{Squee} Stitches East

Lots of knitters

When I first started knitting - no, when I first became hooked on knitting, somehow I learned about Stitches. I think it was around the time that my friend Christy went to Stitches West, and I thought "Stitches? What's that?"  Thanks to the Powers That Be Called Google, I discovered Stitches East.  And I planned on going.  Now, granted, as I mentioned I think in one of the very few posts of this blog, I didn't know if knitting would be a lasting craft.  Nate thought I'd start one project, not finish it and just give up.  9 months later, I'm still going strong - and my desire to go to Stitches hadn't waned.  

Fast forward to August, and I'm out in Western Mass babysitting Nate's parent's pets, and my wonderful, amazing, lovely friend Jackie texted me and asked if I knew about Stitches.  And thus, a plan was made for the two of us to go.  And we both have been like little kids counting down the days until Christmas up until yesterday.  

Pins make me giggle

Stitches was an amazing experience.  It was...different.  It definitely was not what I was expecting.  See, when I think convention/expo I think of things like ComiCon....and I was picturing this convention center swarming with rabid knitters.  Don't get me wrong, there were A LOT of people - but there was no shenanigans. And it was generally quiet for a place packed with people.  And there was A LOT of yarn.  LOTS AND LOTS OF YARN.  But, that WAS expected :) 

Jackie & I with some of our loot

Let me rewind a bit, to later in August - my friend Angela sent me a link to a website that showed cute earrings of mini yarn balls and knitting needles.  I told Jackie that we should buy them...and she said "Forget 'finding' them - I will make us some!" and she did. And they are super cute, and so many people complimented us on them. It was really funny :) I also got complimented on my Saroyan which made me a happy camper.

Jackie looking for yarn

Back to the yarn - yarnyarnyarnyarn.  Oh. My.  The marketplace was probably my biggest misconception - somehow I figured there would be amazing sales (it could have been the wishful hoping of my unemployed mind) and there wasn't really...there were some good deals, and some amazing hand dyed booths, but nothing super cheap.  It was also like going to Webs in Northampton for the first time - very overwhelming...I didn't go with a pattern to find yarn for, so I think that helped me from going nuts. I also had a mission to find a friend cable needles like the ones I have by Lantern Moon, and I couldn't find anything other than the plastic Clover ones...so that was a bit of a bummer.

Jackie had mentioned that last year, her first Stitches, the vendors had a lot of free patterns so we went armed with folders to put all of our patterns...and there just wasn't any.  I got a few from the Red Heart booth.

Not too shabby

As for loot - which is the reason I'm sure most of you are reading this - I actually behaved myself.  I had about $180 that I saved, and probably only spent about $70-$80.  I picked up  Volume 1 of Knit Princess by Allison Sarnoff and Melody Moore which Allison signed for me; a skein of String Theory's Merino DK in the Garnet Colorway which will grow up to become a Christmas present for someone I think; a skein of Forbidden Woolery's Gluttony in the Irish Sea colorway which might grow up to be a fun hat for ME; a small bottle of Eucalan; a bumper sticker which will probably be used in my cubicle that reads 'I Knit So I Don't Kill People'; a cute little W.P.I. gauge by Girl on the Rocks;  some cute, simple stitch markers with matching tin AND a larger tin for notions by Miss Purl; and lastly, some fun buttons for my knitting bag which read 'Rippit! Rippit!', 'Caution: Bad Attitude Pointy Sticks', 'I was a nice girl before I started all this knitting' and 'My gauge is fine 'til the third glass of wine'. 

Jackie and some of her yarn goodies

It was a great day and a fun experience that I was able to share with one of my dearest friends. I know I've complained about being unemployed, but if not for losing my job I probably wouldn't have tried knitting and if I didn't try knitting I probably wouldn't have met Jackie....and for that I am very grateful to my evil former employer.  Jackie has been such an amazing friend to me, and I appreciate her so much and was so happy I could spend the day with her at Stitches. And her kiddo, Kendall, is pretty darn cute too!

Woolstock

I ALMOST bought one

Pretty fiber

Scarecrows with yarn

Kendall being cute