Coming Down

I'm back from the Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat. I've been back since Sunday night, but I couldn't type yesterday to save my life. Now I could go on and on about the classes and what I learned, and all the cool knitters I met, but I think everyone prefers seeing what you get when go to a knitting conference. So, since my brain is still mush, I give you my own personal Madrona yarn crawl. And just a warning, I do have my firewall up, so no trying to sneak over and steal my precious'es:

First up, I hit the Toots Le Blanc booth. I haven't knit up the last yarn I bought there, but that didn't stop me from stocking up, 'cause you know, it's 50% Alpaca, 50% Jacob, in a DK weight that I think will be lover-ly in the Honeycomb Vest.



After Cat Bordhi's class, I'd spotted some sock yarn in a linen/merino blend, by Tactile, that was so bright and pretty, I had to have some . . . because well, I am now an enthusiastic sock knitter. Yes, I am.



Yeah, that pink will wake up the feet. Though I may be doing something else with it. Not sure.

Then it was onto The Fiber Gallery booth were she had the Fiber Trends Leaf Lace shawl hanging in the booth. I'd been having shawl envy since I walked into the conference and there it was, taunting me. "Knit me, knit me," it whispered from across the aisle. "I won't drive you to drink crazy, I promise. . . " Now we all know me and lace knitting. But ahem, I also mean to give this a try. So I bought the pattern and these two skeins of Handmaiden Sea Silk:



I was shopping with my new friend and great designer, Lisa Ellis and she and I went back and forth over which skeins worked best with my colors, and we had a lot of help picking them out. Isn't that great when you have lots of people to help you buy yarn?

Now I didn't need any help when I got to the Blue Moon booth. Despite having knit the World's Ugliest Socks out of one of their skeins, I still can't resist their yarns. The names and the colors just knock me over. And so I got two skeins of:



Jabberywocky in the Lightweight version. I thought if the shawl project is a success then I will try another one, and if not, well, then socks! And since I know of about four babies about to make their way into the world, I got this wonderful skein of Mediumweight STR in Grimm's Willow Wren:



Which is going to make the coolest, sweetest Baby Surprise Jacket (like this one) for some little wee pumpkin. And then I went back in the market at the last hour and probably shouldn't have, but found the colorway of Taos I've been looking for and bought it:



Okay, I bought all of it. But I was tired. And not thinking straight. And it will make the coolest . . . something.

Next, I will share all the great patterns and knits I saw, so check back! And if you went, what did you get that you can't wait to knit?

Comments

Anonymous said…
Sounds so fun! I wish I could have gone. :( Maybe next year.

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