Sock Summit: Day Two... really

Day two of Sock Summit started much like day one… CAFFEINE. We head toward the convention center, ready to kill an hour or two in the Marketplace before Cookie A’s – Perfect Rib class when we spotted a familiar face from Fairbanks.

We wandered around, with random skeins of Blue Moon Fiber Arts – Socks That Rock randomly falling into one of my random bags… again. It was a tragedy for sure. Honestly, I don’t think the yarn Gods favored Janene ANY less.

No matter how many times you walk around the 150+ vendors in the Market place, you see something new EVERY TIME, which is a very bad thing. However this particular find was an exception. It didn’t cost money, at least not until Monica goes out and buys one.

A woman was working an original antique Sock Knitting Machine. It was incredible to watch and even more simple then anyone could ever imagine sock knitting to be. Personally I thought it was cheating at the highest sock knitting form, but Monica REALLY thought it was the cats’ pajamas.

The Sock Museum was very interesting and held reproductions of sock knitting examples from the dawn of time, to the present day sock. It was very informational and had some pretty intricately knitted socks and stockings. Monica and I were particularly impressed by these baby booties, which we never counted to be exact, but were sure they were at least 90 stitches to the inch.

Hey, remember that Skacel guy from the youtube video that somebody posted who was knitting like 14 pairs of socks on one big long circular needle??? Well, we saw him too! CRAZY.

At 10am it was time to mosey on over to the hour long class with Cookie A. It went by faster than I ever thought an hour could, but took in a couple of great suggestions when putting a rib on socks, and even better grasp on the construction of a perfect rib and how easy it is to do at home. Holding these teachers’ originally knit socks for their books are SOOOOO cool!

After learning about the perfect rib we headed up to the Oregon Ballroom to break… I’m sorry… OBLITERATE the current Guinness Book of World Records attempt at the most people knitting in one place at the same time. The energy in the room was so contagious as people kept filtering in, and filling seat after seat after seat.

The Yarn Harlot spoke about all the paper work and rules that went in to making this actually make it into the book and Tina, the depraved dyer started the 15 minute clock, and we knit. For 15 minutes we knit, and knit, and knit. After the 15 minutes, we all cheered then moved like a heard of gazelle down to the book signing which still had another 40 minutes before it started.

The book signing was really something! Monica only had a book or two to sign, but I filled my luggage with all of my favorites and believe it or not, got ALL of them signed. Melissa Morgan-Oaks’ of 2-at-a-time socks, Cookie A signed my Sock Innovations book and even made mention of the rib class that she remembered me from the morning, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee signed by favorite little “You know you knit too much when… “ book Nancy Bush signed my VERY worn/well loved Vintage Socks book,

and last but not least I got to meet and shake hands with Meg Swanson!! (One of the highlights of the trip for sure). They were all so very nice and sweet and all understood somehow, what we were feeling as we stepped up to their tables.

Meg Swanson summed it up when she wrote "Knit on, Ginny. Knit on." in my book. Perfectly put.

Not having eaten in 7 hours we walked back to the hotel but his a Subway on the way for a foot-long and some Orange Fanta (why does that sound so much dirtier than it really is?) We didn’t stay in the room long because Ginny would for sure fall asleep knitting like she is so good at doing, so we left on the MAX for the Button Emporium so Monica could get some beads for her class on Sunday morning.

Back at our hotel we readied ourselves for the Sock Hop, of course with our finest hand knit socks on. It was a lot of fun, especially after a couple of glasses of wine. Tina and Stephanie (hopefully) were able to cut-loose a little bit and have fun,

While Alaska’s own Gail (AKMountainGirl) won the Hula-Hooping contest! Who knew Alaska had this much talent. By the end of the knit we ran into two more celebrities of the knitting world, Lucy Neatby and Casey from Ravlery Fame.

Monica commented that now all we need is a picture of Mary Heather to complete the Ravelry trifecta. With sore feet, sore backs, and sore sobriety we stumbled to Denny’s for breakfast and a chocolate milk shake, then back to the room where we were asleep before our heads ever hit the pillow. The physical and mental exhaustion of Sock Summit is catching up… FAST.