World Wide Knit In Public Day!

Yes, Saturday June 14 was World Wide Knit In Public Day. Now, as far as I am concerned, every day is knit (or spin) in public day, but this was a world-wide concerted effort. So I registered and organized a little soiree for the local kniteratti. (I just made that word up, and I really like it. Use it--let's make it a "thing".)

We gathered in our usual spot--Coco Jo Coffee House--but this time the manager gave us a space to put up a display and a door prize draw. I got the spousal unit to print up a big banner with the official logo of WWKIP Day and scattered some knitting and fibre information around, which drew a lot of interest from bus drivers.There were a lot of the usual faces, but there haven't been so many of us in one spot at the same time for quite a while. We also got another knitter out, another poor soul who thought she was alone in a world of people who actually buy socks and mittens. She has found her tribe and was happy to join in. Then we got a few converts...

like Amy, who crochets, but had her first taste of knitting. Continental knitting made a lot of sense to her. And since Amy was knitting...

...Darlene decided to give it a shot. A total non-knitter proudly showing off her first swatch of garter stitch. Another one lured into the fold.

Hard-core knitters like Lynn and Maria found lots to chat about, and Lynn donated our amazing door prizes from her business Lynn's Knitting Studio.

We had a fastest knitter race, in which Maria totally smoked the competition.

Then some trouble-makers showed up and decided that they were going to make knitting a contact sport. What is it about men and pointy things? (Thank goodness no one had Addis there--have you ever read the safety warning on the package for those?) And both of these guys knew better--they have both benefitted frequently from the proper administration of pointy sticks to string.

I somehow managed to come home with one of the door prizes--a shawl kit featuring Pakucho Organic cotton in a natural brown. Karen took home a fabulous silk lace kit, which we are all looking forward to seeing knit up soon!

I rolled straight from those festivities to good-bye party for my good friend Bill (the knitting combatant on the right) who is moving to White Rock at the end of the month. There was a very diverse crowd there--he's made some interesting friends in his 30+ years in the community--including a whack of knitters. So I spent a huge chunk of the evening chatting about knitting. And there was food, too! Heaven!

Back down to earth today, though. Prepping a pamphlet for spindle kits, sorting fibres, washing fleece. No more party. For a day or two....