It's show time!

November 01 2011 – thisisknit

It's less than two weeks to the Knitting and Stitching Show, the country's biggest textile show, and we're looking forward to it hugely. It's a chance to meet a lot of you, particularly those of you from outside Dublin whom we usually only talk to on the phone or online. It's also an opportunity to see things we don't see every day - the astounding work of the guilds, the quilting exhibitions, demonstrations and classes in a huge variety of textile media. So we thought it would be a good idea to give you a few practical hints here, drawing on our experience over the years. This year, the show's taking place from November 10th to 13th in the Simmonscourt Pavilion of the RDS rather than the Main Hall of recent years. This means accessability improvements, because the entire show is on one level. It also means that the public transport options are a little different. If you're planning on coming to the RDS by public transport, bus is your best option. Because of the torrential rain last week, the DART isn't running between Grand Canal Dock and Sydney Parade. Dublin Bus is honouring DART tickets to the areas in between, but really, you'd be as well to get the bus all the way. The 4, 7, 45 and 47 all go through Ballsbridge, and the best stop for the Simmonscourt Pavilion is the one by Bewley's Hotel at the junction of Simmonscourt Road and Merrion Road. Alternatively, get the 46A or 145 to Donnybrook Church and walk down Anglesea Road to Simmonscourt Road. There's parking available if you're driving to the show. There's information and links for booking parking in advance here. If you don't have a ticket for the show yet, you can book online at this link. The group tickets offer very good reductions if there's a number of you that want to visit (you don't even have to come as a group, or even on the same day). Once inside, we will be on stand K13. We'll be accepting credit cards as usual, but it's likely that many of the exhibitors won't be. There will be an ATM inside the hall, but in previous years there have been long queues for it. To avoid frustration, you might want to bring cash with you (but please carry it safely), or use one of the ATMs at bank branches in Ballsbridge. There will be food and drink on sale inside the Pavilion, but Ballsbridge has plenty of other places to eat. There's hotels with cafés, there's pub grub, there's restaurants, there's a number of well-known chain coffee bars, there's an old-fashioned chipper. We probably don't need to remind you to wear comfortable shoes, do we? You know, it's entirely fitting that the show happens in Ballsbridge. The area has been associated with textile industry for centuries, depending on the fast-flowing Dodder for power. The Forty Acres, now occupied by Herbert Park , were used for bleaching linen in the nineteenth century, and it was in this area that linen was first printed in Ireland. Beaver Row, just up the road in Donnybrook, was named for the felted beaver hats made in Mr Wright's factory from 1811, and the row of single-storey cottages there was built for the factory workers. Fancy winning a ticket to the show? If you leave a comment below, we'll get the Random Number Generator to pick out a lucky winner. We'd love to hear about previous K&SS experiences and about your own inside track advice for getting the best from it.

17 comments

  • florence: September 16, 2020
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    I left a comment yesterday but it is gone.
    So I am in Ireland this week end and I will go to the show. Flo

  • florence: September 16, 2020
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    Great, this year I am in Dublin for the show!
    Flo

  • Manuela: September 16, 2020
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    I have never been to the K&S show. I live in Dingle, Co. Kerry, and last year didn’t make it despite being in Dublin… So this year I’m trying and make it, bringing my 2 1/2 year old daughter along… you have to start young! ;)
    I’ll be looking forward to ‘meet’ all the beautiful wool I am missing from living in a place with no knitting shop!!!

  • Anneoc: September 16, 2020
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    This is my first Knitting and stitching show, going with my 80-year-old crafty mother, who is a regular attendee and my sister. I’m going with an open mind, hoping to see some great wool to inspire me!

  • Jenny: September 16, 2020
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    Hi :-)
    Newbie to this whole knitting business! Never been to the show but would like to try knit my boyfriend a hat for christmas and could do with some help!

  • Elaina: September 16, 2020
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    Very excited about the show and looking forward to a potter about looking at lovely yarns and maybe taking a patchwork class. Can’t wait!

  • orly: September 16, 2020
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    I’ve recently gone back knitting again and have learned to Crochet in your Beginners Crochet Class last month with Siobhán. Looking forward to my first Knitting and Stitching show this year, hopefully I’ll pick up more tips and new skills at the show!

  • Karen: September 16, 2020
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    I’ve yet to go to the K&S show! It always clashed with my best friend’s birthday. This will be my first year!

  • Gill: September 16, 2020
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    These things always swing around so fast! How is it a year already?!
    My favourite parts of the show are the exhibits from the guilds and the Irish textile designers straight out of college displaying their degree work., thought there weren’t many of those last year, there were loads the first.

  • julie: September 16, 2020
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    I went to my first K&S after moving to Dublin as a sewer, rather than a knitter with my friend who bought a book, needles & yarn from the TiK stand because she fancied giving knitting a try. I was not convinced. A few months later she convinced me to knit my first scarf and with the help of the lovely people at the shop and at the thursday night meetings i got rather interested in the whole thing, by the time the next K&S show rolled around I was squishing yarn like a mad woman… a tradition I hope to continue for many years :D

  • ciara: September 16, 2020
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    exactly one year ago – I wandered to the Knitting and stitching show and did Siobhann’s mittens class .. I then meandered to This is Knit stand and gawped at the loveliness ,squeeked at the squishniess of the yarn – ooohd and aaaaghed at the colours and decided right – I t may have been 15 years since I last knitted but I decided to throw caution to the wind and I bought a pattern book and yarn – one year on I am HOOKED!!
    Looking forward to returning this year. :-)

  • Aissa: September 16, 2020
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    So it’s time to start planning what kind of yarn etc. I’d like to check/buy ;-) As there will be so many exhibitors, I’ll get lost unless I have a sort of plan.

  • Siobhan: September 16, 2020
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    The K&S show, it’s always a great experience. I didn’t know that about Donnybrook – you learn something new everyday!

  • Clare Fitzsimons: September 16, 2020
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    This will be my first knitting and stitching show as only started knitting over the summer after taking a beginners knit class in your shop. Really looking forward to it!

  • HelenMc: September 16, 2020
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    You forgot to remind people to bring needles and hooks with them.

  • mollydot: September 16, 2020
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    Hoping to win a ticket again :-)

    Last year, I won tickets for all four days, and it meant I could relax about looking at things and not have to decide so quickly whether I wanted to buy or not. It also made carrying things I did my much easier! So that’s my advice – if you can afford the money and time, go at least two days.

  • Adrienne Molloy: September 16, 2020
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    Love the Knitting and Stitching Show, browsing the stalls looking at the intricate work that appears no problem to the gifted. My first visit to This is Knit stand was some years ago looking for a pattern for a crochet dress for a little girl which they didn’t have but there I got the good advice to try Ravelry.
    I had never heard of Ravelry but went home tried it and have never looked back since, thanks for the advice. Looking forward to my next visit in 10 days

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