Saturday at Stitches Midwest 2011

Saturday was the day we had decided to take it easy. We had signed up for one class and one only on this day, so that we could have some market time in the afternoon. I was pretty tired. I just hadn't been able to sleep the night before, which made me sad, because this was the course I was really, really looking forward to, Merike Saarnit's Elongated Stitches class.


It meant I made a lot of mistakes and did not get things done well and even though we weren't supposed to rip. I did, because I was too tired to do things correctly. Even my sister got creative. I absolutely adore this mistake that increased the number of stitches drastically and produced this eyelet encrusted fan.


Despite the mistakes I made, I learned so much. Here is my sampler from the class!


Even better, we got to see some absolutely gorgeous things, including a sweater that a student had made using things she had learned in Merike's classes.


This was in the student fashion show later that night, but the fineness of the design and complexity of the work were lost on the runway with its glare and lack of definition.


Since it was an original design with amazing stitch work, it really should have won one of the prizes!

Merike showed us some of the Estonian stitches in her work, like this lovely vest using some of the Patent stitches.

Here is amore subtle use of the same type of stitches in a single color.


She brought examples of all manner of things.


Here are caps, socks, mittens, you name it!


During the afternoon we shopped (yet again.) Neither my sister or I need any more yarn, but on that day we really needed yarn (and a whole bunch of other stuff too. Here is some of what I got! Now I didn't buy all of it. I won the little green and yellow skeins in Gwen's class on entrelac as a kind of door prize:
And that gorgeous pink and purple stuff next to it was a gift from my sister. But I have to confess that the rest is all my responsibility.


And hen there was this too!


And oh yeah there was jewelry!

But wait!! I won the buttons (well, half of them - I won a gift certificate for 20$, but all the buttons I liked cost a little bit more!! Of course!!)

Then there was the student banquet and fashion show. The food was decent and the company was fantastic.

We dined with Elise Duvekot (with whom we had taken classes in Knit One Below last year.)


Lily Chin showed up in her one of a kind costume - this time representing the home-run top hat for the Mets.


Poor thing she had this huge collar on that made it extremely hard to eat (let alone sit in a chair and hold a civil conversation. She was as always absolutely charming, but I would have rather eaten dinner naked than have to hold up that collar all evening.


But when it came time to honor our teachers, there she was on stage in the front row, smiling and gracious as always.

Myra Wood wore her new Duplet inspired jacket. It was just fabulous, but I did not get a really good shot of it. If you are on ravelry you can see it there in all its glory. Here she is looking stately behind the knitter's podium.


Then of course it wsa time for the Student fashion show. There were some lovely things. I did not take pictures of everything, but we started off with this blue lace shawl.

One of the nicest pieces was this Evenstar shawl (also lace) knitted by a young man who looked like he might still be in high school. It was done in Buffalo (1 and 1/2 cones on size one needles! Wow!!)

This lace piece must have taken a lot of work!

Andthis woman had as much personality as her fluffy sweater! It had beautiful cable-work on it and she bounced down that run-way with verve and unforgettable spirit.

Of course I entered MMario's Vampire W(h)ine, but to no avail. Prizes did not go to intricate lace shawls on this particular night. (Although a brightly colored green shawl with lace stitches (of which I alas have no picture) did win a prize.

Next time I think I'll hire a shawl wrangler!


This may have been my favorite piece in the show. It was quite stunning with its central floral motive and it's mesh outer ring.

Here is a slightly better shot of the center.


This was an impressive piece too. Look at all that color work at the hem!


This quilt was a cheerful bit of knitting!



I'll close with images of two of the winners. Mary (who won a few years ago) produced a fantastic jacket in multiple colors!

It had lovely swing to it too.


Roberta also won a prize for one of her fabulous long coats. She does them without patterns and they are always absolutely breath-taking.


Of course after the banquet we were exhausted, so it was back to the hotel, packing and preparation for our last day. The time had gone SO fast!!