Did you attend Sock Summit 2009?

I did!  I was actually the lone crochet instructor for the event. And I had a wonderful time!

I left my house around 9AM on August 5th to catch the train to Portland.  Since I needed to fly to Buffalo, NY directly from the Summit, this was the easiest and least expensive way to go.

I must say I really loved riding the train.  I got so much crochet time in.  It was a gorgeous ride along the coastline for most of the trip.  If you haven’t seen the Washington coast, I recommend taking the train next time you are traveling in the area.  The food isn’t bad either… IVAR’s Chowder.. YUMM-O! ASNd the whole trip took only 5 hours.

Once I got to Portland I caught a cab to the Red Lion Hotel at the Convention Center. Check in was easy and the staff at the hotel was wonderful.  I was handed a teacher packet and given my room key and off I went.

When I got to my room, My roommate Lorilee Beltman of City Knitting in Grand Rapids, MI had already arrived, but she was down at the center getting her shop’s booth ready to go.  So I settled in, and unpacked what I could.  I opened my packet up and I was amazed at all the stuff in it.  Most conferences have packets that give the teachers all the paperwork to fill out for receipts and stuff, but this included more!  I got a Thank You for teaching note, and Gift certificate to a free night stay at a local Washington resort.  My name tag and lanyard is incredible!  I am going to try to get a picture of it later.

After I got settled in. Lorilee came in and we got aquainted and then took off for the Teachers Welcome dinner.

WOW.. That is ALL I can say.  When all of the teachers congregated in the Windows Lounge overlooking the city of Portland, I think the whole world felt the shift in the Knitting world.  Teachers included Barbara Walker, Meg Swansen, Anna Zilboorg, Nancy Bush, Sivia Harding, Amy Singer of Knitty, Cookie A, Star Athena… and the list goes on.

After we had a bit of chat,  we settled into our seats and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee and Tina Newton opened the festivities with a welcome.

I cannot begin to tell you how welcoming, helpful and wonderful Stephanie, Tina, Rachel H and the rest of the Sock Summit staff were! I have NEVER ever been treated so well at any conference.  Their goal was to have the teachers treated how they would like to be treated when teaching for an event.  And I can tell you they exceeded that goal.  and It all started off with the cool gift bag all the teachers got.

The canvas bag was stuff chock full with sock yarn from several vendors, Gift Certificate to order more from two vendors, SOAK, and a bar of fiber frendly soap!

  The next morning, my classes began.  From the moment I started the class on Basic Cuff Down Socks, I could feel the excitement of the attendees.  Stephanie had told us that the final count of registered students was 1800.  I had to be even above my A Game too keep up with my students.

Sadly, though I had my camera, I didnt take a single picture of my classes!   But that was more because I was having such a wonderful time with them all. I really hope that my students enjoyed my classes as much as I did.  And I really hope (Hinting here to all of you) that I start to get pictures coming in from them so I can show off all the cool socks that we made!

Comments I heard  from them included the following:

I don’t think I will ever knit socks again!

What about Crochet toes and Heels on knit socks?

Crocheted legs on knitted feet..

They all inspired me too!

It was amazing how well received crochet was at such a strikingly Knitting event.  Even at the Opening Ceremonies, Stephanie used Knit and CROCHET in almost all of her talk.  That alone sets the tone!

Like I mentioned before… I could only stay the one day. But I didn’t want to leave. It was overwhelming how exciting the event was. But alas.. I couldn’t stay.. I was off to Buffalo for  the Knit and Crochet Show…

But I hope .. and I mean REALLY HOPE (Stephanie and Tina are you listening?).. The Sock Summit returns.  I would do it again in a heart beat!