As with Madrona last year, there’s just so much to talk about, it’s overwhelming. It was fantastic. I’m finding that when I’m out and doing, I don’t want to bother to stop and take photos, so I don’t have many.

BUT, I’m 10 rows away from finishing the Angel Shawl.

I worked on it a lot at Madrona in the downtime. I ended up adding one more repeat than I meant to, but that’s ok because I don’t want to overly block and stretch it out. The stitches have an amazing, three dimensional texture to them. The swirling stitches are raised above the circle of yarnovers in the center, and they look like waves. I’m hoping it will still do that after it’s blocked.

So, a couple highlights…

I looked around the ample marketplace for a shawl pin I liked and couldn’t find anything I thought I’d wear, (though many were cute), until the teacher’s gallery/show on Friday night.
Ruth Sorensen’s display was stunning, and she had 6 or so shawl pins attached to a swatch. I hadn’t seen them in the marketplace and asked her about them. She said that her husband had just started making them from some kind of horn, and that they’d be on her website soon.

I asked if she’d sell me one that night.

She said yes.

I ran upstairs to my room

(where poor Hayden was spending a quiet, solitary evening because she got sick on some bad coffee creamer)

and grabbed some cash.

I bought two.

They’re. Gorgeous.

And reversible.

And look quite nice on the scarf I’m making for my brother.

Next, one of the things I was MOST excited to see was the Philosopher’s Wool booth. If you recall, I was quite smitten with their book and technique back in October/November, and was thrilled when I saw them on the vendor list.

I met and talked with both Ann and Eugene for great lengths of time. They’re incredible, beautiful people, and extremely kind. Have you been around people whose kindness is physically tangible? When you can literally feel it just by standing next to them and making eye contact?

Anyway, it was quite an experience, and I loved it.

I bought a kit in the Navajo colorway

to make a Kilim shawl from the book I bought.

Ann took my picture in a striped, garter stitch shawl on display in their booth.

And despite the fact that I really don’t like garter stitch, it was gorgeous and it felt incredible.

I’m very excited to make my shawl. It’s looking to be the year of shawls for me, and I’m ok with that.

Anyway, moving on, I bought a Mother Mackenzie dye kit,

went to the banquet where the Eastside Spinners sat together and listened to Judith’s fascinating talk on bison in the United States, (the picture won’t load for some reason), and had an overall, fantastic time.

The classes were great, the hotel was very cool, they over booked the hotel and had to put us in a suite, which explains the swanky pictures above. I didn’t pay full price for that fancy room, but it sure was cool. It had TWO bathrooms! What hotel room has TWO bathrooms? Considering Hayden got sick, it turned out to be quite convenient.

Poor dear.