Much to my surprise, a year has passed since the last Rose City Yarn Crawl, and therefore it is the season to lace up my witchy boots, agonize over which hand knits to sport, and set out on the town with my crafty coconspirator, Alexis.
I know these aren't roses in the glass, I asked for the rose mimosa and they were out. So here is a lavender and orchid mimosa that, while less symbolically nice for signifying the start of this adventure, was ultra delicious. I'm not going to a look a gift mimosa in the bloom.
If you're not familiar with Rose City Yarn Crawl, I will happily explain (and if you already know, you can send your loving thoughts to those that have yet to experience such a wonderful time).
The Rose City Yarn Crawl is a 4 day event in which the yarn stores of the Greater Portland Metro Area are represented on a passport. Each place has a drawing of their own that you can enter when you visit and put your name in the proverbial hat, and if you get stamps from all of the shops that are participating you are entered to win the fabulous Rose City Yarn Crawl prizes themselves. In total, there are 75 prizes, if you don't count the gift of having such an incredible event to go to. The Crawl is the first weekend of March and goes from Thursday-Sunday, and this year had 11 participating shops.
Gallery Yarns from Knit Purl
My first blood of Saturday was this wonderful and deliciously soft alpaca yarn from Knit Purl. This yarn also now smells like several different colognes and perfumes as I have thrust it upon anyone that looks like they need a bit of extra scrumptious softness in their lives. I'm not complaining though, they got to experience some lovely yarn and it's a miracle it doesn't smell like the floor. Winding this soft and slick yarn proved to be a challenge, as it would launch itself off the ball winder if I went any faster than a snail's romantic stroll in the park.
Despite my flinging yarn wildly, the crawl was remarkably relaxed this year. Yes, the stores were stretching at the seams to let in all of these avid crafters, but it was like being in a house with a huge family. There were few stores that Alexis and I went into that we didn't get complimented on our knit wear. There was near endless positivity and excitement just to be there participating. Granted, we spotted a person here and there that acted prickly- but we can just hope the yarn will warm their heart if the people haven't already.
In our journeys we also stopped by Knotty Lamb of Forest Grove, OR (a personal favourite of mine). One would think that 11 shops would include every store in the area, but sadly Knotty Lamb is too far out of Portland to be included in the Yarn Crawl. Instead, they hosted a massive sale on all of their yarn along with a raffle for their own prizes, rewarding anyone willing to come the extra distance to make the shop part of the crawling.
Witching Hour from Knotty Lamb
Before I could even blink, Alexis and I had gone to every shop and submitted our passports to Starlight Knitting Society. This Crawl went by quick and if it hadn't been for my crafty partner in crime and the amazing people still around me (including meeting the positively stellar individuals of Indie Knits), I would have felt a little sad. I don't go out a whole lot anymore, health hasn't been in the best place for it, and so it was a tad bittersweet to realize the crawl was already over. That my crafty community at large, this huge family, would be apart until the next event.
Lucky for me, Alexis called upon her endlessly magical ways, and handed me the call to action I needed. As can be seen below, there is a Lunar Phase Mystery Knitalong by Larissa Brown that we're just in time to prepare for. I knew it was perfect just from the logo (few themes get me like moons and stars). Always surround yourself with inspiring and lovely enablers.
Alexis discovering the Mystery Knitalong also made me realize that even if it's not the Crawl, or one of the many other fiber events we go to, I always have my crafty family. My mother and I talk projects often (especially considering she's lovely enough to read my blog- hi mum!), I'm still friends with my spinning group that I grew up with that I find endlessly inspiring, and I happened to become friends with this remarkable human being that's to the right of me in the photo below. We became friends at first through luck and chance, and close friends through talking and crafting.
If you're looking for more craftiness, and want to read a blog that's charming and well written, Alexis has her own place on the internet at https://alexis-findingmyknitch.blogspot.com/ . Because we definitely all need more of a crafty family wherever we are.
Stay sweet, stay crafty, and stay tuned.