Knit Quest

Your Favorite Thing Friday

One week from today I’ll be in St. Louis at the Loopy Ewe’s Spring Fling. I’m excited, nervous, frantic, and a little overwhelmed. Why?

The excited part kinda explains it’s self, who isn’t excited about 4 days with knitters and such great teachers as Anne Hanson, Cookie A., and Wendy Johnson.

I’m nervous because it’s my first time and I won’t know many people. What if they don’t like me? I don’t think I’m going to end up sitting by myself for the whole weekend, but new situations always make my self-conscious, doubtful side come out.

It’s taken me almost two weeks to catch up from camp and now I have a week to get ready to leave again. Definitely a bit frantic. I’m sensing take out for dinner.

Part of the weekend is a trip to Loopy central. I actually get to go and stand surrounded by everything the Loopy Ewe has to offer. Touch it. Feel it. Smell it. All of it. A whole huge whack of possibilities waiting for me to snatch them up.

It’s a wet dream and nightmare put together. What should I pick? Will I even be able to see it all? What’s a reasonable budget to set for myself? Can I stick to my budget? Should I pack a paper bag in case I hyperventilate? Overwhelming!

Now here’s where you come in. If you were me what would you be most excited to get your hands on? What have you been dying to see in person? Which yarn have you been stalking?

There are so many options that I don’t have and haven’t seen in person I’m going a bit crazy trying to make a list. And I need a list! Otherwise I’ll go in, freak out,  grab one of everything, and come out with no money. Not good.

Numma numma, Black Bunny Fibers, Chewy Spaghetti, Earthly Hues, Yarn Pirate, Tempted Yarns, Sheepaints, and DragonFly Fibers are just a few of the yarns up for consideration. And what about all the not yarn stuff? Bags, tools, accessories, patterns… I think my brain is going to turn to jelly.

So…Help a girl out. Save me from myself. This Friday I need to know what’s your favorite thing?

(Pictures are the remainder of my stash expansion from camp week. Shown to keep you interested and remind me how much yarn I already have)

Back to Victoria

I feel like I could be posting about camp and pre-camp activities for the next month. I’ll try not too, but I couldn’t let my wonderful trip to Victoria go by without sharing it with you.

 

Saturday stated super early, with a trip on the Victoria Clipper. We arrived in classic NW weather and slogged our way to the Empress (that’s it in the background). The luggage was quickly dropped off and we went in search of coffee.

 

For some reason this is the only picture I took of my favorite coffee shop, I think I wanted to remember the name this time. They make a great latte and some mighty fine pastries. Once warmed up a bit and full of caffeine and sugar we were ready to brave the elements in search of yarn.

On the way to Beehive, we happened upon a button and yarn shop. I was so excited about the unexpected find I forgot to take any pictures or even write down the name. I did however pick up a few things.

(Lang Cashmere Tweed and Indigo Moon Sport Weight in Mountains in the Moonlight and Wasabi)

Armed with yarn and hoods we ventured back out to find Beehive.

Yay! After scurrying inside we spent the next hour or more oooing and ahhhing over all the yarn.

Look at those smiles! Great selection, beautiful shop, and nice helpful people! Be sure to stop in if you ever get the chance.

I found a few souvenirs to bring home.

Hmm.. we’ve had coffee, sweets, and yarn..what else could we need?

A good brew and some fish and chips for lunch! We enjoyed a relaxing meal and a bit of knitting time before hoofing it back to the hotel for more relaxing and knitting in our room. It was raining so hard on the walk back I had to blow dry my jeans!

We managed to drag ourselves back out to have dinner at The Mark. Continuing our pattern of all eating the same thing we got gin cosmos and steaks, and had a good chuckle over the Vermouth and Pea Popcicle listed on the menu. When the tea menu came full of long flowery descriptions including such gems as “plucked the morning after the full moon” and “mountainsides glistening with dew” we laughed some more. Between the laughing and the knitting it was clear the young couple at the next table thought we were pretty strange. They did some laughing of their own and of course this just made us whoop some more.

Sunday we decided to spend the day knitting. We found another coffee shop and all cast on a pair of toasty mitts with some of our new yarn. It’s possible we may have taken another trip to Beehive as well.

We capped off the weekend with high tea at the Empress. Then back on the Clipper to be ready to leave for sock camp the next morning.

One lump or two?

Delighted Dyer

Everyone knows Tina as the Depraved Dyer. I’d think Genius Dyer, Super Amazing Dyer, or Unbelievably Awesome Dyer are better descriptions, but I guess they don’t sounds as cool.

As I mentioned yesterday one of the coolest things about camp was the opportunity to have a dying class with Tina. She told us a bit about her creative process, how dying happens at Blue Moon, and we talked a lot about color choices and how they make you feel.

Our homework for the class was to do a color study. We were instructed to bring examples of colors we love and colors that make us uncomfortable. I was excited to do the homework and thought I knew for sure what the results would be.  I would have said I didn’t have a favorite color, that I like variety, and I would have said that pastels made me uncomfortable. I would have been a liar.

Take a look at some of my homework photos. What do you see? Not a lot of variety. Clearly I like autumn colors with a big emphasis on copper/cherry wood colors and greens. What color isn’t in there at all?  Blue. I would never have said I don’t like blue, but other then blue jeans there wasn’t hardly any in my wardrobe and none in my house. Not even my bathroom is blue. I never would have guessed.

We had three skeins of STR Medium weight to dye and were instructed to try two in our comfort zone and one outside of it.

For my first skein I did my best to replicate that cherry/copper color. I think I came pretty close and as you might imagine I love it. Totally my favorite of the bunch (it’s photographed on my copper & cherry table).

My non-comfort skein is blue, but I added some grey and purple to make it a little more me. I may not knit something for me out of it, but I think it’s pretty to look at.

My favorite wardrobe colors are pinks and greens so I tried to incorporate them in my last skein. I really love the pinks in this yarn, but I wish I’d left the green out. Maybe it won’t look as blotchy once it’s knit.

What about my skein from Tina? She knows how to do pink and green right! Love it!

I’m excited and inspired to break out the dyes at home and give it a try. I’m no longer the timid dyer, I’m the delighted dyer!

Re-Entry

Wow. Sock Camp is like nothing else. I don’t even know how to begin to describe the crazy, wonderful, awesomeness that was Camp Knitty Ha Ha. 

Camp is fun (where else would you find a room full of knitted sea creatures ?).

Camp is crazy (store opening).

Camp is educational (those are Tina’s hands showing us how to dye yarn, TINA’S!!).

Camp is hysterical (Cat and Stephanie’s sea creature “Chicken of the Sea” ).

 

Camp is exhausting (I was too tired to get a picture of me napping as soon as I got home).

Camp is stimulating (camper dyed yarn).

Camp is inspiring (Tina making notes for a possible colorway and I picked one of the colors! I almost exploded on the spot) .

Camp is silly (Steph and Tina getting beer from our scavenger hunt).

Camp is like traveling to a magical place where everyone understands you, shares your passion, encourages, and inspires you. People generously share their knowledge, praise, and experience. There are smiles and hugs, real friendships, and a spirit of sisterhood.

No one thinks you’re crazy for being I won the lottery excited about a new fiber or color, or for asking to take a picture of their sock. In fact it’s expected.

It’s what I imagine heaven might be like. Although if it really was heaven I would have been able to lever knit without all the dolphin hand and cursing.

I feel renewed, validated, and even more excited about my craft. My endless thanks to all the amazing ladies who worked so hard to make it happen and who kindly give of their time, energy, and talent. I was truly blessed. 

If only I could have stayed forever. Re-entry is a bitch.

Favorite Thing Friday: Victoria BC

One of the things I love most about Seattle is how close it is to so many other places I love, like Victoria BC. I love to walk around downtown and people watch, as well as shop. There are so many great restaurants it’s hard to choose. And there’s an Italian cafe 3 or 4 blocks from the Empress that makes the best lattes I’ve ever had in my life.

Why am I all excited about Victoria today? MisKnits, CaroleNJ, and I are taking a quick trip there before sock camp.

We will be traveling in style on the clipper. Scenery, comfort, knitting time, and less than 3 hours from Seattle to Victoria. The only downside is we have to be at the dock to board by 7am . This being Seattle I’m sure they’ll have coffee.

Overnight at the fabulous Empress and we’re even having tea on Sunday before jumping on the clipper for the return trip. How can you beat that?

I can’t wait to visit the Beehive Wool shop again. I still haven’t knit all of my haul from the last trip, but who can resist a room full of Fleece Artist. Not me!

Only two weeks until the fun starts! Now all we have to do if figure out how to fit all that fun into 2 days.

More Fun than a Barrel of Monkeys

It almost feels like camp is two weeks long, since most of this week has been spent reliving last week on everyone's blogs. I posted a summery of the camp experience on the Daily Chum Monday if you missed it and I will make a list at the bottom of this post of other campers blogs if you're looking for more camp coverage or just some cool new blogs to read.

Now the Monkeys.

This is Bella Monkey. So christened by my daughter who had her out of my suitcase and off to play 5 minutes after I walked in the door.

Bella is the small funky monkey pattern (due out on Blue Moon later this week) knit with the yarn provided, so other then knowing it's Socks that Rock I don't have a clue. She has blue button eyes, needle felted lips, a tutu (ribbing tube increasing every other stitch every other row to make skirt), tiny toe shoes (using the simplified Ocker cast on, Thanks JC), and a whole lot of hair.

I was trying to think of something creative and cute to do with my monkey, something my daughter would like, and mostly something that had less i-cord! Her arms are a long strip sewn around a pipe cleaner. It's amazing how creative you can get when you really want to avoid something.

This is my other ballerina. I think she's the cutest, but she was a lot harder to make (she 5 and I'm still working).

Want more monkeys? Here you go. I tried to identify who knit them, but I couldn't remember them all.

 

Cookie and Cat's(Cookie's hands), Hotflash, MisKnits and Socktopus

 

Mya, ?, Stormy,?, CeCe, ???

 

????

Next year more photos and better notes. Or should that be better photos and more notes. Anyway..

As promised a list of more places to look for camp blogging..

www.ConvolutedString.com

www.GoddessKnitters.blogspot.com

www.fiberfish.blogspot.com

www.jenclodius.com

megknits408@blogspot.com

http://wedonothaveaknittingproblem.blogspot.com

http://hollywouldknits.com

http://whipsmartmccoy.blogspot.com

http://unraveling.typepad.com

http://stariel.blogspot.com

http://hitherandyarn.wordpress.com

www.purrfectlycatchydesigns.com

www.hizknits.com

 www.yknit.com

www.stilaholicnartianknits.blogspot.com

http://spindlerose.typepad.com

www.purlsbeforewine.blogspot.com

www.yinandyarn.blogspot.com

www.misknits.blogspot.com

www.colorplayfibers.blogspot.com

www.hireable.blogspot.com

www.aesoxfabled.com

www.midgeling.com/weebug/blog

http://tapmouseknits2.blogspot.com

www.whimsicalknitter.blogspot.com

http://www.nederlass.blogspot.com

http://www.lavendarknits.blogspot.com

www.lookiewhatimade.theeislers.com

www.missmaliceknits.blogspot.com

www.jcbriar.home.comcast.net

Sorry if I missed anyone on the blog list (I just copied from the camp list). Next time I'll show you my yarn haul and maybe even some knitting.

TP Extravaganza

I survived sock camp, and had such a good time it's hard to believe everything was legal. I feel like I could be posting about all the activities, yarn, and general craziness for the next 3 weeks. So prepare yourselves for a lot of photos. Today's topic toilet paper.

My super not so secret anymore homework. As I'm sure you've heard by now our assignment was to craft a TP cover with the yarn provided. My TP bouquet..

I even won a write in award for the most beautiful. Did you see it on the Harlot? She called it beautiful!! Who would have thought that I would knit something seen by so many, and that it would be for the bathroom. If that isn't surprising enough I was tracked down and asked to write up a pattern. Go figure. Pattern and more photos on the way later this week.

All the entries were fun and creative. Knitter never cease to amaze. Here's a sampling..

Fritz the gnome done by Marisol of Purls Just Wanna Have Fun.

Look it's the Notorious Sock Knitters Express.

The always classic TP doll by MJ the Knitter Nederlass.

Sorry, I don't know who they all belong to. If you know who made one leave it in the comments.

Cookie and HizKnits in the TP swap circle.

Stephanie, Hotflash, Cat, and Cockeyed acting out the swap story (they're trees).

Stephanie and Cat demonstrating the proper technique for chicken hatching. Sorry it's blurry, but it's hard to hold the camera still when you're laughing.

Whew, and that was only the first night. More to come..