Return of the Yarn Harlot!

The Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, returned to Kentucky last weekend for the Bluegrass Festival of Books. My sister, Kathryn, drove up from Paducah (4 hours) and I drove down from Edgewood (1 1/2 hours) and we met in Lexington at Mom and Dad's house.

We arrived with our copies of her latest book for Stephanie to sign and waited our turns patiently. Through some trick of her obviously super-human brain, she actually remembered me from last year. I was flabbergasted. I took this picture of her with her green traveling sock. Needless to say, I was totally charmed.

Kathryn and I sat outside at a little cafe table for an hour or so, knitting and waiting for Stephanie's talk at 2:00. Then we made our way into the lecture hall to hear Stephanie. Inside the hall, we found Brooke -- who I met last year -- and Diane, from Friendship Spinners. Diane and I talked rabbits and spinning for a while. She was wearing a gorgeous Shetland shawl in the Fibertrends sheep pattern. She had handspun the lace weight Shetland and it was lovely!

Brooke displayed her new fashion trend, the sweater with only one arm and a wristlet. It was actually a beautiful Donegal tweed green wool and the pattern was a cabled hoodie sweater. It's going to look fabulous when it's finished.

Kathryn proudly displayed her Fair Isle Christmas sweater -- which may actually be finished in time for Christmas this year. The white things will be snowmen when she's done. I can't wait until she has to cut the steeks! If that doesn't make a Baptist drink, nothing will. She also sported a new, layered haircut that looked stunning!

Unbelievably, Stephanie talked for more than an hour and, as usual, was both charming and witty. We sat in the front row and ate it up with a spoon.

Afterwards, she signed a few more books and then came back to knit with all of us left in the lecture hall. She knits so FAST with that knitting needle stuck under her arm. I don't know how she does it. Note, Stephanie is wearing her recently knitted Bohus sweater that we've all seen from cast-on through bind off.

Magpie Yarns, which had sponsored her, held a Knit-In until 5 p.m. and gave away three door prizes. Brooke won one of them: a gift certificate for $50!