Ally Pally, what an exhausting day!

I'm not very good first thing in the morning, usually grumpy, still feeling tired and i do love a cup of coffee before getting up! so last saturday was a shock to the system, starting at 5.15 in the morning, taxi (luckily) and train to Paddington at 6.40! the reason for this was of course 'the knitting and Stitching show' at Ally Pally and cheap train tickets. the plan was i would go to the show and my husband and son would have a 'fun' day at Games Workshop and the Science Museum.
Now for the history lesson! in 1936 on November 2nd the world's first 'high' definition television broadcasts began from Ally Pally. the service originally alternated on a weekly basis between Baird's film system and Marconi-Emi's system. the above photograph taken about the same time shows two of John Logie baird's employees having a bit of fun. the one on the right is my father a Cathode Ray Tube maker. it must have been quite a time to be involved in the beginnings of television, and look how far we have come! mainly good but i think my father and Baird would be shocked by some of the trash that is now out there.
i don't visit Ally Pally very often but always think of my father working there when i do.
but back to the show! this might sound uninspiring to many but one of the highlights was seeing Kyoko Nagasawa's piece in 'The art of stitch' before i even got out of the entrance hall! such a simple idea, knitted strips of plastic carrier bags that were flattened by heat. beautiful! the next highlight was Dionne Swift's 'New grounds' work. the show was rich with figurative work, from kerry Mosley's portraits, Alice Kettle's figures and others; this will help with some of the exercises in Module 2. Seeing Sian's 'Tread softly' in the Pfaff Art Exhibition was an inspiration and i also enjoyed Christine Atkins' 'shelf life' houses, as featured in Embroidery magazine, Vol.59 Sept/Oct 2008.
there came a point at about 1.30 when i realised quite how tired and hungry i was so had to have a rest before the next enslaught. but i am now well stocked with glittery things and many ideas!
i met up with the guys at the V&A in the late afternoon to see 'Telling Tales' fantasy and fear in contemporary design, all i can say is WOW!!!!! what beautiful pieces, even my 9 year old was impressed.
got home about 11 after a much longer train ride than the morning with one of the family behaving badly, fidgeting and generally causing a nuisance (me!).