A Knitter's Weekend
Postcards from Edinburgh Yarn Festival
Dear Ann,
What a time we had!
This past weekend was my first time at Edinburgh Yarn Festival. One time was all it took to add this one to my list of Knitting Pilgrimage Holidays. If I can get there again, I will get there again. Yes, it’s a long journey from New York to Scotland, but I got to knit the whole way.
Up top is a slide show/gallery of the whirl of EYF. It includes shots of The Big Knit Night, a full-house event in the marquee (that’s British for “huge wedding tent”). We were honored, thrilled and downright giddy to host a combination Quiz Night/Non-Fashion Show Fashion Show for a generous, game crowd of knitters from all over. We pinned a lot of rosettes on a lot of beautiful handknits, and tested our knowledge of sheep and knitting in the news.
We want to thank Jill Draper and Jen and Jim Arnall-Culliford for generously hosting signings of MDK Field Guides in their booths in the marketplace, and Isabell Kraemer, the designer of MDK Field Guide No. 10, for being the gracious star that she is. It was so fun to see Isabell’s fans turn out to greet her, some of them meeting her for the first time.
Unforgettable moments that we failed to capture on our phones: our meeting with dazzling designer Jeanette Sloan, and my first-ever slice of Victoria sponge with buttercream in the middle.
Scotland does cake so, so well. The knees go weak!
Unforgettable moment that was perhaps over-documented: that time I held an eagle-owl on the Royal Mile. Thank you, thank you, Cecilia Nelson-Hurt, for introducing me to Guinevere. After watching you do it, I wasn’t even afraid.
Jo and Mica: you put on a fabulous festival, soulful and bighearted, that elevates the knitting community. Thank you so much.
Love,
Kay
Glad you had a great time at EYF19. I was only able to purchase a ticket for the first day at the marketplace, I was able to make the best of it. Your sponsored event sold out in a matter of minutes in January 2019. I was very disappointed after traveling from NJ. I saw pics on IG and knew I missed a great event.
Looks like an amazing time!
It was my first EYF too, and my eyes still hurt from all the colors (yarn) and things (various doodads) and people (like the knitter from the Netherlands who lives in a windmill). If I’d known where and when to find you I would have done fangirl pics and gone “Squee!” (You were spared that, but I did get Wooly Wormhead and Stephen West, and they were delightful.) I did some nice stash enhancement and got goodies for friends back home. I’m already looking forward to going again!
Oh that’s on my bucket list to go to!!!
What a wonderful collection of photographs, now added EYF to my Knitting Pilgrimage Holiday list (previously known as bucket list), alongside Rhinebeck.
Need to stop buying yarn to save for airfare (except for things like the last 10 balls of Rowan Denim in Nashville colourway that I found in a local yarn store last week…..)
I like Knitting Pilgrimage Holiday list Vickir! I loved the postcards.
Was that a postcard of a contradance band and dancers?
That was the ceilidh on Friday night, with a band and lots of fancy group dancing.
Thanks for the slide show and the link to Jeanette Sloan. I went there and read her article. Thanks a bunch.
Thank you for this very satisfying round up. That is a great shot of you and Ann. Yet it says something about my priorities that despite the juicy list of knitting stars what stood out in my mind the most was the buttercream layer in that sponge cake. Oh my!
“British for a big wedding tent” – that really made me smile 🙂 And yes – we do great cakes this side of the pond… Glad you had such a lovely time x
I want a chicken hat!!
i want a chicken hat pattern!
You find it here: http://zgarn.se/butik/monster/monster-betal/pullan-chicken-rap-hat-in-english/
YES! I’d love to know the pattern name! (Turns out there are many chicken hat patterns on Ravelry, but not clearly this one….) The hat reminds me of one of Gonzo’s Girls from The Muppet Show.
p.s. “Blue Murder”?!?! (On the menu)
Dear Susan, I am very happy to hear that you like my chicken hat, I call it Pullan chicken rap hat, and you will find it here, http://zgarn.se/butik/monster/monster-betal/pullan-chicken-rap-hat-in-english/
If you like the hat, check out this video, that’s when the idea was born in my head, the idea of making a chicken hat!
http://zgarn.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/video-1476442410.mp4?_=1
Here’s the link to the pattern on Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fyllehonan-agda-2
To get the pattern in English, follow the link at the bottom of the Ravelry listing to the zgarn website, and it’s right there on the front page.
Yes, me too!
I’d love the chicken toy pattern! Looks just like the chicken from one of my daughter’s favorite books, “Beautiful Yetta” by Daniel Pinkwater. She would be overjoyed with it!
Looks fabulous! Edinburgh is a really great place!
There’s an MDK logo sweater now?? Made with what swoon-worthy yarn?
That’s the Easel Sweater from MDK Field Guide No. 3: Wild Yarns, using Lichen and Lace Worsted in Pressed Flowers and Plucky Knitter Cashmere for the sleeves. And the MDK logo is Periwinkle Sheep Merino DK. I do love duplicate stitch!
Thank You for letting us travel vicariously with you!
Is there a chicken hat pattern? what great fun those ladies must had!
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fyllehonan-agda-2
Looks like you had a ball! Thanks for sharing pics. Fabulous thing to add to my bucket list.
What is the piece of knitting with the stripes right before the picture of Ann in her MDK sweater? Looks like a fabulous time!
The owl pictures made me wonder if you had a side-trip to Hogwarts. Next time?
Looks like an amazing event! And that stranded shawl is gorgeous! Any idea what pattern it is?
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing your adventures:)!
Oh, my God! I want to hold an eagle owl!
This looks SO FUN! My highlights from your highlights reel: the eagle-owl! The chicken hats! A whole booth of Rohrspatz und Wollmeise yarns! The Palsternackskaka or Palster-snacka-snacka as I would immediately christen it! The MDK rosettes! (I want one!) The selfie of you and Ann! “Is this thing on? Are we both in the picture?” Thanks for sharing the festival with us!
Last year I finally got to Rhinebeck. One of these years, I’m getting to Edinburgh!!
Great fun
Aw these are lovely photos. Makes me just a little bit homesick for Edinburgh!
Wait, the Icelandic national anthem was written in Edinburgh???? Tell me more.
Tantalizing, right? I feel like that plaque is but the tip of the iceberg.
Holy guacamole is that a Liberty Blanket wrap? A stole? Omg I’m on it, will go looking on ravelry…
I know of someone who believes in nothing but ethnic yarn. Anything else a major sin. She’s driving people away from knitting.
I was able to visit my Navy submariner son in Scotland last year. Absolutely loved it there! While i was there in a shop i asked if they ever made yarn from the Highland “Coo” aka cow. Lol Nobody seemed to know the answer. Did you see any pure or blended yarn from the highland cow. I would love to get my hands on some!
Stef Arnold
Thanks for the postcard journey – looks like a fun place for many reasons 🙂
And that blue-green hank that rated it’s own individual portrait is giving me the Serious Craves!
PARSNIP CAKE?
Parsnip cake is amazing!!! The ones I’ve had are more subtle and less sweet/sticky than carrot cake.
U made it that far – any chance of my seeing y’all at Wool Week this year?!!! 10th anniversary as u know…
What beautiful sweater is Kay wearing as she is holding the eagle owl? I want it!!!
I’m glad you enjoyed your time in beautiful Edinburgh. If I ever live in a city, it would be my first choice!
I went last year and had such a marvelous time. Your photos brought it all back to me. I so wanted to go again this year (it’s adjacent to my annual biz trip to London) but I had too much going on to stay long enough.
Next year.
The eagle-owl is fantastic, but I’m really swooning over the orange shawl being worn by person holding the bird. Is there a patten for it? Am I the only one swooning over it? So beautiful (& the bird too).
I believe Cecilia is wearing the Void Shawl by Melanie Berg.
I so enjoyed following your Edinburgh adventure on Instagram!
Oh my goodness. Been revisiting your travel essays. Did I miss this or just didn’t realize I could scroll through all the banner pictures. Saw you with Natasja Hornby, one of my new favorite designers. (You guys don’t miss a trick. I just discovered her in 2021.). Can we look forward to a Natasja Field Guide in the future??