Phew, what a weekend! I am still feeling slightly overwhelmed with the sheer amount of beautiful yarn on display at this year’s East Anglia Yarn Festival. It was our first time exhibiting and I think it is fair to say we have found our happy place.
Over 80 stalls appeared as if by magic in the Norfolk Showground Arena and offered a selection of yarns, fibre, patterns and equipment. The Norwich City Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers were also there demonstrating their skills and offering a ball winding service.
We spent the two days chatting and selling and met some really lovely crafters. Visitors seemed delighted by how soft our natural yarn was – in particular the Shetland as they didn’t seem to be expecting it. Shetland is one of the softest of the British wools but we obviously need to spread the word!
It was particularly lovely to meet other sellers taking their yarn journey from flock to finished product. We met Caithness Yarns who source their fleeces from small to medium farms in the north of Scotland. They mainly use North Country Cheviot with other rare breed fleeces included in the mix. We also chatted to Wild Woolers who source their fibre from small holding, conservation and sheep first flocks. They want to do their bit to help preserve rare breed flocks in the UK. It isn’t often that we get to feel lots of different wools and chat to their enthusiastic creators, so it was a real pleasure.
Luckily we didn’t have much time to shop as I think I would have been a bit carried away. I did manage to pick up some beautiful buttons for future crochet projects though.
We will definitely be back again next year if show organiser, Laura at the Lonely Knitter, will have us. It was such a friendly, inspiring show full of very enthusiastic crafters and makers.