Convergence (MDSW 2006)

I could barely sleep on Friday night… I kept on thinking about all of the things and people I would see the following day.  I was just *so* excited about the weekend festivities!  I had travel plans with Jenna and Zarah (who I spent Friday with, touring DC – we had a great time!), and things were interrupted by horrendous traffic backups on the DC Beltway.  We were late, and missed some of the early bird specials, but I think we were just happy to be there, and ready for the day ahead.  We only had three things on our to-do list: SHOP, PET CUTE ANIMALS, and MEET KNITTERS.

Our first stop was the Tess Designer Yarns booth.  I was hoping to find another skein of the yarn that I used for my Dublin Bay socks.  It was not meant to be.  Instead, I came across a familiar face – lovely and smiling.  I got to meet KnitPastis!  She had emailed me and said she would only be staying at the fairgrounds for a few hours, so I sincerely hoped that our paths would cross.  They did! 

She told me that she had some leftover Amy Butler fabric from her recent sewing project, and had decided to whip up a bag for me – it is a beautiful green/blue mix that incorporates the PS colors for April, May and June!  Thank you so much for your generosity!  I used the bag for the rest of the day (and it came in so handy as I kept on buying more yarn…) and throughout the weekend!  I would have chosen this exact fabric myself!

Unfortunately, the environment at the Festival does not engender long and meaningful conversations… there is so much to see and do that it can just be downright overwhelming.  I did not get to talk to anyone I met for very long, and honestly, this is my biggest regret!  Everyone I met (probably about 50 or 60 new faces – not including all of the knitbloggers I already have met!) was so incredibly kind.  I considered making an alphabetic list for all of the names, to trigger my memory on all of the people I met… but even then, I knew I would accidently omit someone.  I wish I could link to you all!  **Can you do me a favor and leave a comment or send an email so that I can make sure to visit your blog and see your account of the Festival (and your new stash enhancements)? 

The morning was busy with many blogger sightings, I met Beth, Maggi, Charisse, Christy, Jody, Karen, Erin, and Elspeth all in the front of the barn (we hadn’t even walked in 20 feet yet!)  Before we knew it, the time was 1:30 and Cara’s knitblogger meetup was upon us. What an event it was!  Although it is hard to pinpoint, I would guess we had about 100 knitbloggers on the lawn outside the Main Hall.  The sun was out and shining on us (I got burnt! but not badly, thanks to Sarah’s sunblock) and we were sitting, knitting, chatting, and making all sorts of new friends and contacts.  This is where I can’t even begin to remember all of the faces (forgive me! leave a comment!) I talked to some wonderful people, both old friends and many new ones. Just a few of the knitters I met…

Pink Acrylique, and Gray la Gran

Kristin, Ashley and little Henry

Sauniell, designer of my newest WIP!

Faith and me, at the end of the Festival

Tanya and Heather at the Meetup

Of course, the people were great, but you know who else stole my heart? 

Met this guy last year, and he was even more adorable!

This little kid goat had some serious vocal chords - he liked to bleet at the top of his little lungs!

As the Festival wrapped up, we parted ways with some new friends.  Suzanne so kindly offered to take Zarah back to DC, and Jenna and I headed back to C-town for the much-anticipated KnitBloggers’ Ball, organized and strategized by the ever-talented Mama-E. By this point, Jenna and I were famished (there were no healthy vegetarian meals at the Festival… no, fried oreos aren’t part of this diet…) 

Mama E, and Knotty Mouse in the background – two of the great people at the KnitBloggers’ Ball.  They were also the minds behind the whole meeting, as Mouse came up from Georgia with Jane, Sandy, and Jodi (anyone up for another 13 hour car trip?) Other peeps who came for some fun?  Among the knitbloggers sighted at the Ball:  Coleen, Eunny, Laura, Stephanie, and Eilene.  Please let me know if I am missing some names! 

Jenna and I connected with Jodi right away, and it was a great pleasure.  I have admired Jodi’s design work for a long time (her Durrow design will be made for Kris someday!) and have followed her career in art school on her blog.  She is an amazing knitter, and a great companion for late-night parties!  Yep.  That means we went to another party after that one.  I am usually in bed by 10pm, so this was really late for me.

The Homewood Suites was the location of the shindig, and Jodi, Jenna, and I were a bit bleary-eyed, but we made it to the party hosted by all of these lovely ladies! (Thanks to Sarah for posting that pic with notes…)  One suite hotel room and a whole lot of fun.  Unfortunately, I did not make it long.  I was so tired (and sunburned) and really ready to hit the sack.  Thank goodness I was able to meet everyone!

DAY TWO  (yes, this is the longest post ever… just in case you wondered)

After a good night’s sleep, I woke up and was ready to hit the ground running!  This time, I got to share the experience with my family!  My mom met me at my house, and we didn’t waste any time in getting to the Festival’s Sunday celebrations.  The previous day was so busy and overwhelming (but FUN!) so Sunday was a nice day to relax and really take it all in.  We shopped.  We pet the sheep.  We met some more knitters. 

My mom is adorable.  Even if she is a (rug) hooker on the side.

See her lovely shawl?  She finished it in February, and proudly wore it to the Festival.  It is the “Aspa” shawl from Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton’s Araucanian Moments.  She used the yarn that the pattern called for, Atacama Alpaca.  It turned out so well!  She was destined to be a knitter!

Later in the afternoon, my dad and my sister joined us at the Festival for a few hours.  My sister Sarah was preparing for her trip to visit our other sister, Mimi, in Hawaii.  She left today, and I would have payed a million bucks to fit in the suitcase and go with her… at least I got to see her before she left!

Dad and Sarah scored a great Mother’s Day present, and I served as the diversion for mom.  Well, me and the yarn, that is.  They ducked out early to get it home and hidden from mom (not until Sunday!)  While we were diverting, we met up with my friends, Donna and Eilene.

I have so many other fun pictures, but frankly, I think this post is chocked full enough, so check out my Flickr page if you are dying to see more…  I was very sorry to miss Kathy, and Marie on Sunday.  I hope you ladies had fun!

Now for the yarn.  Those are pictures you have to see.  I bought a lot this year, I cannot tell a lie.  Last year, I only bought 4 skeins, so maybe I made up for it?  Who knows, but all I can say, is that I made out so well!  That list I made last week was one of the smartest things I have ever done.  This is highly recommeded for fiber festivals and convention trips – I followed it to a T.  The only exception (which I am told is not really an exception at all…) is two random skeins of Tess sock yarn. 

Three Waters Farm sock yarn – for these beautiful socks.

Tess Designer Yarns – sockweight in “hydrangea” blue and mint green colorways

Tess’s Merino Worsted for the Syncopated Ribs (Fall 2004 IK)

Natural Indigo dyed Alpaca – perfect for the Frustuna cardigan

Brooks Farm Four Play Merino for the Vansbro pullover

Rowan Vintage Knits’ Aimee in Douceur et Soie mohair/silk blend

This was my deal of the day.  It may be a tangled mess, but I got the whole bag for $18.  That is 7 (possibly 8 skeins) of GGH Goa.  I figure it needs a date with the ballwinder, but it will be worth it (the MSRP is $7.00 a skein!)  I may need to play with the gauge a little, but if my calculations are correct, this is enought to make the Basalt Tank.

And lastly, to aid me in my yarn recycling and dyeing projects, I found a niddy noddy!

 

As you can see, the Festival was a whirlwind of excitement:  beautiful yarn, kind knitters and bloggers, and very sweet animals.  I enjoyed every minute of it this year, even though I am still a little behind on sleep. 

Thank you for the lovely weekend – so many great memories!