H&H Cologne 2019

I spent the past weekend at H&H Cologne 2019 in Germany and had an inspiring, encouraging and extremely busy time.  It’s hard to explain in words.  So I’ve got a picture collage to show you some of the things I saw.  My best part of this year’s show was the feeling of connection I experienced.  It’s my 3rd year of exhibiting and for the first time I truly felt part of the international yarn and knitting community.  Many of the visitors I’ve met once or twice before.  They are starting to feel like friends as well as being colleagues, collaborators and customers.  And I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

Somehow that also reflects something of the change I’m starting to see at the show.  When I first visited in 2016 it felt big and impersonal.  There were a lot of huge business exhibition stands full of men in suits.  There are still plenty of those – Katia, Opal, Lana Grossa, etc. etc. But things are changing.  What were small businesses are getting a bit bigger and having more of an impact.  There is a lot more openness in stand layout.  I always think this reflects the changes in the industry and marketplace.  And there were creative displays everywhere. I hope visitors thought the Cowgirlblues display was one of them 🙂

We received so much wonderful feedback from retailers who love our yarns, and customers who knit with them.  And of course everyone was showing off their beautiful handwork so there was loads of knitwear eye-candy!  An awful lot of work goes into just 3 days of presentation. But it was well worth it.  I’m looking forward to growing all the connections and relationships between now and next year.