The Kindness of Knitters

One of the things that my friends and I continually gush over is the kindness of knitters. Sure, you get the shops with snooty people who don’t want to help you. And I enjoy walking away from them and not giving them any of my money. However, when you come across those kind knitters that are complete strangers, it just blows you away. We had experience after experience of this kindness in classes, in the marketplace, at the bar, just walking through the hallways.

The best experience I had at Stitches was with Cookie. Cookie is a kickass sock designer who was running her own booth at Stitches and terribly busy. I had decided I wanted to knit something special at Stitches, and couldn’t be bored with my projects I brought up with me. Nevermind, that I forgot to bring the new ball of yarn for Wicked. Since I’ve been aching to do a traditional top down sock, I decided I would check out the Bay Area Knitters Coop for a Cookie pattern. The new patterns she was offering were probably too advanced for what I wanted, but I spied a Hedera among the samples. Hedera is a free pattern on Knitty. They looked like just the level of difficulty I needed, so I decided to use my new skein of STR Lemongrass for them. After searching the marketplace for US size 2 metal dpns, I was set… or at least thought I was. I could just print up the pattern at the hotel and be off, right? Wrong. Turns out, it would have cost me about $15 to print it up at the Hyatt. Bad idea. Save the money for more yarn.

While stalking Cookie’s booth the next day, I about not being able to start Hedera after all because I’m too cheap. And what did she do? She printed up the pattern for me right then and there! I know the pattern was free. I know the pattern is hers. The fact that she took time out right then and printed it for me, blew my mind away! I had to tell everybody I knew at Stitches about Cookie’s kindness and sent them to her booth to buy more yarn. Of course, after seeing their shawls in the fashion show, I went back again and got more patterns and yarn. So without further ado, here is the beginning of my Lemongrass Hedera, thanks to Cookie.

Big socks, little socks. The big sister sock is Jillian’s using STR Jasper in heavyweight. The colorway really is that beautiful. Good thing I got a skein of it for myself.

Here’s the rest of the yarn roll call. I was going to tempt you with a little taste of my Stitches yarn at each posting, but I got tired of doing that. It’s in my nature to be kind to you.

Fingering weight wool and hand-dyed sock yarn from Bay Area Knitters Coop. They had such great yarn at reasonable prices, and of course, excellent patterns too.

Wool and tencel sock yarn from Ellen’s Half Pint Farm. I was excited to find out they were at Stitches, since my Secret Pal Annie got me a skein of their yarn for my birthday. I love the sheen from the tencel.

From Village Spinning and Weaving, a hank of their Hot Foot, hand-dyed superwash wool, and a hank of their 100% spun silk.

Honey Lane Farms sells this beautiful alpaca in an array of colors. Madge got a gorgeous green that I waited too long before buying and missed out, so I had to “settle” for this purpley plum color. The alpaca is to make their Roche Harbor Scarf.

Fiber Elements carries many different yarns, including these. (l) 100% alpaca from Henry’s Attic in this beautiful chocolate color. It’s slated to be a sweater for Sweetie Hubby one of these days. (r) Chasing Rainbows had a booth at Stitches but I didn’t see much I liked from them until I went to the Fiber Elements booth. I came across this hank in these beautiful raspberry pinks, and it’s worsted weight superwash wool. Perfect for another short-sleeved sweater for me. I think the subtle color variations will look great.

Don’t hate me because I have beautiful yarn.