My purchases from the conference

I did manage to spend a bit at the conference merchants hall...who wouldn't with every stall being filled with items and paraphernalia of your dearest hobby.

This pile does not look inspiring to many people ..but the felt was beautifully dyed and will eventually become a needle case, the beads just had to have them..in the middle you can See a Celtic Needle Keeper magnet, for the uninitiated this is put on your work so you can put your needle on it and it will still be there when you go back to it, lost needles should be a thing of the past ...Oh yeah!!!

The thread  and Permin linen a pretty lambs wool colour were also just a want..not a need but this next thing is beginning to be a need

I have  developed Arthritis in my hands .. a curse for an embroiderer and finding I can not hold a hoop for to long especially if the fabric is a large piece as this makes the hoop fairly heavy, this restricts my stitching time of late ...so I have finally bought a "Fanny Frame"

you put the wooden foot under your leg and sit on it thus the frame is held in place for you leaving you with two free hands and it means my left hand does not give up after an hour.

Many think it is a bit of a funny name for a frame ...but it was originally designed to actually go between your legs and sit on it in that position.... thus "Fanny Frame" I think the name came from the States where the word fanny is used for this area of a woman's anatomy.