First, there are some things you should know:

1. Zauberball is the new “It” yarn.
2. The Citron Shawl is the new Clapotis.
3. The smart knitter will knit a Citron shawl out of the Zauberball.
4. I started this phenomenon.

Stitches South was just as much fun as last year minus the Pepsi dancing by Julie. She was greatly missed, but we did our best to make her feel like she was there by sending her pictures of the goings on:

With really sweet messages. I’m quite sure she didn’t feel left out at all.

The caterpillar yarn was back. And apparently it spawned, possibly like Tribbles, to make baby caterpillar yarn that looked kind of like colored cotton balls strung together on thread. There was also some yarn with really HUGE balls. I mean, BIG. Which resulted in this short and to the point conversation between ESC and myself:

Me: OMG! Look at the balls on that yarn!
ESC: (reaches out and grabs one) And they’re firm!

And of course we all burst into giggles. Which prompted the woman who owned that particular booth to turn to us and say, “I know what you’re thinking! Get your mind out of the gutter, ladies.”

Too late, lady. WAY too late.

Unrelated to being a bunch of pervs, ESC and I also got to meet Rachael of Yarn-A-Go-Go and enabled her to buy a lace pattern and possibly some lace yarn. And I somehow ended up telling her tales of  Sugar Ray and Chloe’s forbidden love. She was incredibly nice and engaging.

Oh! And one other thing. While we were hanging out in Hockey Mom’s hotel room looking for a bottle opener for the Strongbow cider, we found this instead:

Oddly enough, this did not discourage our drinking of the devil’s brew. We spent the weekend drinking, laughing, stash enhancing, eating and laughing. But I know what you really want to see. The stash enhancement. So here you go, in all it’s gory.

1. The Raven Close Up, 2. Socks That Rock, 3. Sanguine Gryphon, 4. Shiny, 5. Mega Lace Weight, 6. Touch, 7. Sassafras Shawl Pin, 8. BFL & Silk, 9. Crayon Box, 10. Trindle, 11. Barefoot Potter Vase, 12. Steelers Yarn, 13. Shiny (I put this one in here twice because I bought 2)

I am exhausted, but happy. I spent the weekend with my tribe speaking our language. Now I can’t wait for SAFF.