On Saturday, I ate a hurried lunch in the registration area with two charming young women, LaraBoBara and SarahBess. Lara blogs at http://www.redredwhine.com/ and Sarah at http://www.knitting12steps.blogspot.com/. Haha, you two. Now you have to update. I’d have liked to spend more time with them, I really enjoy their company and conversation. So I was feeling energetic and positive (thank you, ladies) when I got to my class with Chris Bylsma titled “Beyond Basic Buttons“. Our first instruction: “You are all 8 years old. You are at camp, and you are in the arts and crafts cabin.” I thought, I’m going to enjoy this. And I did. I love playing with yarn, glue, scissors and odd bits. Here’s a picture of some class projects:

mine are on the barf colored swatch. it looks better irl, really.

and me with Chris:

Chris Bylsma and adoring fan

and most of the class. a lucky and clever few escaped before my camera was ready.

beautiful and clever women, all

That evening I arrived at Scalini’s along with some other Stitches attendees and vendors for a banquet dinner which I think every last one of us enjoyed very much. These are our renegade leaders. theknitwitch is holding the yarn.

click 'em to biggen 'em

My charming tablemates to the right:

sorry about the red eyes, ladies.

And to the left:

Miss Babs and company

And two happy prize winners:

pinksquirrel and project bag

knittermonkey with handspun yarn

and here is my favorite for best handknitted accessories:

this look is awesome

I would love to link the face above to a website, sombody please point me the right way?

And one more photo in closing, a thing of beauty, as promised in my last post.

every bit worth the dietary splurge

That’s the right way to begin check-out day. I can’t wait to go to Stitches South in ’10!

On Wednesday, I drove somewhere between 4 and 5 hours and then checked in to the Renaissance Waverly in Atlanta Georgia. The beds and linens are to die for, the atrium lobby is gorgeous, the staff has been cheerful, helpful, competent, and polite. That said, I’d like to whine a bit: no refrigerator, no microwave, $20 for breakfast (ow!), and $14.95 per day for internet access (ow, ow, ow, ow!). Luxury is not cheap, apparently, reasonable negotiated room rate notwithstanding.

Developed a sudden and brutal case of camnesia for the first couple of days. It must have something to do with the yarn fumes.

On Thursday, I slept in and had a room service “Waverly breakfast” which was on an enormous tray with nice china, good hot coffee, grapefruit juice squeezed from a real live fresh grapefruit very recently, and two perfectly poached eggs, among a few other things. It arrived on the shoulder of a perfectly polite and well groomed waiter, who called me “Madame” (pronounced ma-DAM) and referred to me in the 3rd person. “Would Madame like anything else?” I felt like the lady of the manor. What luxury! I can’t believe I didn’t take a picture of it. I may correct that mistake tomorrow morning.

My first class was “Continental Knitting” with Leslye Solomon, and I think she has shown me the way to save myself from further right hand/arm/shoulder/neck repetitive motion knitting injuries. I’d love to post a picture of said highly amusing and effective knitting teacher here, but camnesia prevents. So thank you Leslye! I’m getting smoother at it already.

Immediately after class on Thursday,

market preview for students!!!!

again, camnesia. But here’s a picture of most of what I couldn’t leave the market without.

can you tell I like Noro?

On Friday, I met a delightful young lady in the registration area. Tiina is a member of the Atlanta Knitting Guild, who have put in a great deal of effort to get XRX to bring Stitches to Atlanta, and help it run smoothly.

Tiina is the eye candy, I'm the other one

Tiina very graciously kept me company at the fashion show, since we had both come alone. This next photo of the hall outside the ballroom where the show was held does not do justice to the moment. The air was tingly with the collective excitement of hundreds of knitters high on yarn fumes. Or maybe that was just me.

mostly, at this point, I just want to sit down

There were as many beautiful knitted garments in the audience as there were on the runway, possibly more. Flash photography wasn’t allowed, and here’s what kind of photo quality I got in low light with moving subjects.

no flash = all fuzzy

I gave up after a few attempts. Knitters Magazine will publish some images eventually. You’ll just have to wait. (Stop WHINING!)

At the banquet following the show, I made more friends. Most of the knitters I’ve met here are among the nicest people I may ever meet. I don’t know why this is true, but again, I suspect the yarn fumes. If some clever lab nerd could synthesize the substance that produces the chemical effect on the brain, I suspect we’d have a great new “friendly” drug. I also won a door prize! There were I think 27 door prizes at the show, and probably that many or more at the banquet. Amazing.

I’m exhausted, it’s late, and this post is already way picture heavy, so more about Saturday and Sunday probably tomorrow. Goodnight, from knitter paradise.