Coming Down Off A Sock High

Today was an early trip to the airport to go home. I hated to leave the Sock Summit and all those magical yarn fumes but work and pussycat and more projects at home called me to return. The Oakland Airport, where my connection was, had a herd of Southwest planes. It was a fun landing and takeoff because you come in over the bay and for a brief moment you imagine this is the "water landing" they tell you about during the safety review.

I had a fabulous time meeting new friends and learning a lot of new techniques that I can now incorporate into my own sock knitting. I am excited about trying some of the Japanese stitch techniques I practiced at Judy Sumner's class at Knit Purl yesterday. I can see the possibilities that these are not just for socks.

When I get home I have lots of sorting of projects and new supplies to do. I will be reviewing my new list of knitting soon. It was fun to get some repeats of the Monkey lace pattern done on my sock while I traveled today.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and found fun, new things to learn!

Sockapalooza: This is Footy Stuff!

Started out the day with a visit to the Marketplace to find the wonderful 3M tape that can be used to mark your place on patterns and charts, like using a much more reusable post it note.

I found it at Chappy's booth and had to buy a set of her wonderful sock blockers as well. Once I found it I took it around to those I had asked and they did not know what it was so they can order it for themselves.

Then I was ready to head downtown and look for the food cart that I had heard so much about, Rick's Wild Seafood, which I did not find as I ran out of time to get to my class at Knit Purl. The ladies there are wonderful and it was a real treat to meet and learn some stitch techniques from Judy Sumner. Her book is lovely and has interesting facts and history about the Japanese culture that includes the story about how and why karaoke was invented.


I hustled back to the convention center for my last class on short row heels with Chrissy Gardiner. Then I stopped in the marketplace to visit with a couple new friends before heading to the hotel to repack and get ready to head home.

I have really enjoyed my visit to the City of Roses and to worship at the altar of all things socks.

Help, Sock Yarn Fumes -- Making Me Dizzzzy.......

Officially this is the first day that the public gets to come in and see what the Sock Team Royalty has put together in honor of all things related to sock knitting and the sock knitters who worship the "sport."

There was a line outside the marketplace doors when I got here this morning to pickup my bright lime green ticket to participate in the Guinness World Record attempt. They were camped out like you do for concert tickets, it was a sight to see.

My first class was with Cookie A and how to create the perfect rib to complement the leg pattern you choose for your sock. It was very interesting to hear her explain and demonstrate the process she goes through to design her fabulous sock patterns with just the right ribbing that blends into the design rather than detracts like a last minute stick on. She is lovely and self-effacing, receiving giggles from the class when she mentioned that there was a flyer for her next book coming out in 2010 "in case anyone cared." We were all ready to sign up for the pre-release party.

Then I went back into the marketplace to check the door prize list to see if I had won anything, no luck yet. I headed over to Cat Mountain's booth to give her a much deserved coffee fetching and pit stop break. She has really yummy yarn and has just opened a new shop in Alamosa, Colorado called The Yarn Gallery.

The Guinness World Record attempt drew over 1000 eager knitters to try to break the recent record set by 256 knitters in Australia of continuous knitting for 15 minutes on two straight needles (NOT circulars or two of your four double point needles on your sock project) as the Yarn Harlot said "Four does not equal two."

We made it through the attempt and were on the local news at 5 p.m. on, at least, Channel 8 which we were watching. Yay for us. We should know in a week or so if our attempt made the grade with Guinness. Black and Tans all around!

After that my roommate and I made one more pass through the marketplace to look at things we had heard about before heading out for downtown. We went to Button Emporium and had lunch at Jake's Grill, then went to Powells's and found goodies at Cupcake Jone's to bring back for dessert. All in all, a great afternoon seeing the sights of Portland.



My big purchase of the day was a wrist bag called Sock It Suze (there is a story behind that) for my sock project. It is from FriendyWendy, she is on Etsy and can be contacted through her website for custom orders. She also sells her stuff at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. She is fabulous.

I also found sock yarn for a sharf (shoulder shawl that doubles as a scarf) and a lace scarf, plus at least two pairs of socks. I know that does not seem like a lot but with the overwhelming amount of stuff available it was too many choices.

I hope everyone is having fun!

Reporting Live from Sock Summit 2009

The first official day of the Sock Summit is over and what a day it was. There were many sitings of "socknitterati" from Lucy Neatby and her very cool hair and Birkensocks to seeing the Yarn Harlot in the control booth observing the goings-on of lunch and marketplace set up.

I attended three classes today and learned Judy's Magic Cast On with Judy Becker, some really neat bind offs that can be used for more than just socks with Chrissy Gardiner and how to spontaneously add beads to your knitting with Sivia Harding.

The big event of the day was the opening of the much-anticipated Marketplace. One woman compared it to "the running of the bull." It did have that feeling as the doors opened and the crowd moved in. The scope of this thing is overwhelming. I delivered the sample socks I knit for The Craft's Meow and got to meet she and her grandson who was doing a great job of helping in her booth.

There was so much to see. It is everything related to sock knitting and, according to the Sock Team, the largest gathering of independent yarn dyers on the planet. I believe them.

The topper to the day was Opening Ceremonies when we got to hear the tale of the dream that has become Sock Summit 2009 where Blue Moon Tina and the Yarn Harlot defied all odds and people thinking they were "crazier than a bag of wet weasels" when they thought up the idea for this event.

It was gratifying to experience the magnitude of what six amazing women achieved against all odds. I will be interested to hear what the final number of attendees is for this shindig.

Help, I Need Sock Yarn!

And so it begins, For me it started around 4 a.m this morning with last minute housecleaning (I hate to go on a trip and come home to a messy house) and packing. Then it was off to the Denver airport for my flight to Portland. Since I am travelling to a convention of like-minded people I figured I needed an identifier that fit the situation. The part you cannot see under that post-it is the fact that I did run out of sock yarn about halfway down the foot of the sock and just knit the toe to finish. It looks like a sock for a club foot baby. So I will be looking for some fabulous yarn that I just cannot leave in Portland.

On the flight I met a great gal from Crestone who is attending the Summit to help a friend with her booth. We had a lovely visit and knit while we winged towards Portland.

MAX trains are great. The light rail system in Portland is recognized as award winning and I totally agree. It was so easy to buy a ticket and get on board right from baggage claim and arrive at the Convention Center. I am staying at a hotel across the street and within walking distance of all things socks for the next few days. Ahhh, the luxury.

I left my bags at luggage storage at the hotel and hopped the MAX to the Oregon Zoo, Washington Park Railway and International Test Rose Gardens. What a fun time. I will share some pictures here and then go on with my adventurous tale...

And my favorite picture from the zoo is of this Stellar Sea Lion performing for the folks in the underwater viewing area. I believe he thinks they have put in a people aquarium just for him.

The train winds through the hilly expanse they call Washington Park to the stop at the International Test Rose Garden and the Japanese Garden. I remembered as we wended our way through the huge trees and acres of ferns why I liked the Pacific Northwest.

And the scent of the Rose Gardens was indescribable. I reminded me of my childhood in California and the roses my grandmother and mother tended in our yard. It was amazing.

Then I came back and checked in, saw all the teachers for the Summit gathering in the lobby, and went out for a fun visit to Trader Joe' for now $3 buck Chuck wine and snacks with the gals I met from Colorado.

Before I called it an evening I picked up my registration and swag at the convention center under the Dragon Boat...

and found some dinner at Burgerville. Yummy fresh blackberry smoothie.

Tomorrow I have three classes and the marketplace opens for students only for a couple hours of high excitement. After that is Opening Ceremonies where we will get to applaud the hard work and visionary efforts of the Sock Team.

I will be adding other pictures from my adventures in future posts especially more from the Zoo and Rose Garden. I hope you are having a fabulous week as well!

Travel Tips for Knitters

This upcoming trip to the Sock Summit has me stymied. I have my suitcases ready to travel. I have whittled done my basic necessities in regards to clothing and bathroom essentials, and packed my knitting homework and all sharp or "potentially dangerous" knitting tools (according to Homeland Security and TSA) into a bag to be checked.

Now I have to commiserate with the Yarn Harlot - what to I pack for travel knitting? I want something that can keep me in knitting for at least 6-8 hours, in case there are delays and can be done on non-threatening type needles. And for this trip it should probably be a sock, since I am going to the premier, now globally known and cheered, all socks all the time, Sock Summit in Portland.

With that in mind, I chose a sock pattern I have been meaning to knit ever since it was published in Knitty.com. Okay, now don't laugh, it is the Monkey Sock by Cookie A. This will be my first attempt at any of her patterns. I have the first sock on the needles and two repeats of the Monkey Lace pattern completed so I know what I am doing and it will not require lots of pattern page turning while crammed into an airline seat. I even have another skein of yarn in case I finish both socks and need to cast on another pair for the trip home. Imagine, I have to take a spare on the chance I won't see any sock yarn on my travels. Okay, I can hear those loud guffaws from here. :-)

Since I am going to a place I have not been in years I plan to do some sightseeing outside the Summit. To accomplish that and stay within my budget I have devised some money-stretching ideas into my plan, like stopping in at Trader Joe's and stocking up on some foodstuffs for the room fridge.

I am staying at a hotel that is walking distance to the convention center and sharing the room with a gal I know from Ravelry to cut that cost. Being based there will allow me to not need to rent a car and have the added experience of learning the highly-acclaimed public transportation system.

My souvenir plan is to buy some postcards to mail from the Washington Park Railway which has its own cancellation stamp, send some to friends and family and one to myself for my collection. And, of course, bring home some signature sock yarn. I plan to take lots of pictures to share with my blog of my adventures both in fiber land and out.


My thought is this: the very idea of going on vacation means treating yourself to a special experience, seeing new things, and meeting new people. If you refuse yourself that museum admission, or that meal at a restaurant you’ve been dying to try, or the tour you’ve dreamed of taking, then what is the point of even leaving home in the first place?

As you can see, this trip is all about the bags and the yarn. I have packed and repacked this weekend trying to keep it compact and easily moved from baggage claim to MAX light rail cars and back. I think I have managed to accomplish this goal. Time will tell.

August: Days to Celebrate

The end of summer is nearing however not without a slew of reasons to celebrate in August. We start off with August 1st - National Mustard Day followed by August 2nd - Friendship Day, August 3rd - Watermelon Day, August 4th - Chocolate Chip Day, August 7th - Lighthouse Day, and August 8th - Happiness Happens Day. This year, in particular, the 8th will be happy because all the sock knitting eyes will be on Portland Oregon and the one-of-a-kind Sock Summit.

We have the opportunity to celebrate our national heroes on August 14th with National Code Talkers Day, artists of all things sandy on Sandcastle and Sculpture Day and my own favority hero, my dad and his 89th birthday on August 15th. Way to go, Dad!

As the kids are getting ready to go back to school they should be able to celebrate August 17th Pencil Day while school supply shopping.

For all you pilots out there August 19th is Aviation Day. And after flying somewhere fun you may as well celebrate August 24th National Waffle Day over breakfast. Let's hear the cheers for combined celebration of National Hotdog Day and Women's Equality Day on August 26th, Global Forgiveness Day August 27th, ending the month with National Toasted Marshmallow Day on August 30th. And to top it off, August is National Panini Month.

Labor Day, signalling the end of summer is right around the corner. And to top it off, August is National Panini Month.

I hope all of you have found lots of fun things to celebrate!