Did I do that?

A little bit of yarn may have climbed aboard the good ship Becher as we sailed through Chicago. The people at 'Lorna's Laces' were extremely fun and very welcoming and helpful as I successfully navigated my first purchase in the yarn biz. It was overwhelming, stepping into a gigantic (yes, the Pixies song was playing in my brain) concrete warehouse, with scary, open stairs and noisy industrial fans and tools... there is a lot going on in those warehouse districts... and suddenly a terribly cute girl shows up to lead me into what is basically a humongous dye kitchen, full of people in spotty clothes, busily painting wool. I nearly passed out from the coolness they were exuding, all these funky, artsy people getting paid to play with yarn. How did I not know about these career choices as a kid? I mean, my mom was a potter, for crying out loud.

I finally lept over the edge and can say with absolute certainty that my last shy bone has broken. Our first evening in Milwaukee, my husband took me to a bookstore, as I've been hunting a certain Kaffe Fassett book, and we'd passed a Borders en route to dinner. I popped in whilst everyone else digested in the car. Instead of Kaffe, I found Vicki. (Hey girl... how's the sock coming along?) I just plopped myself down and started chatting yarn and stuff. She had this way cool knitting tote, and as I didn't think I'd be able to sneak it past her with the toe of my shoe, I had to finally ask where she'd found it. It came with a magazine which I've never seen before... a tall number titled "Simply Knitting" from across the pond. And, apparently every issue comes with some sort of goodie for knitters. Thanks for the head's up, Miss V, and for not freaking out and running for security when a strange, knitterly woman approached you. It was a bit out of character for me... Rhonda, quit snorting derisively, I was really nervous... what if I'd scared her? It was just so wonderful to be out and about and to spot one of my own kind.

Now, I will close with what happens when there is a new skein of Koigu and grandparents to watch over the children...

Tomorrow I will share the 'stash enhancement' from the Milwaukee trip, plus what's hot and what's NOT about yarn shops. Also, I have a story about a long-horn cow and a camel... but you'll have to come back tomorrow, reader. For now, go knit. Cami