K2TOG Goes on Vacation

 

For the second summer in a row, knitting became central to my big summer trip. In 2010, I attended Knit Nation in London (England, not Ontario) taking workshops on lace knitting, bind off techniques and oddball stitches. So it was kind of expected that I might go again in 2011. But I had something else in mind: biking!

As it turns out, I booked my organized bike trip in Oregon, scheduled three extra days in Portland to get more time to visit the city, only to find

out from one of my knitting buddies that the BIGGEST sock knitting event was happening in Portland during those said three days. I have to say that most people doubt that it happened like that but I swear that I only found out after I booked my trip (I have booking confirmations to prove it too). So, my holiday ended up including, yet again, another knitting convention.

You have to go to Sock Summit to really understand the scope of this event. Apparently, sock knitters are the geekiest of all knitters, sort of like Trekkies that only watch a specific Star Trek series. At Sock Summit, those sock knitters act as if they are at Comic-Con, dressing in outrageous clothes and going as far as dyeing their hair in bright colours. They also get together to do flash mobs, take over restaurants and yarn bomb the city.

What I liked best was the fact that everyone talked to each other no matter where they were from. I took a 6-hour workshop to learn how to knit socks and shopped till my suitcase was filled with yummy sock yarn. The marketplace had many vendors that only sell online or in U.S. stores so it was amazing to have access to all those "mythical" yarns I've only seen in magazines. So now, I have countless hours of knitting ahead of me if I am ever to use up all the new stash I acquired.

 

And the biking was excellent as well. The Oregon Coast is beautiful and the bike "path" challenging. Riding on Highway 101 is probably the greatest physical and mental exploit I've ever accomplished.

Overall, it was a great trip!