Happy Anniversary!! I want to come next year!!

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....but mostly the former?

The Next One -- I'm coming. (It was only a long-planned family vacation that kept me away.)

Happy SS'09 anniversary!

Congratulations! Good luck on the next go-round!

Isn't it amazing to have a photograph of Anna Zilborg applauding YOU!? I was there and it was something I will remember the rest of my life and thank you and Tina for. (And I remember that EVERYTIME I saw you those few days you looked absolutely STUNNED/GOBSMACKED/EXHAUSTED. I'm glad you took a couple years before you tackle the next. Hope I'm there!

I didn't get a chance to go last year.. but am putting in my vacation request for next year! WootHoot! Can't wait!

if only my hippie son hadn't LEFT that area last year just as it was time to register! there went my standing invitation to crash at the hippie hovel -- all i could have afforded if i wanted classes and yarn.

ah, well -- perhaps i'll make it to sock summit deux, which two knitting pals still are raving about.

bon anniversaire!

So it's true! You ARE doing it again! Fifty kinds of screaming YAY!!! want to leap right out of me--I hereby declare no surgery that week this next time, I'm coming--THANK YOU!!!

And I'm so glad you all had such a good time that you're even willing to go through it again!!

Would you write some more about the post-it note system? I'm studying information systems, and I saw lots of pics of post-its on the blog as you and Tina slaved lovingly over them, but I'd like to know more about the details that worked for you.

Thank you so much for all your hard work! Can't wait for next year!

Congratulations! Knitters are the most amazing people.

Where will SS 11 be held? On the east coast, perhaps?? Please??

Awesome. Let us know when we can start donating Post-its.

Group hug!

That was truly a magical weekend. I am still so inspired by the people I met and the things I learned at Sock Summit, and by everything that you, Tina, and the entire crew accomplished! <3

Sock summit is a super success. A truly inspirational idea.

Does it sometimes weird you out that you used to know of all these famous knitters, and now you're one of them? Because I know if I ever saw you anywhere, I would freak out. Perhaps pee a little getting the courage to talk to you.

I still can't believe I was there! It was my first and only such foray into such an event (you know, knitting/spinning/fiber CONVENTIONS), and I'm still ridiculously proud of my t-shirt and buttons. And I don't know if there are many people who are equally funny in print and in person; YOU ARE! Thanks for the memories....

I got all misty-eyed and I wasn't even there. Is that weird? Probably. I have regretted many times that I didn't go last year, thinking I really needed to be 'responsible' and save money and be at work during a big (months long) project. I've learned that sometimes it's healthier to be a little selfish and I will not have that regret next year.

I learned to knit a sock that day. You'all rock

Hope I can make it next time!

I had the time of my life at Sock Summit! I can't wait for next year!!!
Happy Anniversary!

I was wishing today that I had somewhere to go where there were knitters....

Maybe I can make it next year? I am re-reading your post and like some of the others I am weepy...weird...maybe I am just lonely?

And a huge thank you for all your work. I had a wonderful time. In fact, I called my mother every night (she's a worrier) and I told her I was having so much fun it was probably illegal. The people, the classes, the chemistry all came together.

I won't expect SS 2011 to be the same, but it will be just as wonderful in its own way.

Thank you thank you thank you.

It was a magnificent feet of knitting magic.

The post-it system sounds much fancier when you call it affinity diagramming!

It was a great party! I was there last year... it certainly was fun and exciting.
Can't wait to see what next year brings.

I still get a big ol' smile on my face when I think about SS 09. It meant so much to me to be able to learn from so many knitting luminaries. An experience I will cherish the rest of my life. It will be wonderful to see what you all are able to put together next time. I know it will be great!

I had to smile reading your post about meeting "knitting greats". I am leaving tomorrow to spend a week in Toronto ... and all I've talked about is just maybe seeing YOU in a pub or yarn shop while I am there ! Is there bus tour of famous homes ? Is your on it ? I enjoy your blog and your humor and your knitting and your spinning tales !

....where do I sign up for next yeae?

Just the other day my six-year-old daughter told me she can't wait to go to another Sock Summit and asked what classes she could take :) Looking forward to another amazing experience!

It was totally worth coming from Australia for. You ladies were amazing. I feel nostalgic and happy and now I am going to go talk to the girls I went with. Thank you for organising such a fantastic event.

Boy, would I love to treat myself. I hope you post advance registration info well in advance and that it's on the East Coast. Congratulations on a project WELL done.

In my soul, I am there. Does this warrant starting another sock just for honoring the Sock Summit, even though I have 3 unfinished sock project already started, huh, huh, can I pretty please? This might be a character flaw.

Hey Congrats Steph & co - we made some lovely friends there and some wonderful memories. Ceels just reminded me as she promised she would - not sure if we will make it again (we have also promised ourselves a Meg Swansen knitting camp so if you could put them end on end that would be great) LOL Thanks again.

Happy Summit-versary! Just goes to show what awe-inspiring things you and Tina can do when you combine forces. It's mind boggling, and that's just from the outside looking in. I shudder to think what it must have been like for you two. (And the equally masochistic, I mean hard working Sockateers.)

I'm crossing my fingers that my computer will not be a doofus next year, and I'll be there for the second incarnation. I'd like to tell you to rest up in anticipation, but I think we all know that you're happiest when you're going full tilt.

Happy Anniversary!! It's my in-laws' 40th wedding anniversary today, too. Double whammy :)

Science Fiction conventions have a tradition of the Dead Dog party, held on the last night of the convention for the staff. I think that since you are geek it would be proper for you to carry over the Dead Dog party to Sock Summit.

I came. I saw. It.Was.AWESOME! Here's hoping that the next is as fun and good as the last.

Just think.... only a few years ago, you were a regular person who like to knit. Now you are practically a legend! a powerhouse! an industry!

Go You!

Seriously - you inspire me on many levels. And not just to actually knit the second sock.

how does it make you feel that people talk about you the way you talk about meg swansen?

Yearn. Retroactively.

we'll be there, even if we don't get classes; I am making sure a summer statewide event I am going to run (much, much smaller than SS) will NOT come at the same time. I haven't smiled so much, so many days in years, if ever, as I did at SS.

i am one of the lucky ones who got to go, but as a vendor of the busiest clog booth in town! :) it was such an amazing time and i look forward to next year. (ask tina how i tried to act all cool and not all excited and nerdy when she came into the clog shop a few months ago...)

i remember i felt such an amazing energy just standing in the room that weekend, surrounded by my people! :)

happy anniversary...was it really just a year ago?!?

I'm yearning in both directions, Rams.

Unless there's money in the budget, Steph, to hire a person who wields a Notepad of Moderate Influence? If so, you know how to reach me.

Happy Anniversary!!! I so want to come one of these years!!!

Thank you for putting on such a fantabulous party! It was the first "big" knitting/travelling adventure I let myself have (curse that over-developed sense of "responsibility"!) but not the last! I'm currently drinking a toast to ST-1 & ST-2 out of my SS09 beer glass, and hoping I'm lucky enough to go back next year!

It was so absolutely amazing! You two are slowly conquering the world :) and I can't wait to be there again next year!

It was truly amazing. I adored every minute of it. And I want to thank you for giving me something to tell people when I say I do research on language socialization in the knitting community and they look at me like I'm crazy: We filled the Portland convention center with sock knitters, people. We could take over the world if we wanted.

(But we only use our powers for good.)

I was there, I was there, I was there!!! It was awsome! I can't wait till next year! Thanks for putting it on again here in Portland!

What a privilege it was to be a wee small part of everything and to watch you and Tina and Debbie and Rachel in action. I am excited and scared for the second one, but I know it too will be magical. And, just for the record, I vote yes on the Sock Hop too.

Golly it is a year ago? Mebbe I can go to the next sock summit - I missed last year even though I was all set to go. Sock Summit or Europe? Europe won. It is a big time for me too - I've just had my cancer cut out of me. May it be all gone!

I *was* there and it was spec.tac.ular.

Can't wait to do it all over again. Thanks :)

I was one of the lucky attendees at SS09 ... loved every exhausting minute of it ... am still attempting to use up the yarn ... my goal is to have it gone by SS11 ... wish me luck ! I need to take your class on knitting speedily... any online hints would be very welcome

you and Tina and Blue Moon gals and Rachel and the rest created magic and wonder and joy happened. Thank you

omg you're right! I got so caught up in my life, lately, that I didn't even realize that it's been a year, already. The first Sock Summit was one of the most blissful vacations I ever gave myself, and I really can't wait until next year, to see what the new Sock Summit will bring. Thanks to you and Tina and everyone else involved (attendees included!) for making it such a super amazing time.

I remember I was so impressed with what you did and so concerned that you were so stressed that you didn't even have time to eat, I offered to be your personal assistant and always get you food and beverage.

Stalker much? Yikes!

Congrats and good luck at the next go-round.

Thank you for changing the knitting world. It was amazing, YOU and TINA are amazing and all the helping minions. It was moving.

I was just working-out how old the children were, and would I be able to leave them to look after each other, with some help. Could it be do-able?

It was a FANTASTIC time -- can't wait til we do it again next year!

Never underestimate the power of Post-it notes. :)

I can't wait until next year. My youngest will be old enough that she's probably, mostly likely, going to be weaned so I can go and spend the night even!

I'm giddy at the thought of taking a class from these amazing women, pioneers even, that I admire so much.

It was a monumental undertaking and turned out so splendidly!

Congratulations

From the time I heard fellow passengers around me on my connecting flight from Chicago talking about knitting, to my oh-so-sad to be leaving the Portland Convention Center on Sunday, I have never felt so completely understood and in good company. I took amazing classes with amazing teachers, I knitted and schmoozed with women who came from all over the country-and the world-and were stay at home moms with babies in tow, retirees, teachers, and even a vascular surgeon, all knitters. It was wonderful, life-changing (for me-I now dabble in sock design), and ended too soon. I saw yarn -and bought at least one skein from every dyer I'd only heard about on Ravelry.
Each time I think about Sock Summit, I smile. I came across the country alone-but never felt alone the entire time I was there. I came away with a new respect for my fellow knitters, the totally cool people of Portland, and especially for you and Tina, who made this incredible thing happen. I am still so grateful to you both. I'll be there in 2011-planning to get airfare and hotel (for the week, this time-I love Portland!) as soon as the dates are open to book.
Happy Sock Summit Anniversary!!

I can't WAIT to go again!!! It was amazing!

It was one of the most wonderful, memorable experiences I've ever had - seeing all of you amazing knitting icons live and in person, being there on my own but always surrounded by like-minded souls... just wonderful - and now I am contributing regularly to a Sock Summit '11 savings account... can't wait!

Last night, I finally finished the socks I started on the plane last year without realizing that it had actually been a whole year... my rationale is that I wanted to hang onto the experience that much...uh huh

happy anniversary!

Post-its?
Note to self - Passport. ;-)

Does it ever strike you as . . . odd isn't quite the right word, but . . . odd that knitting is so freaking important to so many people? It does me, but ONLY when I'm forced to straighten up my knitting mess, then I wonder why everyone doesn't get it.

I managed to make it. I thought it would be great, but found out that was a total understatement. To be in a place with literally thousands of people, and know that you had something important in common with each and every one... mind boggling. I am still not unboggled.
And as a vendor, attendee of classes, and general hanger outer, I cannot think of a single thing that could have been improved. IMHO the whole thing was as perfect as is humanly possible.

It was the BEST!
I had a wonderful time and can hardly wait for next year.

Great job!

Thank you for bringing back memories of one of the best experiences of my life to date. :) Happy Sockiversary!

Thank you for the memories of one of the best experiences of my life to date. Happy Sockiversary!

Some friends in Chicago are holding what we call Musecon- a craft/maker/techie/geeky convention this weekend. We've helped with planning where we can from 400 miles away, but couldn't afford to be there.

And it appears next year Musecon will be up against Sock Summit. It's ok, if I can afford to go to either, several members of the Musecon board and organizing committee also knit socks, so they'd understand.

And, it is my guess that next year's summit will not be held anywhere near New Jersey...which makes me very sad...But, happy sockiversary and thanks for all you do...

Did you say "The next one"? Squeeee!

(You should have seen my excitement last fall googling "sock summit 2010". Turns out the attendee's blog post was speculation fueled by random sound bytes and the name of your home city, which is near me. Sigh.)

Happy Anniversary. Thankyou again for doing it! SS09 was one of the best times I've ever had. Can hardly wait for next year's SS11. I'm still not knitting socks much, mostly shawls. Now I have the yarn and will have at least one pair for me by winter.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOX

Happy Sockiversary! Yesterday I wore my Sock Summit tee shirt to work, first time ever, and didn't realize what day it was.
The Summit was one of the most fun things I have ever done, and I go to Las Vegas every year! I took a class from Cat Bordhi, and who was sitting right next to me? Ann Budd! It was like that everywhere you went.
If I somehow can't make it next time, I will try to be happy for the knitter who perhaps is going for the first time. I still have Plenty of yarn!

Happy Anniversary! and THANK YOU! It was an amazing experience....as you said, "I was walking among my people!". I am so looking forward to SS11!

I have just been told that one might deduct the cost of Sock Summit next from the annual tax bill, as a business expense, because it is all about learning, and networking! I wonder, has the IRS imagined the fact that we knitters did, and will, go because it is fun? Would it be an allowable deduction then? I home this helps yarn-related business owners.

Nothing else has stood up to SS09 - it's now the gold standard by which I judge similar events(except SAW but that was a different animal). And there's nothing I can say to convince people who weren't there that it was really really different. I was just at Convergence since I live in Albuquerque and there was no energy in the market place. The only good part was I found an indie dyer I had missed at SS09 who was a sweetie and bought nice yarn from her.

People say "yeah but I don't really knit socks, why should I go?" Boy are they missing out!!

Whatever you do next year won't be the same but I'm positive it will be great good fun and totally cool - with a crew like you and your folks, how could it not?

Knitting (spinning, weaving) ALWAYS brings out the very best in us.

After we kick and scream a little, of course. Or a lot.

I was just thinking about this lovely weekend. Thank you so much for organizing it ... we are eternally grateful!

I really wanted to attend last year, but with enough heads up (1 to 2 years seems to be what it takes) I hope to be able to go to the next one. It sounded like everyone had a rip roaring time, and I only seem to be knitting socks and sweaters out of sock weight yarn, so I obviously need a summit.

Or (according to my husband) an intervention.

It was great. Happy anniversary! What a marvelous convocation of wonderful knitting people. I'm so looking forward to doing it again next year. See you then!

sure hope I get to go next time!!

Any change it will be held in New Jersey!!

My daughter (now 10yr old) & I had a terrific time last year. We have some great memories and plan to be back again next year. Any plans in the works for classes for preteen and teen knitters?

My daughter (now 10yr old) mad some great memories at last years Sock Summit & I plan to be back again next year. Any plans in the works for classes for preteen and teen knitters?

Oops, sorry about the repeat (repeat) post. =)

Sock Summit rocked! It was like the Woodstock of the knitting world... but without the mud, drugs (unless you count caffeine)and port a potties. I hope to make it again, but I'm not sure if one's allowed to have that much fun in one life time. Thank you to you, Tina and everyone else who worked so hard. Do you need any more post it notes?

Hi there - It sounds like such a wonderful time of learning and just being together as women (oh, yeah, and knitters) - I hope next year's will be a lot closer to Kentucky! xoxox,
Bonnie

I just knew it was wonderful. The evidence: wonderful, benevolent knitters from everywhere came to share their unique gifts.

You got to meet Barbara Walker! Good for both of you!

And you did it all with Post It Notes.

Happy anniversary! It would be a dream come true for me if I could attend the next one. It would be beyond a dream if my knitter daughter could come with me.. We're starting small, with the Finter Lakes Fiber Arts Festival next month, but big things are ahead.

Happy anniversary! And thank you for organizing this event, and for planning to organize another one. It would be a dream come true for me if I could attend the next one. It would be beyond a dream if my knitter daughter could come with me.. We're starting small, with the Finger Lakes Fiber Arts Festival next month, but big things are ahead.

It was truly a magical gift you gave all of us. Happy anniversary!

Amen to the magical gift you gave us and Happy Anniversary to you and Tina. What an awesome undertaking and some of us are just thrilled to hear about next time. :)

Last year's Sock Summit seems like it was just yesterday, but next year's seems like it will never get here. I still get all kinds of happy thinking about the whole "happening" last year... from crashing the server on registration day (don't forget - tell your IT guys that they should plan like it's a porn site), to the anticipation of getting there, to the tinglies of being there, to the little tears knowing we had to go home and being among Muggles again. You guys (all of you) were and are awesome awesome awesome. I was honored to be in your company (and a whole lotta star-struck, too). Thank you for last year, and thank you in advance for SS11!

I remember reading posts on Ravelry about how wonderful (and even emotional) it was. I was crying just reading about it!!!

Happy Anniversary and can't wait to experience it LIVE.

Happy Anniversary - I still can't believe I had the opportunity to go, which I did and had one of the best times EVER. I'm so glad to be part of the knitting community. Thanks to you and Tina and all who worked so endlessly on it - you're the best!!!

Ya done good!

One of the best times in my life too, and I'm already making plans for next summer.

Hey! I'm actually in that last picture somewhere! I had a really great time, and that was without being able to get into any classes.

Just goes to show a charmed life comes to the who work their behinds off and are willing to take huge risks. Congratulations!

It was an amazing time and probably one of the most notable in my life. Thanks to you and Tina for getting it all together, post its and all. I hope to see you again at SS'11!

Is there going to be a next Sock Summit and will it be in Portland again?
Maria

I AM GOING NEXT YEAR!!!! WOOT! WOOT!!!

Absolutely awesome. Was there, will never forget it, can't wait until next time!!!

I learned so many things there that I'm still putting into practice today. (I've also barely gotten in to using any of the yarn and fiber that I indulged in while I was there, but that's secondary, really).

It was amazing and fantastic and I'm so looking forward to next year!

I plan to be there again next year, and promise to be much more careful around those pointy sticks! As an aside I just noticed that the scar is no longer visible, does that mean it never happened?

Last year, I told my boss I needed to take off Friday to attend the Sock Summit. My boss, an accountant, thought he might be interested too, altough he thought I meant SOX as in the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002, regarding new accounting standards for US public companies. I really hated to explain it was socks as in knitting. Muggles don't get it.

I feel so incredibly lucky to live in Portland. Yes, it is a beautiful wonderful place, but to have the Sock Summit too? So cool!! I will be there and plan on volunteering to help. Thanks for a great event!

And I cherish the picture of you and me, and the thrill of you holding MY sock and knitting a row on it before taking the picture!! Thank you for some wonderful moments and wonderful memories!!

I know!! I've been all sentimental about it this whole weekend.

Happy 100th Birthday, Elizabeth Zimmermann!

It was a rock 'em, sock 'em time. Especially the world's record. Especially everything. Next year: You're invited to come kayaking, on me. Seriously. On the Willamette (rhymes with slam it, also other things you've said while frogging out.)

It was a fun time. I mortified my then 16 year old by Kinearing her sock hero Cookie A!

Hi Stephanie!

Just wondering if you have an info about this year's Sock Summit? I am new to the sock knitting; however would love to come and be part of this great group of Summiteers. If you could let me know where I might find the info it would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Donna Emberson