Bartimaeus

I was hoping for company but decided not to let it put me off and struck out on my own to the wild west. I had been encouraged by fellow therapist, knitter and friend, Rhona who lives in Glasgow, but wasn't available to join me. She had attended the same event previously and thought I would enjoy it. I had also secured a separate bit of fun and socialising by contacting my niece who also lives in Glasgow who had agreed to meet me after the exhibition event and before she went out with other friends.

It was a beautiful day as I set off for the station, with the Quartermile glass towers on the horizon, shining and looking like more like awards from some glitzy ceremony than housing.

The walk to the station was entertaining as I passed many French rugby fans dressed in various tricolour hats, caps, berets, toories and ones shaped like cockerels. Some were even wearing kilts. It seems the auld alliance is still going strong.

I encountered an odd problem at the ticket machines. I couldn't see how to add my Railcard to the price of a ticket. Instead I went and spoke to a person who explained that this option was unavailable at weekends as too many tourists  (perhaps like those going to international sporting events) made mistakes selecting the 'senior' option because they were over 60, but didn't own a Railcard so then were challenged on the train. I asked if I could buy a ticket from him rather than the machine. He said, yes, as long as I had my Railcard with me. I did.

I was going to have to watch my phone didn't run out of battery as the Railcard is on that though I had a paper ticket. Luckily I didn't need to consult it much as I cast on my second red hat. Almost half the ball of wool remains so a couple of rows shorter on the rib and perhaps a smaller tassel should work. A man asked me about the knitting in the train. He seemed to think I did it for my work, not as a hobby.

I was careful not to keep the map app on long while navigating between Queen Street and Central station. The city is vibrant and beautiful, with a sense of humour. I passed the famously traffic coned Wellington statue, at the Gallery of Modern Art. The horse ears are now cone covered too, like the little crochet ear coverings of canal horses of yesteryear.

I found my way okay. In fact there are many routes I could have taken as there are a few entrances. This road took me to two of them.

In Central station I found some very colourful characters. Lots of the travellers to the Exhibition Centre were wearing colourful wigs and elaborate costumes. I didn't like to take photos of their amazing faces but as one of the most elaborate costumes was striding ahead of me on the tunnel walkway between the station and Exhibition centre, I snapped her. 

She was even more impressive from the front and I found out later that the costume was so accurate that Nye recognised the character from behind. When I arrived at the Exhibition centre Spiderman, Animé characters and warriors were all around. Now I could see that Comic Con was on at the same time as the creative crafts fair and quilting exhibition. I wondered if there were any prizes for costumes.

There was no map handed out for where all the stalls were of the creative craft fair. but there was one big display at the entrance of the Creative Craft Show so I got a photo and looked up the "mini makes and takes". I have been promising myself for a few years to get a crochet lesson. Knitting patterns sometimes have a crochet cast on or finish border, so I thought it would be a useful skill. There was a half hour crochet class advertised so my plan was to sign up for that first and get it done as soon as possible As with boating, plans don't always work. I passed many other mini workshops but the stall running the crochet was unstaffed. I'd been worried that it might be oversubscribed but not a bit of it. There was a sign up sheet so I was able to book in to an early afternoon slot and go and explore the rest of the stalls until then.

There were a wide variety of craftstalls but needlework was most heavily represented  -  sewing and quilting with machines for both and fabrics available. This was no surprise with the fair being on alongside the quilting exhibition. A whole haberdashery store was there with a glowing array of buttons, clips, trims, buckles, braids and fasteners of all kinds. 

Back at the crochet stall, The Colour Dasher,  to make my bracelet, I found that while I'd only been the second to sign up, the class of 6 was now full. I was glad I'd gone there first. The materials were all provided and it said no experience necessary, but it seemed like just about everybody else had done it before. I felt very clumsy and slow but was getting the hang of it. I managed a second row with a different stitch and was only just finished as the next group appeared. My band was happily tied off and was loose round my wrist. I shared a photo with my knitting pals group, while I had lunch.

After my late lunch I went to look at the quilts. There were lots of categories and themes and it was amazing to see the variety from one theme. It was like poetry with all the different interpretations and personal stories worked into them, as well as the brilliant handcrafting. Some were more abstract than others

These three were all in a theme of 'quarters' - there were a lot in this category -some were more obviously connected to the title theme than others.

The maths teacher had done a more obvious quarters connection, but that was also very intricate and personal to her. There was a category of  traditional quilts, with clear symmetrical geometric designs, as well as modern ones and some with traditional themes. But with pictures in as well.

And some with a sense of humour.

One of the themes was pathways and as with a few it was hard to believe they were actually quilts. 

It is usual for quilts to incorporate history and personal themes, being made sometimes from material with the quilter's own story and interests. Another of the pathways had taken the quilters interest in Scottish country dancing and made a quilt showing the path of the top dancers in a strip the willow. Shane and I have had to demonstrate this pattern often but not so neatly. 

Another section had a specific Scottish place depicted. The safe pockets are added as the theme of a haven or harbour. This is Stonehaven harbour.

There was a whole section of protest or statement quilts, people with patient hands and frustrated minds, putting their skills into education and persuasion. I liked that section even if they weren't always so pretty to look at.

Unsurprisingly the quilts in the art section were very striking and beautiful. I like the bold colours in the bats flying out of the tower window at sunset.

The art category gold went to a stunning and sumptuous quilt and an unsurprising prize winner.

Light and colour are key of course and one modern quilt played with different shades of dark and the contrast with bright colours.

The same quilter, I believe, did this contrast where the black is superimposed on the bright and even emerges beyond the background.

Most were square or rectangular but one, which I rather liked, about living respectfully with nature, was circular. The interconnecting elements fade from one to another. Round the outside it reads: Lie gently in the Water Touch gently to the Fire Tread gently on the Earth Breath gently of the Air. 

At one side gallery, I was looking at another pair of themes, quite similar to each other, 'horizons' and 'boundaries'. They were all beautiful and I was surprised when I was asked to vote for my favourite. I wrote a number on a square of paper and slipped it in the ballot box. What a hard decision!

There were many I loved though they hadn't won a prize. They weren't all single quilters either there were group efforts. This is a colourful street done by a group.

The imagination as well as the workmanship that has gone into all of them was astounding, and so much variation. One was imagining a dream doll's house with a whole floor given over to quilting and the dolls were representative of the quilters involved with the group project.

I don't know if this one got an award but it was very popular and very large.  Whether group or individual I don't recall, but the subject was a group.

I bought buttons for a current project in an Italian buttons stall and a pack of two crochet hooks from another stall. They aren't normal hooks but called themselves knitters crocket hooks so that seemed fine to me. 

I went out and filled the time before Gwen arrived by admiring the Comic Con outfits for a bit, going to buy a snack to avoid the cocktails going on an empty stomach and taking in a classic Glasgow skyline visible from near the end of the exhibition tunnel.

As I waited more Comic Con goers passed by. One had a panic as she realised she had left a change of clothes back at the cloakroom and had to go back. I hope she managed to get them and catch up with her friends at their after-party. This one looked like she was a party all to herself as she strode purposefully on her own to the station.

After a solo, if crowded, day (with a few short chats built in) I was really looking forward to meeting up with Gwen. We headed for a cocktail at a place her daughter had recommended and found it heaving but we managed to squeeze on to a table. Watching other cocktails go buy changed her mind from her original choice. Her white russian had so many toppings it looked like a dessert. I hadn't had many coffees so went for an espresso martini - it's never let me down.

We had a swift, fun, family catch-up over the sumptuous cocktails and refreshing gin and tonics before she had to dash to her next appointment. We travelled from Exhibition to Central together and she took a selfie to share with her mum / my sister, Mary.

She pointed me in the right direction for Queen Street since we had come out of a different door. The train was crowded and my phone battery low. Nobody checked my ticket. It was only on the train back that I realised that my bracelet has gone. Probably it came off with my coat in the pub - I definitely had it while waiting to order at the bar.

The rugby supporters were still around when I reached Haymarket and the French didn't look too despondent that they hadn't won. On the walk home I passed the canal and a dark blue boat shone on the water. The canal looked clean and bright in the night lights.

I managed to use my new crochet needle to make a new bracelet the next morning. The win wasn't the accessory, but the skill, and remembering how to do it untutored, was the prize.