The Sock Summit is now history. I know that most of you have read lots from others who were there. Nearly everyone mentions being overwhelmed by meeting some of the real celebrities of the knitting world. We were delighted to meet many of them who were able to come to the booth such as the delightful Lucey Neatby, Betsy McCarthy, Sivia Harding, Amy Detjen, Anne Hanson, Judith MacKenzie McCuin, Cookie A, Marjan Hammink, (I hope we are not forgetting anyone) but for me the real thrill was having Ann Budd come to buy some of our needles.
I heard lots of people gushing with some of the designer/teachers about the intricate, complicated, amazing pieces that they knit from the books/patterns of those stars. For me the thrill was in meeting the person whose book is at the side of my blue chair every time I do a sock. Ann’s book Getting Started Knitting Socks from the Getting Started series, was what turned me into a sock knitter. I had knit for more years than I care to say, but never socks. This book broke it down in ways that my learning style took to. So, for me, Anne Hanson’s lovely pattern done for us would never have been possible for me without the other Anne. I hope that authors/teachers understand and value those “beginner” instructions they present. Without those building blocks most of us would only be tortured and frustrated by complicated design.
I think that anyone who was a teacher at the Sock Summit can always tell people about their level of expertise/celebrity just by saying “I taught at Sock Summit 2009”. Really nothing else needs to be said. It was thrilling to see all the teachers at the booth or using our needles in their classes. That never gets old.
Signature really has a new “member of the family” in the delightful Kate Atherley. She came from Canada and volunteered to work in our booth. She is an outstanding teacher/designer/blogger (see Wise Hilda Knits) but in person is a lively, funny, wonderful person. We met when her husband bought her some of our needles as a gift. He emailed casually that we might know her because she is the Sock Editor for Knitty.com. After a short email acquaintance she volunteered to help. She had all the technical answers that a much more novice sock knitter like me would have struggled with. We consider her our Canadian Cousin from here on in.
Her generosity included being a help in answering questions and doing a blog entry around some interesting technical issues so starting in September one week of the month the blog will be done by Kate. If you have topics you would like to see please let us know. My first request is to have an explanation/description of the best options for casting on for toe down socks and casting off for toe up socks.
I could see from her answers in the booth that she is a wonderful teacher so if you ever get a chance to take a class RUN, don’t walk to it.
Right now we are getting ready for more shows. First there is Stitches Midwest Sept. 10-14 about which I am having “separation anxiety” since this is the first show at which I will be absent (except for Thursday night). We have a wedding of the son of close family friends that I can’t miss but a big part of my heart will be with the show. Then just a few weeks after is Stitches East. Between Sock Summit and the 2 Stitches we believe we will have been asked about 10,000 times “When will the circulars be ready?” We ARE working on them. Once they are done I can go into more detail of the whole process which, as is always the way, the easy things (we thought) turned hard.
