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Saturday 28 March 2009

Olympia

As every year, I went to the 'Stitching and Craft' Show in London Olympia. I've been going ever since I first discovered cross stitch and became really addicted, and the first ever show I went to was in 1997!! I felt like I've gone to cross stitch heaven.

This year, my report is a bit two-fold.

I have to say this honestly - I am disappointed with the show, and it has been slowly but steadily going downhill in the past years. Fellow cross stitchers on the Yahoo-boards have been saying it for a while, but I didn't want to see it, mainly because the show is still so special to me. Less and less cross stitch every year. Now we only have the big retailers ( I don't mind them, of course, there are great, but where are all the other's??) For example, there was not a single retailer with Lavender/Lace, Mirabilia. More papercraft, which I don't mind generally, but it seems to be taken over. Come to think of it, less stalls all together. And one thing which annoys me greatly is non-craft related stalls like blouses, shoes etc. Yes, I know, there are always a few, but it seems to be taken over. If I want to buy shoes, I go to Barratts or M&S, and not a Cross Stitch fair *geddit*.

But I have good news to tell as well. I took my colleage Jo along to the fair. She likes papercraft, cardmaking etc, and we talked about it some time ago, so I got her a ticket. And would you know it - Jo fell instantly in love with cross stitch. She was ooo-ing and aww-ing over all the designs (she likes 1930's ladies, tigers, egyptian), there was plenty for her to admire. And she straight away got herself 2 (rather big) kits . She was so much taken by everything, she wanted to have the full equpiment to start cross stitching, so we browsed the fair and got her a frame (I recommended R&R as I get on best with them), a lamp and other small bits and bobs (like magnetic chart holder). We than went back to her house, as she wanted to try it out straight away, and I had to set her up of course. Well, she took to it like a duck to water. I went to see her a few days later, and the Pink Lady (see above kit) was already 1/2 done - I couldn't believe it. She'd gone to Hobbycraft, bought another kit (John Clayton), and went to Sewandso to order 2 more!! And she told me she can't wait to get back home after work to cross stitch - oh, how I recognise this! Well and truly addicted I'd say. It's the first time that I got someone addicted who is really really into it now.

Anyway, this is what I got myself at Olypmia:
50 DMC colours
R&R frame (the small one)
Lavender & Lace Celtic Autumn (material pack only, couldn't find the chart)
Dimensions Labrador kit

2 comments:

Felicity said...

I really like that Pink lady ... congratulations on initiating another stitcher into tge fold. Now all you need to do is get her blogging.

Unknown said...

Hi Bliss, yeah, I'm so glad to have a cross stitch buddy now near me. Not only does she work with me (not in my office though), but we live really close as well. And she is so taken by it all, the Pink Lady is almost finished, I saw it yesterday - all that in 2 weeks. wow

 

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