More photos, this time WITH yarn.

Well, OK, more vacation pictures, this time *with* yarn. As I think I mentioned (about a dozen times), I was able to get into the classes I wanted, and they were all amazing. I don't have a lot to show you, but I have some of the little things I made-in-progress. I highly recommend you take the classes, if you ever get a chance to do so!

Arenda Holladay's gauge class was really nifty. And not just because of the free yarn she gave us (courtesy of Caron):


I got some Bamboo!
I learned how to set up to measure gauge on a stockinette swatch, thus:


... and also garter stitch, lace, and cables. She also gave us gauge worksheets, so we could survive gauge calculations once she wasn't standing over us. She's also amazingly prepared. I thought I was ready for class, but, as it turns out, the gauge ruler I brought with me didn't go down to 1/8ths of an inch (just 1/4ths) and my calculator wouldn't allow input past two decimal places (????). She had rulers *and* calculators, just in case. Also some gauge swatches, in case anyone had forgotten/lost their homework (it happens). Very cool!!

Next was Melissa Leapman's Celtic cables class. I finally figured out that I knit strangely. I mean, we all knew that - but really, REALLY oddly. I don't know if you can see it, but the bottom of my little cheerio-of-yarn goes, from left to right, flat purl, flat purl, VERTICAL stitch.


This is *so* not the way it's supposed to be; turns out I have to bring my needle around backwards from what I normally do, and sort of shrug things in the "wrong" direction, which is actually the correct direction, and then my stuff looks like everyone else's.

Then there was Margaret Fisher's amazing advanced finishing class. I can graft now. I practiced in class, then I practiced again. I marked the swatch, then cut it...



Yes, I panicked here.
.... and then managed to get it back together. And this is just ONE of the tricks we learned that will Make Life Much Easier in the long run!


(And did you know? Tubular cast on/cast off actually has little tubes in it!!)


Finally, there was Lily Chin and her Knitting Tips & Tricks. O.M.G. She talks fast, she knits fast, she dispenses knowledge faster than I can blink. And I've already used a bunch of it! I didn't have time to even think of getting a photo, but the Celebration Baby Shrug used two tricks she gave us, the Tilting Tardis Cowl used another, and I've already used more on my Potions & Herbology homework. Srsly! Her books are cool (I have two, autographed...), but her class totally worth it. I'm going to take her Crochet Tips & Tricks next time...!

Oh - she also knows how I knit, to the point where Everything Suddenly Made Sense. It's called "Eastern Combined Uncrossed", and knowing that's my knitting style means there's a quick set of conversions I can do when faced with a chart, and then everything will work out just peachy. It's kinda nice to know that there's enough folks who knit the same way I do that it actually has a name!!

And, while we're at it, let me point out the one thing I wanted that I didn't buy:


I'd have gotten the deluxe...
I didn't get it from:


They totally would've sent them to me, but I was hoping I'd need them before I got home (didn't turn out that way), and couldn't figure out how to get them on the plane.

To close, Mom is NOT in Time Out. She's the only person at the convention, though, that was TRYING to find a warm, sunny place to sit - even if that meant it was 90+ degrees where she was.


Me? I was over in the shade by the fan, taking the picture!