Weekending......

 

Road trip!!!  And it was a really really really fun one!

#1 Daughter and Miss V and I headed to Atlanta Thursday.  A six hour trip turned into about a nine hour ride...the lure of Target was too much to resist, and that put us just late enough to land right in the middle of Chattanooga's rush hour traffic.  Oh, well.

 Destination:  Stitches South.   We've all been to Stitches events before.  Actually a lot of Stitches events, and have taken a load of classes over the years.  This year...we  decided to go for just the market---and needlepoint classes.

Friday morning, found us here.

We discovered Cast-On Cottage years ago and at least one owner ago....when #1 Daughter and I took a class there with Vivien Hoxbro.  It is still one of my knitting highlights; a member of the Atlanta guild generously offered us a place to stay----and Vivien stayed there, too.  

Fast forward...... a new owner--and a slight change when Teresa combined the yarn shop with a needlepoint shop.  Two years ago when we last visited, we all bought needlepoint (#1 daughter still had the receipt in her bag, and her needlepoint pretty much hadn't been touched.)

I had put my piece on a frame.  That was about it.

  Miss V was the one who "organized" us, decided we all needed to take a lesson and get back into this, and what better weekend than Stitches??? 

They both really got into this.  Our teacher was great--and fun.  But, honestly, how could I concentrate on needlepoint when I was looking at this?????

Cast-On Cottage in Roswell, GA really is one of the nicest yarn shops I've ever been in.  Comfy chairs all over--an available computer to check out ravelry patterns (and stuff in my queue), lots of samples made up, and THE BEST yarn selection ever.  Just about everything I had on my "wish list" for the market, I found right here.   (and remember, my list was rather long!!)  I had a ball.  We spent the better part of Friday here, and I left the better part of my allotted market $$$$, but by afternoon we decided we really did need to at least cruise the market before the fashion show (for which we had advance tickets).

Isn't he cute?  He was the "greeter" in the market!  Maybe not quite as many vendors as in years past, and some of the "big" ones (Kansas Yarn Barn and WEBS) weren't there, but that didn't keep us  me from getting into major fiber trouble again...twice in one day. (You'll have to just keep checking back to see all that I bought--I can't bring myself to write it all down. )

The fashion show was fun.  We probably did more knitting than watching, but, then, that's what we always do.  Can you believe, though, I won a door prize????  A shawl kit!!!  Right down my alley.  I actually really liked that shawl, too.  (It's going to be in the summer Knitter's Magazine, so I didn't get to bring it home.)

Some of the best parts of these kind of weekends, though, is reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

Being inspired...and humbled...

This is Cee Cee, the 9 year old who is responsible for the Elephants for Joplin.  She's been knitting since she was 4, has raised an amazing amount of $$$$ for the children of Joplin, and has big plans for expanding her mission work.  Isn't she adorable?

 

And of course, learning new skills.

Help out a friend, and never stop knitting...is that great, or what???

Comments

[Tracey]

I am so glad you had such a great time! I must admit to feeling a little sorry for myself that I didn't get to attend, but then there is always next year, right? Now I can't wait to see all the lovelies you brought home!

[Erin @ Wild Whispers]

What a wonderful weekend, Steph! I am so glad you got to go. I hope to make it one day... but for now, moving into a new house will have to suffice! Congrats on the shawl kit! Way to win!

[Amber]

Looks like a fun time! Can't wait to see all the lovely yarn. Me, I'll be spending every spare minute this week either sewing (kcwc) or gardening (almost May! already). You, I suspect will be knitting...have fun!

[Vickie]

Miss V! I like it! So glad we could go and all had such a great time. And yes, I am really into this needlepoint thing.....for now anyway:)

[valleyp]

Glad you had a great weekend! Wish I could have been there! Can't wait to see the yarn!!!

[swanski]

That is my kind of weekend!! Looks like you had overload of yarny goodness :) Thanks for sharing and I wish I was there.

[Melissa]

What a wonderful time! I'm so jealous! Can't wait to see what you purchased. I didn't know there was such a thing as yarn overload...sensory overload yes, but never yarn overload!

[amanda {the habit of being}]

what a fun way to spend the weekend! i've never tried needlepoint but i'm intrigued :)

[Annie]

Sounds and looks like a great weekend! I'm off to something similar on Saturday, Wonderwool in Wales, and I can't wait!

[lori]

ah steph! i wish i could have been there too! it sounds like a dream, i've never been to a stitches event. i am going to have to drive, if you could go nine hours, i can too! (it's in northern california).

i can't wait to see what beautiful wooly goodness you've brought home!

xxxx lori

p.s. your pockets came today, your amazing beautiful pockets. thank you SO much.

[karen]

It looks like so much fun! I look forward to seeing all the beautiful yarns that you came home with:)

[Emily T.]

This sounds like such a fun weekend! I love connecting with other knitters and oh the yarn.. oh yes. Lots to touch!