Saturday, October 20, 2007







Well, it did rain yesterday and was as humid as it can be so naturally we were all looking our lovely best when we went to see The Yarn Harlot.
This is Kate and Emily at 5 pm sitting in the chairs that Borders provided. They are very close together without a lot of room to move your arms (you know, like, to knit?). That didn't stop our intrepid group as more and more people showed up until the place looked like this. At 7 pm all the chairs were filled with knitters. There were more knitters in that one room than I have ever seen, all knitting. It was so cool to see what they were knitting and to meet Donna (knittgal) and her friend who came up from Salem County for the day. Stephanie arrived a little late, (you have to read her blog to hear her reasons), and looked great. She was even wearing her Kauni sweater which she had finished. She was working on her sock and her hands move so fast, they are almost a blur. Wow. The sweater is seriously beautiful and now I want one. This photo here on the right is Stephanie knitting. She was funny and thoughtful and so enjoyable that the hour went by so quickly. We bought books and were not really interested in getting them autographed so we thought we'd wait around until she was done and take a photo with her. We sat and chatted with the other women and were generally having a good time until Atilla the Borders Mkting Mgr came along. She was clearly displeased that we were "just sitting there" (we overheard her tell a staff person that "there are people just standing and sitting and talking, do something about it"). We ignored her for about half an hour but her sighs and looking at watch frequently really got to be too much. So, much as we didn't want to, we left around 9:30. I guess Atilla didn't understand how wonderful it was to be with people who "get" you and with whom you don't have to apologize to for your "hobby". We couldn't figure out if they were in a hurry to get us out or just didn't want us to sit in the chairs or what it was. THEY SOLD A LOT OF BOOKS!! I don't think they were prepared for the turnout and how everyone would want to talk to Stephanie. They really seemed to rush the line along. All that being said, it was a great evening. We laughed and laughed and had a great time. I was so glad we went 2 hrs early and were able to sit in the second row so we were able to see and hear her without any problems. And she really is as nice as she seems....


So, what was I working on while we sat there? I chose not to bring my snowflake sock, too much concentration involved. I finished up my monkey socks in my skein of Starry Night and I really love them. The colors are so pretty and really reminiscent of the painting. We had dinner at the diner and while we were sitting there, Em'sboyfriend called to tell her that his friend had gotten stuck in a mud puddle in the woods. She offered to bring my car (a 4 wheel drive rodeo which we take in the woods often) and see if they could pull the car out of the mud. She and Peter Kevin started out at 10:30.Around about 11:30 we lost power for 2 hours due to an accident taking out a transformer. I sat in the dark with my book light attached to my nightgown and knit away waiting to hear that everything was ok. The cell phone reception is really terrible there so I was not surprised we didn't hear anything for a long time. They got home at 3, exhausted and without the car. It was still stuck. The men are going to try again tonight. Em, very thoughtfully, took my car and had it cleaned and detailed. I didn't see all the mud but she said it was bad.
Today, we have done almost nothing. We did go to the beer store for some brewing supplies so Peter Kevin can try again (he killed the yeast last time) to brew some beer. Tomorrow, we have to do the cleaning and laundry and I guess get the winter clothes out. This warm weather won't last forever. I hope eveyone is having a good weekend.

18 comments:

amy said...

Thanks for the report! It sounds like a wonderful time, mean muggle bookstore manager notwithstanding. ;)

Rose Red said...

Am so jealous of your Harlot experience (Atila notwithstanding!) Thanks for sharing it with us!

Sheepish Annie said...

Wow...second row!!! I'm less than impressed with the Borders reaction to the event, though. By now, the folks who set this stuff up should have networked a bit and maybe be a little better prepared.

Can you believe this weather? We're going to be in the 70's tomorrow. This is weird....

Taphophile said...

I was looking at the Harolt's post and squinting at the pictures looking for you. I don't know if I expected you to be wearing a sign that said Donna-Lee or not, but I thought I'd just know who you were.

Giggling at you attaching your booklight to your nightie to knit in a power blackout - great tip.

Fingers crossed for the home brew. :)

teabird said...

I'm jealous! You got to meet the Harlot (pout) - good for you! I've never had a bookstore experience like yours. Usually, the bookstore folk are glad to have people staying in the store -
I saw a YouTube video of the Harlot knitting socks, and I was beyond impressed...

The socks look wonderful -

Amy Lane said...

Okay... (wow! bit post!!!) The monkey socks look GREAT...and now I'm thinking about how I want to work that pattern again, because it was so much fun the first time!!! Your time with Steph sounds wonderful--I'm sorry Attilla Borders Nazi had to put a damper on it, but I'm so glad to hear your doing your part to freak out the Muggles... and I'm glad everything's okay...

Georgie said...

Great yarn harlot story! But yah boo sucks to very crabby bookshop manager, why oh why do they think knitters are a "fringe" group? Is a huge turnout and selling a LOT of books not enough? Knitting Knerds unite!!

I do adore those starry night socks. Very lovely.

Georgie said...

Hey, just had a look at YH's post on your event - were you sitting next to Em or Kate?

*waves madly*

MadMad said...

So glad to hear the details. How exciting! (Well, except for the Attila part, of course.) Hope the car got unstuck!

MadMad said...

Oh, me again! Which one was you, on her blog picture? To the left or the right of Em?

Bezzie said...

Did she sneeze on you? Celebrity knitter germs!!! I'll never wash my sock again!!! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Lucky you! Got to meet the harlot. That's pretty stellar company, m'dear...

Blessings!

Em said...

That nice lady who I call Momolla was sitting next to Kate, all the way on end of the second row. She's (typically) got her camera raised, so you can't see much of her. I promise, she's lovely and radiant in real life.

The whole evening was an adventure, and it was just fantastic to see so many people knitting. Yay for knitters. And I wonder if maybe Atilla was picked on by knitters as a child? Or if she has a disabling wool injury? Or if somebody crapped in her cornflakes, even?

Anonymous said...

donna lee - what a lovely post. so enjoyable. and your socks - gorgeous.

roxie said...

Those socks are stellar!

Wonder if the manager was trying to get the crowd out so they could lock up and go home? It never happes with Stephanie. People are so happy around her that they just don't want to leave. Her publicist should find bookstores with pubs attached.

Bells said...

I want to see her Harlotness. I really do. I fear I never will. So I just make do reading great reports like this.

LOVE the monkey socks. So pretty. I am feeling an absence of monkeys in my life again!

Anonymous said...

Oh, I would've loved to have been there!!

Denise said...

Aaaa, what a wonderful experience - now we just have to tempt the Yarn Harlot Down Under!

Happy Sunday!  I am sitting here working on my sweater made with the cashmere yarn my husband gave me for my birthday last year. I’m further...