Meeting Stephanie aka The Yarn Harlot

Last night I went with my muggle friend Doty to meet the Yarn Harlot at the Joseph-Beth bookseller in Pittsburgh, PA. Even though the event was not scheduled to start until 7pm, I wanted to be there early to avoid the rush. We arrived around 5 and it's a good thing. We got good seats, 4th row aisle, and we got in group A for the book signing.

While waiting for Stephanie to arrive, Doty and I chatted with the other knitters who were patiently waiting. Most of the audience was knitting. Many of them knitting socks. Many of them wearing their work. One gentleman who was there said he only wears handknit socks. The woman who knit them was next to him and let me tell you she does a beautiful job. Doty said they look like they were purchased in the store. It was great to be among my own kind. Now keep in mind, I do not live in Pittsburgh, in fact I live 350 miles from Pittsburgh. But I felt right at home with this group of knitters.

At 7pm sharp, Stephanie walked down the center aisle, close enough for me to reach out and touch that gorgeous Bohus sweater she was wearing. If you read Stepahnie's blog you know she takes pictures of her "tour" sock with the people she meets and with the landmarks she visits along the way. So she began by taking pics of her sock with all of us as the background.

Then Stephanie talked for about an hour. She talked about how muggles (non-knitters) underestimate us, how we knitters really step up to the plate when asked. It was humorous, inspiring, and great fun. My friend Doty thought it was great and she doesn't knit.

Joseph-Beth has a great system for book signings. As you come in, you get a slip telling you what group you're in. They have a path all set up for you to get to the author. It's kind of like trying to get to the cash register at Best Buy the day after Thanksgiving. Or trying to get on a ride at Disney World. Since we got there early I was in group A. And I got my picture taken with the Harlot, see above. And Stephanie took my picture to post on her blog. Click here to see the post.

It was a wonderful evening and if you ever have a chance to go meet Stephanie you should do it. You will not be disappointed.

I made it to the Yarn Harlot's blog

Check me out on the Yarn Harlot's blog. Click here to view it.

Yarn Harlot Book Signing

I'm going to meet the Yarn Harlot tonight. Stephanie's in town (Pittsburgh, PA) for a book signing tonight. I'm so excited. I've got my socks on their circular waiting to meet her sock on their dpns. It's going to be great. Hopefully I'll have pics to show tomorrow.

Scarf Exchange Update

Last time around, I knew pretty much exactly which pattern I was going to use. So I bought some yarn and got started. Other people were posting that they couldn't find the right yarn to go with the pattern they had picked out or they couldn't find the right pattern to go with the perfect yarn they had selected. I couldn't relate to what they were talking about. Until now.

I bought some 50% wool 50% silk yarn at the LYS, Heritage Spinning & Weaving, in pink. It's fingering weight and would make a great pair of socks but alas this is not a sock exchange. I swatched and blocked 4 or 5 patterns over the weekend. I didn't like any of them. The yarn was definitely the right one so I had to keep looking for a pattern. I finally decided. It will be feather and fan. A friend had suggested feather and fan in the beginning but I ignored her. Turns out I should have listened.



There's not much done yet. And it won't look really good until it's blocked. I leave for vacation in 2 days and I needed to make a decision so I can take the project with me. I can work on it while waiting in line to meet the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She'll be signing her new book at a shop in Pittsburgh while I'm in town.

ISE4 - International Scarf Exchange

The 4th International Scarf Exchange (ISE4) has begun. Yesterday, I learned for whom I'm knitting a scarf. She does not live in the United States and it will be exciting to try to pick a yarn and a pattern that match her personality. I have until the end of May. Wish me luck.

Socks Toe Up, Two at a Time, Magic Loop

I'm taking a four session sock class at Heritage Spinning & Weaving taught by Deb Harowitz. It's toe up socks, two at a time, and using the magic loop technique (one really long circular). I'm using Cascade Cherub Kaleidoscope D.K. in colorway 1321. Instead of doing plain stockinette, I decided to do a waffle weave along the top of the foot. Once I finish the gusset and heel I can seamlessly continue it all the way around the leg of the sock.

The advantage of toe up socks is your sock ends when you run out of yarn. It could be ankle high, calf high, or knee high. By doing both socks at the same time, the 2nd sock is done a few minutes after the first. And you don't have to count the rows to make the socks match cause you're working them both at the same time. And you don't suffer from 2nd sock syndrome where you never get around to knitting the 2nd sock. Magic loop, what can I say. Knitters used to use 4 double pointed needles (dpns). Then there were 5 dpns, then 2 circulars, and now one really long circular to do the magic loop technique.

You should really try magic loop. It's good for any small circumference knitting in the round. Collars, cuffs, sleeves, socks....

Rippling Along

I joined The No-End-In-Sight Ripple-Along. After seeing all the marvelous ripples I just had to join in. I've been crocheting ever since I can remember but I can't remember who taught me how. Two of my aunts crochet yet they both say they never showed me how. Maybe they just inspired me to go out and learn.

My ripple is going to be for a child. It's around 45" wide. After looking through the 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns book and swatching several patterns I decided on the Malibu ripple. The yarn is Caron Simply Soft Brites. Most of the colors I had tagged for a different project but I changed my mind. After adding 3 more colors to the mix I'm up to 8. The colors in order of use are Lemonade, Limelight, Blue Mint, Berry Blue, Grape, Watermelon, Papaya, and Mango. I also have some black but I'm not sure if I'm going to use it or not.

After several days of crocheting, I made it through 5 colors so far. The stripes are 3 rows each.

Road Trip

My friend Pam and I took a last minute shopping trip to Lansing, Michigan. I get the weekly Threadbear email and it said "Spring Clearance Sale". Lots of yarn on sale from 20% - 70% off. Who could resist. And if I was going to Lansing, I had to stop by Rae's Yarn Boutique.

We went on a Sunday and stopped at Rae's first since it opened earlier. At first we were the only ones in there and that's great. You get the full attention of the shop owner. Then a stream of shoppers arrived. Pam & I were just the opening act. Rae's store isn't really big but she has great stuff in there. I bought some Socks That Rock Lightweight in Purple Rain, Socks That Rock Heavyweight in Love-in-Idleness, and Sock Candy in Henpecked. All made by Blue Moon Fiber Arts. I also picked up felted starfish and seahorse patterns and Lucy Neatby's book Cool Socks Warm Feet. And two more Sock Blocker key chains.

Then we went to Threadbear for the big sale. Threadbear is the largest yarn shop I've ever been in. Pam screamed "sensory overload" 15 feet into the store. Threadbear is run by Matt and Rob. They are so wonderful. Rob was teaching a sock class but Matt helped Pam pick out colors to make a bath rug for her master bath. He showed Pam how to mix fibers and colors to get the look she wanted. He twisted strands from 3 different colors together and it looked very different than when you looked at the full skeins themselves.

At Threadbear, I bought a small tote bag which is pictured below with supplies for my sock class at Heritage Spinning & Weaving. Toe Up, 2 Socks at once, magic loop technique. And, more sock yarn, Twisted Fiber Art yarn in colorways Exile and Portal. And, Mission Falls 1824 Wool, 100% merino superwash, in dark red for a Red Scarf project scarf. Also, for a Red Scarf scarf, I purchased Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist, 100% alpaca, in a medium gold color. And, Karabella Aurora 8, merino wool, in Red (color 7) and Burgundy (color 18) for Red Scarves.

All the sock yarn I bought on the road trip is superwash merino, except the Sock Candy which is 96% cotton and 4% elite. All the socks will be for me. All of the yarns are ones I've never used before but heard good things about.

Now for the pictures:

Purple Rain - Henpecked (2 skeins) - Love-in-Idleness
Portal
Exile

yarn: Baby Twist
pattern: Ribbed Scarf with a Twist by Ann Budd

yarn: Aurora 8 in Burgundy
pattern: Simple Scarf, Melissa Leapman's Cables Untangled

yarn: Aurora 8
pattern: His/Hers Reversible Scarf from Melissa Leapman's Cables Untangled

yarn: 1824 Wool
pattern: Steam by Diana Gates

Sock Blocker key chain
with a completed sock made from Cherry Tree Hill yarn

International Scarf Exchange 4 (ISE4)

I signed up for ISE4. I'm so excited. During ISE3 I knit a scarf for Loribird. And received a scarf from Lyndsey-Jane. Who will I be matched up with this time?

They think I'm good

I've always felt I was a very good crocheter, maybe even very, very good. My family told me that. My friends told me that. I enjoyed hearing it, but they don't crochet. Maybe they thought I was good because they didn't know enough about it to know I was just ok at it. How could I be sure?

After joining the Crochet Guild of America, I discovered they offered a Masters in Basic Stitches. How cool is that. So I read the course description and decided to test myself. I procrastinated a bit but finally got my binders together and sent in my swatches (see previous post here).

And guess what? I am good at crochet. CGOA validated it when awarding me a Masters of Basic Stitches degree. I received 235 points after having 9 points deducted. The perfectionist in me wants to argue the merit of the deductions. But the student in me is proud I received my degree. The crocheters think I'm a good crocheter, therefore I must be.

Knit Michigan

The first Knit Michigan took place on Saturday, February 3rd. I had a blast. Since I was afraid I would be late I set three alarm clocks and instead I was the first marathoner to show up at 8:35am. The marathoners raised over $7000 for the four cancer charities. One woman raised $1100. My friend Pam had the 2^nd highest amount, $750. She won a scarf kit and the book Fabulous Felted Hand-Knits by Jane Davis.

Thanks to all of my sponsors, I raised $718 and took 3^rd place. My prize was a kit to knit a bunny. A kit I had almost purchased earlier in the day. They know me so well. And if you look real close you can see the time on my watch, 11:47pm. If you’re wondering how I can look that awake that late in the day, thank Candice. My friend Candice brought me a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. (a sugar buzz can keep you going for hours if you keep feeding it)

During the marathon, I met a lot of very nice people. I also managed to get a hat completed (well almost, I finished it on Sunday). Classes were offered to marathoners and I took the Thrummed Sock class. My Thrummed Sock class was taught by Rae of Rae's Yarn Boutique. Thrums are pieces of unspun wool which are knit into the item. They keep you very warm. We started a mini sock during class and I finished it on Sunday as well.

I did take advantage of the fact vendors were present and made a few purchases during the day. Since I decided to knit from my stash this year (see post here) I did try to limit my purchases. I rationalized it all by reminding myself a portion of the proceeds would go to the cancer charities. I purchased hand carved crochet hooks in sizes F through K, a Candace Eisner Strick scarf kit, and some Cherry Tree Hill sock yarn in one of the Water colorways.


We received a letter from the organizers (Bridget and Joan) of KnitMichigan at the end of February. The 2007 statistics are as follows:

• 185 chemo caps were donated
• 9 shops and 7 guilds participated
• 55 people registered as marathoners
• 270 people came through the door for the general public portion of the event
• $4,557 was raised for the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center
• $5,092 was raised for the Genesys Health System
• $4,797 was raised for Gilda's Club
• $3,836 for the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Mark your calendar for next year, February 2, 2008.

I'm a Knitting Guru

I was reading Matt's blog and saw he was a Knitting Goddess, but wasn't necessarily happy about that label. Well I took the quiz ...

and this was the result:

What Kind of Knitter Are You?

You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting and do it all the time. While finishing a piece is the plan, you still love the process, and can't imagine a day going by without giving some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation involves leaving ample space for the stash and supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn ends and you begin.http://marniemaclean.com
Take this quiz!

Knitting Guru suits me. Well, I think so. Do you agree?