@ Anja Præsttun Smith
I spent last weekend in Stavanger, holding workshops for Strikk og Drikk/Knit and Drink. It was a fabulous opportunity to catch up with American designer Nancy Merchant, Danish Designers Vithard Villumsen, Vivian Høxbro and Helle Slente as well as Norwegian designer Tove Fevang with husband Photographer Geir Arnesen and knitters I know at Clarion Hotel.
@ Anja Præsttun Smith
This is the 4th time the weekend is organised and the 4th time I take part, but this time I was staying with former editor, now Marketing and Information Manager at House of Yarn, Mary-Ann Astrup in her new house – think New York Pent House meets 5-star Hotel and you get the idea of her cool house. Yes, I will be back very soon!
@ Hanne Haugen
In the market hall & not to forget the knitting café, in the basement at Clarion Hotel, there were lots of temptations like buttons from Birthe Sahl – I wanted many but could not decide on colour and bought none – lovely yarns, amazing felted dresses with recycled knitted bodices or sleeves from 2jinter, books and magazines. My haul was quite small and I only bought a copy of the magazine Laine. Above you see me caught in action – with the copy in my hand – at the stand God som ull captured by designer Hanne Haugen I am wearing my Yellow Gold Pullover yet again.
@ Geir Arnesen
One of the design competitions this year was make your Stavangervotten 2017/ Stavanger Mittens. Judge was Tove Fevang, in the center in the photo above. Below is a photo from the top floor of the Clarion Hotel. The market hall was in the basement, so Geir took the lift to the top and took this photo of the city center.
@ Geir Arnesen
During the weekend I held 3 workshops and was delighted that they were all fully booked with some knitters I knew from my previous trips to Stavanger.
@ Anja Præsttun Smith
The Strikkefest on Saturday night was at the hotel and we were quickly separated into groups in preparation for the Knitting Bingo. First we could sign our names to the statement that rang true and some where easy like “I have met Arne & Carlos” for instance who had a number of takers, while “I have been married 4 times” only had 1 taker. Then the bingo started. Above you see me having a laugh together with Tone Cecilie Nystrøm, aka ToneCecilie on Ravelry or just TC. She is a perfect test knitter, now studying to specialise in teaching maths. The photographer is my previous host, Anja Præsttun Smith, aka anjapanja on Ravelry.
@ Anja Præsttun Smith
For the next game we had to select a chair woman for each group who had to get hold of the announced item in the shortest possible time. Alex prepared by removing her high heel shoes and was ready for a sprint. We threw: A measuring tape, a double pointed knitting needle and glasses to her. While she had a long run for the nearest hanger which she found one flight of stairs down. We cheered on her like the trouper she was. Our group came second and lost on item such as a bra. Yes, we did have lots of laughs as we were trying to prepare for the next item.
@ Geir Arnesen
On my way back to Sola Airport, we passed Madla and the Sverd i fjell/Swords in Rock monument where a lot of people were photographing the sunset. I was on the airport bus but luckily Geir photographed them earlier in the day with a posing swan in the foreground. As usual there were lot of events going on that I missed like the Strikkekino/Knitting Cinema and Levende Lydbok/Alive Audio Book and numerous talks by participating designers. And yet I had a lovely time! Thank you Strikk og Drikk and everyone I met!
