Stitches West Recap

For the past three or four years, I have always arrived at the Santa Clara Convention Center on Friday, the first day the market to Stitches West opens to the public. I'm thinking about switching that up this next year, but we will see. Just depends on whether or not I want to hear the opening guest speaker, and/or take any classes. I wish they offered more in the way of spinning classes, but those are typically found in the more regional type fiber fairs/events. I'm still considering Black Sheep this year in Eugene, Oregon, which is in June, but I will need to sort out the details very quickly and make arrangements. In reality, it probably won't happen this year, but hey, I am a sort of 'fly by the seat of my pants' kinda gal, so one never knows. All is not lost if I don't make it though, as I will be going to Retzlaff Vineyards again this year and they do have some very experienced spinners there that are more than happy to teach you whatever you would like to know. I do love this event and it is so beautiful there...and besides, wine and spinning...does it get any better than that?
Back to Stitches......last year and this year, I met up with my friend Tracy aka Thumperina on Ravelry, and we are both independent enough to where we prefer to browse the show alone and join back up later on for some lunch to visit more and share what we bought up to that point. Lunch as always, was delicious at the restaurant at the Hyatt, and it's always fun getting to visit with Tracy. We usually only see each other three times a year...at Stitches West, then at Retzlaff, and again in October at Lambtown, another area fiber/yarn event that is local to both of us... since we live about an hour and a half apart, and she still works full time, this is what works for us.

We both questioned each other on what we would be buying, and both of us said "we don't need a darn thing!" Neither one of us bought very much..for us, it's the socializing with and being amongst "our people",....that camaraderie of the knitting/fiber community. We both met up with other friends of ours on Friday night for the pajama party. It is such a blast!!! If you go to any of the Stitches expos and they have this event, be sure to check it out. It is so much fun, you will see some pretty wild outfits, and possibly even win some fabulous prizes!

As I said, my purchases weren't extravagant this year, but I do love the ones I made. First up is my new Erin Lane bag that says it all, right?! I just love this messenger style project bag, and after I saw my friend Kevin's (from Purlescence Yarns), I HAD to have this! It is well made, and roomy enough for a small project, plus for the times I want to use it as a purse also.

No event is complete for me until I purchase some fiber to spin, even if it's just one braid. I fell in love with this color (I'm really into all shades of aquas and teals this spring), so I bought this beautiful four ounces called Surprise!!! It's a merino cross wool with bamboo and silk noil in it, which is a blend I have never spun before. It will make a beautiful textured yarn and I can't hardly wait to get started spinning it. I'm seriously thinking about spinning it on one of my drop spindles, probably a Turkish spindle. Isn't it beautiful? It's made in Montana by Three Bags Full, and I'm now wishing I had bought eight ounces. I might have to contact them and order some more...

Next up is the kit I bought from Amy aka Mother Bear, to knit one of her little bears for children primarily in Africa who have in one way or another been affected by HIV/AIDS. You can read about her awesome organization here. These are the cutest kits and she even includes the knitting needles with it...everything you need to produce a little bear is in this kit for $20!!!

One of the first booths I head for is Miss Babs. I just cannot resist her colors and the amount of yardage you get in a skein is well worth the cost! I had such a hard time trying to decide what to buy to add to my already overflowing stash, until I spotted one of her employees wearing a beautiful poncho that just looked like so much fun to knit and to wear! It's called the Shaldon Poncho, and knit in Miss Babs' Kilimanjaro, a BFL/Nylon blend, it just flows beautifully. The pattern behaves very well with this yarn! The colorway I bought is called 'Just Cuz'...cute, right?

I also bought two skeins of her Yummy 2-ply, which is a 100% merino superwash. One skein in the Zombie Prom, and the other in Livid colorway. I'm using it to participate in my local guild's March challenge knit a-long, which is for a shawl called Nymphalidea. I'll share more details about that soon...for now, here's a quick picture of it. (I know, gorgeous, right?!?!) The solid is the Livid, and the variegated is the Zombie Prom.

 

There are a few more purchases I made, but I'll share those in another post. Right now, I'll leave you with my other very favorite purchase, which was a brand new set of Hiya Hiya Needles. SQUEEEEEEE!!! Yes!!! I now have a full set of the 4" interchangeables that range from size 2 to 8. Know what that means? I can fill up with seven more new projects/WIPS...lol Oh wait, I'll have to add as many new project bags...oh dear me!!! LOL Maybe I'll trip on over to the fabric store today and sew some myself!

 

 

And, just in case you might think I'm not finishing projects....this is the Rikke Hat by Sarah Young, which 6,352 other knitters have knit. Mine is unblocked yet, but I have to tell you..this is a very fun, very easy, and very fast knit. I see myself getting a lot of use out of this hat. I knit mine out of Madeline Tosh DK, in the Tart colorway.

 

 

If you haven't knit this for yourself yet, you should totally check it out!!