Every year, Stitches is held in various parts of the country. Stitches is a huge knitting event full of classes and a vendor market. We have one here on the west coast, and someday, I will attend. In the mean while, Yvonne, a regular contributor attended this years event, and here is what she has to share with us!
During the weekend of February 23rd to the 26th, Stitches West was in Santa Clara, CA and so was I. Luckily I only live about 20 minutes from the convention center where the event is held.
I spent the week before the show going through my Ravelry queue for yarn needs for patterns I wanted to knit. I went through my stash and accessed what I lacked (dk and worsted weight yarn). I followed the Stitches West forum of Vendor Previews to see who was bringing what. I marked my show floor map with which vendors I wanted to go to first to ensure I got a chance to buy their special yarns.
When the doors opened at 5pm on Thursday night for the Market Preview, only attendee’s taking classes are allowed into the Preview. We took a one hour Market Class on Friday on Invisible Joins. Map in hand I dashed to my first Vendor, Magpie Fibers in the YOTH booth. I was after their DK yarn in the color Woodsmoke, for the show. They had said they were bringing in a limited amount. SCORE!! I got a skein and a contrasting color to make I don’t know what yet! Then it was on to look for a yarn that Mary (America’s Knitting Mary) wanted me to get for a friend. Again, it would be available in a limited amount, so I wanted to make sure I got it. SCORE! When I went back on Friday she was out of that color way.
Friday, we (my friend Carole from Santa Barbara was up for the weekend) headed back to the convention center for a day of walking the floor and shopping for goodies. One of our favorite vendors turned out to be Stunning String Studio from DeKalb, IL. They had lots of samples of their projects with kits that included the yarn, pattern and the number of stitch markers need for the project. I purchased the kit for Interpolate Shawl in green and purple.We continued to walk the show floor, oooh and awe over all the beautiful yarns, mostly hand dyed and all the lovely samples that showcased specific yarns. I made my way to The Knitting Tree LA (Los Angeles) and discovered Woolfolk Yarns. Oh My Gosh, their merino is as soft as cashmere. I bought two skeins that will be scarf/shawl at some point. We made it to Webs and I found Madelinetosh dk for one project and Madelinetosh sock for another project. Carole and I combined out purchases and managed to get a 25% discount!! We went home exhausted, thank goodness I started dinner in the crockpot that morning.
Saturday we spent with our husbands going wine tasting and having dinner in San Francisco.Sunday after church, it was back to Stitches to see if we “needed” anything else. Carole bought another shawl kit from Stunning String Studio and I bought 3 more skeins from Woolfolk to make the 3 Color Cashmere Scarf from Joji Locatelli. We also stayed for the Grand Prize drawing but didn’t win one of the three $400 cash prizes they gave away.
We had a great time and are looking forward to 2018 and doing it again!! If you want to come with us next year, bring an air mattress and sleeping bag and you can crash at my house and we’ll shop till we drop.
Yvonne*
