The Road to Stitches

This morning, I picked up my friend Holly and we drove from our homes in North Orange County, California to Santa Clara for Stitches West. We made really good time and the weather seemed to cooperate with us until we were about 2 hours away from our destination, when a few rainstorms slowed us down. However, all and all, the drive was beautiful and we saw 2 rainbows, which I managed to capture while I drove.  Our total drive time was about 6 hours.

We went straight to the convention center for the preview market, only open to registered students. During the preview market, I was a guest at the Unwind booth (#1245), where they carry and showcase my patterns, including the full line of patterns from the Liberation collection. Unwind had all the samples worked up in Sweet Georgia yarn. I will do another guest appearance at the Unwind booth on Saturday from 10-12.

L to R: Laura (wearing Amelia Earhart), Stephanie (wearing Elizabeth Zimmermann) and Suzanne (wearing Barbara G. Walker) of Unwind (booth 1245 at stitches), a wonderful LYS in Burbank

My hat patterns worked up in Sweet Georgia yarn on display at the Unwind Yarn booth at Stitches West 2011. Left: Elizabeth Zimmermann cloche, Right: Alice Paul

In preparation for Stitches, I printed and sleeved several patterns for Unwind and Anzula (booth #840). Anzula is also selling several patterns from Liberation, but they are also selling kits of the hats. I’ll be a guest at Anzula’s booth tomorrow from 10-12, Saturday from 4-6 and Sunday from 10-11. I also made promo things, including these buttons:

I brought over 100 buttons, but I am quickly running out, especially "posse" with the black sheep. I didn't expect them to be so popular! The posse buttons were inspired by a joke with my friends that then somehow made it to some fun bantering with Benjamin of XRX on Twitter. Benjamin is now officially part of my posse and I have several witnesses to his induction! So, if you are at Stitches and want to be part of my posse, come find me to get a button before I totally run out!

Tomorrow promises to be even more stimulating and exciting. One of the events that I’m really looking forward to attending and participating in is the Pajama Party. There will be awesome door prizes! I had already planned to donate a special limited edition printing of the Liberation ebook and enough yarns for 2 hats, but then the gears in my head started turning and I thought how wonderful it would be if my friends at Unwind and Anzula joined me and we collectively contribute to make a even bigger prize. Also donating is another California based artist, Slipped Stitch Studios. (Anzula is based in Fresno, while Unwind, Slipped Stitch Studios and I are all based in Southern California.) This fabulous door prize is a great example of what you can accomplish when you and your friends put your heads together:

 

Stitches West 2011 posts:

1. The Road to Stitches

2. Yarnaholics Everywhere at Stitches West

3. Stitches West PJ Party – The End

 

~ by craftydiversions on February 18, 2011.