Knit Nation beckons

Knit Nation!!  Who else is going?!

I’m so excited about this event this year.  It was brilliant last year, but several logistical problems (waiting too long to book my accommodation and ending up nowhere near the others; having to drag my spinning wheel down to London (and across it) by train; not allowing enough time to decompress and enjoy the moment) meant that it was also a frantic and fretful weekend.  I’m also really excited about the Knit Tea Salon that they’re introducing this year: a place to socialise, knit, chill out, eat cake and drink tea?!  Yes please!  I think that convenient and friendly cafe facilities were about the only big hole in last year’s arrangements, so this should be awesome.

I’ve been packing today, because I hate doing it.  I’m trying to get rid of my habit of waiting until almost-too-late before starting on certain kinds of tasks. (Packing.  Rewinding.  Labelling.)   The hope is that I will also manage to lose some of the associated stress and panic along the way.

Anyway!  I have packed clothes!  And running kit!  And toiletries!  I have been wise and not signed up for any classes that require homework, but I still need to pack the materials required for the two classes I will be attending:  Cookie A’s class on ‘Knitting off the Grid’ all day Friday, and Judith McCuin’s ‘Spinning for Shetland Lace’ all day Sunday.  Judith’s class assumes a spinning wheel, but after last year’s adventures with the wheel on the tube, I’m taking a selection of spindles.  Much more portable.  Cookie’s class just asks for some worsted weight yarn and 4.5mm knitting needles; I think I’ll take some of my recent experimental yarns bases to play with.

I’m leaving all day Saturday free of classes.  I want to be able to socialise and shop and *not* be completely exhausted by my mini-holiday.  With any luck, I’ll even fit some exercise in to my busy weekend!

Of course, the Tour de Fleece is still active, and if I’m not taking my wheel with me, I won’t be able to make any progress on the wool/alpaca blend.  So I think it’s an ideal opportunity to take my lovely Russian spindle – my other Tour goal, of course! – and see if I can put in some quality time with that.

And I’ll need some way to keep in touch with the online world, too, of course.  I just can’t wait!