Sock Summit 2009

Sock Summit 2009! It all started a couple of years ago when I was visiting Cat (Bordhi) for a little creative R&R. We were brainstorming (or what I like to think of as tilting the world on its little sock knitting axis), playing with her sock patterns and my colors, chatting about the upcoming sock camp, and naming chicken colorways. Having way too much fun and cracking ourselves up in the process. Certainly a creative storm was brewing with ideas flying every which way.

At some point in our musings about camp, Cat paused and got a gleam in her eye. I later realized that this little light was a tip-off that trouble was coming my way. She then suggested that it be great to do kind of a bigger version of sock camp, wouldn’t it? I have to be honest and say this gave me a full body spasm of fear that has yet to fully release itself.

We then went on to dream about what we would like this to embody. A celebration of everything sock knitting, including all the designers, teachers, dyers, bloggers, knitters . . . our visionaries and icons that make us the wonderfully eclectic culture we are. I then ran this by Stephanie and she agreed it was wickedly brilliant . . . and more brain storming and embodying ensued.

Life intervened and moved on the way it does. We had sock camp, I that little Blue Moon thing I do, Steph a book or two and a tour, and Cat her book and teaching schedule. We also all have families that rely on us. But the seed of an idea had been planted and every once in a while it would set off a spark in one of our directions.

For me, it was a bit more than a spark now and then. When my initial terror-inspired spasm had subsided a little, this whole Sock Summit thing possessed me. Truly, I could not let go of the vision. After Camp Crows Feet, with a second sock camp under our wings, I knew we could pull it off.

I am over the moon excited about this and think that we are not only celebrating the history and culture of sock knitting but we are also making it.

As with the socks we knit, we have our basic design and have cast on. As every stitch is important in the construction of a sock for support and durability and beauty, the same is true when planning and implementing an event like this. Besides Cat, Steph and I, we have as our perfectly gauged team Leslie Cumming, Debi Stone, and Claire Scott, also on board are Rachel H, Team Blue Moon and the Sockateers, Hops Studios, and the dynamic grapic designer duo of Tim Bergman and Cassie Caldwell. 

Please sign up on the website http://www.socksummit.com if you are interested in receiving info and you will be hearing from us soon. The website will grow as the Summit does and we recommend you check it regularly. (Spam filters sometimes are not our friends.)

I would like to say here that although Blue Moon is a large sponsor and I am indeed at the organizational helm, this does not make the sock summit a Blue Moon event. Many sponsors will help manifest this Summit. As a color-obsessed dyer, it is my dream that this marketplace be filled to the brim with us-- wall-to-wall hand painters and dyers. Can you see it? It will be absolutely magnificent!

Until the Contact/Question part of the site is rolling, you can ask your questions here and we will do our best to answer them promptly.