workshop + trunk show = awesomeness

It's a good thing that I always speak in perfectly standard English and never make up words like awesomeness. I'm sure this makes you feel better, too. That's why I do it.

I just returned from Awesomeness Central, Bobbin's Nest Studio in Santa Clara, CA.  After jet setting my way there, I drove immediately to the super cute shop owned by Erin McGee and staffed by some skilled and friendly knitters and seamstresses.

Erin is sophisticated, fashionable, and laughs easily. Sharon is silly, wears Crocs all day, and makes up words pronounced in ridiculous fake accents.  We're quite the pair.

Bobbin's Nest Studio has a modern whimsy vibe to it -- the location is modern, but there are fanciful touches throughout, like antique sewing machines and suitcases, retro fabrics, and yummy displays. It's bright and cheery, and the mix of knitting, sewing, and hand embroidery supplies made me want to try my hand at other crafts. I may have come up with some books on sewing. I may, and I'm not sure honey, I'll have to check, may have come home with some fabric and dressmaker's shears.  But I promise that if I did I will find a place for them that is not the middle of the dining room table.

If you didn't want to sew before, I bet you do now.

And I bet that if you didn't want to take up sewing after the previous picture, you do now that you see these adorable oliver +s patterns and garments.

Bobbin's Nest Studio has an exclusive line of project bags that are luscious. I may have come home with one of those too.

Dear Bobbin's Nest Studio, I would like to order 650 tiny stitch marker bags for my club members. I'm sure they will be quick and easy to produce. Get them to me right away. Thank you.

They also have a great selection of books. I found titles that even I do not own, which is really rather remarkable, seeing as I single handedly keep the entire knitting book industry afloat.

The shop is full of adorable samples. I tried to steal one. Everyone acted like it was fine if I stole it, but I think that deep down they were hoping I would put it back before they had to intervene.

(Yarn: Springvale Super Merino, Colorway: Erin)

While I was there I taught a workshop on knitting with hand dyed yarn. I was able to use my trusty laptop and a projector provided by the studio, and we looked at samples of the same colorway knit up into various garments to get a feel for what I call the Nine Laws of Pooling. 

My students were wonderful. They sat quietly and did not throw spitballs or pieces of their lunch at me. They asked questions and smiled and chuckled and knit with the world's ugliest yarn just because I asked them to. Thank you all again for coming, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

I've known this person for years and years, but we've only met once in person:

She drove a long way to see me, so thank you, Ms. Angela!

Kelly has beautiful children who appreciate good yarn. She's clearly an excellent mother.

Here's the garment that I wanted to steal -- a feather and fan scarf knit from a set of our "Ocean" gradients on Westerly SeaSock yarn.

Everything looked scrumptious at the trunk show. I can only take credit for the yarn -- the display was all Bobbin's Nest!

 I have more to share, but I fear your monitors are ready to burst from picture overload.

A huge, heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to the workshop and trunk show, and to everyone at Bobbin's Nest Studio for having me. You can see some more photos here.

P.S. I would love to come back anytime!

Jet setting

I'm such a jet setter now.

Look at me with my espresso sitting in coach.

I do look quite pleased for a woman who has paid an exorbitant sum to rent a subhuman sliver of space in a hollow metal tube, don't I?

It's the espresso.

And the promise of non-chicken nugget dining that awaits me.

Goodbye, earth.

Hello, yarnophiles.

Goodbye, puppy slobber.

Hello, Bloomingdales.

Goodbye, stepping on toys in the middle of the night.

Hello, house-made pasta with leeks and pancetta in a parmesan broth.

I would write more now, but it's time for this jet setter to get home and wrangle the sweet babies and a puppy and a kitty and a hubby who went camping in my absence and left every piece of gear we own on the deck in the rain.

Clarification: the cat did not go camping. No one here is foolish enough to attempt that.

Update on Wednesday, July 28, 2010 at 5:41PM by Yarnista

Hubby just called saying he'd read the blog, and that I sadly, SADLY underestimated the amount of camping gear we own if I think he left everything out on the deck.

He did not want any of you to be misled into believing we only own 28 pieces of camping equipment, he is an experienced camper, and that would be woefully insufficient.

I have magical powers.

I have the ability to delay planes, and the power to set in motion massive domino-effect weather systems!

I make every plane I'm on run behind just with my very presence. The Muggles don't suspect a thing.

Especially since I just look like your average, ordinary Yarnista with her Illy espresso beverage and her knitting project.

I'm here!!!!!!

I'm here, I'm here!

Come say hello today at Bobbin's Nest Studio in Santa Clara! I'll be here until 6:00 pm and would love love love to see you!

1171 Homestead Rd Ste 130
Santa Clara, CA 95050
408.246.1121

P.S. I brought yarn.

Keep it together

I AM GOING TO CALIFORNIA IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS!!!!

But I'm keeping it together.  See? All is well.

I get to eat in restaurants that do not serve chicken nuggets!

I'm just answering emails, returning phone calls, dyeing yarn. Normal stuff.

Yarn must be shipped. The world doesn't stop because

I'll be in California in less than 48 hours!!!!

But you know what I will not have with me?

Chicken nuggets.

Hey, I have a question.

Is this the look they're sporting in the Bay Area these days?

Police officer chic?

Or is this more like it?

Help a girl out, wouldya?

I'm keeping it together. I'm going to get back to being deeply immersed in my work to distract myself.

There are only a couple of spots left in my super fun multi-media class at Bobbin's Nest Studio in Santa Clara. I would hate for you to wait too long and miss it -- there will be lots of samples and examples and concrete ways to improve your relationship with hand dyed yarn.

Something you've been dying to know about me, yarn, or the meaning of life? Now will be your chance to ask. We'll talk about how yarn is dyed, how to tell what kind of yarn you've got in your stash, and how to make best use of it.

New knitter, old knitter, doesn't matter.  I'm here to hook you up.

See? Friendly. Helpful. Calm because I'm carrying yarn.

But not chicken nuggets.

You can sign up by emailing Bobbin's Nest Studio at bobbinsnest@gmail.com, or by giving them a jingle. Their number is 408-246-1121.