As soon as I'm up today Gabriella and Jeroen invite me out to scour local shops for interesting clothes and it would be rude to say no. One trip to Goodwill later and I have managed to buy 4 spotty dresses, and 1 striped one for contrast.

Then it's a return trip to the antique mall where I lose myself in book buying and come home with '10,000 Snacks' by Cora, Rose & Bob Brown, 'The Male Motor' by M. Sayle Taylor, Sc.D, Ph.D, sexologist, 'Alcohol Distiller's Handbook' by Herman Willkie & Joseph Prochaska and 'The Great American Ice Cream Book' by Paul Dickson.

I love looking at, and buying, second-hand books and these are a real treat. Over the years I've made the pleasant discovery that old books for sale can be quite different beasts than those recently published. Not only do you find books on niche subjects, that I'm sure no publisher would spend money on today, but these books have a certain quality that it's taken me a while to identify or name. It's only as I continue reading these, absorbing the authors' knowledge and laughing at intentional, and unintentional, humour, that I realise just what it is: the books are packed with information, ethusiasm and, a quality so often missing in books nowadays, personal opinion.

I love reading books, I especially love books which educate me, but how often does the author veer off the cold, hard facts to give you their take on an issue?

Even if I don't agree with an opinion I like to hear it, and the reasons behind it, so that I can judge for myself what works for me. Often when writing I am guilty of the same cleansing of opinion, primarily as this has been requested of me by editors or employers, and of course personal opinions aren't always appropriate. But just as I have learnt so much about beading through personal conversations with others, and what they actually do when beading, wouldn't it be nice to get a flavour of that in written work?

Imagine if a book not only listed lots of different beading threads available but said which ones the author used and then explained why. Or more, specifically, why they didn't use others. I guess people are frightened of scaring off potential readers and upsetting companies, but it's all useful information and as readers hopefully we can be responsible enough to filter that information and take what's relevant to us individually. Just because I don't use something for a particular reason doesn't mean you're not unaffected by the same issue and find the product works for you.

It's that background, more detailed and substantial infomation that I yearn for and that makes the difference. I don't always want to just hear 'this and this happened' but appreciate when someone takes the time and space to write 'this and this happened and it was good because...'. I might not agree with the 'because...' but it certainly gets me thinking about it and wondering if actually, maybe it was bad because of that...

In my beadwork I use Nymo. Pretty much always have (I can think of 3 projects in nearly 11 years which used another thread) and as of now I imagine I always will. I know some of you complain that it frays and tangles when you use it, but I just don't have that problem. I find it strong and so, so easy to add in a new thread which are important qualities to me. But those are just some of the reasons I do use Nymo. What about why I don't use other threads?

I personally know I have probably learnt more from people telling me why they don't do something, or use something, than simply telling me to use one particular thing. When I first started beading it seemed everyone was telling me to use thread conditioner but when I questioned them no-one could give me a reason. Then one day someone told me exactly why they didn't use it and the difference that using it had on their work, compared to using wax or nothing, and I'm now able to make more of an informed decision (It may, or may not, surprise you to learn that I generally use nothing. This is mainly because I always seem to lose it somewhere in the house and am too lazy to look for it whenever I bead. Plus it would stop me being able to use the lazy thread starting method I adore).

Well, here goes, I'll put my pixels where my mouth is: I choose not to use Fireline as I physically find it hard to grip. It must be an issue with me as I have never heard anyone else complain about this, but to me, and my work, tension is important and I like to be able to control the tension as I go- this I can't do with a thread I can't grip. I also find it tangles a lot and even though I always hear it recommended for use with crystals, I have found that for me it breaks when using these much more than Nymo. Now that may mean nothing to you and you delight in using Fireline. But if you are someone who always used Fireline, but struggled with tension, how would you know that it might be a thread issue until someone says that's why they don't use it?

Rather than me just giving you a generic technical description of what somethings made of, wouldn't me saying 'and I have this issue with it because of this' help you more?

I know others don't like Fireline because of concerns about its longevity, but to be honest this is an area I know nothing about. If I used Fireline then I would want to know more about this subject, but until that day it simply doesn't concern me. But I'm glad I know it's an issue so that if for any reason I do use it, that knowledge is in my arsenal. And I only learnt it was an issue from someone telling me why they didn't use it. Every other person I have spoken to who uses it loves it. Maybe they don't know about any longevity issues, or don't care, or maybe there aren't any. But to me if I was only ever getting the positive spin on an item I could be merrily beading away not realising that my work could fall apart in two years. Don't be alarmed! I'm not saying yours will if you use Fireline, I'm just using that as an extreme example of how only hearing the good about something can leave you in the dark.

Knowledge is power.

Consist that a heads up that the new book which I, Kate Mckinnon and Dustin Wedekind are working on may just contain personal opinion, details on our preferences (and those of others) and lots of other nuggets, snippets, tips, hints, suggestions, two pence worths, words to the wise, low-downs, recommendations and general unexpected extras. Let that be a warning to you.

Ponderance over, let's return to my tale.

All shopped out (well, for now anyway) we headed back to Kate's for lunch, beading and general good times. Kyle Cassidy was on hand to snap shots of our work as we beaded and felt we had come to a point that was good to show. How I wish I had him sitting at home with me to do just that all the time. Plus the conversation would be good.

Soon it was time for dinner at Delectables with a bit more clothes browsing at How Sweet It Was first.

By now the lovely Doriot Lair, Diana Cannon and Robin Douglas had joined us and as a group we have a great meal, and some good drinks (though Gabriella didn't totally love her Velvet Elvis- even when I told her that I was told that Justin Timberlake invented it which is surely a good enough recommendation for anyone?).

Much conversation was had over dinner, some of it not repeatable but which triggered phonecalls to husbands and partners to ask pertinent questions (Not as rude as it sounds I promise) and some of it around the potential pleasure or pain of my previously much written about adored drink: a Pickleback. For some reason people were sceptical about whether it would be enjoyable but let's just say by the end of the night everyone was a fan. Well, except Kate who is far too refined a creature to join the rest of us in drinking pickle juice out of a jar.

I'll work on her.