Knit Nation

Saturday meant a visit to Knit Nation at Imperial College. After much cogitation about my ability to get up and into central London for a 9am class (the OH and I both agreed that this was an unlikely scenario) I decided just to get a marketplace ticket. In the end I'm glad I did, as I wouldn't have made it in for a morning class - I only just made it into London for lunchtime and it meant I had plenty of time to look round the marketplace and chat with the pleasantly large number of people I knew. This is one side of the marketplace room.

Babylonglegs and Nicsknots were sharing a stand with Woolly Wormhead and Atomic Knitting, which gave me lots of people to talk to. I also kept bumping into Nickerjac on that side of the room. As well as various other people! And I know there were some who were there who I missed in the crowds.

I was tempted by a copy of "Twisted Woolly Toppers" from Woolly Wormhead, as well as a Big Button from Babylonglegs. And I bought something else too, but it's an order so I have to wait with great excitement for it to arrive in the post.

Round the corner we came across the Wollmeise stand, which was heaving with people when I first saw it. We went back later on when it was quieter so I could take a photo of the pretty pretty yarn colours.

And the gorgeous laceweight in big baskets. I was very tempted by the laceweight too, I've hardly ever bought any before and I never seem to see it in yarn shops, although I've seen loads online.

So I bought a 300g skein of the laceweight. Not sure whether it will be lace or something else yet, but it's very pretty.

Imperial has a lawn outside the library where we could go and sit and knit. The library also had a café with the biggest pain au chocolat I've ever seen. I think all libraries should have cafés with pain au chocolat in. The library I work in doesn't even have anything to sit on during coffee breaks. Not that I mind sitting on the floor, but as I advance forwards into old age I'm sure my creaking joints won't want to be on the floor.

Obviously some Imperial students are so desperate to get into the library that they plunge through the flowerbeds en route:

It would really take some effort to get through that flowerbed.
I spent most of the afternoon with Penny, who I hadn't seen since the wedding, doing some knitting outside with cups of tea. It was a little windy, which resulted in me having a fantastically Bad Hair Day. Penny had also brought the next two Maggie Sefton knitting mysteries for me to borrow!

And a final purchase, from Krafty Koala, where I found some gorgeous purple sock yarn in the sale bin!

So, all in all, a really enjoyable day (I then met up with the OH and we went out to dinner before heading back to Staines). I'm glad I didn't do a class in the end, as I'd have had trouble fitting it in, and wouldn't have had as much time to talk to people and wander round the marketplace as I did.