I’m home! It was so much fun and I still haven’t taken it all in yet. There was a great deal to see and to learn. A presentation on the new book that XRX will have available this November, Victorian Lace, has me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait for this to hit bookshelves and yarn stores. I’m still absorbing the knowledge I gained from my technical classes with Jean Frost, Lily Chin, and Sally Mellville. I’m really not sure where to even start with all that I walked away with from their classes.
I took classes every day of the conference and learned a lot. For example, I now knot that I am not nor will I be a spinner. I made a perfect bulky thick n’ thin yarn during my drop spindle class. However, I am content to buy my yarn from now on. I’d rather be knitting than spinning. My technical classes have given me a great deal of confidence to design a sweater from scratch instead of following ones in magazines. Although, I’ve got so many ideas that I think it will take a few days to let the noise settle down and allow me to start.
More importantly I got to meet Marji and Kim. They are even better in person than in blog. Which is saying a lot because they blog well. Warm, generous, funny, smart … I could go on and on. I didn’t stop laughing for most of the weekend. They made a good time great! Again, this is a wonderful benefit of blogging. I’m sure Marji will post some pictures when she has a moment to do so. I’d post mine, but I thought I’d save you the headache caused by squinting at the blurriness.
They also have a good sense in when to enable and when to stop me from disaster (like when I momentarily forgot that I am not nor will I be a spinner and thus didn’t need several ounces of roving). Very handy friends to have around in a market full of wool, silk, roving, buttons, lace, and the like.
I think I was very restrained compared to some of the suitcases I saw leaving the market area. For patterns, I came home with several lace shawl and jacket patterns, the book A Gathering of Lace that I have been wanting to get my hands on, and Knitting with Hand Dyed Yarns that was a gift from the organizers of the conference. The fiber from top left is 20 cashmere/80 silk laceweight, koigu PPPM (click here for closeup), Schaefer Andrea silk (click here), and 3000+ yards of laceweight merino wool. I definitely enhanced my lace stash.
I am still unpacking and sorting everything into it’s new home. It’s good to be back, but I’m looking forward to doing it again next year!
15 responses so far ↓
Amy // Aug 14, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Fun! Nice haul.
Emma // Aug 14, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Wow, sounds like a good time. Can’t wait to see how all the projects progress!
Jo // Aug 14, 2006 at 5:54 pm
Koigu so pretty! I have to wait until November for Stitches East!
Jo
Donna // Aug 14, 2006 at 6:05 pm
yum! I’m so jealous!
2paw // Aug 14, 2006 at 6:25 pm
I am the same: I daren’t ever even consider spinning as I love knitting so much and I don’t want to divide my attention!!
Very nice wool!! Just enought to feel replete!!
KnittyOtter // Aug 14, 2006 at 6:58 pm
That looks so fun! :D
I wish you lived closer so you could impart some of your Lace Wisdom on me. *L*
I LOVE the colors in the Koigue you got. The Schaefer too. :D
*OtterHuggles*
Donni // Aug 14, 2006 at 8:56 pm
Ohhhh - silk, oooohhh Koigu, oooohhh Marji. You know I am wishing I was there….One day. At least I know what you look like now!
jen // Aug 14, 2006 at 11:24 pm
Wow - sounds like a great weekend! Good to have friends who stop you from making unnecessary purchases :P Happy knitting!
metal and knit // Aug 15, 2006 at 10:08 am
Gee you market beats our guilds retail stalls we get for a wisp of 2 or 3 stalls.
have you had vegemite toast yet?
Annie // Aug 15, 2006 at 8:05 pm
Sounds like you had a great time there Jae. The books look good and the yarn is beautiful.
I googled this morning and found the link to the Clapotis hat pattern, I have linked it in the post about the Clapotis hat.
Rox // Aug 15, 2006 at 11:44 pm
Ohh… ahhh.. cashmere/silk laceweight looks dreamy! Who am I kidding…. it all looks dreamy! Sounds like you had fun!!
Marji // Aug 16, 2006 at 9:24 am
Thanks a million times over Jae for meeting me there and making Stitches the over-the-top fun event it was because you and Kim were there.
I’ve already whipped up 1/2 the front on Eliz with that Polwarth!
Alyssa // Aug 16, 2006 at 12:46 pm
I was wondering what shade of Schaefer Andrea that is…it’s just gorgeous!
Jade // Aug 16, 2006 at 1:19 pm
I’m so glad you had such a nice time! Welcome home!
knitabulous // Aug 17, 2006 at 2:09 am
That Victorian Lace book, I can’t wait CAN’T WAIT!!! I think I must pre order I am so impatient for it.
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