Still incommunicado, Tina and I, as we keep bashing out as much Sock Summit as we can before heading to Madrona to embrace the wonder of that weekend. Madrona is one of my favourite things of the year, and I can’t wait to get there, although it’s going to be hard to leave here. We’re in Port Ludlow, where Tina will be doing her Sock Camp in March, and it’s very beautiful here. Wanna see the view from my window this morning?
Yup. Beautiful. It’s almost distracting, and the urge to sit by the fire (did I mention the fireplace?) and knit instead of work is just about overwhelming.
(That’s Tina making her “there just has to be an easier way” face.)
We’re getting a lot done though, which is about eight kinds of awesome, since one of the hardest things about planning the Summit is that we’re trying to do it with a whole continent between us. Tina and I both have busy businesses and big families, and the luxury of a couple of days to shed all of those other responsibilities to get mammoth amounts of Summit work done is delicious indeed. Our goal was to see the conference center that Tina had arranged (check) assign teachers according to how many classes they’re teaching (check) figure out what rooms to put them in (check) and start getting their biographies together so that we can announce the absolutely stunning list of them on the 18th. (Er… not quite check, but I hope effort counts for something. I’ll keep working.) The vast majority of that last part needs to be done by email, and this place is very pretty, but the internet access has been dodgy, so our hours of work keep being punctuated by either Tina or I pounding on a laptop and screeching “OH COME ON!” The post-it note/bristol board system worked beautifully, although both of us now have now developed a positively Pavlovian response to the sight of adhesive office supplies of any sort. (Considering my love for post-its I expect that not to last.)
Those six sheets of bristol board each contain a post-it for each class, colour coded by class length, room size, AV needs and such. We eventually needed a sub-post-it system to manage the post-it system, at which point both of us declared it “beer-o-clock” and had a little lie down, only to get back up and further complicate it by adding a hi-lighter marker to the mix, ostensibly to help straighten it out. (It didn’t help, but I think the beer did.)
There has been a little knitting, although really, the handspun February Lady I was hoping to have done for Madrona is now something I hope to have done by the end of Madrona, though I love how it’s coming out.
(Tina took that one. You can see I have my Pacific Northwest hair.) In any case, only forward to Madrona. I think it’s going to be really fun, even if I don’t have a new sweater.
Your tweets about the post-it and sub-post-it systems were the funniest things I read all day. I think I snickered clear ’til dinner time!
Love the view – and the sweater! 😀
Wish I could go! (Either place….there or Madrona)
I wouldn’t get anything done with that morning view!
Fish Tycoon? I guess I’ll be looking that up. FLS looking great, on my to do list…
It’s going to be great – sweater Summit Madrona
Love the scenery, the dock, the sky…and the NW hair. Thank you for taking the time to share with all of us. Hugs!
ps I couldn’t run my life without postie notes!
yes, today’s sunrise was especially beautiful with the nearly-full moon. I admired it from just north of you in Seattle, over the Olympic Mountains, during my walk to work.
I also want to just say, wow. The lighting and color palette of Tina’s photo of you is stunning. Nicely done, Tina!
Wow those pictures are beautiful… I wish I could see that lake and those trees in person…
Also, I love your YELLOW sweater in that picture… what is it? where did it come from? what yarn is that? it is beautiful. Maybe you’ve posted about it before and I am only appreciating it today for all it’s beauty because I am suddenly craving mustard coloured yarn..
Have a fun trip. Take care! -Leah
I have extra pink post-its if you need more…
That sweater is coming along nicely! It’s making me want to make one 🙂 Enjoy your time as much as you can!
Haha, the “Pacific Northwest hair” comment has me cracking up. I too have naturally curly hair, and I live in the Bay Area in California–I have permanent “Pacific Northwest hair.”
great sweater, are you sure that it is february in the pacific north west?
That room is interesting. It is like the framing is on the outside of the walls. But I really like it!
You are getting an awful lot done. The summit will be wonderful! 🙂
Those photos are making me really wish I could afford a trip to the Sock Summit. Classes great but I’d love to just sit on that dock knitting my socks. Oh well, maybe I’ll make to the 2nd annual.
I can’t believe you’re sitting there so calmly taking that picture – i’d be freaking that a little breeze of wind would blow it off the edge and into the water!!!
I do love your fabulous organisation skills though 🙂 Go Post-its!
Wish I was there! Tell everybody that I said hello and hope to be back at Madrona one year!
that last photo is great! i can’t wait to see the details of the sock summit. have a great time enjoying that view.
Who will you fight over the window seat with eh?
I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful. Maybe I could set the Summit as a goal for next year. I would love to do as megt suggests..just sit on the dock and knit. Thanks for all you and Tina are doing.
I love the way your handspun colors are turning out.
Tina’s picture of you is priceless. You need to frame it. Really.
Love that picture of you! The hair is FANTASTIC, by the way. (My hair is very similar…curly — or frizzy, depending on the amount of moisture in the air, which is a lot because of living in Florida.)
Good luck with the rest of your planning!
So glad you are enjoying your time here in the great PNW. Hope you are getting the same sunshine as we are having here today in Puyallup (pew-al-up or pew-all-up). We’re just east of Tacoma.
Gosh I wish I wasn’t a whole ocean and continent away … born incontinent … wish I was in yours … sigh … only thing left ……….. ……… knitting
xxx
Sailboats! Sailboats in the water! What a beautiful site. Sigh. They’re all still in dry dock here on the East Coast.
Good luck with the conference planning. Having planned a conference for 150 people, 3 years running, I’m quite impressed with your post-it system. Mind you – I don’t have multiple classes running at once. I do, however, have to manage a rooming list, which gives me no end of grief and usually ends with me threatening to make people sleep in tents in the Public Gardens.
The FLS is looking beautiful, even if she’s not done! I’m heading to Seattle late next week (to harass my elderly mom to do her exercises after a knee replacement) and was hoping to have mine done by then, but since it turned out that people weren’t kidding when they said it runs large, I had to rip the whole thing out and start again. So I’ve only got two inches done. Sigh. Oh well, at least I’ll have lots of good airplane knitting time!
Can’t wait for that lovely Northwest air. Or the trees. All those evergreens are good for the soul. I only wish I could get to either the Sock Summit or Madrone; maybe next year. Sigh…
OMG. Water that is not covered with ice. What a glorious sight. You and your sweater are looking mighty awesome, too.
interesting that you didn’t call it wool-thirty instead of beer o’clock. Or perhaps wool-thirty and beer o’clock are actually the same time?
February Lady is looking rather fabulous. 🙂
Yippe for sock camp – thanks for the teaser pics – I can hardly wait!
Beer o’clock sounds like a very reasonable addition to any knitting endeavour…
That view is jealousy-inspiring!
That view photo is so perfect. I love how the clouds appear to line up with the boats.
A big thank you to both you and Tina for putting the Sock Summit together, post-it-notes and all! I’m coming home to the Pacific Northwest this summer for the Sock Summit and a little quality knitting time with my mom. We both can’t wait!
I somehow feel as if I’m almost getting as much delight from your knit-up handspun as if from my own.
If only I could touch it. That would be the ultimate.
Gorgeous surroundings. Did Tina Kinnear you or were you aware of the photograph being taken? My husband used Post It notes to propose to me. I still have the faded, yellow squares from all of those years ago.
Whenever you talk about your hair being big or particularly energetic, I can never see it. Not this time. That’s some serious hair!
Beer-o-clock……I love that and will be using it often! No I don’t have a problem…yet.
Tina snapped a really good picture there. Should be by the definition of serenity in the dictionnary
As for the hair, it is very pretty….the sweater too!
HAH. Beer-o’clock. PNW Hair. Classic.
Oh… so THAT’S what’s wrong with my hair! (My students keep asking me to straighten it when I come into work… I keep telling them that if I’m not going to spend an extra half hour in the morning for myself, I certainly won’t do it for THEM!!!)
And I like ice-cream o’clock myself, but everyone has their own happy hour;-)
Thank you for making the sacrifice– putting the Sock Summit ahead of giving yourself a new sweater. It’s all going to be terrific. I hope to see you at the Summit!
And your hair is lovely.
Love, Love, LOVE the sweater! It’s coming out beautifully. And, your hair looks great, very natural looking.
Hope you enjoy yourself at the upcoming event.
favourite new phrase? “Pacific Northwest hair”. oh you naturally curly-haired types who never suffer FLATNESS OF COIFFURE!!!
Your hair is beautiful. Curly hair rules. Ever read Lorraine Massey’s book on curl care?
Not that I’m arguing or anything, but chocolate-o’clock can and does come quite a bit more often in this household….
What’s with curly hair? Mine just gets straighterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I shall always remember my girls coming home from Hebrew school, one leaning on each side of me and twining (as in they were twins, eh?) “why can’t we have pretty curly hair like the other girls at Hebrew school?”
Their Dad spit out his coffee and told them how his sister would have paid big money to straight hair instead of curly, and he was sure the other girls felt the same way. He was right.
Knit, calculate, use up post-it notes. Have a good time.
I hope Beer O’clock included removing oneself to a post it free zone?
We are all so looking forward to learning more about Sock Summit! Thanks to you and Tina for coming up with this brilliant plan. Have fun at Madrona. No Madrona for me; family responsibilities have claimed the weekend. Jealous!
I Looooooove Post-its! They are practically my favorite office supply item, after staples and paper clips! Oh, and those plastic things you put patterns in so you can put them in a notebook! (You’re making me feel like I should dash out to Office Depot!) Your pics of the local area are really pretty too! Is that a Sally Melville sweater you’re wearing?
Never mind no new sweater. The one you’ve got on is awesome, too.
Sadly, I am missing Madrona, but will definitely be there for sock camp. Love “beer-o-clock” — will have to remember that one.
Welcome to my part of the world. Port Ludlow and its close neighbor Port Townsend are in my back yard and two of my favorite places to take a sock and knit in public.
Where is Tina’s Sock Camp information live?
Wow. What a cool way to spend time: with Tina, looking forward to wonderful events in a setting like that, and hey, the rest of it will all fall into its rightful place and you’ll be thrilled and exhilarated when it’s done.
I hope there is also a wine o’clock! Lovely place, wonderful view–sounds like it will be a fun time. I only wish I could go! Your sweater is turning out so well too. I hope you get it done on schedule!
I *so* wish I could could go to a knitting retreat. Alas, the horrible economy dictates not…
Beer o’clock had me chuckling. When my family travels, we must always visit the Beer Museum (aka, local pub or bar). We also like to ask each other “Is it cocktail hour yet?” Who says knitters are teetotalers
I used to deal with scheduling 2,500 summer camp kids for various activities, so if you need an extra hand with the sock summit organization… My family would agree that I am one of the most organized and anal retentive people on the planet. Oddly, I’m a bit proud of that.
And because I so rarely comment, added bonus to socks on DPNs on public transportation (Boston T specifically)-nobody dare sit next to you until all other seats are taken.
See that big island (or rather huge chunk of land) out in the sound from you? My hubby grew up there, on Whidby Island. Pretty, huh?
Love your Pacific Northwest Hair, would take that any day compared to my flat, straight hair!
Your FLS looks lovely. Mine is stalled for the time being. You have inspired me to get back to it.
How wonderful that you got to carve out a couple of “vacation” days to work on Sock Summit. (And Beer-o-clock is priceless!) It does sound like such fun! I might forget to leave that beautiful inn if it weren’t for the draw of Madrona… Enjoy every minute of it!
Wow! that sweater is coming along nicely! good luck on the Sock summit. I only wish I could go! Lovely! It’s like a mini-retreat!
I can’t imagine how people functioned before post-it notes. Post-it notes and binder clips.
That view is amazing!! I’m envious. Oh and I’ll take some of that PNW hair…..sure wish mine was anything but board straight.
Your hair looks a lot like mine – Philadelphia hair. I, too, have been blessed/cursed with naturally curly hair. Although yours does not appear desperately in need of a touch-up, as mine does. I hear a box of Nice & Easy calling my name …
How crazy – I grew up in Port Ludlow (from the looks of that picture about 5 minutes away) You’re in my itsy bitsy hometown!!! It is amazingly beautiful there, I was completely ignorant of that fact until I moved away at 18. Living in the PNW is the reason I own not one, but two straightening irons. I still think one of these days I’ll get the best of my curly hair.
This isn’t related to yarn, but be proud:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/183670
February Lady is looking good. I have been toying with the idea of knitting Feb. Lady ever since I knit the February Baby sweater. Have fun.
We spent a week in a rented house in Port Ludlow last year (2007, actually, I’m not quite ready for 2009 except for the inauguration of Barack Obama). Keep your curtains open at night and watch the cruise ships slide by, looking a bit like a giant wedding cake. The yarn and beadshop in Port Townsend is quite nice – that is where I bought my first skein of sock yarn Cherry Tree Hill – which completely seduced me.
February Lady is beautiful! I cannot wait to see you wear the finished version. Enjoy the warm and send some our way in WI!
Much as I love post-it notes, especially since they have expanded shapes and colors, sounds like you could use someone familiar with MS Project to manage those Sock Summit details…or maybe even an Excel maven (like myself)…if interested, please e-mail.
And thanks for new time expression! Only in my case it will be Rum o’clock or quarter to Mojito or half past Bacardi…thanks to vacation coming up in 2 weeks, I will be Knitting Bahama Mama.
Wait a minute. Hold the phone. I see outside water that is in liquid form. I am again bowled over by the possibility of non-solid outside water in February.
OMG!! Your pictures make me want to be at sock camp. Right. Now. Can’t wait!!!! Have a blast at Madrona and give Tina a big hug for me!
Nice to know you’re in my neck of the woods. Enjoy! I’ll have to try and make it next year!
To all of you who also have curly hair- the product to turn the frizz into wonderful spirally curls is something called Curls Rock made by Catwalk. You can just apply it to your hair and let it dry- no other styling necessary (I am lazy). I grew up hating my frizz, but now I love the curls. And I live in Portland, so it’s been tested!
Wow, it is really gorgeous there! And as the wife of a 3M employee, I appreciate your use of post-it notes.
Enjoy the beautiful Pacific Northwest. After the Toronto winter, it seems like paradise, doesn’t it?
Am very sad that I no longer have relatives I can visit in Washington…
You’re using a strange map if Port Ludlow is halfway to Madrona from Scappoose. Of course you get the ferry ride the cheap way if you kept to the coast and choose to visit Churchmouse on your way back to your next digs. Love the look of our digs for sock camp and looking forward to seeing you and Tina and all the gang in all our PNW hair. Ice just went out of the local river today. Amazing change in 6 hours. Hope you have a great time this weekend. I’m sure glad you’re getting Tina away for a weekend of yarny recovery before sock camp. Sounds like she needs some time off from BMFA (and Sock Summit) even if it is always in her mind and heart. Hugs and Happy Knitting, Alice
Okay, now I feel better. The Green Mist Jacket officially hit the UFO bin with a loud flushing sound (and some swearing). Thanks!
Okay, now I feel better. The Green Mist Jacket won’t be finished, either. It officially hit the UFO bin with a loud flushing sound (and some swearing) this past weekend.
I feel really creepy, trying to figure out what sweater you’re wearing in that last picture. “Is that the one with the Diakeito? No, wait, it must be the Dream in Color wrap cardigan. I do like that sweater, maybe I’ll make one in that Smooshy I have…” Strange. Strange strange strange how much I know about a stranger’s knitting.
I just moved to Victoria, BC from Toronto in September, and I have had pacific northwest hair since. I’m getting a haircut tomorrow and hoping for some kind of miracle!
Sorry for extra comments. Bad case of computer gremlins. ;-p
I too want to know about the fab yellow sweater. The color looks amazing on you — particularly with that lovely slant of light.
I know it gets in the way of getting stuff done, but in a place that beautiful there should be no internet at all!!!
I’ve lived in Tacoma since 2002 and have yet to witness an ugly season–unless light rain gives you SAD. It does nothing to me. The winter light is mostly silver, glistening, ethereal, not like the dark winter skies and black snowdrifts of Boston, for instance. My lawn is green all winter, too. Looking forward to seeing you at Madrona–tomorrow!
I’d give my left eyeball for any kind of Pacific Northwest hair; it’s too cold here on the East Coast.
You have no idea how much money I have spent over the years to get Pacific Nortwest hair like yours. Seriously. lots. Can’t wait to hear more on The Summit!
Someone told me I couldn’t go to college in Oregon (where he’d gone) because my hair would look like that all of the time.
I’m having that deja vu feeling. Was there a similar post a year or so back with regard to scheduling via sticky notes?
My first thought was “wow, that sweater looks tiny!” Then I realized that it was resting on a deck rather than a picnic table.
can someone email me to tell me where this conference is taking place and how to get a brochure? thanks.
Kathleen Bruce kbruce@together.net
I think I nearly had a heart attack when I saw your ball of handspun out on the dock with nothing keeping it from rolling in…we get some really serious gusts around here and I never realized how utterly paranoid I’ve become about things like that. Good luck with the biographies, and have fun!
My view out my window seat is something like that every morning. I love the Northwest!! 🙂
Thank you so much to you and Tina for your work on the Summit. I’m looking forward to going though the details haven’t been announced yet — I have faith it will be incredible. You keep building it and we will come. Keep up the good work.
Your FLS is stunning!
A few of my knitting friends are going to Madrona. I wish I could be there too. I know they will have a blast, and I hope I can go in the future.
I was thinking of looking for work in Oregon — but looking at that view, and a fireplace! — I’d never get out of the house to actually get to work! And the post-it system is utterly hilarious. Here I thought it couldn’t get any funnier.
So multiplying the number of boards by the number of divisions/board it looks like at least 48 classes for the summit!
Ah, the complicated spots that office supplies can get us into. It doesn’t take away from their charm, of course. The sweater’s looking great, and I love that last picture of you!
That last picture looks like the Sunrise Circle Jacket knit two US Thanksgivings ago with some cone yarn bought from WEBS.
Always love the action shots of previous sweaters. And the sky and treeline behind you is absolutely stunning as well.
Great to see the post-it system in all it’s glory
My favorite time of day is beer:30. Or wine:30.
While I will never diss the merits of the post it note system….but it gives me hives to think of what could go wrong, like a strong wind, or errant cup of coffee.
I cannot wait until Sock Summit!
Aren’t Blundstones the best?
I about passed out when I read where you are this morning. Hard to believe you’re so close! I’m just about 15 miles south of you right now. You’re making me feel mighty foolish for not signing up for Madrona this year!
Wow. I just read the Madrona pages of classes. Once Sock Summit is out of the way, could you maybe organise to ship Madrona over to the UK please? But maybe have it last a couple of weeks so I could take ALL the classes? Wow. BTW, hair is good. We like the hair. I have Glasgow hair. This is much less exciting.
Welcome to our side of the Hood Canal Bridge!
Can Tina do a colorway based on the sky in that first picture?
Why aren’t you using excel? You could avoid all that time on your hands and knees… Also you can sort your classes based on size or av needs or whatever. It’s actually fairly useful for such a hateful little program.
Port Ludlow – you were right in my back yard!! And I notice you missed the big event of last evening – a lecture and chocolate tasting by Fran Bigelow of Fran’s Chocolates (now the official suppliers of chocolate caramels to the President of the United States) a mere 8 or so miles from Port L. at the county library.
See you tonight! I’m bringing my 2nd pair of socks.
I should really come to Madrona one of these years seeing as I live IN WASHINGTON! The peninsula is pretty amazing, I’m glad you get to experience the best of our state 🙂 You’ll have to come over to the eastern part sometime and see what the dry side is like!
What lovely sweater are you wearing in the picture Tina took? It looks familiar…..
Hey, I LOVE the PNW hair!
So nice to see a world without snow!
What did we do before Postit notes? Or Highlighter markers?
Are you talking/signing or just teaching? I have a favorite page of your calendar I’d love a John Hancock for …
knitting and iphone. is there anything in the world better?
What a pretty view. I’d love to visit the Pacific Northwest someday. Your sweater is turning out great. Knitting in front of a fireplace sounds wonderful, but I wouldn’t be able to do it at home, since we don’t have a fireplace. Have fun on your trip.
As a person with exceptionally flat lifeless hair, I envy you! Please consider teaching your Madrona class at the Sock Summit. I would love to learn to knit faster and more efficiently.
Your FLS looks great! I am So jealous of sock camp. Maybe I can go next year when hunny bunny has his RN club card and is (hopefully) working.
Oh my goodness, your post-its and highlighters story sounds so teacher-y I had to double check the URL to make sure I wasn’t reading one of my teaching blogs…it’s an adorable story, made even better because I can totally relate.
The sweater is turning out beautifully as well; can’t wait to see it finished!
I know this comment is way late, but I’m putting it here ‘cos there are over 500 of the suckers regarding buttonholes. There is a definite historical reason buttonholes are on the left for ?men’s garments, it’s so that the person(?man) can quickly unsheath his/hers/its sword. You keep on carrying your sword, (en guard, touche, etc.) I’m sure you look very fetching with it.
I’d be happy just hanging out at Tina’s, sigh. Beautiful view….
I love Port Ludlow!! I may be looking at my friend’s boat in your picture. Thanks for including that wonderful NW scene…… Somedays I do miss the NW, but not the rain, so much. Arizona is good for me and my hair…. Ha Ha. I gave away my frizz gel when I moved. Have fun at Madrona, and I’m looking forward to more of your NW pictures. Loved the one with the rhodie bloom just waiting to burst forth. That sweater on the dock is just yummy. It will be fun to see it on you when completed. Tubesock Patti
The hair may feel a certain way about the humidity, but the skin is liking it. After being shriveled and puckered in the far negative reaches of the thermometer (for both of us, me from the American Upper Midwest), my face is all “Ahhhh!”. And the GREEN! There’s GREEN here in Madrona! GRASS! SHRUBBERY! Yes, I know you showed it in Portland, but I didn’t believe it till I saw it for myself. It’ll be 2 months yet before green grass back home.
I hope the view out my window looks anything like that at Port Ludlow: that’s so gorgeous. Madrona is already great (first timer here) and I’m looking forward to my train trip to Sock Camp later this spring. No Sock Summit for me, it conflicts with a family vacation, and apparently there IS a limit to how many knitting trips I can schedule in one year. Darn. I won’t get to see the outcome of all your post-it notes. You’ll have to hug Cece for me, and the babe.
Your pictures are fabulous, what kind of camera do you have?
That’s Tina’s HOUSE? Wow. Does she need roommates? A middle-aged married couple with a great deal of wool and rather a large number of books and cats, perhaps? I would totally cook Cajun for her every day and organize sticky notes in return.
That is a beautiful cardigan. The yarn really enhances it’s splendor.
I had no idea you were acrossed Port Ludlow Bay from my house last week. I am just learning about all these knitters’ web sites and blogs since I’m newly retired. I hope someone can help me find out when this Sock Camp is and what Tina’s last name is … I live in Port Ludlow and would like to possibly attend.
Every update gets me more excited!
We all have “Pacific Northwest Hair” here in Oregon. Yours looks great. The light in that photo is just gorgeous.