For these past weeks I have worked on a pattern for a Tunisian crochet shrug. I found it hard to find the right yarn that would best make my idea real. But I have come across the perfect yarn for it : Ulysse from De Rerum Natura. Taking notes and working out a pattern, that’s one thing. Publish a pattern in different sizes, that’s a completely different story. So, who wants to test this shrug to support me?

Voilà! I’m back home. I’m still under the impression that I was in some kind of twilight zone during these very few days in Edinburgh, a dimension where yarn crafts are everywhere and celebrated by everyone. I’m exhausted and I need some sleep. Yet, I’d like to post an article to show you what I particularly liked and what I bought at the festival. I find it extremely difficult to describe the atmosphere of the festival. It is all linked to people, sincere, enthusiastic, passionate about yarns. So many people with the same intense interest for yarns in such a limited space. I spent my time in Edinburgh with incredible people coming from all around the world. And I wish to thank them again for the good moments we shared together.

The EdinYarnFest

I had bought tickets online for Thursday 21 and Friday 22 of March. Thanks to these tickets I could access the festival as from 10 am on the very first day. I arrived at 09:30 and there was already a queue. In front of the main building, round the corner into the next street. I don’t mind waiting in a queue. It was not raining and I could enjoy some kind of “catwalk show”, performed by knitters and crocheters proudly wearing their handmade items, a rich collection full of colors and textures. Even before getting into the festival building, you could already admire plenty of yarn projects!

So I went back to the EdinYarnFest this morning. I bought a few more things I could not buy yesterday. But what is key today at the festival is my meeting with Katie from the e-zine yarnpeople. I had exchanged with Katie before, but this was the first time we met “for real”. Katie is so kind and open, it was a real pleasure to discuss with her.

Yarnpeople

Yarnpeople is a e-zine that seeks to collaborate with people with different identities, life experiences, skills, and geographies. It’s a publication about yarn, knitting, crochet, but also about people selected by intentional inclusion.

Issue 2 is out this week. The theme is multiculturalism and multilingualism and the technique is brioche (in knitting or crochet). You’ll find one of my patterns in this issue (and I’m super proud to have been selected), but you’ll also find other knitting or crochet patterns designed by very creative people.

It’s getting late now. I still have a lot of things to tell, but I’ll call it a day. Tomorrow I get up super early to catch my flight back home. I’ll take the time this weekend to share with your all the things I bring back home!

So I spent the day at the EdinYarnFest. I’m back at the guest house to drop my bags. I’m writing this short article to keep up with my personal challenge in March. But I’ll go and visit the city center tonight.

I have bought things. I have discovered things. But I’ll write in details about my impressions when I’m back home. I still have a visit planned to the festival tomorrow. Just in case I feel the need to add a few things in my luggage.

I bought a Toft crochet kit as a souvenir. The small mascotte of the festival. Not enough to make the big one. I would not even try to make the big one. Too big.

Today I’m going to Edinburgh, to visit the EdinYarnFest. It is not my first travel to Edinburgh, but it is the first time I’m going to the festival.

For my personal challenge in March 2019 (one publication on my blog every day), tomorrow and after tomorrow will be tough days. So many people I’d like to meet, so many things to see… What are the festivals you would like to go to?

Today I’m sharing with you a bit of my passion for audiobooks and podcasts.

I’ve always read a lot. When I finished high school, I got the “library prize”. It tells a lot about my attendance at the school library. And when I was a teenager, my mother would read books out loud while I was busy crocheting. This allowed us to discuss about books and our interpretations of their content.

Audiobooks

Now I’m completely addicted to audiobooks, the ideal format when I want to relax and crochet.

It took me about 2 years to listen to the full series of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Hundreds of hours. In English, read by Davina Porter. I know the television show has a lot of success, but I prefer the audiobooks by far.

Lately I listened to several books by Liane Moriarty: The husband’s secret, Big little lies, Truly madly guilty.

But I don’t enjoy stories only. Someone I follow on Instagram shared the reference to the book A is for Arsenic, the poisons of Agatha Christie. I dived into the description of the different poisons that Agatha Christie used in her books. Very interesting. And a bit worrying as well. It seems so easy to poison someone!

Very recently, someone on the other side of the world recommended The chronicles of St Mary’s by Jodi Taylor. Margie-Rose, thank you again for your kind advice. I have just finished the first book and I can’t wait to start the next one.

Podcasts

I like podcasts as well. Usually that’s the format I prefer for my reading (listening?) in French. If you know French, I would recommend the series Transfert on Slate.fr. It’s a series of recording about people telling an episode in their life. Sometimes funny, sometimes very sad. Always sincere.

I’m still looking for podcasts about knitting and crochet. I follow the vlogs recorded by Annette Petavy. (in French), in which she shares her news. But apart from Annette’s channels, I don’t know many interesting podcasts about fibres in general.

What about you? Are you more TV or audio? What are the audiobooks and podcasts (about crochet or knitting) that you listen to and would recommend?

I have several copies of the Encyclopedia of needlework by Thérèse de Dillmont. All in French. But I know this book exists in many other languages.

I like Instagram. The format which consists in using a photo or a short video to share a passion is just ideal. This application allows to follow almost in real time what other people all round the world are busy with on a shared center of interest.

You can follow people. That is the first natural thing I started to do when I joined Instagram. But it is also possible to follow hashtags. And this, in my opinion, considerably widens the scope of shares and discoveries. You want to see more content related to Tunisian crochet? Look for specific hashtags.

Yesterday I gave a class on Tunisian crochet at Atelier 53, a charming boutique in Namur (Belgium), that sells ecological fabrics and yarns. I recommend that you pay them a visit if you happen to be in Belgium or nearby. It’s a very nice place, where you can find environment-friendly materials. In this spirit, at the end of this article, I’ll tell you about an unexpected fibre that I found in the shop. But first, about the class.

A class to teach the basics of Tunisian crochet

Not a single participant had tried Tunisian crochet before. Which is good, since the class was meant to discover the basics of Tunisian crochet. So together we covered the main principles and we put theory into practice by making the most common stitches.