Stitches West 2010

I made it through the market without buying any yarn! I did pick up a pattern at Coco Knits, though. It is so tempting when they have garments made up from all the patterns and you can try them on.

My tips for surviving Stitches:

1. Start at the back of the market floor and work your way to the door at the front.
2. Go for more than one day. One to look, one to buy. Or go have some lunch, take a break, then see if you really have to have the yarn you loved.
3. Have a general idea of what you want to buy. Sock yarn? For a specific project? For a gift? Know how much yardage you'll need and what weight.
4. I tend to skip the shop booths...I'm more interested in the smaller producers or those like Brooks Farm that only display at shows. The rest I can find online.
5. Wear comfy shoes.
6. Bring water and a snack. The food in the market area is limited, and the lines can be long.
7. If you go with friends, set a place to meet. You will inevitably get separated and it is fun to compare notes after browsing on your own.

And have fun!

Channel Islands National Park

I didn't even know you could go out to the Channel Islands off the California coast, and here they are a national park!

We had a perfect day for our trip, sunny but not too hot. While the others went kayaking to see the caves around the coast of Santa Cruz, I hiked up to Caverns Point for a panoramic view of the California coast and Anacapa Island.

We even saw some dolphins (common and Risso's) on the boat ride over. I saw one of the island foxes and a pair of ravens. I heard a meadow lark, but did not spot it. Most of the time, I was the only person around; others from the boat hiked to Potato Point or up Scorpion Canyon. So peaceful!