Adventures in the Land of Fiber

Last week was the regional TKGA spring knit and crochet conference.  I taught a swell class to some super-smart knitters, all of whom left with Mad Hats in progress, and promises to send me pix.  Big fun, no whammy.

At dinner, I sat next to the lovely and talented Chrissy Gardinier, who shared a sneak peak at her new book with me:

I am so excited that she has turned her considerable expertise to this topic - there really aren't enough toe-up patterns in the world to suit me.  And get this:  Every single one has both text AND charted instructions.  That's more than twice as much work for the author, but I know you'll all appreciate her taking the trouble.  You can pre-order this now, or get an autographed copy at Sock Summit (you know you're going - who could stand to miss it?)

I also rubbed elbows with Stephanie Bryant, a gifted girly who rarely colors inside the lines.  Stephanie's contribution to knitting is so original and so daring - she's my idol in the "Doing it my Own Damn Way" column.  You should subscribe even if comics aren't your thing, because her sort of behavior should be encouraged. Period.

And if the knitteratti aren't exciting to you (check your pulse), how about this?  I joined forces with Duchess of Dyebath Susan Stambaugh of Abstract Fiber to create a new design, which will be available at Sock Summit:

The design is a secret for now, but here's what you need to know:  1.  The color is called "High Desert" (preliminary swatches above)  2.  It's not going to be socks and 3.  You are going to LOVE it.  Stay Tuned.

I may have bought one or two things in the market.  I was defenseless: I had money to spend, and I was concious, so obiously there was no choice.  More on my haul later, but for now I will leave you with two magic words:  Merino/Silk.