(I’m actually already in Oklahoma, but there was a shortage of internet at the airport to post this. Just pretend.)
I love Chicago. I decided this sometime yesterday (I only got 17 hours in the city, so I had to make up my mind fast. Luckily, in a city this neat, it only takes about 10 minutes.
1. This is how much sock you can knit waiting in lines, (customs, security) and in taxicabs going from Toronto to Chicago.
2. This is exactly how long the flight is.
Adamas shawl by the really brilliant Miriam Felton. (She did Icarus too. I’m loving her stuff.) in KnitPicks Shadow. Colour is “Campfire”.
3. The combination of heat (which I’m used to) humidity (which I’m used to) and WIND (the confouding variable) was enough to completely put my hair over the edge while I was here. My apologies to anyone I knocked down while turning my head.
4. I don’t know what this is…
But I LOVE IT.
5. That thing is in Millenium Park, which is a brand spanking new bit of spectacular in Chicago. There’s also this fountain to play in.
The faces blink and look at you and they are wonderful and creepy. There’s a man and a woman facing each other. (I think this one is Sylvester Stallone. I have no proof.)
6. I ran from there and met some of the funniest, cleverest knitters in a long time. Here’s what it looked like to be me.
(Well, it’s sort of what it looked like to be me. These knitters were way less blurry in person.)
7. This is Paula . She cracked me up, by telling me the best knitter story of all time, which she has graciously allowed me to share with you.
In a shining display of knitterly priorities, displaying a dedication and love for the fine game of knitting that eludes that of most of us….Paula told me that some time ago when she ran short of money for yarn, (brace yourself) she went off her birth control (and opted out of activities that would require same) to supplement her yarn budget.
8. Yo! Erin!
(Thanks for the chicken. She’s still cracking me up.)
9. Meet Laura.
Laura reduced me to a hopeless fit of giggles (I was a little punchy by then) during a conversation about Argyle socks. The lady in line ahead of her was showing me some really beautiful ones, and I inquired about whether or not she had seen Julia’s fabulous Argyle chart with the scull and crossbones on them. I quipped “They are pirate argyles” and without missing a beat Laura said (with an absolutely perfect imitation of a pirate) “That’s Arrrrr-gyles.”
This amused me so much that I called Julia long distance to tell her the joke, cracking up so hard I could scarcely speak. (“Julia….Arrr-gyles! Get it? Get it! Arrrr….”) only to be met with stunned chortling on her end. Turns out that it’s what she named the pattern. Still funny. (Arrr…me mateys. I be knitting those on talk like a pirate day.)
10. Proving that serendipity really works, and good things come to those who wait all in one go…
Lorinda turned up bearing a gift from her and Susie Grogan. I have, for about 4 years now, been stalking the perfect yarn to knit the Peacock Feathers shawl in. It’s one of the only yarns I truly hunt as I journey over the world. I’ve been unsuccessful thus far, despite numerous expensive attempts, and there is much “almost peacock” in the stash. Stuff I thought was peacock that turned out not to match the idea I had in my mind. Enter Lorinda and Suzie, and the perfect peacock. It is, in personcompletely iridescent.
The photo in no way even begins to do it justice. It glows and is far more subtle than it looks here.
Dudes. Thank you so very, very much.
11. Finally…I got to have a drink with my Chicago buddy Franklin,
who (even though the poor little baby was fresh back from Meg Swanson’s Knitting Camp. Lucky dog.) managed to stagger his first sock knitting self over to the hotel. We had a lovely time. Lovely. Franklin’s one of those people who isn’t as good in person as he seems on his blog. He’s better.
I’m in Oklahoma City now, getting ready to do tonight’s event, which is promising to be a smashing do.
See you there.
(PS. Oklahoma City is really flat. Big sky. Very beautiful.)
(PS again…Amanda and Megan…good luck on your exams. Study hard.)
Darlin’ – that’s the Bean!
http://www.boingboing.net/2005/05/27/chicagos_bean_sculpt.html
Sorry I missed you in Chicago!
Arrrr-gyles! Snort! Laughing out loud at work and getting strange looks…
Love it…
Amanda and Meg – you go girls! Rock those exams!
See you in Ann Arbor, Steph!
It sounds like you had a great time in Chicago and as usual, did splendidly! I couldn’t quite decipher the ball band on your peacock yarn…what is it? Have a wonderful rest of the tour!
Ah, another pun! Rapid Fire! In Chicago! The great fire of 1871!
Hey Steph! I’m so thrilled that you could come out to Chicago, and I know that I speak for many of us! And you like the Bean, too! Excellent. We’ll make you an honorary Chicagoan now–your package of sausage and multiple ballots is currently in the mail.
Looks like lots of fun! I really must get back to Chicago in decent weather; last time I was there, it was 7 degrees F — without wind chill.
I adore ‘talk like a pirate day’! we sit around and tell all those pirate jokes. I am so ready to see you tonight and have a ‘care’ package all packed up and ready to go for you..yaaaaaaaaaay!
I think that big refelctive thing in Chicago is called a Gazing Ball. I have a very small one in my yard. As you look at it you can see, not only yourself and what’s in front of you, but also whats behind you.
I read your blog everyday from the lonesome prairie of South Dakota……..great and funny.
Love, love, love your books, too………..Sandy
Chicago… land of Have Ewe Any Wool… boy, I miss that place. It’s been two years since we moved away, and, while we have a nice yarn shop here, it’s not anything like the wall o’ Cascade at Ewe.
Oh yes, the bean. I don’t know if this was part of your stop at Millenium Park, but there is a walkway with low wooden benches and a water feature where you can (this is great) sit down, take your shoes off, and soak your tired, hot, city-weary feet. While knitting, of course.
Wow, you do knit fast. I mean, I know you always say you knit fast, but day-um, girl, you knit FAST.
The ribbing on my socks never goes in as much as I see pictured on yours – and I don’t think you change needle sizes, do you? Mine looks like a tube sock, no matter how much I tug the yarn on the ribbing.
Aaarrrrr.
I love the knitters are fun and fabulous wherever you go. And I’m knitting Mim’s Adamas shawl, too. Same yarn, different color. And I’m a bit further along. 😉
Welcome to Oklahoma, Miz Harlot!! (Be glad you weren’t here last week when it was 109… 94 seems balmy in comparison!) I’m truly sorry that I don’t get to come see you tonight, but work and my hubby’s birthday are getting in the way. However, you will meet some wonderful people in the free-for-all that will be tonight! Have a wonderful time…
The mental image of the reflection of your hair in the giant shiny egg thingy is mind boggling.
Oy! Erin has now gotten to hold the sock TWICE… great now she’s going to be insufferable 😉
Nah, I know that 2nd copy of that book is for me. WHEE!
I do have to tell you it’s almost creepy that today in IOWA I am wearing nearly the EXACT same outfit as Erin… Even the necklaces (handmade by her) are the same.
So in essence it was like I was there.
Glad you loved the Windy City. 🙂
Sorry I missed you this year – had to work late. Looks like a fun time was had by all!
Sometimes when I’ve spent too much grocery money on yarn, I don’t buy my husband his deli lunchmeat for his lunches at work and just tell him the line was too long. Then he has to buy lunch at work, and I’m off the hook for that money and he’s none the wiser 🙂
Had my book for signing, had a sock to meet your sockn and all lined up to go to Ann Arbor but my doc placed me on house arrest as I’m knocked up with triplets! Sending you good Michigander vibes and have fun in Wolverine Country!
I love hearing about all of your travels. Any chance you might be visiting Stitches East?
The Gazing ball thing is a sculpture called Cloud Gate. Can’t wait til talk like a pirate day! Enjoy your trip!
Only another knitter would understand measureing flight times in terms of yarn!
PS in my excitement…..forgot…oh dear…
41 days
Love the yarn over birth control story. And the peacock yarn is stunning – I assume this is the site of the store: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=16673 but do tell – was it custom dyed *just* for you?? Cause I don’t see any peacock there…
Since you didn’t mention it, I guess you won’t be back in Chicago for Stitches Midwest. Bummer! I’m secretly hoping to sit next to Franklin in a class, but the chances are slim….
Now you tell those girls I could come by any time….. just drop by for a quick hello, cup’o sugar,any old time. Don’t even think of haveing a party girls…. we know you will be good. Denny.
OMG! I made the Adamas shawl in the early spring. It is terribly addictive. I couldn’t stop working on it. I even gave up socks while I was knitting it. I didn’t realize that Icarus was by the same designer. Now I have to make that one too…
Have fun with the rest of your tour!
I too loved the birth control story – Now I finally don’t feel bad about being single.
Love that Adamas shawl you have started – I went to the website to see the whole picture, and they have a nice picture of the model, but you can’t see the shawl at all. Anybody have a better picture? Maybe for $2 US I should just suck it up and order it. Maybe make it in that Sea Silk you were blogging about a while ago at the birthday party…. YUM
Glad you like the chicken. Thanks for coming to Chicago.
That yarn is gorgeous! I love the colors. I’ll see you in Mesa tomorrow night sans sock (2yo thought it would be fun to play pick up sticks with the dpns) but I will have a cute lil sock monkey hat with me if that counts.:) Have fun in Oklahoma City. It’s a wonderful place.
Pirate sock? WOW! Gotta check out that one! Wish you were in Portland Oregon on a different day, I won’t be in town then! Boo Hoo!
Arrrgh! LOL at the pirate socks. I’ve plans to be a pirate for Halloween this year and am contemplating how much of a dork I’d be if I attempted to knit an eye-patch…
The peacock yarn is GORGEOUS! What a sweet gift!
Wait. Give up sex to buy yarn?
I love seeing all those socks 🙂
It’s still funny. Really.
I am so delighted for you about the peacock yarn. Iridescent? Oh my.
Chicago is the one place I’m going to beg to be sent on tour. And it’s only because I want to meet Franklin. You’re the lucky dog!
That yarn for Peacock? Absolutely gorgeous!! Hey, for a while last summer, I was trying to match everything to my Peacock–shoes, a dress, a purse . . . all for a wedding. Basically, all I knew was that I was wearing Peacock, but since that alone would have been indecent, well, I had to go shopping and find the perfect accessories . . . you know, just so you’re warned! But lordy, that yarn is beautiful.
Yay for Arrr-gyles! I love it! I snorted at my desk and drew some curious looks. No doubt people in the office are now even further questioning my sanity.
Even bigger fun, you’ll be in Austin on Saturday! Wahoo!! I’ll be there with oh, my entire knitting posse! We’re turning out to represent Houston en masse. 🙂 Can’t wait!
I can’t tell you how jealous I am that you got to have a drink with Franklin. Please make him come to Toronto so I can have a drink with him too.
Ooh, I would love to be there with you and Franklin. Did he bring Dolores?
Clicked on the Franklin link and loved his blog. (Dolores is a fictional sheep?) Men who knit are rare and valuable, we must cherish them. Sounds like he’s also a hoot.
Oooh, my heart did a little jig when I read “I’m already in Oklahoma”!!
So! Excited! Am! I!
Can’t wait to meet you tonight…I’m even dragging my non-knitting best friend along for the show.
What a fabulous Chicago stop you had! Franklin, Lorinda, and the big shiny egg. It does not get any better than that.
But, um, giving up sex for yarn? I have to admit that makes me feel a little wobbly, much though I am dedicated to wool and all of its joys…
Be well and travel safely!
I had a great time at the signing last night. Hope you come back to the Windy City real soon now!
Since I can’t come to see you tonight (I’m in Tulsa, OK) I thought I would give you a couple of hints for staying in OKC –
If they take you to a place called “Cattleman’s” Do NOT eat anything called Fries. They are most likely CALF Fries.
DO NOT – under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES discuss college sports. Sooners/Cowboys is our own little civil war. No need for you to get mixed up in it.
OKC is kind of flat – if you like Hills – venture to Tulsa some day!
I snickered when I saw that you said I was “brilliant”… Brilliant was my pre-marriage name. It’s like I’ve got this funny (pun-y?) little secret that no one knows about.
Thanks for the link, my stats have gone OFF THE CHARTS!
Oh, yay, I’m so glad you loved Chicago, because that’s where I’m from and I’ve been completely unable to give up my identity as a Chicagoan despite having lived in Colorado for five years. I just spent three weeks in Australia and had such a hard time answering the “where are you from question” because it ended up being “I’m from Chicago but I’ve been living in Colorado and I’m about to move to Toronto.”
I think everyone thought Millenium Park would be a huge boondoggle, because it was so expensive and took so long, but the sheer joy of the bean and the people fountain (did you see them spit?), as well as the crazy bandstand and just about all the rest of it, make it all good. Nay, great.
And to make this a bit about knitting, the peacock feathers shawl is quite amazing, and that yarn looks gorgeous for it, in part because the variations in color don’t look like they’ll overwhelm the lace. Fantabulous.
Looking forward to seeing you in Ann Arbor on Sunday. Can’t wait! Hopefully we have better hair weather for you here, though it has been hot and humid, though not quite so windy as Chicago.
COME TO ARKANSAS!!!!!!!!
I’m not exactly a reader, but my wife does and she fowarded this post to me. Props to you for visiting Millennium Park. I did PR for the opening of the place and it is indeed awesome.
The shiny sculpture is called Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor. It is meant to evoke a giant drop of mercury and is meant to reflect the beauty of the city.
Crown Fountain, the towers with the faces, is by Jaume Plensa, one of my favorite artists. The faces on screen are 1000 random Chicagoans who represent the diversity of the city.
The Bean!* You saw The Bean! (I know this has been commented on already. Shut up. I’m thrilled — it’s like your friends liking one another.) I’m convinced it’s a sign of well-chosen public sculpture when it acquires a nickname, like Dublin’s “Floozie in the Jacuzzi.” But could it be that you had to dash away from the faces-fountain before they puckered up and spewed a steam of water into the fountain? Honest. The little kids know just when to run under it…
(Any Good Neighbors fans out there who remember the episode of Barbara and Douglas the Bean?)
If my yarn budget dwindled enough for me to consider abstinence, I think hubby would give me his budget money… or get a second job.
The large silver shiny sculpture is “The Bean”. The sculptor is Anish Kapoor. I am pretty sure it’s original name was Cloud Gate. In true Chicago fashion it was given the nickname “The Bean”. Millenium Park is fabulous. I hope you got to see Buckingham Fountain in all its glory while your were Downtown. I am so sorry I missed seeing you. I am glad you liked my city. I love Chicago. I spent one night in Toronto. Some day I am going to get to Canada. Happy Knitting.
it was absolutely great to meet you. i’m glad you enjoyed our fair, humid and Windy city.
hey! as one of the blurry chicagoans (and another big-haired gal thanks to chicago’s fabulous wind/humidity combo), i just wanted to say hey, yo! and thanks for coming. it was a great time. unfortunately, i’m trying to stay out of yarn stores (oh, the temptation! i’m so weak!), so i missed out on the signing.
good luck with all of the travels. i checked out your schedule and it is insane!
The next time my husband complains about me knitting all the time and ignoring him, I’m totally telling him that story about Paula. (If I thought I could get more yarn that way, I’d consider it. Damn my good prescription coverage!)
Can’t wait to see you in Mesa tomorrow!
Thanks for the great talk last night. I was flattered that you remembered the e-mail I sent you a few weeks ago about the sour cherry cake recipe. The Yarn Harlot rocks!
Ah, Franklin. He’s my other hero, and the reason there are so many little sheepy notes floating around my house lately. And yet we have not met in person. Sniffle…someday…
Go, Stephanie, Go! When you have fun, we have fun with you.
Did you hear about the new pirate movie?
It’s rated “arrrrrr”.
Ha ha.
This is my favourite joke (and it works really well since there is a pirate movie this summer). And now I think I MUST make arrr-gyle socks.
I really enjoyed your talk last night. I was able to buy 2 of the Knitters without Borders pins, but had to leave early to catch the Metra train back downtown and wasn’t able to have my books signed. Glad you liked Chicago – hope that means we can get you to come back soon. Safe (and fun) travels.
I’m happy as can be that you love the yarn. I loved hearing you talk and meeting you in person. If those leaving comments want Peacock yarn, visit Susie’s Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=16673 and leave her a message. All her yarn is gorgeous!
I was so disappointed to miss you in Chicago this week – work has me traveling to Chattanooga TN during the week (& 2 yarns stores fairly near to the hotel but they close early, ugh!).
Millennium Park is great – glad that you were able to check it out.
If I had been able to attend I was going to tell you about my dad’s “Needlepoint Olympics” history. 🙂 (http://www.amyartisan.com/blog/2006/02/13/like-fatherlike-daughter/)
Just finished up “Knitting Rules” over the weekend – loved it!
Hey! Margene said I could send my nooks to her for you to sign. LOL! My socks have been to the Chicago Hilton on Michigan Ave. It was really hot and humid and not very windy. That yarn looks like the Opal I did my Pomatomuses in. Looks as if y’all had fun.
That should be BOOKS!
Looks like you had a good time in Chicago. Someday I’ll have to visit just so I can see the bean up close!
We love “Talk like a pirate” day at our house and look forward to it every year. And now, thanks to you, I have to add the peacock feathers shawl to my list of future projects. I’ve already got so many shawls on my list I’ll have to exceed the normal human lifespan in order to knit them all. Not that I’d object or anything.
I absolutely loved seeing you last night – a little star-struck really when you signed my book, I’ve only felt that way once before – first row for a RUSH concert – you Canadians make me swoon!! Thank you!
Hm, I wonder what you will think of ABQ.
We local S&B chicas would love to buy you a beverage or a piece of Flying Star pie on Thursday, if you aren’t too exhausted.
Thanks so much for joining us in the Windy City, Stephanie! I hope you didn’t just look at “the bean” from a distance… it’s also fun to stand underneath it and look up and try to count how many times you can see your reflection. (Well. It’s fun if you’re me, and easily amused.) I actually work in one of the buildings in the background of your picture, so I sometimes go to the park for lunch. Today as I was over there, I heard the (happy!) shrieking of children off in the distance, which means the face fountains had just started spitting. You can always tell.
I really enjoyed hearing you talk, especially the imagined play-by-play commentary on knitting as a sport. You have such a wonderful way of articulating the humor in our shared neurosis! Oh, and I also appreciated your willingness to sign 3 books for me. Come back and visit us any time!
Too bad you’re not in Seattle tonight–the Mariners take on the Blue Jays AND it’s the 2nd Annual Stitch’n’Pitch. Knitting and Baseball–Yay!
NOOOOOOO! I forgot you were in Chicago last night.
Excuse me while I slink off to sob.
!!LOVE THE BEAN!! I was mesmerized by it not so long ago. . . Glad to hear you loved Chicago. It’s one of my favourite cities.
Stephanie, I love your blog and I own all your books. I also just visited Chicago and saw the “bean” for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I thought I would share my husband’s recent faux pas with you. Now, he is supportive and reasonably understanding about my obsession with knitting, yarn, and everything relating to my hobby. However, I wouldn’t say that he really pays attention to the details, nor does he really care about any of it. He chuckled one day as he looked over my shoulder at the computer and asked what the “Yarn Harlot” was. Later, as we were having dinner with friends and we were discussing our hobbies and interests, he jokingly referred to my visiting the “Knitting Whore’s website”. I, of course, was horrified, and immediately corrected him. But it was humorous in a perverted sort of way!
Finally, something that might actually be worthy of my coffee addiction. I should live in Chicago! But I think the coffee might be better here in the PNW.
OK Harlot—
I’ll have to leave church early Sunday to make it to Ann Arbor— But I’ll see you at the library! Hope it’s HUGE!
shhhhh.. don’t tell anyone why I’m leavin early- maybe they won’t notice;)
I had a great time yesterday (once we finally got there. can’t go into details again. you’ll have to check out the blog if you really want the whole story.) It was lovely meeting you. Have a great time with the rest of the tour!
I am so jealous of the peacock yarn! What is it? I’m lusting after it!!!
Due to issues regarding my sanity versus large groups of people in small places, I chose to sit tonight out (since I’m in OKC). However, I do hope you have a wonderful time tonight with the peeps out at Gourmet Yarn Co.!
Amusingly enough, the lady who runs the Talk Like a Pirate day website is, herself, a knitter. 🙂
As I was “beating my breast” in anguish over my inability to make it to Chicago, I hatched a plan to begin my one-woman campaign to lure (I mean invite) you to fabulous Wisconsin. You’d love it here! Enjoy the rest of your stops!!!
I hope that you have a great time. I am reading one your books and thanks for the best reading. My sister in law Susie Grougan blessed you with that yarn and I hope to see pictures soon of the shawl. Hope u enjoy she does awsome work.
Great time in Chicago last night. I really love it when an event surpasses my expectations–and it did! Have a great time on the rest of your travel-intensive tour. I hope the other venues are air-conditioned!
I was in Chicago just last week, and I love the Cloud Gate sculpture, too (though I think it looks more like an enormous drop of mercury than a cloud!).
Several pics of it on my blog on July 24, 2006, and more Chicago stuff, too. Chicago is a very fun place to visit!
so.
Still no DFW stop planned?
*puppy eyes*
*lip quiver*
no?
please?
pretty please??
Arrr-gyles..
I’m going to be giggling over that all night..
I just was reading the post on Julia’s blog about the Arrrrrgyle pattern, so my first thought was, “Oh, no! Did no one tell Stephanie they’re already called that?”
Alas, now you know.
Dude… too much cool stuff packed into too short a time… so when does your hair get big enough to need its own seat on the plane…
Glad to see the lace shawl on the room service menu, you tell’m NO MEAT. But also remember,wear the robe out in the hall way, and always rinse your hair twice …..just in case. luv denny x0x0x
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow night in AZ. Hopefully it’ll cool down some so you don’t get roasted, it was pretty bad here today. 🙂
Looks like you are having a great time! I wish I could come see you sometime, but you aren’t close enough:(
I had just ordered the adamas shawl pattern and then read your post! I can’t wait to start it (in Redwood)…at least I can watch for any trouble spots as you do it!!
Thanks for some pretty pictures. Hope you’re having fun in Oklahoma City.
Hi Rachel……H dennyxox
International Talk Like a Pirate Day?!?!
How have I not heard of that before?
Oh I cannot wait for September the 19th.
I hope it is a school day so I can celebrate with my kids (I run an Out of School Care program).
That yarn is stunning – my Nana loved peacocks. Where can a humble knitter find that yarn? I would love to make something to honour her memory.
Thanks
So glad you loved Chicago – it’s one of my favorite cities, too – and now you’re in OKC, another nice place. I spent a couple days there in May, visiting yarn shops. But what this really means is that you are ALMOST in Texas — we can’t wait for you to get to Austin!
I have many delicious memories of Chicago–I was born there and my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins all lived there, so, as a child, I visited often and I had my education greatly expanded, along with many happy hours with my doting relatives. My husband, unfortunately, does *not* like the city, as he saw it only during business meetings, with a quick flight in and a quicker flight home. I’ve asked him to take me, but he has a bit of a passive-aggressive personality and refuses to discuss the subject. Just once more I want to go back to Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park Zoo, Soldier Field and Buckingham Fountain–and ride on the el, but it’s just a dream, I’m afraid, as my husband does not like big cities and clams up when I suggest a weekend there. Lucky you–you got to see the Bean; and I’d sure hang around to see the murals spit water into the pond! I just might have to try to get him to take me again next summer!
I can’t wait for you to get to California in September. Believe me, it will still be wiltingly hot when you arrive. The Harlot Rocks! My gorgeous 23-year-old daughter had given up on knitting anything other than scarves, saying she just couldn’t “get it.” A friend turned me on to your blog about a month ago and I’ve been “doing” the archives. My daughter is passionately in love with your socks and I heard her say, “I NEED to learn how to knit socks.” So, Mum ordered a couple of books via amazon.com to get her started and then, O Be Still My Heart, you posted the Arrr-gyles link. For reasons that I will never understand, my girly-girl LOVES skulls. I posted that link to her within seconds. Now she’s hunting yarn. Thank you, Harlot!
I just met Miram tonight! I’m so excited, she acutally lives in my area, and is in my local SnB (which i went to for the first time tonight) I can’t belive I’m surounded by such knitting talent here in Utah (Nancy Bush lives here too!)! I can’t wait for you to come and visit in september! Why on earth haven’t you been here before? I can’t stop using exclamation points!!
I agree, the guy face in the park sure looks like Stallone.
Paula is a bit crazy, but totally has her priorities in order…..yarn before birth control pills OR sex.
That Peacock yarn is amazing!!! More laceweight to be envious of…..If I could just learn to knit lace now…….I am so stuck….
You done seen da bean! Did you go under it and look up? The towers are fun too. Don’t know if you saw, but eventually the two large faces close their eyes, purse their lips and “blow” a stream of water out, which the kids run to stand under, screaming and laughing. Then two different faces come up, and it continues.
Thanks for coming to Chicago! Hopefully next time (here’s to a next time) you’ll get to stay a little longer.
Kathie (how was the chocolate?)
I love it when you travel and take pictures I get to see the world through your eyes!!!
Have fun.
You’re right, Paula might have the best knitter’s-obsession story of all time. I am laughing!! So great!!
Thanks to your pictures, the Millennium Park is now on my list of places to stop in Chicago on my next visit to see my in-laws 🙂 Cool.
I had my best hair day ever in Chicago. The combination of heat, humidity and wind gave me the elusive perm that I’ve always looked for, but never been able to find. Sigh.
I sooooooo wanted to see you while you were in Chicago! 🙁 I’m glad you enjoyed our city, though!
It’s The Bean!
The Bean is pretty new, but I think the whole city fell in love with it almost immediately. I know I was overcome with glee when I first saw it.
Every time I mourn the end of The Berghoff and Field’s, the Bean makes me smile.
I’m a Chicagoan-in-exile, but luckily my whole family still lives there. So I get to visit lots. Great city, great yarn, and I’m glad you enjoyed your visit.
They say an intellectual is someone who has discovered something more interesting than sex, so I guess that makes the no-birth-control lady a knitting intellectual.
Ok, so this is really bad, but…
What does the calculus pirate say?
Arrrr Ddddd-Arrrr Ddddd-Theta!
Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Can’t wait for you to come to ridiculously hot, I mean lovely Albuquerque. 🙂
Oh my decisions decisions…..PK (Pre-knitting) when going to an event such as a book signing… I’d be contemplating WHAT to wear…. Now? What to cast on….. it sounded so simple— a sock of course, but WHAT sock? WHAT PATTERN? WHAT Needles? I am sensing a claudia handpaint, now to find the right needles, I certainly wouldn’t wan to “shish-ka-boob” myself in the presense of the Harlot;) See you sunday.
The Bean! The Bean! The Bean originally had the welded seams showing but the Artiste that created it had fits about it not looking like his vision, so they were eventually buffed out to reveal the shining, amazing, bean-ey goodness that is….The Bean!
I love Chicago! The blues of your sock are beautiful, reminds me of a perfect summer sky.
I just found out that you’ll be in Ann Arbor on Sunay and i wanted to say how excited I am!
We are the few, the proud, the chicken owners. Hee! She makes the cutest chickens.
See you Saturday! *Stalk stalk stalk*
Hi Denny……H rachelxox
Hey, it was great to meet you! I’m all for the Olympic Knitting Sportscasters. Heh.
And dang, now I have to start planning my next argyles, just so I can put something funky into them. The Grace Ennis patterns are pretty cool too.
Thanks to My Sister’s Knits for hosting the Chicago event! While we were all waiting outside somebody riding by on their bike and had to ask, “Is there a sale??” One of the folks waiting answered, “Well, there’s a, well, a…a Knitter.”
waaaahhhhhhhhh
I was so close! So close!
My plane landed at O’Hare at 2:33. If I hadn’t had 2 kids longing for home after three weeks travelling, I’d have found a way… taken the el… something to get to you!
I spent far too much time trying to concoct some means by which some unsuspecting friend would babysit so I could swing down to 95th street.
sigh
I couldn’t get it done.
I pouted all the way home.
So glad you liked Chicago. I have lived her my whole life & still love it. In my opinion, only Boston comes close to being as great & it doesn’t have the architechtural wonders that the Chicago area has. I hope this means you’ll be back soon since I was unable to get to Beverly to see you. Maybe something in the western ‘burbs or downtown? (If no one else has mentioned it, the shiny reflective sculpture is called The Bean [no one seems to know why].)
I just knit the Peacock Feathers shawl for my wedding (http://margitsknitting.blogspot.com/2006/06/peacock-wedding-shawl.html and http://margitsknitting.blogspot.com/2006/07/im-married.html). It was perfect (in Jaggerspun Zephyr), but now I’m considering dying it…
Thank you for calling Oklahoma “flat” and “beautiful” in the same sentence. That’s a much kinder description than most visitors give us. It was very kind on your part and very refreshing to read on mine.