Extravayarnza

So,
It was a long wonderful weekend. The type of vacation you need a couple more days off to recover from.

Lynn & I headed out fairly early Friday morning to make the 5 hour drive to Toronto. For the first time in my memory I actually ran into construction in Canada. Major construction, this stuff made MI highway construction season look like a kid playing with legos. We didn't get into Toronto until after 4. On the positive side I got some amazing practice driving a stick (that mostly stopped highway backup can teach you how to get into first really well).

It was so worth it though!
Just look at the crowd at Indigo~

As usual Stephanie was charming & funny making sure we were well informed of the presence of CHOKE (they are everywhere) & the need for knitters to be proud and represent.

Plus, unlike any knitting event I've attended before we got to gather at The Spotted Dick and partake in the dangerous mix of drinking and knitting. (For us American's the whole Spotted Dick thing will never get old... I delighted in getting to ask the male employee at Indigo "So, Stephanie tells me you're the man who knows about The Dick", minds out of the gutter people, I was only attempting to get directions to the pub).

After luckily making it back to the hotel for the night and getting in a much too short nights rest, Lynn & I hopped on a street car and made our way to the Naked Sheep (is it just me or does this trip sound risqué so far?)

Can I just say right off the back that every shop we visited was just lovely & I was lucky to have only come home with a modest stash enhancement. My rule for the day was simply that I could only purchase yarn that I couldn't easily get in MI.

Our next stop on the tour was a shop that was new to Stephanie (Thanks Amy for the recommendation), Americo.
Americo was the most unique yarn shop I've ever been to, no Debbie Bliss or Rowan for them, nope only hand spun yarn here.
Funky Wool Hand Spun

Dreamy Cotton Hand Spun

And for me to bring home, Precious Hand Spun Cultured Silk in Lace Weight (about 800yd)

Our next stop of the day was Romni Wools. Cleverly chosen to be the stop before lunch because we easily could have spent a week in there & not have found our way out yet. Stephanie figured calling us all to lunch would be our only hope of ever leaving. She was most likely correct on that point.
Well, Romni is where I found my goal of the day. A skein of Fleece Artist Sea Socks!

A couple of skeins of their Angora/Silk blend also followed me home.

A short Street Car trip & we found ourselves at Kensington Market for lunch & to visit Lettuce Knit. I can hardly believe how amazing Lettuce Knit was, especially since it's only 200 sq feet!
Here's the whole gang infront of Lettuce Knit...

I'm easy to pick out of all the group photos! Just look for the only knitter wearing sunglasses (I have transitions so I'm never in risk forgetting my sunglasses).
Some stash building happened here too...
Some Smooshy for Mum~

And some BFL braids for Me~

After a long wait for a street car (all of 20 min, I'm told that's long in Toronto. Also it's long enough for Knitters to wonder how many of us will fit in a bus shelter... You'll have to go to Stephanie for that answer)
we then headed to AlterKnit...
There were sock Monkeys knitting!

And a skein of Sea Silk that just called for me to bring it home...

So, I'm home again, and my stash has grown to take up even more of my home.

Plus during my days off I started an Etsy Shop! Some of my hand dyed yarn is up there. My patterns will be joining them soon, but in the mean time they're available on my webpage by clicking the link over on the right.