Monday, July 23, 2012

All things wooly (& the winner).

Last Friday my farmer boy and I spent the day at the Australian Sheep and Wool show in Bendigo. We had the best time.

When we visited the show a few years ago I was still very new to woolycraft and was completely overwhelmed and went home empty handed. This time I felt like I had the opposite experience. I know what colours, yarns and plies I like to craft with, I know what wooly direction I am heading in next and I am just so happy to look, to admire and to ask lots of questions.

The wool show had so much of what I love, what I am passionate about and then more.

It had stalls and stalls of luscious yarns in every ply and in every colour of the rainbow.

It had needles,

and buttons,

and felt,

and all manner of haberdashery goodness.

It had activities for the kiddies.

It had fun, creative displays.

It had wool clothing and fashion parades and it had such fun crafty patterns and creations.


There was weaving and crochet and spinning and knitting and carding and felting and macrame and machine knitting.



And there were sheep and rams and lambs and wool comps and shearing comps and sheep dog comps and best breed comps.

And there was even comfy seating for those not all that interested.


There was just SO. MUCH. WOOL. 

And I LOVE wool, so I loved it.

And I'm guessing the sheep fanciers and farmers, the wool artists and crafters, the fashion peeps, those interested in cooking the sheep and lamb's meat, the families and the stall holders all loved it too. There seemed to be something in it for everyone. The farmers in their work boots, cowboy hats and blue vests all the way through to the lady standing next to me at one stage wearing a crocheted technicolour dream coat and knitting a cabled throw while making her yarn purchases.

But as soppy as it sounds, my favourite part of the entire show was that my farmer boy gave up a day of work to come with me. He walked through every stall and shed, he didn't make a face when I spent too much money, he helped me carry my three bags full of wool and chose a couple of skeins of chunky homespun for some beanies for himself. I even overheard him tell a woman that he can't get into knitting but spinning is a possibility!! Love him.

Such a great day.

And while we're on all things woolly, I must thank all those who entered the Tikki pattern giveaway. I think the beautiful comments made this giveaway my favourite to date.

And without further ado, I asked the random generator for a number between one and 201 and it gave me number 37 - Brave New Fiona!!

Congrats Fiona.
Email me your addy and the 5 Tikki patterns you choose and we'll get them to you asap.
Happy knitting!

And to everyone else, watch this space because I have another woolly giveaway coming up really soon.

So, tell me peeps, how was your weekend?
Did you get up to anything exciting?
Did you go to the wool show?
Have you been before or to one like it?
Would you like it?

Wishing you the most wonderful and happy week lovely peeps.
xx

44 comments:

  1. Hi Kate, your photos (almost) made me feel like I was at the wool show too. It looks like it was a lot of fun. Glad you came home with some loveliness!! We had a fun weekend celebrating my baby's 10th birthday with lots of madness, as the theme was a Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Had made a fabric teacup each for all the 11 girls at the party!!

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  2. Oh, I just adore the photo with the two men reading the papers on the bench seat. So gorgeous.

    I think I'll have to put this show on my wish list for next year. I'm still such a new knitter, but I just love it.

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    1. I love that photo too. The orange ribbon is so perfectly placed.

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  3. Ahh, that is my kinda show! Are you planning on having sheep & spinning the fleece? We did that when I was a kid, my Dad even made some groovy spinning wheels - the first spinning wheel that he invented for my mum that worked! But it is sadly falling to pieces in the shed, as I am reluctant to tinker/mend it as I don't want to take away anything that he did and sadly he passed away when I was 16 so I can't get him to fix it either.

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    1. There are people who repair spinning wheels even home made ones. You could do a web search or enquire through your local spinning or craft group. They may know a local person who does repairs. It is often the husbands of spinners that will do repairs for free or a very small fee. We have one in our group :-)

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  4. I didn't go to a wonderful wool show. It looks amazing, but I did dress as a pirate and go and stand with 14231 other pirates on the beach to break the world record of having the most people dressed as a pirate in the same place at the same time. And we smashed it! Sounds like a good weekend was had by all!

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  5. Oh wow, your pictures are amazing, and the show looks like it was so much fun. I wish I'd known it was on.

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  6. What a great way to spend the day...woolly heaven! I love wool too and your photos had my hand itching to touch.

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  7. This looks like a whole lot of good old wholesome fun Kate! Lovely photos! Speaking of sheep and wool; we sold some lambs on the weekend. I would love to go to a show like this, it sound like there was something for everyone :)

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  8. Love the photo of the two men on the seat. I'd love to go to this show, maybe one year in the future it will happen.

    cheers Kate

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  9. Love that sheep -what a beauty! And such a funny pic of the men on seats, looks like they're waiting for their wool-shopping wives ;-) looks like such a fun day. Our weekend included my Mr's birthday celebrations and my big girl selling her girl guide cookies on the footpath cute :-)

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  10. i loved your pics over the weekend. the colours, textures all so lovely.
    my partner's mother was the first australian female wool classer. later she had a farm with 500 cashmere and angora goats and she would shear the goats and spin her own wool. i would love to learn to spin wool. xxx

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  11. I am yet to make it to one, bad crafter! I should be banned from the hook until I go and buy lots of amazing wool ... hmmm ... perhaps it is best I stay away :)

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  12. I was looking forward to seeing all the woolly goodness that you bought Kate. I went to the Bendigo Show a few years ago now and it was great. My mum and I bought a few things back then which we hadnt seen before and we loved the shed where they had felting demos. It sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. I think it would be fantastic to be able to spin your own yarn, maybe one day!

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  13. How beautiful?! Everything, just beautiful...

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  14. What an amazing day you had. The pics are so enticing. And yes, it was a tres romantic thing to have Farmer Boy with you. THANK YOU Kate & Georgie (and random number generator) for the prize. I am giddy with excitement. xxx Fi

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  15. I've never been to a wool show before but I know I'd love it. I grew up on a farm that had/has sheep and the wool is beautiful. Mum use to dye wool using onion skins, mulberries, silver beet etc. Then she would spin it and knit it into socks or jumpers. I remember combing the wool for her and making the spun wool up into skeins. Seems like a long time ago now.
    If there is a wool show in Bendigo next year, I'd love to go. I even have in-laws in Bendigo and would have somewhere to stay.
    I love it when you are soppy about your farmer boy.
    Have a great week too,
    Anne xx

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  16. Hi Kate . Thanks for all those photos. Really wanted to be there....hopefully next year. Have heard lots about it from my spinning teacher who had a stall there (Virginia Farm). Can recommend spinning -wonderfully therapeutic, rewarding and the creative possibilities are infinite.

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  17. Ohh I love a good Yarn! Lovely post :)

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  18. I'm so sad we had to miss the wool show - we just couldn't afford it this year. We bought Auden some really sweet toys from the woodcraft stall (husbands of Bendigo knitters, I think) last year and he loves them. I'm going to have to start squirrelling away some money to make sure we get there next year.

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  19. I love the show, it's now a regular fixture on my calendar. I think the country show element is wonderful and makes the whole vibe do much more relaxed and delightful. My favorite this year was the cashmere goats - so soft and affectionate! I loved them!

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  20. Oh I really want to go to one of these events now. How wonderful! So much wooly goodness. I'm green with envy!

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  21. Thankyou for the lovely pics. I had meant to go this year but totally forgot!
    I was hoping to get some more spinning yarn.

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  22. That looked a brilliant day out and even nicer to come back with bags full of wool.
    Catherine

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  23. Oooh, that just looks amazing!
    Esther.

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  24. Was lovely meeting you at the show. And thanks for those great photos. I didn't get a chance to check it all out myself....but my girl had a ball with the sheep.
    Alex.

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  25. OMG hugs to you for posting these photos,Ive been surfing the net looking for something to show the bendy Sheep Show,one day I shall get there!!

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  26. That all looks and sounds wonderful!
    And your farmer boy sounds like a real keeper - lucky girl!

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  27. Hello

    Just thought I would direct you to House of Humble, in case you do not know of it. They are an adorable young couple, trying to live simply and coincidentally were at the wool show this past weekend. Love your blog and theirs as well.

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  28. Wow - that looks like heaven! Those photos are just magic Kate :)
    Loved the one of the granddads reading the race form on the bench! :))
    Thanks for this. Loved it all and very happy that you found some goodies this year. Kx

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  29. Love wool shows or fiber festivals! My Hubs went to one with me recently, but he has been to tons of yarn shops with me and even went on a yarn crawl with me...He, also has said spinning is a possibility, we just have no room for a wheel...

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  30. That looks so much better than anything we have here! Methinks I may have to save up for a holiday in Australia this time next year!!! I can understand you were in woolly heaven, I would have been too :D

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  31. Loved the pictures from the wool fest! Don't you love them? There is something so delightfully inspiring about walking through the stalls and being surrounded by woolly friends! =)

    My weekend was full of my mother's 64th b'day, swimming with cousins, dinner party for mom, trying to finish up a secret knitting project for a book contract next spring, rushing to the post office before it closed to get it mailed off, a day trip on Sunday, and then, watering all this morning to keep our plants from dying in our drought.

    But now I'm inspired to go cast on a tea cozy like the ones from your wool fest! =) Thanks for the cheer and inspiration!

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  32. Oh, you lucky lucky girl, being able to go on such a sumptuous artistic outing!!

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  33. I went to the wool show too. What a wonderful feast of colour and texture and designs and inspiration. I came home buzzing with ideas. Alas no fleece for me - to much to use up already - but I did buy some wool dyes so at least I will have some gorgeous colours to play with until the next sheep show. If I get all my fleece spun - and that's the main plan for the year - next year I can truly indulge in all those lovely fleeces. Love your photos - they really highlight all the delights of the show.

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  34. We lived in Bendigo a few years ago and went to the Sheep & Wool Show a couple of times. Great show! We took a couple of city folk with us one time and they were not so impressed. Quite amusing really - each to their own! I loved it!

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  35. SOO so good!!! OH I wish i had gone. I always forget when it is, and then mean to check and miss out!! Next year for sure.
    glad you had a ball xo PS No pun intended

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  36. I wish they had something like that here in the States. Let me rephrase that, I wish they had something that I KNEW about like that CLOSE to where I live. I'll have to scour the internet to see.
    Beautiful pictures.
    Now I want a couple of sheep ;)

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  37. It was great to chat with you at this great "woolly" show Kate! We have had a stand there for 10 years and it just keeps getting better. I don't think I have managed to see as much as you in all that time, but we love it!

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  38. Good lord, look at all that wool! I think I would be completely overwhelmed as how do you choose from so many beautiful shades? Lucky you :)

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  39. I'm not a woolly person, but it's a joy to read you writing about your craft. Was it Confucious who said "Knowledge comes from calling things by their right name"? You've gone from keen amateur to skilled crafter, and it's very inspiring to watch.

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