The haul

And now for the most important part!  The haul!

Knitlab (or more correctly Knitting Lab) is a smaller event.  It doesn't draw the thousands that Stitches does.  The instructors all feel that the events have different purposes.  Stitches is a more project oriented program and Knitlab is about technique.  Stitches is huge, Knitlab smaller and more intimate.  Almost everyone who attended both says that.  Knitlab has a smaller market but you know, some really good stuff shows up.  These are probably things you might overlook for the sheer volume at a stitches event, where here, they shine.

So my personal haul.  I stuck to budget.  Or I would have without a few little things like some pretty needles and a wonderful shawl pin.  And some stitch markers.  But that is for another day.

Today you get to see the yummy yarn.

Jacob and Alpaca sportweight blend from Toots LeBlanc.  This is just yummy stuff and if you see some out there in your travels, get it.

Freia gradient laceweight.  There were so many wonderful colours of this, it was hard to choose.  I fell for this wonderful colour and had a very hard time not falling for many more.

Invictus Yarns sock.  A warm and silvery gray.

Pigeonroof Studios mini skeins, gathering the best of their colours.  I would have loved to come home with one pack of each.

See, I couldn't stay with only one.

I also fell for this golden sock yarn from them.  Stunning.

And then, the place I had the hardest time getting by. These last two are from Galena Khameleva's Skaska Designs. I dropped serious bucks here.  This is a skein of camel and silk laceweight.  It has an almost Victorian/ Edwardian feel to it.  It is breathtakingly fine ( a 30/2 IIRC.  The label is tucked away )  and I can't wait to work with its delicious 1700 metres.

And then a cone of delicious warm brown cashmere.  Good golden warm.  There was another vendor there with direct from China cashmere at a really really good price and it was stunning, but it did not have the lovely warm more natural tone that this did.  I paid my bucks and bought this pinnacle of fine yarn.  

I thought about quiviut but this is where a failing credit card worked out just the way it ought to.  I did after all, end up pretty much within my budget.

And I don't know if I like this or am heartbroken by it.