I heart Ally Pally

I had my annual pilgrimage to Alexandra Palace last Friday for the Knitting and Stitching Show, it's one of the highlights of my year, i just love it :D
This year i saved my birthday money so i could spend guilt free and i have to say i thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Having a budget meant i didn't overspend or buy anything i wasn't really sure about and i will make sure i do the same thing again next year. Due to Lisa starting a college course we weren't able to go on our usual Thursday so i missed meeting up with Noo and Jessica which was a shame, i do enjoy their company but they had a great day out too by all accounts ;o)

So, on to my spoils!!
Firstly the birthday pressies...
Bottom right is a small quilt kit, the fabric is all hand-dyed by Starr Design Fabrics and the quilt is made bargello style, i absolutely fell in love with both her fabrics and her quilt designs and it took me a while to settle on just one kit to bring home!
The two middle pictures on the grid are the same skein of Nimu Sella, i bought this to contrast with the turquoise skein that i bought at Unravel and i will use them together for a Crow Waltz shawl (Rav link)
In the middle are some supplies for making Kumihimo cords. There's a Kongo Kumi disc for making round braids, 2 little packets of various threads to make into bracelets and a couple of packs of bobbins for when i make long braids. The patchwork bags that i made need drawstrings for the handles and i have had no luck in finding anything suitable so i am going to attempt to make my own! Fortunately i have had a couple of goes at making Kumihimo and i really enjoy it so that'll help when i have to make a couple of metres!!
Hmmm, what else? Oh yes, see the little "samosa" of colour up there in the corner? Well they are small pieces of Starr Fabric, i am going to make a mug rug or something similar with them, i had intended to go back and get some more but unfortunately we ran out of time :(
I'm really hoping she will be there again next year, i am going to save up especially for one of her bigger kits :D
There's a ball of James Brett marble DK lurking int here, it's become a traditional purchase now! No matter which show we go to i seem to always end up bringing one home. This one will go with the three pastel squares i have already to make a lap blanket - i'm not entirely sure who the blanket is for but i have loved making it so far! I also have a lime green square currently on the go plus a purpley-blue ball so i expect i will end up buying another couple to go with them for another blanket :D
I also bought the rest of the fabric for the Kaleidoscope Quilt, i will edge it with the black and back it with the red and gold and the pale pinky fabric is for a quilt for my mother-in-law. The floral will be made into hexagon kaleidcopes and then backed with the swirly pink.

All i have to do now is find the time to play with it all!!