The Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

Stand for two minutes of silence. Of course that was supposed to happen at 11 a.m., but hey.

It's been exactly one month since I posted. I'm still knitting Odessa, and I've started on Arwen again. The sleeves are coming along nicely.

I attended my first Stitches East this past weekend. Wow! I've been to conventions before, but I'd forgotten how overwhelming they can be. There's always so much going on! I did hit the market (of course! More yarn for my collection so that I can pretend to knit!), and there will be eye candy later in the post. But the highlight was the CSI: Cable Stitch Investigation with Fiona Ellis, complete with evidence bags. She's so friendly, charming, and funny. Amazingly creative, and a patient teacher, too. I think I actually have a chance of conquering that cable in Arwen. And I shouldn't have too much trouble (famous last words) charting the cable for that sweater I want to create.

One thing I kept seeing in the market, that I didn't get or try, were felted scarves (or things). But you don't knit and then felt the item, you somehow layer fibers and then felt it. That piqued my interest, and I think I'll be looking into that in my future.

Here's all of my loot, booty, plunder, treasure, preciousssssss in a beautiful pile:


My first stop upon stampeding into the market was, coincidentally and not at all on purpose, Tess Yarns. I looked, and fondled and stroked, and looked some more, but didn't purchase until Saturday.

My first purchase was at Creative Designs Unlimited. Mmmmm, look! Aren't the shell buttons the coolest? And they are reversible! I intend to use them for the Sheep Shop Sweater. And how could I pass up the dragon shawl pin? The detail is amazing, and I love the ebony twisted shaft.


What was it that I couldn't stop fondling at Tess Yarns, and had to return to buy? This 50% cultivated silk and 50% merino in a sage sort of green. I managed to grab enough of it for the celtic knot sweater (remember that? Thought I'd given up on it, hadn't you? Nope!), but now I'm not sure if that's what this wants to be. I will be swatching for sure.



My next had-to-have purchase was from Maple Creek Farms. This is also a 50/50 silk and wool blend, but this one is more of a fingering weight. It's also green, but a watery bluish-green, and it is as soft as the softest thing you can imagine (cloud? baby's bottom? name your poison!)!


My next purchase was from Brooks Yarn, four skeins of the Acero, and 2 of the mohair. I have no plans for either, but I'm sure they will speak to me. I really loved all of their yarns, and had such a hard time making my decision.





I have to say, all of the vendors had such wonderful things, it was really hard sticking to my budget. I appreciated the incredible variety, from books, to notions, to needles, to roving, to bag handles and slipper soles, and of course all of the yarn, yarn, yarn-y good yarn! And I must add, if Sanguine Gryphon had had enough of any one of her silks to make a sweater, it would have been going home with me. I dodged a bullet there!

And yes, I'm already planning to attend next years Stitches East in Hartford, Ct.