Just landed here in Munich (just an hour layover, Mrs. B and Elemm!) and am trying to get used to this keyboard (z and y are in what I perceive to be each other’s places).

My phone doesn’t seem to be able to find a network yet, so I don’t know if my texts to Chris got through… which is a bummer, as I was rebooked and will be landing in Berlin 2 hours earlier than aniticipated. Hooray for more time in Germany, but boo if it means waiting around and trying to piece together the meaning of words should I need to interact with anyone.

Not sure where there’s free wi-fi in Wilmersdorf near the apartment… watch this space to find out!

I just pulled out of Albany, heading to NYC then Newark to fly across the Atlantic pond. The Men’s Spring Knitting Retreat just ended and my head is reeling.

I’ve been very lucky and had many opportunities to have fun as a knitter and otherwise, but this was beyond any expectations I could have imagined. Never before have I been around so many incredible, talented and hilarious men. QueerJoe and KnitterguyTed created a new piece of knitting culture. One that I hope will continue for many years to come. Thank you both, from the bottom of my heart. I hope to return for years to come.

I’m typing this oh my phone, so I can’t link to everyone I’ve met and tell you stories about each right now. There was some recording for YKnit that you’ll eventually hear, but nothing could capture the joy and peace (sounds too Christmas-y) or the silly merriment and fibery inspiration I just experienced. I loved seeing Dr. Mel and meeting his David, finding out Guido is just like he sounds (if not feisty-er) and getting to hug and laugh with Michael (after years of email and his launching my “career”). Everyone who was there was a fine and fabulous fellow who I’d to hang out with (pardon my dangling participle).

But there was one guy who is my new best friend and retreat roomie for life: Sean of the Soapbox out of Boston. I’m relieved we live on opposite coasts, because we’d be a terror if we spent any more time together! Thank you for the ride to Albany and unending laughs. Read him, love him and find him at Woolcott & Co if you’re ever in Cambridge. I liked him online, but now that I’ve met him, I may tattoo his face on my bum-bum. In a platonic kinda way. (Mom, this is a joke.)

OK. This thumb typing is boring me. I’m going to get back to savoring my memories. It was awsome to spend the weekend with everyone. We simply must do it again. If you’re reading this and have testes, do consider coming new time!

What are the odds that another knit blogger is already there?

Sadly, our paths probably won’t cross… unless he defects and remains in Germany.

Thanks for the tip, Joe! (and belated happy birthday!)

Getting ready for the trip, we enjoyed a German breakfast of bread and cheese this morning. I’ve been drinking lots of coffee, too.

Only three days at the office this week then off to travel for two weeks.

I’m still accepting Berlin recommendations. Y’all were so good for Paris… any thoughts on Deutschland?

One week from today, I’ll be somewhere north of Albany, NY at the Men’s Spring Knitting Retreat. Thanks Joe and Ted for thinking this up and organizing everything!

And, heck, thanks for letting me lead a workshop (which I prefer to call a conversation) on men’s sock design. In the spirit of an informal gathering, I make no promises that anyone will walk away from the two hours with a brand spanking new sock design, but I expect we’ll have a good time talking about ways to approach a more manly sock. Sort of a hot man-on-man-on sock discussion, if you will. Let’s be honest, I can’t teach anyone to be creative… that’s already inside each of us. For anyone who can’t make it, feel free to contact me via email or in the comments to share your thoughts on the state of male sock design.

For those of you missing a Y chromosome, I will be bringing the YKNIT microphone to try to capture some of goings-on. I trust that since it’s men, it will be very structured, restrained fun, lacking creativity and focused on the serious, serious business of knitting. </sarcasm> I’m looking forward to meeting many of the guys I read (and listen to) face-to-face. (Yes, there will be pictures. No, not in bathtubs.)

From there, it’s off to meet Mr. Man in Berlin. That Berlin. He’s been itching to get back for the past five years. His years stationed in Germany during the 80’s have damaged him, compelling him to return to Deutschland often. He’ll be running around photo’ing and I’ll be happy not to be at the office. Anyone know of any knitting there? Let your Berliner (or jelly doughnut) friends know I’m available for Kaffee und Stricken. Or Bier(e).

I should head off to the day job… how many more days until camp?

It looks like I’m never going to get around to telling you all about sock camp in blog-form. So how’s about a stroll down Monkey Memory lane?

Listen to Y KNIT episode 007 for an audio peek into the fun that was had! This is just the tip of the iceberg (how it snowed!).

A HUGE HUGE HUGE thank you to Tina, the Sockateers, Rosie and Debra, the instructors and all the crazy campers. And a special thanks to my mom for flying across the country to hang out with me!

Sadly, the camp song about STR sock club didn’t make the cut (poor audio quality), but here are the lyrics if you want to karaoke it yourself:

Addicted to Yarn
(to the tune of Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love – zombie backup band is optional)
inspired by Tina, with help from Meg, Deb and Ann

Your mailman’s here, but it’s not at home.
Your mind is not your own.
Your heart sweats, your body shakes,
Another skein is what it takes.

You can’t sleep, you can’t eat.
Theres no doubt, you’re in deep.
Your throat is tight, you can’t breathe,
Another kit is all you need!

Whoa, you like to think that youre immune to the stuff,
Oh, yeah!

It’s closer to the truth to say you can’t get enough,
You know you’re gonna have to face it, you’re addicted to yarn.

You see the (blog) posts, but you can’t read.
Your mailman’s at a different speed.
You heart beats in double time.
Another kit and you’ll be fine, a one-skein mind!

You can’t be saved,
Socks That Rock is all you crave
If there’s some left for you
A chevron scarf, you’ll do.

Whoa, you like to think that youre immune to the stuff,
Oh, yeah!

It’s closer to the truth to say you can’t get enough,
You know you’re gonna have to face it, you’re addicted to yarn.

Gonna have to face it, you’re addicted to yarn

Tina’s your dealer, you’re addicted to yarn!
Cat is a genius, you’re addicted to circs!
Stephanie is crazy, you’re addicted to socks!
JC’s cool Jumbo-tron, you’re addicted to sproing!
Cookie traveling stitches, you’re addicted to leg!

Sock camp is done, we’re going home.
We’ll be knitting, on our own.
Your hands sweat, needles grind,
Another row and you’ll be fine.
Whoa, you like to think that youre immune to the stuff,
Oh, yeah!

It’s closer to the truth to say you can’t get enough,
You know you’re gonna have to face it, you’re addicted to yarn.

Gonna have to face it, you’re addicted to yarn!

Cockeyed and Hot Flash, you’re addicted to schnapps!
Tammy, Etta Mae, you’re attached to the shop!
Rosie (we miss you!), you’re addicted to dye!
Can’t forget Debra, you’re buried in yarn!
Might as well face it, we’re addicted to yarn!
Might as well face it, we’re addicted to yarn!

In lieu of words, here’s a peek into what camp was like. This video shows the camp instructors posing for photos on the last night.

From left to right: Tina (dyer and dealer, of Blue Moon fame), Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (author and blogstar, yarnharlot.ca), Cat Bordhi (sock architect and mad genius, catbordhi.com), Cookie (hole-y and twisted designer, cookiea.com, and JC (cast-on queen and technician extraordinaire, jcbriar.home.comcast.net).

Our final episode from recordings at Stitches is up at YKNIT.com.

We chat with Lucy Neatby about her colorful adventures on the sea and in front of the camera filming her instructional DVDs.

Enjoy!

PS Many, many interviews were conducted while at sock camp. There will be an upcoming episode featuring Tina Newton of Blue Moon Fiber Arts and thoughts from my fellow campers.

As you know, I’ve been away for a week at sock knitting camp. We arrived home yesterday, after a LONG day driving Mom to the airport at 5:30am, waiting for a greasy spoon to open to get breakfast, almost missing our plane, awaiting the return of Janie Sparkles. Needless to say, I’m exhausted.

It was go-go-go all week long, between classes and antics and knitting and eating (and eating and eating). Leaving the island on Saturday was also a jam-packed with waiting for the ferry, driving back to Seattle, visiting Bad Woman Yarn, getting Chicken Knittle and Megpie to the airport… then, we had to meet up with Mr. Man who had been in Seattle since Friday. Later that evening, we had a drink with my dear friend from college, her adorable daughter and husband, then dinner before crashing.

All this is to say, I haven’t had time to edit my photos or compose a camp recap post. And in my rush to get home and transition back to reality, I forgot that I had also requested today off! Just for this very reason, to ease back into life and decompress from the knitting overload.

So I didn’t need to spend the day at work. Alas, I had already driven to Berkeley, I decided to stay.

I don’t need to write my mom, because she’s here with me at sock knitting camp, so I’m writing y’all.

I’m having a swell time with all my new friends, returning campers and the counsolers. There’s so much to say and pictures to share and conversations to podcast, but interweb access is spotty.

Just wanted to say that I miss you and access to the wider world. I gotta run, ’cause we need to eat before tonight’s underwater knitting competition!

Oh, and thank you a thousand times for all the super birthday wishes! It was so rad to have loads of love coming in from the wide wide world of the web.

PS I’m hanging out with three hot babes, only one of whom is my mom.