Today was my annual trip to the Knitting & stitching show and as always it was a joy.

I love coming to the show as, on top of all the wonderful stands full of temptation, there are all the exhibitions of work and different techniques which are manned by people so enthusiastic about their craft you can't help but love it too. It is also a great event to catch up with all those people I only manage to see once a year, and this year I was delighted to bump into a great friend who I haven't seen for years.

I usually manage to get here for at least 2 days (sometimes the full 4!) but this week I have been so busy could only fit in one. So it was a bit of a rush but at least it saved me from myself and I spent far less than I usually would.
Of course I didn't leave empty-handed and managed to find time to buy some knitting and crocheting kits, yarn and some lovely onyx beads.

The highlight of the show for me though was the stand featuring work (including beaded kimonos) by the Japanese beader Takako Sako. I have owned two of Takako's books for some years and love her work so it was great to be able to see some of it in person. Amongst the work she had there was a fully beaded kimono made of over 2,100,000 beads! and I thought my geometric pieces took a long time! She also had some pictures, bags and artwork she had made and it was worth the trip just to see them all.

I have a busy week ahead trying to finish the next issue of Bead magazine, working on my new book, teaching in London and then heading to France to teach my geometric beading class - so come back next week when I'll fill you in on how it went (and whether I stopped being so anxious about it as it draws nearer!)