Dream week, day 4 (Thursday)

Today my first class was with Anne Brown of Posh Frocks. She gave us a sideways knitted skirt pattern, which has flares and short pleats that rise about 25cm into the fabric. She also showed us how to steam the skirt properly using wires. I was so inspired I got three cones of crepe and a pattern book - but what I really need is a decent steam iron with a reservoir.

Second class was also Anne Brown, a "surprise" lecture - this was for her fingerless gloves. I think she developed it from a Knitwords pattern that was rather complicated. Hers has a hand-manipulated lace edge and a pin tuck. The thumb was done by doing a little bit of short rowing in waste yarn and it is then knitted on later. This woman casts off with a latch tool very very fast - I need to learn that! She also uses the garter bar very confidently.

Last class was with Anne Smith of MKM - "Cunning Cables". She explained her foolproof cabling method and showed us lots of variations that can be achieved with no more than a double or triple transfer tool.

Got back to the hotel and started packing (I hate this bit!). The competition is judged on Thursday nights. The non-wearables were on an end table (there was a bikini! Ha!). After the meal the wearables were ably modelled by Tricia, Rachel, Anne Brown and (briefly, to much hilarity) Bill King. The standard was excellent as ever. The first prize went to a five piece suit which included skirt, top, cardi, bag and necklace, and the second to a large cape made of lace knitting sewn into hexagons (It looked like crochet from a distance). A peg bag won the non-wearables and a teddy was second. There was also a very clever bird about 75cm high with a knitweave body. Managed to get photos of most of it before my batteries died, there will be a photo post soon I promise!

All in all a really good week and I hear they are already taking bookings for next year.