One of the Flock of Knitters at Stitches!

I am back from a very fun two days at the Stitches Market in Hartford. I took Julia because they were going to be long days and I was hoping she would have fun and get to meet some of my friends and some new knitting friends. I didn't teach this year, deciding instead to concentrate my time in the Westminster booth and actually talk to knitters and find out if they like my stuff and to spread my word about how easy it is to knit with color. I organized myself enough to design and get printed some nice cards and bookmarks to hand out to everyone I met. At this point in my career, being isolated here on the farm, I felt it was really important to spread my word about the "Get Stitched on the Farm" classes, about my yarn Julia, my books, and my PDF patterns. I think I made the right choice.

When I teach at Stitches, I am in a small classroom and can only really get to know the 20 or so students I teach. Then I rush to eat something and then back to the classroom to teach a new group of students. This time, I must have met over 1000 knitters! What a blast. I saw many people I knew and met many new faces. I was lucky to be able to plant myself with the folks from Westminster who do Nashua Handknits and my Julia Yarn and self-striping sock yarn Best Foot Forward. Thanks so much Westminster Fibers!

Julia had a great time. Several people recognized her from the blog and I think she thought it was quite fun. My friends at Westminster distribute Gedifra (a German fancy yarn company) and they let her model a purple, off the shoulder sweater. She felt like a glamour girl.

She topped it off with a fun Pompadoodle scarf and couldn't have been happier. She wants me to make her this scarf which I think I am going to have to do. Cute. Not exactly KN style but then Julia isn't me!

I want to congratulate the folks at XRX who produce the Stitches Market. This was the 20th Stitches East. Wow! What an accomplishment! I was at the very first Stitches held at the Cherry Hill Racetrack. Times really have changed! It's a huge show full of really fun things to look at, buy, learn and experience. I'm already looking forward to next year. And another great thing - XRX has just published their 100th issue of Knitters Magazine. Another amazing accomplishment. CONGRATULATIONS! 100 issues - WHAT A LOT OF WORK!

And here is more news from the Stitches/XRX front. To celebrate the 100th issue, XRX is gifting everyone a digital copy of the 100th issue of Knitters. Here's the link and info on how you get it! What a nice gift for the entire knitting world. I'm going to down-load my copy right now!

Now it is back to real life here on the farm. Late yesterday afternoon it was really cold and raw. I haven't gotten the hats and mittens out yet and Julia needs a new winter coat. I am totally unprepared for the cold. But we bundled up in blankets and helped to sort sheep. The lambs are really growing. This ewe is a Border Leicester cross and quite pretty.

The sun started to get lower in the sky and there was lovely back light on the sheep as they began to move out to graze for the evening.


As we walked down the hill, it looked so gray and cold. Most of the leaves are gone and we can tell that winter is on its way.


It's so nice to be home although I really did have a blast this weekend. One more day for October Giveaway #4. Contest ends at midnight and I'll let the winner know tomorrow! Get out and VOTE! I am.