Very belated post -- Meeting Miss Stitchy

The weekend before this last, I found myself in a very strange but delightful position. I was alone. Totally, utterly, alone. As I had made plans forever-ago to travel on the Sunday to Acker's Acres -- birthplace of my little Lilah -- when my husband proposed another camping trip, I declined, but suggested he take the kids and go w/ out me -- and he did! I thought, "Wow, think of the things I can get done! I can dye, make needles, sew, CLEAN THIS WRETCHED HOUSE! But wait, what's that you say Ericka? Stitchy McYarnpants is in Concord with her traveling trunk of yarn-gone-wrong horrors? You are asking me to blow off my housecleaning to go to a yarn shop and listen to a truly delightful and hilarious human being of my favorite kind (a knitter)?? Well, no I couldn't...well, maybe, oh, ok, but of course!" So while hubby and kids were cooped up in a camper in the rain, I took my no-responsibility-I-don't-answer-to-anyone self to the Elegant Ewe and had myself a lovely day.
Stitchy was great! She had some of the funniest, most horrific pieces of knitting and crochet ever collected comprising her trunk show of the Museum of Kitschy Stitches. She explained how her obsession with collecting thses odities began with the discovery of a leaflet for making garments from BEER CANS and yarn. OMG -- say it isn't so. But alas, it was. Take note of the lovely number pictured in the leaflet...

Nice, huh? (The dark regions in the garment are the BEER CANS, complete w/ matching beer can hat!) The height of fashion. The one thing I might have been tempted to knit -- as was Stitchy -- is the little stuffed couch for kitties. Unfortunately, as I have to make four, plus a jumbo for Tashi, I don't believe my babies will be getting them anytime soon. There was also a frightening clown (don't they just freak you out?) and miles and miles of stiff. squeaky. acrylic. I had to immerse myself in the scents and feel of wool and angora throughout the shop when all was said and done just to erase the thought. And the best part? She showed off her newest acquisition, bestowed upon her that very day by Ericka and Chris -- the store bought (can u believe this was ever mass produced?) teddy-bear masacre sweater, complete with "butt bears", modeled her by Stitchy's very own mom.



In attendance from the Manchvegas group as well was Lora wearing her first pair of Jaywalkers completed in honor of Socktoberfest (yay Lora!). Mine? nope -- they are still only 1/2 way down the leg. Just not feeling the love. But I did post a pattern! That count's right?
As for the kids, they went trick-or-treating with Daddy Saturday night in the rain at the campground, and again on the 31st here at home. They were dressed as Aang (store-bought costume) and Katara (mommy-made costume) from the show Avatar. Here's a little pic after obtaining all the booty...(I did a lot of dyeing that day and tried to pass the yarn hanging on the porch off for colorful spiderwebs -- not sure if anyone bought it.)

I leave you with this last and final image from Stitchy's show for you to ponder (hint: take a REALLY good look at what Santa is doing)...