And awaaaaay we go!

Yarn for classes? (check!)
Extra needles? (check!)
Old-fashioned pair of straight needles for Guinness World Record attempt (check!)
Knitting project for airplane? (check!)
Confirmation numbers? (check!)
Credit card? (check!)
Stitch markers for trading? (check!)
Little sock for lapel? (check!)
Socks to match all outfits? (check!)
Oh, yeah. Clothes? (check!)

OK! I think I am ready to head off to Portland to the Sock Summit! Yay!

Ya know... I get the weirdest looks from my non-knitting co-workers and friends.

"Knitting convention? Socks??? You're kidding!"

Yet if I said I was going to a technical summit, or software convention, or a fly-fishing convention, or a car show, or a travel expo, or a home and garden show -- no one would raise an eyebrow.

There's a lot of PR work to do for knitting. Maybe the word will get out that the mayor of Portland proclaimed this week "Sock Knitting Week." Or maybe someone will notice those SIX sold-out hotels around the Portland Convention Center.

Wouldn't count on it.

Well, I'm doing my part. I'm on my way! :)

Guess who?

Hello? Hello?
Is this thing on? <tap-tap-tap>

Yep, it's me. Retired from really great old job, found really great new job, busy-busy, yadda-yadda.

I've missed my blog, because it functions as a journal, keeping track of my various projects and knitting-related adventures. Even if no one reads it but me, I like the exercise of just doing it.

But before we get back to knitting, I would just like to mention that there is a heckova difference between the Corporate World and the Non-Profit World. Like Time. In the Corporate World, they have 40-hour workweeks. In the Non-Profit World, they have voluntary servitude. This hasn't cut into my knitting time too much, but my blogging time sure has suffered. I'm just sayin'... ;)

Before I dive back in, here are a couple of cool things.

I belong to a really great and active Knitting Guild here in Sacramento. From time to time, I've posted some of the fun things we've done -- like the time we flew Franklin Habit out here for a 1,000 Knitters shoot, or our monthly knitting challenges, or the time we joined 300 other knitters to take a special train to Stitches West. (It was over 500 this year!) Well, now I don't have to do all the bragging myself, because the Guild has its very own blog these days: stockinettes.blogspot.com. Miss Lisette is doing a great job of trying to keep up with all our activities. Tomorrow night is our monthly meeting, and lots of folks will be bringing their Dead-or-Alive Fish Hats. Should be fun!

Cool Thing #2: In my last post, cobwebby months ago, I promised to post photos of the winners of the Felted Slipper Contest. And I will, in just a few <mumble-mumble>.

But in the meantime -- one of our winner's slippers have been published! Kristen's terribly cute and wonderful musk oxen slippers won the Cruisers' Choice Award -- and I was standing right there when Amy Singer suggested that she write up the pattern and submit it to Knitty.com. And here it is!!!

OK. Well, that's it for now. I might even have some photos or something next time. Gotta pace myself coming back, you know.