Madison
Last week I went to Madison for the big annual conference in our field. Like all good conferences, this one allowed me to catch up with friends I hadn’t seen in a while. And some friends I knew, but had never actually met. Like Mary and Huan-hua, long time blog friends. They took me to Lakeside Fibers, one of the most beautiful yarn stores I have ever seen – bright, large, welcoming and full of glorious natural light.
We sat out back in the coffee room, which was playing Aretha Franklin, and was lined with finished projects and a whole wall of Cascade 220.
I think I want that kind of home decor – some finished projects, a wall of books, another of yarn, some great music and comfy chairs to lie back and chat or read, and the aroma of coffee and baked goods that isn’t overpowering. If there’s no french vanilla or cinnamon, that should take care of that, I think.
I even knitted a bit on my shawl!
I love Madison, especially since I’ve always visited it in fall when it’s riotously in colour. This time it had a special twist – Mary and Huan-hua, thanks so much for the wonderful meet-up! To commemorate the lovely warm light in that room that afternoon, and the warmth of new friendships, I chose these shades.
The variegated bronze is Zauberball, a wool-polamyde sock yarn whose colours are supposed to diffuse in the fabric like this. Isn’t that stunning? The solid at the back is a more simple Cascade Heritage, with which I want to try one of Cookie’s genius sock designs. It’s in the shade cinnamon, which is so much nicer as a shade than an ingredient in desserts.
Mary also generously gifted me this fabric. Tracy, you were very much missed, although you were present on Mary’s camera screen with us. Thank you so much for the fabric! I cannot wait to make something with it, and hope that when we all meet next – somewhere in India in December or January? – I will have turned it into something wearable.
