In which Baltimore Brings It

I’m going to try to explain to you the amazing that was Baltimore, but I’m going to try and do it really fast because I’m in the airport getting ready to leave for Chicago, and I really don’t want to be late.  (I’m having a beer.  I hear it’s super windy today in Chicago, and I’m an experienced enough flier to know that means turbulence, and I hate turbulence.  It makes it hard to knit, and convinces me that we are seconds from being plunged into the earth. It’s better for everyone if I aim for relaxation.) Essentially, what happened in Baltimore was that they heard that Boston was amazing, and so they tried to one-up them.  (This may or may not have been a formal plan.)   Filled up the room in Boston? Baltimore had overflow.


(That chair shortage thing may have happened again. Sorry guys.)

Baltimore had cute babies:

This is Jody and Amelia representing, but there was also Margot and Marseille and Gillian

(Gillian is the little one in the phone) and Margot made the baby and Marseille made the sweater and that kid looks so happy.

Baltimore didn’t just have beer and sweaters. 

They had Amanda knitting a BEER SWEATER. (Yes.  That’s what you think.  Not a sweater with beer on it,  it’s a sweater for a beer to put on. It’s genius.)

Boston had people with first socks, but Baltimore had these two. 

That’s K and her first socks (freakin’ overachievers. They make us all look bad) and this is Melinda, and she didn’t just bring her first socks.

She brought her first socks, her first little sweater and her first born Sarah.  Shazam!

Molly brought her wedding veil, and seriously, I don’t think I need to tell you it was amazing:

Boston had people with charming boyfriends,  Baltimore had Kelly, and she is knitting a sock for her boyfriend, and people.  IT FITS.

I told her that it’s just as easy to love a small man as a large one, but apparently she’s in too deep.

Let it here also be noted that Baltimore should be called the city of brotherly love, because check out these brothers.  Meet Chris. 

When his sisters Katie and Becky had their car break down about an hour away, they called Chris, and he "cleared his schedule" and came straight over to listen for them, and get their books.  I said "you’re a good brother" and he said "well,  I have good sisters."  (All together now… Awww.)
This is Estin and Grace.  A brother and sister who came together.

Estin is, Grace tells me, the only person who had the presence of mind to giver her yarn for her baby shower.  Says Estin "She made a blanket.  It was good"
(Again… awww)

Finally,  Boston had nuns?  Baltimore had NUNZILLA. 

Thanks to Doris and Janet for that treat.  (She winds up and walks and sparks come out of her mouth. She is nothing like the nuns in Boston, but she is funny.)

And last- for those of you who are all "holy cow, like I care about knitters in other places – what about your knitting" let me tell you this.  First, you should totally care about the other knitters they’re really gripping, and second. 
I have two re-made sweater fronts, and none of them is, or has been on fire…

and they are even the same length as the back.

It’s almost a sweater.

PS to Melissa Morgan-Oakes.  They sort of ran out of my books last night and so someone asked me to sign one of yours. Meet Joellyn and Jeffrey, who were not leaving without a signed book, and they didn’t care who’s it was, as long as it was a good one.  They picked yours.

I put a note in saying that I wasn’t you and shouldn’t be signing it, but also noted  (in the book) that I would let you know there’s been an unauthorized signing of your book.  So I am.  Feel free to sign one of mine as revenge.)

134 thoughts on “In which Baltimore Brings It

  1. Bought an e-version of your book (pre-order, I heard it get delivered at 12:01 on the day of release). Has anyone given any thought to how you would autograph an e-book? Love the sweater. Safe travels!

  2. Ha ha! That’s a good one about signing Melissa’s book. Hope you get some rest on the flight!

  3. Awesome! Love seeing and hearing about other knitters – It is so frequently a solitary adventure and being able to cheer others on also boosts my confidence. But seriously – LABYRINTH SOCKS for a first sock!!!!! I am humbled. Hope to see you in Minneapolis-St Paul on your next road trip.

  4. I just have to say that your book tour postings are the Best. Thing. Ever.
    (Not that your other posts aren’t great, cuz they are) I just love hearing about all the peeps you meet on your travels.
    You should know that people in Minneapolis would love to have you.

  5. Book signing might be a long time from home, but with good people…. Next time bring Joe and have a little get away.

  6. Yay!! Chris is my brother (I’m Becky) and he IS the best brother in the world. Even though he’s not a knitter, he said you were really funny and he had a good time. My sister, Katie, was on her way to get a copy for herself and a copy for me for my birthday (I live in NC so it was too far for me to drive) but when her car broke down, she was heartbroken… as was I since I really wanted your book for my birthday. 🙂 Chris came to the rescue.
    Chris is a super great sport about things. The last time he was visiting, I taught his girlfriend how to knit and even got him to knit 3 stitches all by himself! I hear his girlfriend is halfway done with her scarf! Yay, a new convert! 🙂
    Thanks again for signing our books!! 🙂

  7. Stephanie,
    I always enjoy your post, whether they are about your knitting, life, or knitters you meet. However, I loooove the mis-signed book! Brilliantly funny. 🙂
    Take care,
    Rosane.

  8. I’m Katie, Chris’s other sister!!! He’s DEFINITELY the best brother in the world!!! I was so upset to have missed you, but I am so glad he was able to meet you and get our books signed! He was so sweet to have re-arranged his schedule to do that for us!! He said you were very funny! Hopefully I’ll catch you on your next book tour!!!

  9. I care about other people’s knitting if it includes BEER SWEATER! Ingenious!! I’ve got to get right on it!
    Your sweater looks great by the way. =)

  10. Thank you for adding Baltimore to your book tour! It was worth the 25-minute drive on the Beltway in the rain, at night, and during rush hour (any combination of same can be a hair-raising event) to see and hear you. An absolute treat. Your book arrived in the mail this afternoon. Wish you could have signed it, but that won’t lessen the enjoyment. I plan to curl up and have a good read this afternoon, no doubt laughing all the way through.
    Thanks for the joy!

  11. I don’t know if you will want to read this but it looks like you have a mis-crossed cable on one of those fronts. Some people don’t mind them, some people do.

  12. Oh dear, Stephanie,
    Let’s say that you have a mistake in one of the cables on the front of your newly-knit-but-not-yet-put-together-sweater…
    Would you want to know?

  13. That is a good book of Melissa’s. It doesn’t go very far from my knitting nest.
    Perhaps the nice lady with Melissa’s book can buy your ebook. I bought Knitting Rules and downloaded it to my phone so I always have a knitting reference book with me where ever I may be knitting. Pretty handy!

  14. My turbulence-coping technique: if you can, slump/slide down in your seat so your head is below the headrest. You may need to sit at a bit of an angle depending on how much leg room you have. For some reason, this position makes the turbulence feel less intense. Not a position to sit in for hours on end, but for a few minutes of plane jolts, it does wonders to keep one calm.

  15. I am bummed that I ended up working late and missed the happy event! But at least I got to see you signing at Rhinebeck, so it’s all good. 🙂

  16. Steph, if I had known you were coming to Old Orchard I wouldn’t have volunteered for that bake sale, or been packing and moving this weekend. Everyone would most certainly just have to wait!
    I’m really enjoying your recap of everything and am sad and jealous that every one else will get to see you while you’re in the States. You’re welcome to come visit anytime! I have a brand new guest room that’s across from my screaming teal craft room. So it’s not like we don’t have room after all, or yarn. 😉
    Keep up the work on the sweater! You’re wonderfully fast. Travel safe and dress warm! The weather really is terrible here in Chicago.

  17. Hoped you waved as you flew over Kalamazoo. Hope, for that matter, you flew and are not still in that bar getting relaxed. Windy doesn’t describe it, and there’s only so much relaxation one small body can take before they refuse to let you board because you constitute too many ounces of liquid…

  18. It was a wonderful evening! Stephanie, you were, as always, graceful amid difficulties: wet luggage, lost wallet, rain and not enough chairs. Your talks on your tours are pure joy.

  19. @Andrea and @Peg: ARGHHH! You know how you can miss something even after looking at it a gazillion times? And then once you see it (because someone pointed it out because you still didn’t see it) that’s ALL you can see?
    I hate that. Love the sweater, though.

  20. I once had an author right something a little racy in a book for me at a signing (it was okay–it was something we had been joking about earlier). He turned with a villainous grin and said “you’ll crack up when you see what I wrote” only to have the woman standing on the other side of him pick up the book and walk off. It was her book and not mine and he got confused. I just realized I never found out exactly what he wrote!

  21. Oh, Stephanie, you take what looks to be a forced march book tour and make it sound like fun! I love seeing the pictures of all the knitters. And your sweater pieces, which are now all the same length and not singed. Good luck with the big finish.
    I’ll miss you in PDX; I’ll be on a long planned vacay to someplace warm, which it’s not, here. Have fun!

  22. Glad your sweater was saved from the burning. Did you see what happened to Carin (from Round the Twist) and her Rhinebeck Kauni? Poor girl. But the timing of your scorched sweater and her charred sweater was amusing.

  23. I have to agree with the others – I love the book tour posts. The people are intersting and the stories are great.
    Glad to see the sweater is almost fixed. We were so worried last night at SNK. A couple of us had tears in our eyes while discussing it.

  24. Dagnabit!!! I never finished my comment before I hit post. Anyway, I was going to write something cute and clever about the guy who signed my book drinking a beer and you being in good company with him by signing another author’s book, blah blah blah! It’s the blog comment equivalent of dropping a stitch!

  25. I like to read about other knitters and your knitting too! loving the tour and lookin’ fwd to meeting you in Austin! 🙂

  26. Wow, nice work on the new sweater fronts. And love to see all the other knitters. And why aren’t you coming to Denver? 🙂

  27. I’m so sorry I had to miss seeing you last night here in Baltimore. But my 3-year-old had a swimming class across town. And, as I think you found out, our traffic sucks. Showing up late, with a wet, hungry toddler would have been not cool.
    But I’m so excited to see my friends Jody and Doris on here! So glad the Baltimore knitters represented!

  28. So glad you made it to the area! We were lucky to have you and even those sitting on the floor and standing in the ailes had a great time. Thank you for being you and letting us share some time with your wit and humor.

  29. Great post. I love how both Becky and Katie made comments. What a great brother they have!

  30. I love my hometown and miss it so much! I’m glad you had fun there. It is a great place. It sucks that you visited after we moved (to Flint, MI, BTW, only 4 hours from Toronto). Please tell me you had a crabcake?

  31. Melinda is the nurse at my children’s elementary school and her daughter Sarah helps in the front office there sometimes. That face she’s giving in the photo is the same one she’s given my daughter when she visits her for the fourth time in one day after scratching bug bites until they bleed. I didn’t know she was a knitter, but I’m not at all surprised.

  32. its going to to INTERSTING tour.Wait till next week the challaegne is on.
    Have some cheese and carmael popcorn while in Chicago,it is said too be Ophra’s favourite

  33. Yep, my brother is not as cool as those brothers.
    He doesn’t buy me yarn, and he didn’t volunteer to listen to you and pick up a signed copy of your book for me this weekend.
    Silly boy.
    Molly : )

  34. Thanks for a fun time last night! Janet and I commented that it was great to have such a good laugh-filled evening. One of the fun things for me was getting to meet Jody and Amelia in person last night after having been Facebook friends for a long time. By sheer coincidence she sat down right next to me. Oh, and I was one of the few lucky ones who got a chair (ok, I did arrive waaayy early in anticipation of getting a seat). Enjoy the caramels. The sea salt ones are especially yummy.

  35. My SIL and I planned to come for quite some time. I was so excited! I wondered if you’d have the sweater. I wondered what you would present. I wondered if I would get my book signed. But I had to cancel due to a case of pneumonia :(. Looks like an amazing night! Thanks for coming to Baltimore and I hope to attend an event in the future! Oh and I had a dream last night that I met you and it almost made up for missing. Okay, it didn’t really come close lol!

  36. I never get to hear you on a book tour – I live in a small wet dreary island some way east of Northern America … but I love this period of your life, enormously encompassing blogs, cute photos, millions of tweets too – Not as good as being there, but nearly!
    xxx

  37. Okay. These are precisely the kind of posts that make me way sad that you are neither coming to my city or state to sign my book.
    Everyone is having too much fun and I can see that everyone is enjoying meeting you and you them and everyone is enjoying the sharing and the babies… again I am noting that there is no sock picture at the start. Is this something new?
    (Your sweater is coming together quite nicely. All match-y lengths. Beautiful.)

  38. Soooo proud of Molly and her wedding veil. She and I are in the same knitting group in Dover, DE. If I remember correctly, that was her first lace project. Can you believe it? Such talent!! 😉

  39. I always like hearing about the knitters you meet on tour. That lace veil is just STUNNING… Have a mellow flight and a great visit in Chicago!

  40. My mom told me she got the LAST BOOK, to have signed for me for Christmas–I asked her to go since she lives close, and I knew I was going to miss you at Rhinebeck. Can’t wait to get it! (I also called her yesterday and told her to make sure she got there early–Harlot crowds are wild and always underestimated!–but apparently my dad made them late leaving the house.)
    She started knitting again recently, after decades of not, since I got bitten with the knitting bug. She hasn’t read your stuff, but she said you were really funny.

  41. How wonderful that you are getting to see all of these knitters who share a love for knitting! What I’m seeing is that knitting is growing by leaps and bounds again — don’t know if it’s the economy, but the more the merrier!
    Cheers and can’t wait to see what happens in the Windy City!

  42. I love hearing the stories of the book tour (and your blog of course). It is a great way to see what knitters all over the country are knitting. The color work socks are amazing- I don’t know that I could accomplish that. All of the knitting accomplishments that you have shown, are terrific and wonderful. Knitters “ROCK”. I am anxious to see you for the first time in Dallas! I am driving 3 hours to see you! Wouldn’t miss it!

  43. Your “Rhinebeck” sweater is awesome!! When did you have time to fix it???? I love reading your blogs & books. It was wonderful meeting you at Rhinebeck.

  44. Stephanie,
    You are the BEST blogger!! I feel like we’re having coffee and you’re showing me your vacation pictures! You give the best details! Thanks for that!
    All the pictures, including your amazing sweater, are wonderful, but the wedding veil left me breathless! Did Molly knit it herself?
    Keep the posts coming. I feel like I can be there with you, even when I can’t!

  45. Whoa. I don’t find the miscrossed cable entertaining. At all.
    (And here I was going to comment on the fact that my husband is giving a talk in Chicago just 20 min. from you tonight and I thought about sending him over to get me a book signed…figuring he’d be the only priest in the room that you’d recognize… but now that kind of levity seems inappropriate.)

  46. At the risk of being banned from your blog forever, you have a mis-crossed cable on the right front panel of your sweater. 🙁
    If you come by Pittsburgh, I’ll buy you a beer to make up for it…

  47. Mama Urchin – I had to link to your blog to see which one of my mommies you are. I didn’t know you knit either!!! But I’m also not surprised. I like you even better now (don’t tell the other mommies). You HAVE to show Katie the blog pic…I feel more famous than if I won an academy award!! This is the magical power of the knitting and th Harlot.

  48. I hope you get a visit from my bonus kid who just moved to Chicago. I asked him to get a book signed for me. I didn’t remind him that today is my birthday. It would be really awesome if he remembers and is able to get out to Skokie.

  49. Glad your sweater is coming along in it’s second chance at life.
    I’ve been crazy busy for the last week and haven’t read your blog very much since you started on tour & I have to say that your tour blog posts are some of my favourite, so thanks for the great pick-me-up today when I found 3 new posts to read!!
    Hope the flight to Chicago wasn’t too bad & have a great time at that event!

  50. This book tour sounds like a knittin free-for-all. Everyone is having a great time! Wish I were there.
    I’m in awe of the sweater!

  51. I say keep the mis-crossed cable! I like those little imperfections, they remind me that life is like that – sometimes flawed, but still beautiful.

  52. Wow, that is one seriously beautiful almost-sweater. You can wear it on your next book tour!
    (I swear I can’t find the mis-crossed cable. Nearly crossed my eyes trying to find it, too.)
    Sorry I missed Baltimore! Won’t bother you with my depressing excuse.

  53. Yup, knitting, knitters, and babies – that’s why I keep coming back. Thanks!
    (and I totally missed that cable crossing, so no, you wouldn’t see it from a galloping horse.)

  54. First: Love the Ouija Board shirt that lady in the last picture is wearing. Awesome!
    Second: I’m exhausted just reading your posts! I’m feeling the love from all your hard work you’re putting in for your fans.
    Third: Wish I could come see you in Seattle but that’s on a Thursday and I work early Friday morning two hours away.
    Fourth: I don’t feel like that’s a good excuse not to come what with all your traveling.

  55. I love your book tour posts. I’m thoroughly enjoying your new book (kindle version) and I can’t see the mis crossed cable… (of course, I’m drinking a martini right now.. so that might have something to do with it!)
    travel safely.

  56. I’m glad you made it safely through the traffic and storms both ways. I am also glad you tweeted you had landed in Baltimore, because I had an “OMG!” moment when I realized I hadn’t noted the day and then hopped in the car and beat my way through the traffic thence to Pikesville. I’m not in the photos because I cannily ducked behind a bookshelf. 😎 But yes, STO for another bookstore.
    Glad you had some fun. Rock on!

  57. Okay, halfway through a glass of wine at the end of a long day is probably NOT the time to comment on what kind of psychology feels the need to point out miscrossed cables. Except that I do not admire it.

  58. I was reading through the post with my son, 3, and I pointed out the shawl. How pretty it is. “Is that a spider web?” He’s impressed people

  59. Most importantly, however, did the luggage contents dry out and did you find your wallet??? I notice there is a whole day between Chicago and St. Louis. I hope you get some good Chicago eats and beer and a nap.

  60. I could not agree more with rams. Sweet baby jesus, people! Really? REALLY?! A mis-crossed cable?
    a) I can’t find the damn thing. I tried.
    b) The sweater is a stunning monument to perseverance, community, perfect imperfection, and why we love this woman.
    and
    c) I bet if I pointed out a rainbow to some of ya’ll, you would say, “Oh, man, but look how gray the sky is behind it…”
    LOVE these posts. Please don’t stop.

  61. I so wanted to come. I was going to come. From Silver Spring (a DC suburb) But I have kids. And kids have needs. And husbands have jobs. Jobs that sometimes have late hours. Jobs that pay the bills. And buy yarn. And they all needed me. At the last minute. And as much as I love you, my family comes first. Sigh….. And this was going to be my birthday present to myself. It’s next week. Maybe I’ll have to go buy yarn to fill the void. Please come back. To DC maybe?
    And I love the sweater, but… It would take me 3 months to knit what you knit in a few days. On a booktour. I want to swear obscenities at you, but I like you (not that I’ve ever met you, but I like what you write) Just the jealously talking.
    I think it’s wine-o’clock.

  62. So glad to know B’more brought it. I am from Boston and now live in Baltimore and I was really worried my old hometown would outdo the new one by a margin. I should have known better. I volunteer on weds or I would have been there in person to make sure, but it seems like you got the reception you deserve. Thanks for coming!

  63. I think you’ve done it again!!! First it was kinnearing, which has world wide status now. This time you’ve begun revenge book-signing!! 🙂 This thing could take off too! LOL

  64. Gotta say I agree with Rams and Christie, and I hope you leave it as is. It’s beyond beautiful. If necessary, say your tribe requires one mistake so that the gods don’t get jealous and take revenge on you.

  65. Stephanie:
    Thank you for a lovely, much needed, knitting humor filled, evening in Baltimore. It was lovely to meet you. (I’m the lawyer who got stuck in a trial and as a result arrived at the bookstore after they had sold out of your book and so you quite graciously posed for a picture with me instead.) I did manage to purchase a copy of your new book today from a different bookstore and I look forward to reading it. Good luck with the remainder of the tour–I hope your wallet turns up and your luggage dries out. Cheers.

  66. Wow! What great Baltimore people! I’m so glad you had the opportunity to meet them. Glad your sweater worked out. You must be stressed to the max. Time for a little libation…

  67. We all know knitters are amazing and a good example is the group in New Zealand knitting tiny sweaters for some little oil soaked blue penguins.
    That’s a real feel good story for you.

  68. My girlfriend, a loyal reader, assures me that you like to be alerted about slip-ups in language and that you verily will not call me a grammar nazi. So might I have the temerity to note that in your PS, you should use “whose” instead of “who’s”?

  69. I love hearing about knitters in other places. Knitters are really inspiring people. I really like to admire their projects they bring for Show and Tell. I also really appreciate that you share your misadventures in knitting with us. It reminds me that the inspiring piece of knitting has been made by all-too-human hands. Safe travels and keep the photos coming!

  70. That veil is GORGEOUS!!
    BTW, I love and HATE reading about your tour adventures. Love it because I see my “knittin’ sistahs” sharing you and our beloved craft. HATE it because you will be in Seattle next Thursday, and I know I can’t come see you (kid function takes presidence, sorry). I am, in short, heartbroken.

  71. It was a great book signing and I loved hearing you speak YarnHarlot – I love your sense of humor.
    YarnHarlot knitted “good baby karma” stitches in on the baby blanket I’m working on for a co-worker – Thanks!!! Everyone at work thought that was so cool! And I’ll pass the story on to the mother-to-be once she gets the blanket – she’ll love it 🙂
    hope the rest of your tour goes well –

  72. forgot to say – of course the new mother will get the picture too – but I have to send one back of the baby wrapped in the blanket 🙂

  73. Thank you for the great reading and book signing last night. I hope you get to wear your sweater sometime soon (who needs button bands!). Thank you again for the great visit.

  74. I love all the postings from the tour — love seeing all the people having a great time…all the knitting they bring along to show (that viel is heartbreakingly fabulous!)…and all the future knitters in tow!

  75. Waiting, waiting, waiting in Seattle. Any requests for food? Or beer? Or wine? We have a comfortable futon if you’re sick of hotels and we live in Ballard which is a groovy ‘hood.

  76. Joellyn and Jeffrey chose a good alternative book. One of my faves (after yours of course).

  77. Your tour posts are AWESOME!! But at the same time, I get sad every time I read them because it reminds me that I can’t come on Monday to Dallas because I have another commitment. I would SO rather be meeting you and knitting in such great company than attending this other shin-dig. Grrr… Wanna make a quick stop to Fort Worth on your way through? You could come on Tuesday night and be an honorary member of our quiz team at our weekly pub-quiz. I’m the resident bar knitter and would love some company 🙂

  78. I love Nunzilla. She reminds me of Sister Mary- She-shall-not-be-Named who terrified me when I was in Grade 4 (but actually got less terrifying by Grade 11). Yes, I hope nuns are much nicer these days.

  79. So I have to know HOW the sweater fronts went so wrong? Did you knit different sizes of front and back? Skip a section?
    Still amazed at how quickly you’ve recovered. And the sweater parts are gorgeous – as will, I’m sure, the sweater be.

  80. I just read your tweet about a miscrossed cable. I have to tell you (and I’m crazy picky about my own knitting mistakes) that I just can’t see it. I tried. Really.
    Can you live with it, I think I could.
    By the way… what do you think of the yarn? I’ve been curious, but I haven’t found any in stores yet, so only see it on the webpage.

  81. Why does the military always put me half way around the world from your book signings? Couldn’t they just once put me where you are? *sigh* Anyway, your books rock, and YOU rock.
    Oh, and as an ebook writer, I can tell you that for autographs I send bookmarks (I know, totally weird, but readers love them), a promo brochure for the ebook, or sometimes just a plain piece of paper.
    @whitney: if you drink enough beer, they do too have arms.

  82. Hurrah on the all the sweater parts that are the same length and have not ever been on fire! Eureka!
    And running out of books? All a good omen. Yes. Yessirree Bob.

  83. You HAVE to return for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. It’s the first weekend in May every year and it is THE best time for knitters ever. B-more would love to have you back!

  84. RE the miscrossed cable: It took me a REALLY long time to find it. Might be time to employ the trotting horse theory: If it can’t be seen on a trotting horse, ignore it.

  85. I’m so happy you have been able to finish the sweater with no more set backs! 🙂 I was really starting to feel guilty for taking a small bit of pleasure that I am not the only knitter who make whopping mistakes!
    Glad the tour is going so well! All the best!

  86. It was a pleasure to meet you Steph! I’ve enjoyed your books and your blog for quite a while now. I give you the credit for giving me back some knitting mojo. For a long time after knitting the veil it seemed like I was done. I had made the best thing I was likely to ever make, so everything else seemed like it wasn’t worth doing. Your essays and blog posts reminded me that I just like knitting, and that there are many other things to learn and try.
    I am so pleased how much peole like my wedding veil! 🙂 Susie Pitts is half right, I hang out with the Dover knitters. The veil wasn’t quite my first lace project though, I did some scarves (mostly from VLT) first. There are some action shots on Ravelry ( my Rav name is scarymary).

  87. Phew – loved this post AND loved all the comments. Love is infectious and you get lots of it! Bravo on the sweater – can’t find the mistake! I did that once with a gorgeous complex cabled sweater and only after sewing the damn thing up did I spot the mistake! My husband didn’t care and loves it!

  88. Why did I not know you were in Baltimore yesterday?? I’m so sad now because I sort of live here and I would have LOVED to have met you and showed off my knitting and gotten you to sign a book for me. So sad now. I should drive to Chicago today.

  89. Last night I told my DD (whom we call DiscoDame)about a Boston attendee, Ms. Lissa and her first socks that took 3 years to finish. My own comment was “YES! My people represent!” It took me abut that long to make my first human-sized pair (never mind the itty-bitty ones that got photographed for your blog in April 2008!). And this is why I love reading about the other knitters you encounter–I can relate to them and to you in so many ways. Glad the sweater is behaving!

  90. I am highly impressed with K’s socks. That looks to me to be the labyrinth symbol of Hekate on there, and I for one would love to get the pattern. Even if I’ve never knitted socks before.
    (Because everyone tells me it’s hard, that’s why. I have walked into yarn stores and begged them and offered them money to teach me socks, and they tell me I can’t yet, it’s too hard. Make another scarf. No, I’m not kidding.)
    So K, if you read this, linkage please to that pattern! I’m not as brave as you are, so I wouldn’t START with that…but it would not be long! Badgerangel on Ravelry.
    Be safe, Steph! And your new book is made out of win!
    ~Sherri

  91. It’s such fun watching your trip–of course, being at one of the meets would be far better but it’s almost like being there. Very almost. But, yesterday I received your book which I had pre-ordered last April. This one is different. It isn’t ALL knitting–it’s All you and yours and I am loving every word!! Don’t listen to all those others; I am most definitely your biggest fan!!

  92. My husband surprised me with a copy of your book last night. So he does listen…at least to the important stuff. We have great beer in Pittsburgh… just saying..

  93. So what I really need to know is this: what do you think of the Bawlmer accent? I sure hope you heard some authentic examples. If not, your trip was incomplete.

  94. Thanks for coming to Baltimore in the rain! It’s always great to see you! You are defintaly worth leaving work early and traveling 2 beltways in 2 rush hours to sit on the floor and listen to your stories. I kinda liked sitting on the floor for your stories, it took me back to my childhood.
    Thanks
    -Kate
    PS After everything else and now the miss-crossed cables…I really am worried that the sweater has bad ju-ju. Maybe you should not wear it- ever.

  95. Wish I could have seen you in Baltimore but I couldn’t face the Beltway in the rain. Love your new book. And the sweater. And all the socks.
    Safe travels.

  96. Great post. Sounds like you are meeting wonderful people, and the sweater looks great. Pre-ordered your book, and hoping it arrives today! I am re-reading Free Range knitter while I wait…

  97. I love reading about your book tours! Like someone else said it gives us a sense of community–plus those knitters are amazing and fun! I’m so hating that I’m going to miss you in Dallas as I will be in Ft. Worth with my daughter (who you met last time you were in Dallas) at her bridal portrait session (which is really fun, too). Anyway, I didn’t know I could send a family member to represent! That’s a GOOD IDEA. That pumpkin sweater with those cables is scrumptious!

  98. Sorry I couldn’t be there. Had to work. I bought the book electronically. May I have an electronic signature to go with it?

  99. Thanks so much for signing Melissa’s book for me. After the hellish day I had with meetings and parent/teacher conferences which made me the hour late to your book signing, running out of books made me super sad. It was Jeffrey who insisted that I have another book signed so our hour trip to B-more wasn’t for nothing. Thanks for making my day! PS..I am sending your book to Melissa for her signature as compensation. 🙂

  100. OK, I LOVE THAT JOELLYN & JEFFREY asked you to sign Melissa’s book- that is toooooo cute. and then to see that they posted just a few minutes ago- totally cool.

  101. Saw the signed Melissa book in person last night. Totally cracked me up! I think it’s fabulous and I love that you signed it for Jo even though it wasn’t your book. Sad that my work meeting ran way over and I couldn’t make it like I’d planned to. Good luck with the rest of the tour!

  102. Totally, totally love it on the book, and what a great boost for Melissa! So much happiness in one post! (And I love K’s Celtic socks!)

  103. Love the tales of adventure, as always. Just for the record, if the lovely sweater were mine, I don’t think I’d have had the heart to go beyond ripping and stuffing it into timeout for a very long time. Rhinebeck 2012, anyone?
    The comment on beer sweaters prompted me to share the link sent by my lovely daughter about the great rescue efforts being done by Skeinz NZ – penguin sweaters can be a very small karmic balance for the wildlife atrocities inflicted in OH this week by a demented “owner”:
    http://animaltracks.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/20/8411051-a-good-yarn-knitters-make-sweaters-for-penguins-after-oil-spill?gt1=43001
    Safe travels, and enjoy.

  104. Well, damn! You were in Baltimore? And I missed this how!!?? And you signed in Pikesville…as in I-drive-past-Pikesville-every-day-on-my-way-home-from-work???
    Now I am seriously bummed out.
    By the way, I did as you asked and ordered your book from my local independent book store. The people there were, sadly, agonizingly incompetent at placing the order (forgot to write down the author’s name…called me not once, not twice, but three times to double check that I did want two copies) and SIGH I still have not received my copies, although I’ve seen your books in bookstores all over the place. Grrr. I appreciate the sentiment, but I think next time I’m going with Amazon.

  105. Been traveling and been sick. Just discovered you are in Dallas area Monday eve, but I have prior commitment to precious granddaughter and will not be there in time. I will pay better attention next time you announce you are traveling. Thank you for the confidence you have instilled in me as a knitter.

  106. Well, hey, you wrote the book on quick-fixing miscrossed cables so the fix looks perfect, right? P.S. check the back, too…
    It’s a gorgeous sweater.
    I am also totally impressed by the labyrinth socks:
    not just one, but two different designs and done in reverse colors on the other sock!

  107. So sad that I missed the Baltimore reading. Think you could swing by the twin cities sometime at the end of this month?

  108. I think that if one knows someone would fix a mistake if they found it in an unfinished garment, and would be very frustrated by the mistake in the finished one, and will, actually, be likely to notice as soon as it’s done? (yeah, that would be a good description of me!). Then, yeah, tell me. Please….politely, respectfully, maybe with humor, but tell me!!! The trick is knowing which people are in which category, who do you tell and who do you not? Stephanie seems to be a mistake fixer…..but maybe she doesn’t want to be told? I assume yes, she wants to be (nicely) told, but do not actually know!

  109. I’ve looked at those pictures over and over again, and I can’t find your improperly crossed cable to save my life! I guess I just don’t have the knitter’s eye yet.

  110. It was so fun to listen to you read from ALL WOUND UP on Thursday! It was my first Harlot encounter! LOVED every minute! Hope you enjoyed (NOT) Chicago, as much as we enjoyed you!

  111. It sounds like Bawlmer was a great time; wish I could have made it. I did get my stitches and have started easing back into knitting, but the weather was so lousy and all the various body parts that hurt were working overtime that night. So I stayed home and hubby treated me to dinner. And YS bought the new book for me today as a belated birthday gift.
    I hope you ate a crabcake, my favorite food in the world, and enjoy the rest of the tour!

  112. I’m reading your new book now and love it. Re the lack of closet space in your ‘well aged’ home, I lived in Madrid, Spain as a teen (Dad was in the US Air Force). Very few places had closets then, unless it was built with Americans in mind. (Some apartments were). So most people bought armoirs. So at least we had somewhere to hang our clothes. Don’t know what the heck my folks did for other normally closet stored items.
    And leave the cable as is. No one is going to notice it. If they do, they need something else to occupy their time – and eyes.

  113. I propose the coining of a new term. Harloting: the signing, by an author, of a book written by someone else. 🙂

  114. The best part of all your audience photos is that every person in them is smiling! They are having the best time–and, I am not tooooo jealous! Hang in, you will be home soon (maybe not soon enough) and will look back at this trip as a lovely success. Kudos to you and your stamina.

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