THE DAILY CHUM

Entry 3: I get a Knit Out of you

So, I missed last week, and I’m late this week, but I swear this totally is not a biweekly column. Writers block (or homework) just always strikes when it is least wanted. Anyhoo I promised y’all a Knit Out column and I intend to deliver.

So First off, What the deuce is a knit out? Well a Knit Out (and/or a Crochet Out for our sisters of the hook) is a vary large gathering of Knitters. Knit Outs are usually put together by the local Guild and/or a committee and contain a variety of events, commonly: a fashion show consisting of various knit/crochet items for humans, another fashion show consisting of various knit/crochet items for dogs, a “learn to knit” area, a knitting celebrity, and a fastest knitter contest. Most Knit Outs at the local level have a series of booths representing variousLYS’s most of which sell yarn. A Knit Out generally encourages knitters to gather, chat, and generally hang out while knitting, indeed historical evidence indicates that early Knit Outs were overly large, annual SnB . Indeed, research has proven that commercialization of the knit out stems from two sources, one from the knitters’ desire to do things bigger and better, and the other from their desire to help people. This last point brings up the final component of a Knit Out, Charity. All of the Knit Outs I have come across have at least some component of charity knitting in them, many provide enough supplies and teaches that anyone who wants to can knit a bit to help others.

So that’s a knit out for you, a big shindig, but if you recall my last article, I put Knit Outs under free yarn events. Well your regular, garden variety Knit Outs are more of a shindig. They tend to be pretty local, and there are any number of great local Knit Outs to be had if you look for them. However, there is an exception that fits into the free yarn event category, The Great American Knit Out. The Great American Knit Out is sponsored by the Craft Yarn Council of America and takes place over President’s Day weekend at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. If you remember my column of two weeks ago, I said that free yarn events sometimes literally throw yarn at you, this is the event I meant.

Four of those skeins are the same yarn, and my Mom (who went with me) has just as much, so between the two of us, that’s a free sweater’s worth of yarn. A feathery, fuzzy, acrylic sweater, granted, but a free sweater is a free sweater. Now I did have a pretty good time at the knit out last year, besides my rabid freebie chasing, I made yet another attempt to enjoy crochet (I can’t do it), had my sweater recognized (it was the fairly easy fair isle from Stitch n’ Bitch Nation), I met Michelle of the Knit.1 blog, I could have tried to meet Vickie Howell, but there is one thing that I really missed out on, especially now that I am thinking about the true meaning of knit out. I didn’t just hang out and knit much. I did walk around with my fingerless glove out and knit away on that, but I was only at the knit out for a little bit and then we left. Mostly because it was crowded and loud, but I would have stayed if I had had a reason to. I wish I had known some other knitters to meet up with there.My desire to hang out with other knitters is why I am talking about the knit out now, because, come President’s Day 2008, knitters will take over the Mall of America, and now you, the intrepid knitter, know that. You have time to make travel plans, to use the hotel deals on the Knit Out website, to get ready to party. I’ll be there. Will you? By the way, that last question is so not rhetorical, I’d love to hear everyone’s plans and any knit out stories you feel like sharing!

Erin is…probably in Minnesota somewhere. She adorns the land of 10,000 lakes yarn stores with her glorious presence and profound geekiness. Erin knits, when she is not studying, singing herself hoarse, and reading whatever comes into her notice. Erin also enjoys speaking in the third person, although she does not do so on her blog.

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