Stitches Photos

This is Candace Eisner Strick and you should know who she is. Why? Because she is a great teacher, a marvelous designer, an inventor of the concept of merging colors yarn, and the funniest person I know. She's also wise--and I say that not only because she says I am good enough to teach on a national level--but because she just is. She graciously spent time with me this weekend and gave me such encouraging advice about my knitting career. Anyway--go to her site and the yarn is so cool.


Natalie who works for XRX took this and my great, good friend Gay e-mailed it to everyone who attends the Colorado Knitting Camp. Turns out that Natalie is the one who draws all the graphics for the website and brochures. She's marvelous. Her work is so energetic and fun. So is she. Everyone I've met from Sioux Falls is so clever. Must be the water.

Gay and I had so much fun together. I finally got to meet Bill who does all the facilities management at the Stitches events. All the designers think he is wonderful and I agree.

At the Student Banquet on Saturday night, we sat with Bill and Gay. Also at the table was Anne Claxton who does the KnitU at the Knitters website and Susan Lazear who truly knows the international knitting scene. Both were very nice.

The Atlanta Knitting Guild had knitted flowers---giant flowers---as centerpieces for this event. A local artist wired them. They were huge and clever and beautiful. Alexis Xenakis, the first X in XRX, announced that they had purchased the flowers and were going to drive them back to South Dakota. I suspect they will appear at some future Stitches events.





Sorry about the poor photograpy. These were taken after the cocktail hour, and Meghan will tell you I never took a photo without moving the camera.

These flowers make me more determined than ever to organize a public knitting project for Charlotte.

Tomorrow I'll show you the prizes I won at the banquet. Circumstances came together in such a way that I wound up with quite a haul.

Stitches South

So this was supposed to be a tasteful report on the weekend with pics for those who could not be there. I'd like to blame the lack of photos on the fact that I think I left my camera cable in the hotel, but the truth is I only took a few pictures. Too excited to think. Anyway, here's a brief, photoless, report which I wrote Friday night.

We’re here. Quickly saw Karen (akabini) for a brief hug while her workshop was taking a break. Hope to talk more tomorrow. Steve unloaded the bike and toured the neighborhood.

The hotel is lovely and we have a huge room. I dumped some stuff, checked in at registration and headed for the market. Not many people hanging out. Of course classes were going on when we arrived, but still seemed smaller than I expected. Same with the market.

Stephani Quattrini has a booth. Briefly talked with her and hubby Marc. Hope to have a drink later and here some stories. She’s led a really interesting life and has a bunch to tell. They lived in Tahiti for ten years, then New Zealand, and now northern Mecklenburg. Doesn’t really have a ring to it, does it.

Also spoke with Judy Ditmore of Interlacements for Colorado Springs. She helped teach my first Colorado Knitting Camp in the 90’s. Of course, it was about color. Love her yarns.

Talked with some nice folks from the North Georgia Knitting Guild. They have only been in operation a bit over a year, but seem to have their act together. I picked up a brochure and a needle guide that they use to advertise themselves to other knitters.

Ellen of Ellen’s Half Pint Farm in Vermont is here. I’ve bought from her for years and I love her colorways. I bought two lovely skeins of sock yarn (Yes, Meghan, more sock yarn) and some markers to use for my OTN Cat Bordhi socks.

Candace Eisner Strick spent some time advising me about my knitting workshops and cheering me on. I feel really good about her sweet comments and will put them to use. Her yarn company (Merging Colors) has a new colorway which sounds like me. I’ll search it out when I get online.

Speaking of online. Why is it that the fancier, more pricey hotels nickel and dime you to death. We noticed this when we stayed at the fancy Fairmont hotels in Canada. At the Hampton Inn or Best Western, you get free parking, reasonably priced vending machines, and free internet. Here at the Renaissance Waverly the parking is free, but a Coke costs $2.00 and internet is $14.95 a day. That’s why you are not getting this the day I am typing it. Breakfast? I’ll be at the Starbucks.

Jane Godshall stopped by while I was talking to Candace and we talked a bit. She told Harriet I was here and Harriet joined us for drinks and dinner. She told Stephen stories and updated us about her daughter and her BFF Michael torturing her on Facebook. The woman is a stitch. Friends will be glad to know that no one got “to’e up.”

Haven’t caught up with Gay yet. I’ll hang some with her tomorrow while Steve rides the Silver Comet Trail. I’ll also attend the market again, but I doubt I’ll be buying anymore yarn. I will be looking at books.

Charlotte Knitters arrive on the bus about 11 tomorrow; more friends to play with.

Fun and Stitches

I saw this on a blog and wanted to share it. Here. While you're there, read around; she's interesting.

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Tomorrow we head to Stitches South to see friends and maybe buy a little yarn. Gay, who runs the Colorado Knitting Camp I go to every year, will be there with her Bill who organizes Stitches events. We are going to attend the Student Banquet with them.

Candace Eisner-Strick of Strickwear has become a great knit buddy after three years of camp. I'm picking her brain about my next teaching challenge. She's not only smart and clever, she's the funniest woman I know.

Karen Alfke, whom I met on the Vogue Canada trip, is teaching and I look forward to catching up with her. Check out her sweater pattern in the new knitty.

Steve plans to ride the Silver Comet Trail all day Saturday, so I will shop the market, catch up with the Charlotte knitters coming in on the guild's bus and just absorb the event. I can't wait to see new yarns. I wish everyone reading this could be there.

I'll take pics and let you know what new things I find.