Yarn Harlotry in NJ

This is a New Jersey tale of serendipity, two socks, and the singular Yarn Harlot.

Today I finished a pair of socks, my first finished in 2006 (although started last year!). They were meant to be a holiday gift for Anastacia and so they shall be – er, just not at the holiday originally intended. Roundabout Exit 151, progress often is neither linear nor sequential... it's more, well, roundabout.



The socks are Heartland Knits Diamond Patch Socks by Vicki Sever. With its modules and afterthought heel and toe (with characteristic bullseye pattern), the pattern is perfectly suited to variegated yarn. Here it's worked in Diakeito Diamusée Fine, colorway 113, a Shetland-like 2-ply yarn. Both plies are variegated, which yields an utterly beguiling über-marled effect. I love the possibilities of the yarn and want to try it in some traditional Fair Isle patterns next.

[ETA: Diamond Patch Socks also appear in posts dated (eek) December 2, November 22, November 16, and November 9.]

Every sock ought to have an adventure, so I took these to the Rutherford Public Library (Exit 153) for a Yarn Harlot reading and book signing. Libraries (and savvy librarians) have great style – the poster was worthy of the hippest, most happening boîte in The Village. The turnout likewise – the library trustees had to quit their usual meeting room to make room for all the knitters! So apropos, given the title of the latest bookbookbook.

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee was brilliantly funny. I'd heard her speak before, at the celebrated Lord & Taylor event last spring (pity that was BB, before blog). One year, three best-selling books, and the Knitting Olympics have only served to confirm her place in the affections of knitters. She showed off her socks and her Olympics project, Hardangervidda, and demonstrated cottage knitting. People brought her gifties of Easter candy and small knit items, and some (ahem) shamelessly made her pose with their work. She seemed to like the Diamond Patch Sock.



The hospitable and prudent Enchanting Juno, who is camera shy, offered Tricoteuses Sans Frontières [Knitters Without Borders] pins for a donation to Médecins Sans Frontières [Doctors Without Borders], a thrice-worthy cause. I got a handful to give as RAOKs.

To think I almost missed all the fun. Serendipitously, Julsey let me know about the event. We connected in cyber-space thanks to cherry blossoms and my Sockapaloooza sock. Things like that don't happen every day (at least not to me, perhaps to others), so of course I had to try to meet-up in person. Here's Karen and Julsey with my beaded rib with beads sock.



Julsey had the excellent idea of having Stephanie sign her Knitting Olympics certificate (notice gifties and Hardangervidda on the table). The two of them took pix of each other taking pix of each other. That's Kathleen in the background.

   

Equally serendipitously, I bumped into Lynn, the owner of Needlecraftique (Exit 151), who had her fabby Prudence Mapstone handbag. Also my pals Gloria, Kim, and Alice, who do Shawl Ministry in River Edge (Exit 165). None of us saw anything particularly incongruous about turning out for the Yarn Harlot during Holy Week.



[ETA: Also in the house were Stacey with friends Gail and Cathy. Stacey will be a first-time vendor at MDS&W (Barn 3, Space 14)! I was drawn like a müth to her beauteous handspun – if that weren't enough, her dad will be sharpening scissors, an unheard-of service these days.

Then there was the elegantly Clapotis-clad, well-prepared, and perfectly placed Mary Beth Temple, with her Dulaan cardi in progress, straight needles, and copy of One Skein.

And Trek, Calling on Kahlo, Margaret, and Annie Modesitt!]

Imagine – a public library, hip knitters, heretic knitters, progressive church ladies, The Yarn Harlot – all in Rutherford, NJ this aye night.

Categories: {Sockapaloooza}