In the past, I’ve only attended Stitches East either alone or with a reluctant Fiasco. While it was fun, it’s way better with knitting friends. Katy came from New York and Bridgit came from Boston and we all converged on Hartford to take in the fibery goodness.
An attempt to show the scale of the market floor.
Katy and Bridgit were both understandably a little shell-shocked by just how much yarn there was. It’s basically sensory overload. Stuff to see and touch everywhere.
Knits from The Fiber Factor!
We spent some time talking to Cirilia Rose about The Fiber Factor, which was really cool. It was great to see some of the pieces that the contestants made in person.
Jennette Cross’s gorgeous cardi from the first challenge.
Lauren Riker’s adorable owl set.
I was a bad blogger and those are basically the only photos I took of specific things at the show. I didn’t even get a picture of The Verdant Gryphon booth or of Gryphon in any of her glorious period outfits! My apologies, it must have been the yarn fumes.
Friends! And little Lyra.
Bridgit is one of those remarkable knitters who doesn’t feel a primal need to stash yarn. She walked out of there with just enough yarn to start her next project. It blows my mind. Katy, on the other hand, is a more typical knitter and we both left the show with lots and lots of goodies.
My goodies.
Sort of clockwise we have: a beautiful erin.lane project bag, 2 skeins of VG Mondegreen, 1 skein VG Codex, 1 skein VG Traveller, a sweater’s worth (!) of Juniper Moon Farm Yearling (bulky wool/cotton blend), 2 skeins Malabrigo Finito, 1 skein Malabrigo Rios, some lovely solid hand cream, honey/almond shepherdess lotion from The Long Island Livestock Co., pretty stitchmarkers, and a skein of Periwinkle Sheep Donegal DK. Phew! I think I got my stress-shopping accomplished. No more new yarn until 2014 at least (haha).
The only VG booth photo.
We ended our trip by helping Gryphon break down the VG booth and that’s the only photo I took of the process or the booth. Oh well! How do you respond to yarn fumes? Do you buy buy buy or are you somehow able to resist?
Woolen Diversions 
I am also susceptible to yarn fumes. The proof being the large number of skeins that came home with me the other week.
And a knitter without a stash? That’s like seeing a unicorn high-fiving bigfoot!
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I know! Sometimes I don’t know how she and I can be friends (except she’s awesome, so that prob explains it).
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I’m susceptible, but also suspicious. It takes me a loooooooong time to decide on anything to buy, and several walks around the merchandise before I can “pull the trigger” and actually buy the yarn I want.
Can’t imagine life without a stash! But I do try to keep my stash contained 🙂
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I tend to be somewhat cautious as well, only buying things I feel I MUST HAVE. However, there are many favorites (such as Verdant Gryphon or Blue Moon) that just automatically make the list because I love them so much, even if I already have plenty.
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I lose my head entirely. I’ve learned to take a strict budget of cash only. That way I can spend without fear!
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Good call! I tried the cash only thing and then… ran out of cash. And cards are taken everywhere. And it was too easy. Oops! 🙂
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I’m a sucker for yarn fumes. Can’t resist yummy yarn!
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Haha you and me both!
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That looks like a crazy good time. I think I’m somewhere in between…..I do love a happy medium.
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I do love a good yarn show/fiber festival.
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