And So Seattle

I was in Seattle last night, at Third Place Books, which is starting to feel like an old friend of a sort.  I’ve gotten to go there with every tour, and it never disappoints.  It’s a big glorious bookstore, and we filled it up with knitters.


This never ceases to amaze me.  Not that there’s a lot of knitters, I know there’s a lot of knitters, and not that those knitters like to gather in groups – I am a knitter.  I get that too… It’s the reaction of ordinary people staggering by, asking what the book is and why there’s a crowd and then being simply gobsmacked as the reality of a couple hundred knitters (all knitting) in one place sort of washes over them.
Never mind when they start lining up to show you first socks, which they did. First up was Whitney, who brought her first socks, her second sweater, and her first baby Declyn and her husband (covered in knitwear, and clearly a supporter) Bryan.

Also working the first baby/first sock combo were Lauren and Lila.

and Ellen, Andi and baby Liam

They had to work a combo.  Ellen has the first baby, and Andi has the socks.  (And no.  She didn’t knit her sweater, I already asked for you.) Then there was Lucy,

Then Karen (who want’s you to know that she’s not an overachiever, she just didn’t know what she was getting into.)

and Kate:

then Rebekah (if you could see those socks, you would see they sort of accidentally have really different toes)

Kimi brought her first sock- which used to be part of a pair but isn’t anymore, which doesn’t really bother her because they didn’t fit anyway.  (It’s like looking in a mirror, that one.)

and Erica:

and then Sandra, who was representing for her mum – Amy Rose, who knit these socks.  ( I might have that backwards.  That might be Amy Rose who’s holding up her mum Sandra’s socks.  I can’t remember.  My mind is shot at this point.  Sorry guys!)

Brightwind brought several first socks, because they’re all sort of in the middle of being done and none are a completed pair, so she was sort of unclear about which ones to designate as "first."  (I am too.  We agreed she should hold them all.)

Maybe someday she’ll have a pair.  Maybe not.  I’m not sure she’s the type.
Cassie couldn’t stand to bring her first socks, so she brought her most impressive ones. 

They were very impressive.  While I was on my way to this event, ST-2 Lisa texted me to tell me that there were some very good babies waiting for me.  Besides the ones above, we had Jessie and Clark

Leila, Annika and Marion.

Kate and Zoe. 

Margaret didn’t bring her son Simon because he’s two and she knew it would be a set-up for unhappiness for him (good call.  Two year olds aren’t usually that into book readings unless there are funny voices and lots of pictures) but she did bring the Hallowe’en costume she’s knitting him.

He’s going to be Ernie.  (Best costume ever.)
Walt showed up for his daughter Jesse,

He was bedecked in all that she’s knit for him.  (He’s very, very proud.)
It was Andrea’s birthday !

(She was also wearing her first socks, but you can’t see them.)
Rachel knits dragons.  (I believe that speaks for itself. She’s specializing)

And our new friend Kim suffered a cruel lesson at the hands of Mother Gauge.

Same pattern, same knitter, same needles, same yarn – two mittens of completely unrelated size for NO REASON.
Carmel brought a fabulous worsted weight cashmere shawl

(Yes.  She should have insurance on that. If only to protect it from the likes of me.)  – And speaking of cashmere, guess why all these knitters are touching Kate?

Yup.  Cashmere, but with a little angora in there to really make her huggable.
Elisabeth brought an incredible wedding ring shawl.

Took her four years to knit it (on and off) and you wouldn’t believe how great it is.
Lisa wanted to say hi to her knitter buddy Tucker:

Abby and Sherri were back:

the last time we saw them they looked like this:

Abby’s growing up into a very nice knitter.
Sally and John came.

Apparently she knits and he reads this blog.  Together, I pointed out, they are one fan.
Alex works in a yarn shop, and wanted to show this off as proof that he can knit:

Apparently there is doubt in t
he heart of the occasional customer.
Almost finally, it wouldn’t be Seattle if we didn’t see McKenna, our Lady of The Stash Weasels.

I love me a good stash weasel.  (She’s onto Dr. Who themed ones now.  Be still my beating heart.)
Finally, last but certainly not least,  I give you Scott.

What’s that?  What’s his tattoo say?

Damn Straight. 

Thanks for everything Seattle.