Sock and Awe, More Lessons

Yesterday was registration day for the Sock Summit. I knew it was going to be a feeding frenzy. The amazing organizers knew it was going to be a feeding frenzy. The amazing organizers told the IT people that it was going to be a feeding frenzy. It was a feeding frenzy. Unfortunately, the IT people did not believe in the power of sock knitters, and registration turned into an exercize in stress and frustration and many bad words as the site continually crashed, stalled, and otherwise foiled knitters' attempts to sign up for classes (on my first attempt, my 15 minute window for class-holds was down to 18 seconds as I hit the enter button with my credit card number when the whole thing froze and I lost it all). But I persevered, and waited a bit, and muttered bad words (directed at the IT people, not the organizers, who did everything in their power to see that this would not happen), and tried again. And again. And again. And finally, got through.

I had modest expectations for my Summit classes. I knew that there were many more people who wanted to go, than could possibly fit. And I knew that classes taught by the most famous names were going to disappear instantly. So I prepared my wish list from classes that featured techniques that I did not already know, wanted to learn, or needed help with, paying no attention to the teacher's names. My flight was booked already, and I was going, whether I had classes or not, so the class roster wasn't a life or death thing for me anyway. And still, it was traumatic. Luckily, from my first choices, I got 5 of the classes I wanted (including the podcasting class, which was at the absolute top of my list), and one of the other classes was my 2nd choice. I am delighted.

So, Sock Summit Thursday, I'll be taking: Basic Crochet Socks in the morning, and Cabled Crochet Socks in the afternoon (both first choices). Friday Morning will be Podcasting for Amateurs (be afraid), Friday afternoon is the booksinging, where The Big Book of Socks will hopefully debut, Saturday morning it's Hip Hems for Him and Her (a 2nd choice but it looks like great fun), in the afternoon it's 2-1 hour classes: Darn It, and Grafted Bind Off for 1x1 Rib. On Sunday, I signed up for Turkish Stitches, a 1 hour class that is a total mystery to me, but it should be interesting. I also snagged tickets for the Sock Hop, the Opening Night Banquet and the Luminary Panel.

I am totally happy with this schedule, and beyond excited to attend.

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I finished the Whatever Quilt and I love it. And I learned even more things:

#1. Premeditated snark is sometimes a wasted effort because invisible thread actually is

#2. To the extent that you can sew another 6" before realizing that the bobbin thread ran out

#3. Invisible thread is as fine as a spiderweb, and as strong as steel.

#4. I love invisible thread.

And I learned something from making the Christmas Theme table runner (fabric from Moda's Frosted Memories line) from the On A Roll book:

#1. Slow the hell down. Amazing how my corners meet when I'm not trying to run a race.

#2. See above.

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p.s. I miss American Idol...