Kate's Twirl

Wow what a busy few days I’ve had.  Whilst everyone else is having their weekend, I’m having my working week.  I worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday and also went out each evening, plus a visit to the Country Living Christmas Fair on Sunday morning.

Friday was pretty much the same as usual – you have no idea how busy a yarn shop can be!  Although it is one very special yarn shop….  There are four of us on a Friday and we pretty much don’t get a second’s peace, apart from a 30 minute lunch break.  We manage to make the odd cup of tea, but rarely get chance to drink them.  On Friday evening, Rachel, my new colleague invited me to join her and some of the others to celebrate her birthday at a bar in King’s Cross called Shop, drink & Do.  You can do exactly what it says on the tin – shop for funky little odds and sods, drink cocktails and do stuff – mainly games, I think.  We played a silly game of find the pairs which was great fun, especially with there being far too many of us.  We then played scrabble, which for me – coming last – was not so much fun   It was, however, very nice to be included

Saturday was rather hectic.  The fabulous Stephen West (celebrity knitter), knitting pattern, designer was in Loop.  He gave two workshops, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon and in between the two he did a book signing – he must have been shattered.  Sadly his third book has been delayed at the printers so wasn’t available but lots of knitters turned up to see him.  He brought a few friends with him too who sat upstairs on the sofa in the shop and knitted, chatted, drank tea and ate cake – lucky things.  Of course, they were all so very nice, as knitters tend to be!  Poor Martine from iMake in Guernsey was very sorry that she couldn’t come to London to meet him and was ever so slightly jealous that I was working.  Martine LOVES his designs, as do I.  They are so simple, yet stylish and “on trend” (sorry nasty terminology).  They are also cool for blokes to wear, which is probably why he is so popular.  Of course, I did ask the lovely Stephen to sign a copy of his book for Martine, for her Christmas present.

http://westknits.com/

http://www.loopknitting.com/shop.html

http://www.imake.gg/

Saturday evening I went to a party in Dartford in Kent – miles away, but it was for a special former colleague, Paul’s 50th birthday, so I couldn’t miss it.  I went there with the lovely Lucy and it was great to catch up with my former colleagues from the HR department of Societe Generale.

Sunday morning I went to see another former SG colleague, Jonathan and his wife Caroline Zoob.  Caroline runs a fabulous design business.  She started with embroidery but has branched out into prints of her original embroidery designs and other homeware and gifts.  Caroline had a stall at the Country Living Christmas Fair at the Design Centre in Islington.  As this is across the road from Loop, Jonathan had kindly popped in to say hello on Friday and suggested I visit on sunday morning.  He left me a “Duck” at reception, which is a pin allowing me access in without paying or queuing – what a friend to have!!  It was great.  The show opened at 10 and there was a huge queue, but I just sauntered up, collected my duck, and wondered in.  Caroline’s stall was right at the front so it was easy to find Jonathan and to meet his very talented wife.  It was a fabulous show and absolutely chock full of stalls selling all manner of things.  It was a Christmas faire so there were lots of baubles, decorations and gift ideas.  There was an amazing array of sellers with handmade things for sale, so it was a great place for me to go to get inspiration for the totes.

http://www.caroline-zoob.co.uk/shop/

I was also very moved by the 2 minutes’ silence for remembrance Sunday.  It always amazes me that everyone is willing to stop and be quiet for 2 minutes, even in such an amazingly busy and noisy place.  It was just so humbling to realise how much respect people still have.  The place was packed and rather noisy and yet as soon as the silence was announced a beautiful contemplative hush came over the whole place.

Well that’s it from me for today.  This has taken me much longer to write than expected, probably because I tried to write it whilst watching a recording of Frozen Planet – wow! I just couldn’t take my eyes of the screen, it was just so stunningly beautiful and I adore David Attenborough, he is on the guest list of my fantasy dinner party!