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June 08, 2007

A Harlot Booster Shot

Last year I heard the Yarn Harlot a.k.a. Stephanie Pearl McPhee, speak for the first time. She was entertaining, funny, and kept me in stitches (both knit and purl) for a solid hour. My face hurt from smiling so hard for so long!

Last night's talk, sort of a booster shot of Stephanie, was just as entertaining. We had more chairs, though still not enough for the 300-ish knitters there. Almost everyone was knitting! Even while Stephanie was talking!


People like me who arrived early were visiting, knitting, and fondling each others' yarn. I started a Horcrux sock with my koolaid yarn. I saw this Argosy shawl and decided that while lace isn't really "me," I could wear this, though maybe not in sparkly mohair. LOL Unfortunately, I didn't get this woman's name or blog URL, but she was really nice and told me the name of the yarn and let me play with the shawl. Thank you! ADDED LATER: And thank you commenters for sharing her link and identifying her as Bobbie. Go girls with "boys'" names!


People kept arriving and chairs started getting hard to find. People started propping up bookcases, pillars, and walls and then started sitting in the aisles. It was pretty noisy and getting warm. Even so, we knit.

The Harlot came in and we cheered so loud the whole 3-story complex of buildings that fills the block and is known as Powell's rocked. The staff were being conservative calling us "a bit rowdy."


I forgot I had a zoom, I was so excited.

Afterward, we lined up to get our books signed and have very brief "conversations" with Stephanie. Here she is, waiting breathlessly to meet me. See the travelling sock?


And here I am, grinning like an idiot and holding an Oregon dishcloth I designed and knit just for The Yarn Harlot's States and Provinces Hand Knit Dishcloth Collection. Upside down and backwards. I forgot to ask to hold the sock. The most brilliant thing I said was to point out that the catnip mouse I made for Millie was crocheted, not knit. Stephanie replied, "That's OK, Millie won't be able to tell the difference." Here's the dishcloth right-side up and front-side forward.


Did you notice my t-shirt? I scanned a circa 1945 ball band from Red Heart WOOL yarn. I learned to knit with Red Heart and have fond memories of it. It does bother me that its current acrylic incarnation has a bad reputation in some quarters; among the acrylics, it has IMNSHO its place as a durable, washable, colorful, well made, inexpensive yarn impervious to moths. Now really, is that so bad? End rant! LOL

It took me a few hours for the excitement of the event to dissipate enough to sleep. Poor Louise got a call from me as I was driving home. Could I stop by and show her my shirt and signed book? I rattled on for a very little bit and got Mattie a treat. Thanks for listening, Louise! BTW, Mattie is a Peke & Lhasa mix and one of my biggest fans. I usually get to give her a treat, and I make her roll over or talk to me before she gets it. She's fascinated by my cats, who often follow me across the street, lurking just outside of or on the fence and under the car until I come back out.

OK. Enough globbing. Er, blogging. Ta Ta for now!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love your dishcloth, and i'm SO with you on red heart! i actually use it a lot, because despite what people say i've seen it stand the test of time on many many items. and with just one simple was, all the "yuckiness" people claim it has fades away and it is the softest yummiest stuff ever!

Anonymous said...

The lady with the Argosy shawl has a blog at tiggywinkleknitsdotblogspotdotcom

Kathy said...

The shawl was on a lovely lady named Bobbie, who can be found right over here: http://tiggywinkleknits.blogspot.com/ Wasn't her shawl gorgeous? I loved your dishcloth, by the way :-)

Anonymous said...

Nice blog entry!
Greetings from Germany...

Anonymous said...

I remember thinking to myself, if any Portland knitter is going to get her picture on The Yarn Harlot's website, it's Michal. I was right! I just wish I was still doing that knitting class so I could ask to touch your hand and share that Yarn Harlot mojo. Go Michal! That washcloth is awesome!

Bobbie Wallace said...

Ok, so you got a picture of the shawl, but that definitely not my best side! :) Thanks to Kathy for pointing you in my direction. I loved your shirt on The Harlot's blog, by the way. I may have to start a collection of yarn label shirts of my own. Some of us are talking about a Portland Knit Bloggers get together; any interest? You can email to me at bobbie_wallace AT comcast DOT net.

Pam said...

Your dishcloth looks great, and I agree with you on the Red Heart. I like their TLC stuff.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like fun. Wish I had not missed it. Just stolling the blogs.

Quail Hill Knits said...

Great dishcloth. Isn't Stephanie fun? I have heard her speak twice and thoroughly enjoyed her both times.

Anonymous said...

Wow a blogger who was on my row. Amazing. I think I am even in the photo.