Today was a Dr. Scholls day – I wish.
I walked a LOT – got to see a LOT of San Diego (between my hotel and the convention center), helped Artyarns set up their booth, taught my Butter & Jam cardigan class (it went GREAT – what a wonderful experience!) and then took the shuttle bus home (who knew?) to the hotel. I’m resting for a few hours before I go have dinner with some friends, then back home to bed. Bed, bed, bed.
They’re having several conventions at the center – one of them is a sports (surfers) convention with Duuudes in abundance. I ran into Merecedes from Knit Nouveau with her husband, she’s such a great person! Anyway, when the registration desk at TNNA got a load of the piercings on both Mercedes and her man, they insisted that they really wanted the convention down the hall. Very funny.
This was my first time teaching a class entirely of shop owners and folks who work/teach at yarn shops. It was an exceptionally skilled and dilligent class – the atmosphere was wonderful and the questions were right on target. It was a delight to teach (even with the mistakes in the written text to the chart – sorry guys – that was a little unintended lesson on how easy it is to screw up written text…)
It was delightful to have several shop owners in the class today who own shops where I’ve taught – that really is one of the best parts of what I do! Craig from Loop was there, and Renee from Yarn Paradise.
These convention centers are BRUTAL, though, on the legs and feet! The cement floors and miles of aisles are designed to make the ankles, calves and knees ache and scream in agony. It really is true, if your feet hurt, then nothing seems 100% on target!
But the Artyarns book looks GREAT! The items up for display are lovely, the yarns are gorgeous and well lit, and Iris wants me to put my books out to see if there’s interest in them. Mostly I think I’ll be helping folks with color choices, etc. – it will be a good education for me and a chance to put names with faces of yarn shop owners I’ve emailed but not met.
I’m near the Potter Craft booth and got so excited as I passed yarn booths I can’t wait to visit tomorrow!
ADDENDUM
I totally forgot to mention my teaching at the Grove!
I LOVE THAT SHOP!
It had a lovely variety of very nice yarns, a good cross section in terms of price and fiber content. I LOVED the book selection and the gifts were just great. This is much more than a yarn shop (in a really cool, funky area!) Susan, the owner, was a doll to work with, and the students were quick and inspired and excited by the new techniques. We all had a good time, and it was such a lovely introduction to San Diego for me!
I arrived early, just in time for Susan to invite me out to dinner with her and Alison and Kristen and – visiting from Circles Knit Salon in Boston, Allison. We had a WONDERFUL dinner (an amazing oriental salad for me) and I had a beer – which I seldom do before teaching!
This evening I just got home from a terrific dinner with Iris from Artyarns and her husband, Craig from Loop and his partner, Mark – I was the odd girl out. But we had a really electrifying discussion about politics and healing the world (hi Elliot!). I’m a trifle smashed, but very happy. My nose ran like a faucet for the first part of the meal, Mark was so kind to run out and get me DRUGS, which I took, and which seemed to make me a little feisty. Oh, my!
Tomorrow, more TNNA – then on Sunday even MORE TNNA and teaching at Loris’ Frames and Fibers – it’s supposed to be in the 50’s in Alpine, how will I deal after a few days of San Diego “winter”?