing - I've got some Kool Aid that I'm going to give a whirl with this. Now as for the rest, from bottom left clockwise around, we have two skeins of Ixchel handspun camelbunny - so soft!; (almost hidden from view) Wired4Fibre bamboo sock yarn - a prize from the Brekky; a huge skein of Tarndwarncoort polwarth/silk 4ply in a gorgeous dove grey (I have decided this project will be called "Tom's Eyes" - those of you who have purchased from Tarndwarncoort will know what I mean!); charcoal merino/cashmere laceweight also from Ixchel; red Alpacky/Silk laceweight from Glenora; red alpacky 4ply from MoggyandMe/Yarncakes; orangey red sock yarn from Ms Gusset; handspun merino in Heart of Gold from Mayhem & Chaos (another prize from the brekky!); emerald green sock yarn from Ewe Give Me The Knits, and navy blue sock yarn also from EGMTK.
I know this photo is a bit dark, but don't fear, individidual photos will be uploaded to my stash on Ravelry soon!!
And some pictures from the sheds - first up is Ms Gusset's sock yarn
And the books. And buttons! Oh my the buttons! I think I went a little crazy at the Button Lady stall!
And some pictures from the sheds - first up is Ms Gusset's sock yarn Ewe Give Me The Knits yarn and fibre
Spinning wheels for a test drive (no, I did not buy one - I don't need another hobby thanks very much!!)
And all this was only one shed, there was plenty more - Lara Downs, Pear Tree, Waratah Fibres, Sarah Durrant, Glenora, Virginia Farm Woolworks and more. I know I've forgotten some. The best collection of Australian yarns anywhere. Well worth the visit!
Not just for the yarn of course, but particularly to meet other Ravellers and bloggers. It's always fascinating to meet people in person, to find the bonds you've formed over the internet have a basis in reality. That, for me, was one of the real beauties of Bendigo.
26 comments:
I'm sorry. did you say dyeing? Really? You? I thought you had vowed, or at the very least, declared, that you'd not do that! Well there you go. I will be very excited to see your efforts!
Oh, Tom's Eyes. How lovely will that be? Did you flirt with Farmer Tom? I didn't either, but I wish I had!
Next year, I'm so there.
it was great to meet you!
a very fun weekend :)
The meeting was the best! (closely followed by the waffles and the eating, the stash enhancement and the wine) but the meeting was the absolute tops (and I so agree about Tom's Eyes......
But did you have a Gillies Pie?
And did you see any of the sheeps and lambs? My brother-in-law runs Kedleston Park and he usually shows there (it being not too far away).
Nice haul by the way. Very nice! Hopefully next year we won't have the fear of giving swine flu to two elderly parents, and I'll be there for sure.
impressive haul! you did particularly well at the button stands, methinks
I've been waiting for your post on the Bendi Show. Your photos indicate great abundance - of yarn, of Ravellers, and of personal stash. From your purchases it seems there are significant additions from the yarns we get to see in NSW - interesting.
I just christened mine "Tanacour" stuff as 'Tom'....sigh. Are you sure about the brochure? Cause I'm thinking spouse and kids...
You also didn't mention the snot explosion or the cattle shed luggage collection area.
Twas fun though....you in for next year?
Sheer and utter torture looking at your lovely photographs!!! Sounds like a fabulous time!!!
I did enjoy the 'Wild Knitting'of tea cosies in Mittagong with Loani Prior, but wish I could have been everywhere at once! Perhaps next time :)
Thanks for sharing the fun. At least I can vicariously enjoy your stash and the bits and pieces.
What a fabulous haul - a gorgeous pile of scrumptiousness. And what a fun time!
oh you did well! im impressed. and yay youve joined the tom tom club (ha ha), i am making mine into a tom-pi shawl. sigh. im so there next year.
Looks like great fun and nice purchases of course!
As always, your taste is impeccable and your haul is enviable.
I have the booklet with the asymetrical sweater and hoping that someday I'll be brave enough to try it.
Oh, what great choices! And it sounds like it was a great time! I think I would have just started stuffing whole armloads of yarn into bags and running off had I seen a table like those two you have pics of! WOW!
What a treat! And it looks as if you scored big time! Good on you, Sheila! (Said in a bad American attempt to imitate an Australian accent.)
I'm jealous of the...ready?...buttons. I want to visit someplace called The Button Lady.
Looks like a fabulous weekend. It's fun reading everybody's reports!
I didn't realise that the show is so big. I was drooling over all those yarn & your purchases. I must try & be there next year. I better start saving now.
I have the worst timing for being away just when everything wonderful is on! It sounds great!
I now realise that we met without even meeting. You wound my ball of frogged purple yarn for me on Friday night. Nice to have (not exactly) met you, Rose Red :) But, honestly, wasn't it just one of those events where the atmosphere was bonding enough!
That looks wonderful. That table full of sock yarn would have been seriously tempting and Ewe Give Me the Knits makes such beautiful stuff. Since I won't make it to Rhinebeck (and don't think I could handle the crowds anyway) I'll just use my imagination and ogle your buys.
I love blog friends, I get to live vicariously through you all. The festival looks like it was a fabulous event, and you brought such a beautiful haul home! Are you sure you don't want to learn to spin? Dyeing is another hobby, you know. And if you can justify one, you can justify two!
oh this looks like so much fun. i love all of your photographs ... they are teaming with life and goodness - thank you for sharing this with us.
Beautiful additions to the stash, will be interested to see how the silk takes up colour compared with the wool. A "dye"ing friend thinks it may take up the dye first and end up darker than the wool. Good luck with your new endeavour!
Ohhhh, fiber!
ticks off another day until the local fiber festival
What a lovely range!! I'm feeling a bit sad - I did not see the charming Tom, and I'm beginning to think I may have missed a major attraction!
What are you planning to make from your Glenora Alpaca Silk?
It looks like a really fun day! The button and yarn haul looks great, and I can't wait to see the results of your dyeing!
grump grump grumble whinge - bloody last minute client-free day - grumble whine
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