A fantastic time was most definitely had by all at Edinburgh Yarn Fest. Here are a few pictures. If I seem to be somewhat maniacal and frazzled in these photographs, well, that’s because I was. . .
The stand in quieter moments. A customer tries on Mel’s Deco cardigan.
Meeting lovely folk from my Ravelry Group. How fabulous is Julie’s scarf?
No.1 colourwork comrades, Ella Gordon and Felicity Ford. Ella is wearing her crofthoose yoke (featuring the same motifs as her recently released crofthoose hat) and Felix is sporting her wondrous Missy Elliot sweater.
Developed from scratch from the formerly undervalued fleeces of her dad’s Hebridean flock, Rachel Atkinson’s beautiful yarn was a highlight of my weekend.
Here’s my gentle and mischievous friend Tom of Holland with Cecelia Campochiaro, author of the groundbreaking Sequence Knitting, who it was a pleasure to meet.
Martina Behm, and Bristol Ivy with Jen and I. Being able to chat to colleagues whose work I deeply admire, but have never met before was an unexpected pleasure of EYF! People such as . . .
Kirsten Kapur and Thea Colman.
I also really enjoyed seeing what other folk had done with Buachaille.
Ange of Weft Blown’s beautiful handwoven Cumulus Cowl
And Anna Elliot’s amazing graphic hat.
Finally, it was inspiring to see the work of so many amazing knitters – these beautiful Bohus yokes were a particular highlight!
It was a pretty mind-blowing two days, but I think the thing that blew me away the most was what a truly international occasion this event has grown to be. Above the hubbub of the marketplace, so many different languages, accents and voices rose and mingled as women and men of all ages dotted about excitedly in their incredible hand knits. Now its over, I find myself reflecting, with no small degree of awe, on what a talented, diverse and vibrant community of folk we are. So thankyou, Jo and Mica, for your impeccable organisation, and thanks, too, to everyone who stopped by our stand to say hello. I really enjoyed meeting so many readers of this blog in person, and seeing so many of my designs out in the wild. Bruce has also asked me to pass on a big waggy thank you to the nice folk who brought him treats. But my biggest thanks go to my brilliant team – Tom and Gordon, who constructed, restocked and maintained our stand with equanimity and good humour, and Mel and Jen who both barely stopped to breathe all weekend.
SEE YOU IN EDINBURGH NEXT YEAR?
KDD & Co 
What a fabulous day!
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Thank you thankyou thankyou. I’m the women in the red coat with white spots on at eye, (gave Bruce a wee treat). I said I had all your books and a kit for a hat but didn’t have the nerve to make it. Well I have to tell you it is complete and I love it, and loved making it. It’s still to be blocked but I can tell you I’m gonna make that cardigan yet 😄😃😀.
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Is it the same weekend of March every year? Hoping to go in 2017!
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Definitely see you next year! It looks like an amazing time was had by all and I’m so happy that you are well enough now to do this kind of thing sometimes.
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My big congratulations from California on such a success!!! Love your pics :)
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for the photos of EYF. It was almost like being there.
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Inspiring photos.
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Great photos! You look so beautiful, Kate! It looks like an amazing time was had by all, thanks for sharing. xx
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Kate, will your sweater pattern that you’re wearing be available?
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What a beautiful booth! And you look so happy. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
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Glad you enjoyed EYF so much. Thanks for the great pictures you take to share with all of us who can’t be there.
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It makes me so happy to follow your development and the stand exerts an exceptional pull that reaches all the way to Tasmania! If only 🙃
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I felt am impulse to fly over there this weekend and I wish I had. Even the photos are so cheering. Your stand loops great- bravo to your helpers!
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Thank you so much for your snapshots – your stand looks amazing, as do the many knits – what a colourful feast.
I dream and hope to make it to next year’s EYF.
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Is there a pattern for Rams and Yows scarf? Love the extra patterns.
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Really wish I could have been there! It’s too far for me, unfortunately. However, I have bought the kit for Miss Rachel’s yokes and gauntlets. Can’t wait to get started.
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Looks like so much fun, wish I could have been there. But I was in Scotland in May/June 2015 and no yarn fests then. Would love to have met you Kate, I adore your patterns. I particularly like the headbands I see you wearing in quite a few photos, are they knit by you? and if so what about a pattern? :)
I so enjoy getting your newsletters with the lovely pics. Thank you
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I followed your weekend on Instagram, it looked amazing. Thank you for sharing these photos. I am going to see if I can wangle a visit next year!
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Looks like a fabulous event, I wish I could have been there. The stand looked like a real show stopper and very inviting to passers by. I did go onto your website to order Braid Hills but there are no sizes on the drop down to select. Let us all know when fixed and I am sure the orders will come flooding in.
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So many known names and in amongst them, a familiar wee face from the knitting group I went to whilst at uni!
I’d love to attend one year, but the timing this year sadly worked out just one week before the school holidays begin (and with them, my holidays). Hopefully one year I’ll get there, although realistically this is more likely to be if I ever stop working in education!
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Amazing! I’m green with envy. What a treat for everyone to have been able to go. Maybe next year…
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It looks like a wonderful occasion! I am so happy to see your photos. I have never been to a yarn festival. In truth, I am a bit afraid of them. It would have been so great to meet you in real life though. Another time maybe?
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Lovely to meet you and see Buachaille and your lovely samples in person. The booth looked beautiful and you and Jen were both so warm and welcoming. Definitely hope you join us again next year!
Áine
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wow! I’m very honoured you’ve posted a photo of my bonus (the Wild Apple)! It was lovely to meet you, I am such a fan girl…
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Its such a lovely sweater, Rachel!
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I was gutted to miss your Wild Apples bohus (I was the other one – black forest darkness) I would have loved to have fondled it, and seen it up close in real life
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So glad you had such an awesome time. Also happy Bruce is enjoying his Schmacko’s, he is a very good boy. Look forward to meeting you again next year, health and weather permitting.
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Yikes, it’s the morning of the Brussels incidents, and the word ISIS leaped out at me from the the Missy Elliot sweater – unfortunate association in an otherwise very beautiful presentation.
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Felix’s sweater reads “this is a missy Elliot exclusive” – nothing to do with Isis!
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I KNOW! The letters just popped onto my eyefront!
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Thank you for sharing these amazing pictures….many of us who were not able to attend this festival were very interested in it….you have inspired me and made my day!
Julie
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I know your life has had some difficult turns from a few years back, but the knitting world has been nothing but blessed by your creative output since. You deserve all the adoration and praise I’m sure you received this weekend. And I agree with Claudia, you look radiant. :)
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WOW, is all I can say looking at these pictures! so many famous and infamous people ;) I loved seeing everything. Your booth was stellar!!! and so are you!
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You were a huge success and although I could not cross the pond for a visit, I very much enjoyed your photo coverage of the show. Thank you, Kate.
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This is wonderful news! I am so glad you had a great time! It wasn’t that long ago that being around all these people would have been sensory overload for you. This is another example of how far you have come since your stroke and what wonderful support you get from your husband and friends. I have been following you sinse your university days and thrilled to see all of your success!!
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Oh, how I wish I could have been there! Maybe in the future, I do hope!
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What a whirl it was! I’m with everyone above who wants to be there next year. My main problem will be deciding which of your lovely designs to wear when I come over.
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It was a pleasure to meet you and to speak with you briefly (I was the one wearing the bright green handpun hap). I can only imagine how exhausted you and your team and everyone working at EYF must be. I was worn out after only one day. There were so many gracious and talented people everywhere. It was quite inspiring and I came home with a little bit of yarn and tons of desire to make things.
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Just having a quick look at this in my lunch break – brilliant photos!! Had a great time .. I’m sure it must be quite humbling feeling all that love and appreciation. AND MY SCARF MADE YOUR BLOG!!!
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I’m even more determined to be there next year with my daughter-in-law. These photos are wonderfully tempting……
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Oh! What fun to see you and so many designers that I love. And everywhere YARN, in all forms. Stunning…
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I’m so pleased that it was a successful weekend for you in so many ways. The pictures of the booth looked fabulous.
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Kate, I wish that I could have attended this year’s event. Having seen these grand photographs of happy knitters enjoying themselves, I definitely am going to try to be part of it next next.
Your stand looks amazing!
xo
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I’m sad I didn’t make it up there this year, but really hope to make it next year. It looks like a truly fabulous time was had by all. I bought a Funyin kit to make up for not being there. I bought it in Yaffle, but now that I see a sample knit up in Coo, I want that one too! (I left a comment up earlier today and I think it got lost in the ether. If not, forgive my multiple comments!)
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If I start saving my pennies (metaphorically since we got rid of them in Canada) now, I might be able to make this happen (better be some big pennies, however). Looks like a great time. You don’t look maniacal; you look radiant.
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I think everybody had a nice time on EYF and I thank you for all the new photos. I am from Hamburg/Germany and I am following your blog for quite a time. I wish you all the best and I hope to see many more of your posts. Uschi
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Oh wow. so fantastic. I hope, I’ll be there next year, too. Can#t wait for it. Thanks for sharing these wonderful pictures <3
Tabea
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I watched from a distance (via Twitter etc) with envy this year, I definitely want to go next year. I’ll start saving up now…
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Oh, Kate, your stall looked lovely. Great to see all the photographs and such gorgeous hand knits-wish i could have been there.
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The pictures of the projects people have done are so inspiring!
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I wasn’t able to attend this year, so I consoled myself by ordering the Miss Rachel’s Yoke and Gauntlets kit. However, once my daughter saw the photos on Ravelry, and reminded me of her upcoming birthday in June, it became abundantly clear that I would need to make plans to attend next year so I can get another kit to make a Miss Rachel for myself.
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I was so sad not to make it this year, but I’m aiming for next year! It looks even better than I imagined. (And I imagined it would be pretty amazing.) Thanks for the photos. Even though I wasn’t there, I did buy a Funyin kit, in green. Now that I see the beautiful rust and grey version in the photos, I just might need to buy that one too.
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wow – so many famous names and faces all in one place! It must have been completely overwhelming. But the yarn and knits and colors are all fabulous, and your booth is beautiful. Glad you had a good show. Wish I could have been there. :-)
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Thank you for sharing this event and for giving us a sense of having been there! It was interesting to see photos of well known designers and to be able to catch up with what is happening by following the links too. Congratulations on the beautiful designs and yarns!
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It was fab to meet you and thanks for featuring me in this post. I do realise now that the cowl completely doesn’t work with the dress I had on :) I can’t wait to weave more with your gorgeous yarn and really can’t wait to knit my Miss Rachel jumper. Hope you have a relaxing few days to recover :)
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I so wish I had been able to visit, it looks so fantastic and aren’t all those handknits completely amazing? There isn’t one of them that I don’t love and want to try. I especially like the lady who has produced her own yarn from her father’s flock. I am trying to do the same with undervalued Romney fleeces here in Kent.
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Seems you all had a wonderful (if exhausting) time. Hope to make it to the YarnFest next year.
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