I return from Stitches West! What is Stitches, you ask? It’s a yarn conference. It’s the Santa Clara Convention Center packed full of classes and vendors and knitters and crocheters and spinners and weavers and so much yarn that you wouldn’t believe it. I was totally fiber-drunk within a few minutes of stepping in the building. It goes on for days, but on this first adventure, my compatriot and I decided that we’d start with a day at the market and tackle classes next year.
I went in with the modest goal of acquiring some sock yarn for my first pair of knitted socks. There were easily thousands of choices in that category. I was thinking something in a sport weight and self-striping, but when I found this alpaca sock yarn in sea greens and purples, it leapt off the rack and into my arms and we promised never to be parted again.
The sheer amount of luscious beautiful fiber in this room was a wonder to behold. A lady at one booth came up to me.
“Can I answer any questions for you?”
“Yes. How am I going to fit all this yarn in my car?”
Somehow, I managed to stay within my budget and came home with only the one skein. I also scored a very cool leather strap that I will be sewing on my soon-to-be-completed felted laptop sleeve by the end of the week. But I’ve got a dozen business cards with colorways scribbled on the back for future projects.
While Ania was chatting with a fellow in the booth for A Verb for Keeping Warm about roving, I was poking at silken sock yarn and eavesdropping on their conversation. The guy’s voice was somehow familiar. I looked at the name tag. Michael. Hmm. “Psst. Ania, I think that’s WonderMike.” Turns out he’s one of the hosts of our favorite podcasts, YKnit. I tried not to sound like an absolute ninny while I told him how awesome his show is.
I got a free drop spindle lesson and produced a small hank of something on its way to becoming yarn. I also tried my hand at needle-felting. Ania demoed the Rolls Royce of spinning wheels and came away starry-eyed.
The yarn coiled into skeins isn’t the only fiber on display at Stitches. Pretty much everyone is walking around modeling their handknits. The booth workers seem to know that complimenting a sweater is the way to a consumer’s heart and the response of “Why, thank you; I finished it yesterday,” is very common. I wore my new Leaves Sweater and soaked up every one of those compliments.
So a successful first Stitches. I have a more refined plan of attack for next year. Now all that’s left is to try to get through the two projects I currently have on the needles before I cast on my beautiful new sock yarn which is sitting right here next to my computer where I can pet it whenever I want.
Life is good.