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Pre-Bendigo 2026

Every year, before I go to the Australian Sheep and Wool show I like to assess what I have, what I'm planning to make and what I want to buy. Then I come back at the end of the weekend and see whether my shopping matched those plans!

(Planning Posts from 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 2024 and 2025) I also now only press post on this on the Thursday morning before I leave for the show, because of what happened in 2021!

This year I was doing a very good job of reducing my stash. I thought I might even get it below 10 kms for the firs time in ages. And then Anna came to knit night a couple of weeks ago and presented me with a one kilogram bag of handspun BlueFaced Lester because she thought I would like it.  Like it? I LOVE it. So much lustre, and so even. Just stunning. Also some Lopi, which I'm excited to knit with and a single skein of Koigu.

So I go into this with 13988 metres, over 21 entries. 

The three on the bottom row are more than two years in my stash, but I've just cast on a sock with the yarn on the left, and the yarn next to it has only 14 grams left, so I don't feel like this situation is out of control. Also, this year I have already knit 13 kilometres of yarn, so I have to buy yarn or I will run out in January. Or I can buy yarn later, and I'm spinning again.

But I will buy yarn, because it's fun! Here's my list of things I might like

There will also be my favourite non yarn things - brittle and soap and a stop at the Castlemaine Mills on the way to buy artisan butter and chocolates - as well as wine.

As always though, it's about the friends, the traditions and the sheep!

Back Sunday (or Monday, depending how tired I am when we get back) with the full show weekend report.

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