Knitty Round Table

Last Thursday evening I participated in a Knitty "Yarn Tasting" at the Purple Purl. Boy is it hard to get the fluff out of your teeth! ;)

Seriously though it was a capacity crowd of about 30 (and one very well behaved 6 month old baby boy) in attendance . Typical female cliquishness was palpable from the doorway but then there were only three of us for whom this was a first "yarn tasting" - most people already knew each other. Happily a woman I know from DKC called me as I walked in and offered me a seat beside her! It was such a surprise to find someone I knew and get to sit with her! The instructions for the evening say to bring a wide selection of needles to accommodate whatever yarn is being tested. I had to smile as I took out my needles - among the Binders of Knit Picks and sparkling Turbos glinting in the light - I hauled out my 3 inch thick bundle of old grey Aeros smartly held together with a purple elastic off a bunch of broccoli.

The evening is structured so each knitter spends 20 minutes at each of 5 tables sampling one yarn per table. There's 15 minutes for knitting, 5 minutes for recording opinions while not chatting about the yarn to avoid influencing each other's recorded views.

Its quite a whirlwind - introducing yourself around the table - choosing a needle size -thoughtfully knitting and considering the yarn while remembering not to speak of it - completing your form - then picking up coat, bag, needles, scissors, sample and moving so as to start again.

I gained two valuable observations through the process...

• how vastly knitted samples can differ from yarn in the ball


• how needle size affects the appearance but also the feel of the work.

After the reviewing is done there's a draw. When the number on your survey sheet is called you can choose a "prize". Most were single skeins of the test yarn but there were also some pattern books and small project bags. I chose the above ball - not being one I would buy if left to my own devices, I'm pleased to have an opportunity now to try it out.

Then it was shopping time with our kind hosts at the Purple Purl offering 10% off all regularly priced yarn while chairs and tables were folded up and people headed off into the night. I drove my DKC pal to the subway - the most relaxed and pleasant part of the whole evening!

Many thanks to the folks at Knitty for organizing all the samples and of course a big "thank you" and "Happy First Anniversary" to the women of Purple Purl!