June 19, 2006
Estes.
I came. I shopped. I bought. It was wonderful! The weather was amazing, the company was fun as always, but the coolest part of the whole thing? The only money that I spent was birthday money! (a big thank you to my sister Whit, Cynthia, Jeni, Wanda, and Grandma Sue who all contributed to the Estes fund!) Michelle had a knit group/slumber party on Friday night and we all got up bright and early to head to Estes. I hardly slept the night before I was so excited. For those of you who were reading my blog last year, you already know this, for everyone else, check out the entry here. You'll see that I only purchased one thing last year and it wasn't even yarn! Crazy, huh?! So this year I was determined to make some good purchases...and indeed I did!
One of the most exciting things that happened though was that I got to meet Margene! It was brief and not nearly long enough (there was a swarm of knit bloggers there!), but I did get my picture taken!!
This is a lace weight yarn from Skaska. You can see on the tag that it's 5% cashmere, 85% merino wool, and 5% "man made". Not sure what this means...but this stuff is wicked soft. For now, it's going into the stash where it will await the perfect project to show up.
Ahhh...the ultimate indulgence. What you are seeing is 3 skeins of Brooks Farm Yarns in a subtly bright coral color. This stuff is heaven. I'm not sure what I'm going to knit with this either, but I just knew that I wanted some. Must. Have. Brooks Farm. A funny thing happened as we were all racing to get inside the tent and find their booth. Seriously. We actually started running. Michelle lost a flip flop, and I swear I heard someone shouting, "out of the way, there's a knitter down!" or maybe that's just what I was saying in my head. Ha! I decided to go with the Primero yarn. If anyone has any good suggestions on what to knit it into, let me know! I have 1500 yards...mmm...just enough to make something significantly grand!
Plain and Fancy Sheep and Wool. Sadly they have no website. I picked up 2 skeins to make a shawl out of it and I'm already wishing that I'd just bought enough to make a garment. Oh well. This is on the top of my priority list for next year. **note to self, get enough Plain and Fancy for a garment**
The Interlacements booth was a mob scene as usual. They always have random skeins for cheap prices and people are usually digging through them in a frenzy. I found exactly what I was looking for at their booth. I have been eyeing the Pi Are Square shawl (from Elizabeth Zimmermans Knitting Around book) sample at my local shop and they hadn't had any colors that I loved enough to attempt it. This skein spoke my name and I had no choice, it had to come home with me!
After a Father's Day brunch on Sunday I lazed around the house and played with yarn. Jesse is much cuter than me in the lazy Sunday pose, so I chose to focus on that picture! I did make some progress on my Not-so Green Gables (finished the lace and I'm almost ready to take the sleeves off!) and all my Liam squares are now done. I felt like it was more of a priority to take a picture of the Estes loot though! Tonight my Mom and I are gathering at Whitney and Drew's house for an afghan sew up! Pictures of that tomorrow!!
Stacey, they sell Plain and Fancy at the Yarn Lounge in Richmond, VA. You can't purchase from their website, but if you call they will hook you right up. It's the first stop I make everytime we go to Richmond to visit my sister in law. My Clapotis is a lovely Plain and Fancy! www.yarnlounge.com
Posted by: Allyson at June 19, 2006 06:09 PMLove that coral BF! Glad that your nightmare didn't become a reality! ;)
Posted by: michaele at June 19, 2006 06:22 PMHey, I see us in the background :) You got some great stuff. Have a great blanket party!
Posted by: Kim at June 19, 2006 06:39 PMI'm delurking here to say my clapotis is made of Plain and Fancy too. I scored two skeins at the Taos Wool Festival in N.M. I think they're a Texas company (husband and wife). I think she mentioned they were going to have a web site soon...but that was a year ago already...
Posted by: *karen at June 19, 2006 07:20 PMMichelle lost a flip flop? I was too...fevered by the thought of BFY to pay any attn to anything else! Thanks for helping me pick out some yarn... see you tomorrow?
Posted by: cyn at June 19, 2006 07:29 PMHey, thanks for the shout-out to my Pi-shawl. It was such a fun pattern to do, too.
Posted by: --Deb at June 19, 2006 07:36 PMOkay, this is almost scary. You bought, literally, almost exactly the same stuff I did, in different quantities and colors.
Well, I bought a little more, since the Bonkers booth was singing some kind of evil siren song, making my credit card fall out and buy things on its own. (Sock fetish + spin obsession + hand-dyed yummy fiber = very expensive booth for me.)
That BF booth was dangerous, too. Three skeins of the superwash & silk and all the other stuff...good heavens. And I'm also kicking myself for not buying more of the P&F -- I got three skeins of the stuff for socks, and I almost wish I'd bought enough for a sweater or two. (If they'd taken credit cards instead of just cash/checks, I WOULD have. Gorgeous stuff.)
I think I have enough yarn to last until next year, even. (*pause*....*maniacal laughter*...yeah, right.)
Posted by: eliza at June 19, 2006 07:44 PMSounds like a blast! Hee hee - I love picturing y'all running to the BF booth. :)
Posted by: Chris at June 19, 2006 08:49 PMHey, I remember you! We have the same great taste in shirts...It was great to meet you, even if it was briefly. Looks like you had as much fun at Estes Park as we did. And you found some great goodies. Yay!
Posted by: Kara at June 19, 2006 09:09 PMWhat an awesoem time you all had. I can only say that I am living vicariously through your blog out here from the West Coast. We are a little deprived out here as all we have in the Bay Area is our annual Stitches West in February.
Glad to see you had so much fun. I'll be looking up the yarn brands you selected. Perhaps I too will knit up a 2nd Clapoti in the Plain and Fancy. I am working on my first one now in Lion and Lamb.
Posted by: Marisol at June 20, 2006 10:58 AMIt was so fun, but WAY to quick, to meet you. The meet up is a blur. At least we got a hug and a photo. Next year we'll have to plan a little better to spend time together.
You sure made a good haul!
You got some great buys! And I'm so jealous that you got to meet Margene!
Posted by: monica at June 20, 2006 04:18 PMYou got a great haul there at Estes! I didn't even look at the Interlacements booth, which was probably just as well. The yarn you got from there is beautiful, as well as the BFY. Love that color.
Posted by: Wanda at June 20, 2006 04:24 PMAt last. I've been dying for some Estes porn. I was in Newark, CA all weekend. Waaaaaaaaaa! (You done good, btw.)
Posted by: Leslie at June 20, 2006 04:38 PMI would love to make that trip one day! It looks fabulous! and what beautiful yarns you came home with too! :) Lucky girl!
Posted by: Lolly at June 22, 2006 04:38 PM