The weekend

My yarn stash is emnbiggened, my stitch markers pickle-ier, and my quads crazy sore from biking around Portland. Sock Summit weekend was pretty damn awesome.

I didn't have the jam-packed days that so many others did as I didn't score a place in any of the classes. I did, however, spent lots of time at the marketplace which, alone, would have been well worth traveling much farther than the two hours I drove.

I think my favorite discovery of the weekend (and you'll have to forgive me for going all fan-boy here) was A Verb for Keeping Warm. Firstly, the name fits oh so neatly into Do-Re-Mi (non-knitter friend from previous post decided it should replace La as that one is stupid anyway). The yarn though, oh my god. The colors are bright and saturated in a way that I didn't know was possible with natural dyes. Best of all, the dyes used are organic and sustainably harvested some even home(shop?)-grown. Check out the Dye for Glory post on Kristine's blog. Abalone especially is amazing. They also have fantastic shirts. I as-of-now-not-so-secretly think it would be a kick-ass tattoo.

The Ravelry party Saturday night was incredible. I think at one point I heard an estimate of 600 Ravelers in attendance. Meeting people who I've been talking to online for so long was great and I met so many other wonderful people (including Adrienne and Kristine from Verb who are as amazing as the yarn). ALSO, for the first time in my life, I won something! There was a drawing for some really great things from sponsors. I got great mesh snap-top project bags from Namaste. They are big enough to actually hold a decent sized project and yarn, plus the mesh means I can see what's inside without it getting all nasty and gross inside.

Oh man, there are so many things I want to have and do now. I want to spin, dye, knit everything under the sun, buy a spinning wheel... Actually, I would love to start with one of the Turkish drop spindles from Jenkins woodworking. I tried one at their booth and really liked it.

I almost forgot the picture of the best stitch markers ever! Made by Crafting for the Peanut Gallery and bought at Sock Summit.
Pickles and ninjas! Also monster/zombie and cow needle holders.

Back to work tomorrow. If only I could spend all my time knitting, hanging out with knitters, and learning to dye and spin.