Thursday 13 November 2008

We're back. We had a terrific time in Baltimore at the Stitches East show (http://www.knittinguniverse.com/flash/universe.php). Lots of knitters, lots of vendors. I even bought some stuff this time.Not a lot of stuff, obviously, but these 3 patterns from Knitspot (http://knitspot.com/) have always intrigued me and there they were so I scooped them up. I don't know when I will have time to do them but I am beginning to think I need to actively work on having a division between knitting for work and knitting for pleasure. Although knitting for work is fun, it's still my job and this type of knitting would be just for myself.
I also visited the TKGA booth (the knitting guild of america http://www.tkga.com/index.shtm) and picked up their magazine Cast On. It has a brand new feature - designer tips. It's terrific. All the stuff that a magazine usually strips out of a pattern, they are putting back in and highlighting it in RED.
In this pattern there are tips on how to join up the cast on stitches on your double points, another tip on cabling, an explanation for resting your instep stitches while you work the heel, and some finishing tips. Every pattern has these highlighted areas. I think this is a giant step in the right direction and will help advance the education of knitters which is the mission of the TKGA.
We packed up Baltimore and headed for the Rochester Guild to give a talk there.

They have a huge guild of about 300 members and about 1/2 of them come to each meeting. That's a lot of knitters. They had questions and several knitters came up afterwards for a chat and a demonstration of continental knitting. I even had a discussion with a gentleman in the back who is making a Totem jacket (by Elizabeth Zimmermann) for himself. There are some interesting modifications which need to be made so it will fit him well. And he was using his own handspun too. Thanks Jeanine and Michele for inviting us.
We then headed to Hamburg, NY to sign books at the Embraceable Ewe (http://www.embraceableewe.com/). Erin had assembled a terrific crowd in her Victorian home and shop.
Erin has several generations of knitters behind her. She's here with her mom, Chris, and I missed getting a photo of her grandmother who helps out at their Tuesday Help nights. It often takes a family and friends to run a wool store and Erin is the energetic hub of her knitting community.

Back home, sigh. Today I will do some knitting, read a bit and think about when I can start one of those patterns I bought.
-Deb

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