Could Have Been Worse

This past weekend, I traveled (a whole hour) to Baltimore for Stitches East. As usual, I loved it. I didn't find any classes that I absolutely HAD to take, so I only did the fashion show and saved the rest of my money for shopping! I do love the fashion show, though (see the end of the post for just WHY!) - it's so inspiring and nice to see the knits in person and on a live person!

I tried to restrain myself. This post makes it look worse than it actually was. In the yarn department, at least, I bought only things that were planned or had a project I wanted/needed in mind.

Before leaving, I made sure to cast on for Snow White. I am anxious to knit this up and see how it looks. I'm hoping it's flattering. I love that I'm learning how to increase/decrease in a rib pattern! Yay for learning!The tubular cast-on has me sold. The way this works is slightly fiddly (but it could be worse!) but so totally worth it. I AM calling it "totally tubular!" no matter what my big sis says!! :P

I am much further than this now - in fact, I'm finished increasing at the back and just finishing up the bust increases. Fascinating!!!


My haul from Tess' Designer yarns. The blue is her Superwash Merino to knit the Cable-Down Raglan with. I loved Robin's version done in the same yarn in a gray colorway, so I had to try to repeat it. Let's hope it looks as good on me as it does on her! The charcoal is some Silk/Ivory I picked up to knit a Clapotis to be auctioned at The Boy's school. We totally wanted a luxury yarn, and the staff there helped us find just the right color. AND they offered to give us 10% off that yarn purchase. They are so nice!!!! The green there is some Baby Bunny for a super-helpful co-worker who is expecting in April. She deserves something yummy for her little one!


Some Pima Cotton Silk I got from Brand Name Designer Yarns. I think I'll do the Green Gable Hoodie from this - it's about the right weight, and I got a TON of it (each skein is 191 yards. I bought two bags, or 10 skeins - plenty for a jacket to fit lil ole me!!!!).


Kauni madness!!! Yarn and Fiber Company had a swallowtail shawl done up with this on the rack right next to the yarn, and it was FLYING off the shelves! Considering one skein ($13-$17 depending on which size skein you bought) will knit the shawl, and the colors are purty, purty, purty, I can't imagine why. Oh, they also had the shawl right on the corner as you came through from one section, and down the aisle from their main section, so it caught EVERYONE's eye. Smart, they are!!! My two choices are the blue/brown/tan combination I'm such a sucker for lately, and a brown/pink combo as well. Oh, and say HI to "Kicky" - my son's souvenir!

I may make a swallowtail (it's a free download) but I'm more interested in FINALLY doing a Fallilng Leaves with it. I've been meaning to knit that one for two stitches now (the pattern is in Lavish Lace. After Christmas knitting/gifting is over, I totally see myself casting on for this one!


Cascade Dolce (silk, alpaca, and wool) for who knows what. I have 10,000 things in my queue, so eeny-meeny-miney just might find the right pattern! Got this at Woolstock, so for $39 a bag, it was kinda silly to leave it there. I bought enough to go wild with cables if I want, so it's up for whatever!


My sister wanted some Silk Garden to knit gifts with. I decided to help fill the bag at Webs, so bought some to take the place of the Kureyon I'm using for a Lizard Ridge. The original LR will be for my son (who is more tolerant of scratchy yarns), and I'll make one for me out of the Silk Garden. Oh, the suffering!


I bought plenty of roving! I'm loving spinning! From left to right, there's some yummy fibers from Creatively Dyed. The owner is so, so nice and her colors had me mesmerized! I loved them all, and went for a purple in the seacell blend - I went for colors I don't usually gravitate towards. I also wanted one skein of "every-color-madness" that was all over her shop, so I chose a small wool/tencel skein for a quick fix. Yum-O!

In the front, there are two colorways of roving (!!!!) from Neighborhood Fiber Co. I originally passed Karida by, since I'd put myself on restriction from buying sock yarn (you'd have to see my list to believe it - I actually wrote that on there - "NO sock yarn - no matter how pretty it is!"). But, on Saturday (to go down in history as "Roving Day" forever more - that's all I bought that day!) I walked by and saw a customer with a huge braid in her fabulous signature colors in her hands. OMG! You know I HAD to go in. I bought three braids - one Corriedale in Tenley Circle (I hope) and two braids (one Corriedale and one Merino/Tencel blend) in Brightwood (I think) I am too lazy to go searching in my hiding places to double check - I'm afraid I'll spin them if I see them!!!)

I also bought some little balls (probably 4-6 ounces) of alpaca and silk roving for a bargain from River's Edge. I hope there's nothing wrong with them. I could not pass up the $5/ball (6th free) price, so I dashed in there quickly when I was supposed to be looking for my dear auntie. Shame on me - I'll let you know how it goes!

Oh, and um . . . . .


Did I forget to mention I won a kit from the fashion show YET AGAIN!!!??!!!!! I love it when my entrance fee is taken care of by them throwing yarn and magazine subscriptions at me!!! I won the yarn to knit the cover magazine from Knitter's Winter issue (mailing out today!), and a new subscription to Knitters. Since I had let my subscription lapse, I was very happy. I had the biggest grin on my face walking back to the hotel. My family laughed their butts off at me. I won two years ago as well. One day I'll actually finish knitting and sew in the ends on that puppy, too!

But for now, I'm very happy to have had a great time at Stitches. I'm still considering if I will venture to Hartford, CT next year. I may change venues and go for SOAR instead, to brush up on my spinning skills instead. . . Any suggestions??

So, how was your Stitches?

:O)