KNITTING WITHOUT DOG HAIR IS NOT AN OPTION

It is early in Portland - Saturday morning, 04.30am. Jane and Jen are blissfully asleep. Me, on the other hand, has the East coast time in a death grip. The last two nights I was wide awake at 2.30am (5.30 in Atlanta), the usual time my alarm would go off. But I was able to go back to sleep both times. Not this morning. So I figured, I might as well blog about Day 2 at the Sock Summit, another fabulous day in Portland.

The weather has been very nice for the Georgia girls, temperatures in the 60s and no humidity. LOVELY! I should not have brought so many shorts, but more long pants. But the Sock Summit Hoodie does its job. I did not think at all to bring a sweater or jacket... How in the right mind would someone leave Atlanta in the 90s with a jacket?

So, Day 2. The day started with buying my first souvenir.

A pair of socks, knitted and worn by Barbara Walker

Barbara has a very busy schedule while she is here at the Sock Summit. I talked to her for a few minutes here and there, but I don't think that I can actually drag her away for a cup of coffee. That's OK - I have had my share of BGW when I visited her in Florida in July. ;-) You sure can imagine the amount of loving snarky remarks from my girlfriends about me and BGW. ;-)

So, after I scored the socks, Jane and I went to take a class with Meg Swansen, Arch-Shaped Stockings. I was so excited to take her class. Meg and her mom, Elizabeth Zimmermann, are also my knitting icons.

I finished my homework for this class on the plan. Typical me, always last minute.

Meg and her assistant Amy were extremely funny and a great team for this class. They had high tech equipment, a camera and two big screens for the students to follow the demonstrations.

That sock construction is very fascinating. I made it through the most the directions…

Until I decided that I wanted to rip back to the heel flap because I wanted to change the design on the gussets and the increases on the sole of the foot. Yeah, say it now... I know I am a little on the insane side. My mom's voice of knitting reasoning was very load and clear in Meg's class...

During a break, Jane and I walked up to Meg to say hi and chat a bit. I told her that I am from this tiny Bavarian village where her parents used to go on vacation. She told me that she was just in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with her sister. SO COOL! I asked her if would sign her mom's book that has the photo from the Alpsitze, my bedroom view for 18 years... And she did. I am still pretty darn thrilled. And I think she was a little tickled about that coincidence, too.

Knit on, dear Claudia. Meg Swansen, Portland '09

After the class, we went straight to the big ballroom at the convention center to make an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for “The Most Number of People Knitting Simultaneously” with another 1,000 knitters or so. The current record is being held by an Australian knitting group of some 260 knitters. I think we beat their butts. ;-)

After the record knitting and some lunch, we went shopping, again... I know, hard to believe.

Catch of the day

More yarn... Sock blockers for a shoe size 13... A pair of the fabulous Signature straight needles, they are nice, boy, and expensive... And square circular Collage knitting needles. I think I will ship stuff back with FedEx. It's good that I know the office account number. ;-)

Eventually we plopped down for some knitting at the market place. I had to take a break from sock knitting and started a cute little hat for new nephew.

A kit, I bought at Hazel Knits. Soooooooooooo cute.

Back to the hotel after a full day of knitting to get ready for the evening event, The Sock Hop at the Art Museum in downtown Portland. Well, I had no idea what to expect. It was a great party with music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Knitters dancing

Knitters in great outfits

Knitters trying to hulahoop

Knitters working on their wedding veil

I had so much fun, especially when I can drink beer and gossip with Ms. Jane and Ms. Meg... It's good to be here with a bunch of great friends!

And we came back to the hotel really tired. I truly don't know why I am not still asleep. Too excited to get ready for Day 3? More classes coming up and Jane and I are planning to actually discover some sides of Portland, besides sock knitters. ;-)

There will be more blogging later, no worries.