Unwind at Brighton

I had had my fingers crossed all last week as I checked the weather forecast for the past weekend, because the Unwind fibre festival was being held at Brighton for the first time.  I booked a market place ticket a couple of weeks ago, sadly too late for the classes that I was interested in, so I chose to go to Brighton for the Saturday only.  My husband dropped me off at 9am and I walked through The Lanes 

to the Friends Meeting House, where I could collect my wristband for the event.  My husband and children were off to visit family and would be back later to collect me.

Some of the Yarndale bunting was on display in the meeting house.

I stopped for a coffee

 and then it was time to 

walk through the Pavilion Gardens

 and head towards the Brighton Dome where the yarn market was located.

Just before the doors opened I spotted the lovely Deb of A World of Imagination.

We walked into the market place together and immediately started admiring the yarns and knitted garments on display.

Sparkleduck

How cute is that shawl?!

John Arbon Textiles

I loved this shawl.

Yellow Bear Wares

Ysolda Teague

I was very tempted by her pattern books, but decided to buy them online at a later date so that I could save my money that day for yarn.  These shawls are on my to-do list.

Juno Fibre Arts

I've falled in love with Alice ... I bought 2 skeins to knit Frangipani and later went back for another colour as well.

Kettle Yarn Co

Pebble beach Shawlette on display.  Gorgeous yarns on this stall too.

I bought a skein of their Westminster yarn to knit this shawl.

Owl capelet on display at Nature's Luxury (I think) ?

I liked the beady eyes!

By now my tummy was telling me it was lunch time and as the sun was shining I sat out in the beautiful Pavilion Gardens for a picnic.

Afterwards I just had time to wind my hank of yarn into a ball, ready for the mass cast on of the Pebble Beach Shawlette.

I had bought Luminosity by The Skein Queen for this project and yes I have started another WIP before finishing my other ones! :)

The mass cast on in progress.

Having taken stock of my purchases so far and more importantly the state of my finances, I went back into the market place.

Fivemoons

Two more skeins purchased for shawls.

Textile Garden

I resisted buying their lovely buttons this time as I still have a stock of them from Unravel.

Nearly 5 o'clock and the market place was almost empty.

I headed to the beach to meet up with my family.

Pebble Beach on Brighton Beach.  It had to be done! ;)

I dispatched my husband off to buy a picnic.  It was so warm on the beach that it seemed a shame to sit in a restaurant, plus it gave me some knitting time and my feet a rest!

Driving home past Brighton Pavilion at the end of a wonderful day, made special by the people I met.

My haul from the day ...

... I think I was quite restrained! :) x