MissNeriss Goes to YARNDALE!

What a week I’ve just had.

Each year the amazing team at Scheepjes puts on a couple of yarnie days at their offices for our tribe to hang out together and learn new skills, and a few secrets if we’re lucky, but this year they surprised us all with a trip to YARNDALE!

We all congregated in the Old Swan Hotel in beautiful Harrogate on Thursday evening after most of us flew to Manchester. I could relive my tour guide days by playing bus chauffeur for the journey, although I didn’t force anyone to sing songs (this time).  After a lovely dinner we were all exhausted and most of us collapsed in bed by 10 pm!  This is virtually unheard of, most years the naughty kids (I’ll leave it up to you to guess who they are) stay up until all hours of the night gossiping, laughing and crying.

On Friday we all met in The Penthouse in the hotel for a day of chatting, and getting to know our newer additions (Matt and Christina), and waiting for poor Rachele who had been terribly delayed in the US.  At least this year she actually made it! Last year she was stuck in Texas because of flooding, so we were all very grateful she could be with us after her epic journey. In the afternoon we headed outside to enjoy the glorious Yorkshire weather (I bet that’s something you never read in a sentence).  It was almost hot in the sun!

First thing Saturday morning we all piled into our vans and zoomed off to Yarndale!  We stocked (and re-stocked) all the shelves, and suddenly the masses were pouring in!

I was able to sneak off and do a lap of the festival with Susan where we saw some of the most beautiful and colourful yarns (loads of pics on my insta) before heading back to the Scheepjes stand to meet all of the wonderful people who had come from far and wide to see us. And when I say far and wide, I’m not joking!  Much to my delight, I met no less than two fellow Australians!

For two amazing, energy-filled days, we all hugged and laughed and shared our passion for all things yarn and creative with every single person who dared venture in our direction.  It was a cool opportunity for the many people who have never been able to squish Scheepjes yarns to come in, and receive advice on the types of projects they could make, which colours they should choose, and to meet  yarn-celebs like Dedri, our very own megastar and British Knitting and Crochet Award winner, who’s smack in the middle of the Ubuntu CAL.

However, the real star of the weekend was Tammy!  I saw at least a dozen Read Between the Lines shawls getting around, and the makers were all so incredibly proud to be able to share their results with her.  And it’s no small feat, at 2km of yarn knitted on 3mm needles!

I felt so proud to see my dear friend shine – although I couldn’t really see her; she was constantly buried in a crush of fans.  It was just wonderful to be able to stand back and watch all my friends experience the love and admiration that the visitors were piling onto them.

I honestly couldn’t tell you what the biggest highlight was.  It was all amazing.  I so look forward to this weekend every year; we’ve become like a family now, fully invested in one another’s lives. And even though we all talk almost daily, there’s nothing like the energy of being in a room together for a weekend to lift your spirits.

All of this is thanks to Scheepjes, who make it all possible.  It wasn’t a small undertaking to get us all to Yarndale, that’s for sure! So, even though I think I said it a million times during the course of the weekend, here’s one more thank you.  This tribe truly brings meaning to my life.

Now, check out my Insta highlights reel from Yarndale, it’s the best!

https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17954271925159834/

Is it time for the next one yet?