At Last, It Happens

It's finally Christmas!  Or Mardi Gras!  Or the Mother Ship has called us home.  Any way you say it, the biggest thing in knitting is happening again.  And it's today.  Somebody pinch me.

Last night was the teacher's dinner, where everybody got to meet and greet, and generally amp up for the next four days.  And let me tell you: We are Amped.  The caliber of the knitters assembled in that room was something to behold.  Sobering, (Almost) to think of that mucuh talent, assembled in one place, to celebrate the art and science of playing with string.  Oh man, what a lucky bunch of knitters we are:  Today we meet the students!

We who are about to sock salute you.
 

Peachy

One of July's design (over) commitments is a piece for the new 60 More Quick Baby Knits , coming out next year.  True to form when working with Vogue, the design changed radically from what I initially envisioned.  Most notably, in the color.  I pitched stripes, they came back with solid.  Cantaloupe solid, no less.  I begged to add just one more color.  They said okay, but it has to be more of the same: Coral.  Done, said I, feeling like I had reclaimed a bit of lost intellectual ground.

And you know what?  It's not bad:

This is all I can show you, but I think you'll like it when the book comes out. 

And let's face it:  You can put just about anything on a baby (they have trouble getting away) and it will look adorable: "Aaawwwww...look at the widdle crumpled lettuce wrapper dress! Soooo cuuuute!"

The book goes (mercifully) to a different burner this week, while I cover myself in socks.  That's right:  We're at T-3 days to Sock Summit, which here in Portland, translates to the stoppage of all other meaningful activity, if you play with string.  And that's pretty much everybody (everybody interesting, anyway).  All the knitters ask each other the same questions: What are you taking?  What are you teaching?  Are you READY?  Here are my answers:  Estonian socks with Nancy Bush, Knitted Tessellations with Franklin Habit, Kilt Hose, Stranded Colorwork for Socks, Yes, and No. 

I am beginning to feel that this is the July that went on until February.  I have so many things to do that time has begun to stand still; like when they shoot the bullets in slow motion at Keanu Reeves in the Matrix.  They're not really hitting him, but they're sure coming close.

I can't complain though.  How many people get to say that their job this week is to celebrate the handknit sock with a few thousand like-minded geniuses?

Love. My. Job.

Stranded With Mary: Episode 2

There's regular old garden-variety-ain't-it-swell ambition, and then there's the take-no-prisoners, relentless, extreme brand of knitting that my Stranded students are bringing:

Each knitter set progress goals for this meeting, and then we had show and tell.
 

Ready to have your mind blown?  With only one exception, none of these students had ever made stranded colorwork before our first class, three weeks ago.  That's right:  You're looking at the work of beginners.  I'll understand if you need to take a moment...

We are having so much fun together.  And everyone's piece is so unique and personal to them - it's like watching each knitter produce their very own fingerprint.

Tami finished her entire body tube in three weeks.  What a rockstar! 

Everybody is working on sleeves and bodies now, most with the intention to be ready for steeking in 5 weeks.  Think they'll make it?  Me too.