Meeting knitbloggers, both online and in person, is wicked fun! Last week I not only had the opportunity to shop and hang out with Norma but I also got to go to a book signing for Stephanie’s latest book, The Yarn Harlot.

Being the over-achiever that I am, I arrived at The Sheep Shack at 5:30 for a 7:00 appearance from the Queen of Knitbloggers. It was all good, though, because I got to hang out with Christina, the shop owner, and I did some shopping. Yeah, I know, you’re shocked. Once my shopping was done, I sat and knitted and waited for the crowd.

Our dear Stephanie arrived with Cate and Julia in tow. I was very excited to meet them but managed to contain myself until Stephanie was done with her talk – which was excellently funny and charming. Once Stephanie started signing books, I was all about meeting Cate and Julia and I plopped down on the floor with them and we just started gabbing like old friends.

I was working on socks and complaining about ladders and Julia offered to show me the “magic loop” technique. I have wanted to try this for some time but was worried that the learning curve would slow me down. Cate and Julia assured me that wouldn’t be the case and were they ever right! I caught on pretty quickly and just love knitting socks this way. Stephanie did call me a traitor and said I was turning away from the one true calling of knitters everywhere – to knit socks with teeny dpns, I guess – but she’ll just have to get over it because I’m loving me the magic loop.

If you’ve read Stephanie’s entry about this particular night (and I’m certain you all have) then you know that we bought out all the Trekking. Good stuff, that Trekking. Here we all are and Stephanie is holding MY Trekking. Slick, eh?

from left to right: Stephanie, Julia, Cate, Kat and Christina

There was an excursion for beer after the shop closed. We might have missed a turn or two trying to find the restaurant, but I’m not telling. We talked about everything and drank beer and laughed until our jaws ached and it was good. As I said to Cate, the cool part about reading blogs is that we already know so much about each other that when we meet in person it feels like meeting up with old friends.

Listen up, gang, because I have some fun stuff to share! I know you’re all dying to hear about Thursday night at The Sheep Shack with Stephanie (and other and bloggers!) but that’s just going to have to wait because today was such a great day and I’m bursting to tell you guys about it.

So, here I am in Vermont and I spent the afternoon with Norma. I had met Norma back in May at NH Sheep and Wool and I’ve been pestering her for weeks about trying to get together today. She finally conceded agreed to meet up. And we did. At Kaleidoscope Yarns in Essex Junction. Sigh. It was wonderful. They have Koigu. They have Cherry Tree Hill. They have Mountain Colors. They have Lorna’s Laces. (No, Norma didn’t buy the Gold Hill color way but she might have bought a different one. I’m not telling, you’ll have to ask her yourself.) So we shopped and talked about knitting and laughed and talked about blogging and shopped some more. Did I mention they have Koigu?

After we ran out of money finished shopping we headed for lunch. We figured it made sense to let Norma pick the place since she’s familiar with the area and we are visitors. Sure, Norma says, follow me. So we did. We traveled West and East. We turned around in a parking lot. We turned around in another parking lot. We went straight in a right hand only lane. You wanna know the sad part? The whole time we were doing this round-about we could see where we wanted to go– we just couldn’t figure out how to get there! Norma was laughing so hard that I honestly don’t know why she didn’t crash. The woman is a talented knitter and a terrific shopper but as a path finder? Maybe not so good.

Anyway. After lunch we went to Northeast Fiber Arts Center for a little more shopping. Just a little. Because we were out of money all shopped out. We might have bought a book but only because of Margene. I mean, after all, when you see a book in a store and you know your friend knitted some of the socks that are in it, shouldn’t you buy it to be supportive? I’m just asking, is all.

When Norma dropped me back at my hotel (which is lovely and we have a king sized bed!) we took a couple of photos for the blog. Here ya go, people:

That would be my haul. There might be some Koigu. And some books. And some Cascade 220 and Mountain Colors. Maybe even some Cherry Tree Hill. And possibly an Addi Turbo and some chocolate.

That would be Norma’s haul. There might be some Mission Falls 1824 Wool. It’s being discontinued so of course you have to get it while the getting’s good. And maybe a pattern or two for things that Norma really needs. Right now.

That would be me and Norma happily knitting in the parking lot of the Courtyard Marriott. Who says knitbloggers are strange?

Oh, and one other thing. Before meeting up with Norma we drove out Route 2 to Grand Isle. There were sheep. I took pictures of the sheep but the pictures are crap so you’re just going to have to trust me on this one. And we visited Norma’s sister’s chocolate shop. Oh boy, was it worth the trip! You need chocolate? They do mail order. Just a little public service announcement for all you chocolate fiends.

And one last thing and then I really will shut up. Right now there are fireworks outside my hotel room window. How nice of them to put this together in honor of my birthday. Vermont is truly a great state. I’m coming back as soon as I can.