FOMO - It is real and can really drag you down.

Fear of Missing Out is so common, especially since so much of our life is online and nowhere is this more apparent than when there is a big yarn show or event that is taking place - and you can’t go. Obviously, it isn’t possible to go to every show and obviously, you hope that everyone there has a wonderful and woolly time, but a tiny part of you wants to curl up with a box of tissues and cry because you can’t be joining them.

And so it is with Edinburgh this year. My favourite ever knitting festival and the one thing I write in my new calendar before anything else. But this year events conspired against us and my husband took the chance to have a world-class surgeon operate on his knee and hopefully restore him back to many years of fell-walking fitness.

So now I find myself with a free day on Saturday 8th March when I had planned to be sky high on yarn fumes instead.

I thought I would come up with a few top tips to help soothe you if you are experiencing similar feelings of FOMO this weekend:

1. Visit your LYS or plan an outing to an LYS near you. The yarn fumes will be there just the same - only maybe not so overpowering.

2. Better still, rope in a few like-minded friends. Add some cake (gin is optional) and you could have the start of a cracking alternative party.

3. Delve deep into your stash in search of treasure.

4. Cast on for a special new project

5. Share in the experience by following your friends online and via social media - a double edged sword this one. But cake (and gin) will help and you will get to experience the stash acquisition without the pain to your credit card.

6. You could even offer a virtual shopper service to your firends who are there - removed from the yarn fumes you are likely to be more rational and thus could advise on crucial yarn related choices.

If you have some time over the weekend why not join us in the #festivalathome fun over on the Everyday Knitter Facebook group or on Instagram/Twitter. Just use the hashtag #festivalathome and let us know how you will be enjoying your festival free weekend.