...and more

OK...so I didn't miss dinner although I was the last in the line.  

I think I left of on Wednesday...which was a wonderful day of classes and a fun evening meeting people.  On Thursday, we had Intarsia Demystified with Sasha Kagan.  Need I say more?  Sasha Kagan is the sweetest, most wonderful teacher and a fabulous knitter.  The class was excellent but by the end, Trudy and I were so tense and strained between the shoulder blades that we couldn't knit anymore that day!

Later in the day, we went on a trip to Loch Katrine and the Trossachs.  It is a beautiful lake and a gorgeous drive....but then again, what in Scotland is NOT gorgeous!

Here are some pictures along the way:

And at the loch:

Doris, flirting with the cute Scottish boat guy (sorry folks, it's been a long day and I've had a glass of wine...I'm not very fluent at the moment).  Doris is such a flirt...look at her big smile...the poor guy looks terrified!

 

More pictures of the loch:

...and some new found and very beloved friends....

It was a wonderful ending to a glorious day......and I think I'm in love with Scotland!

On Friday, we had a half day class with Annie Modesett called Fabulous Finishing.  She is another wonderful woman; very funny, a bit salty and underneath it all caring and sweet.  I learned so much and enjoyed her class. 

At 1:30 we had a treasure hunt.  Due to the rescheduling of some classes our team was cut down to only 4 people.  Some of our team had classes and some were just plain flaky...you know who you are!  There was only one other team which had three people on it.  It was a lot of fun and we had to run all over the campus to find clues which led to other clues (did I mention that Scotland has really steep hills?  And that they are everywhere?  Both ways?)  In the end Team Shetland won and we have some loot to split up between the four that did the race and the few that missed it due to rescheduled classes.  

The loot!

The winners!  Yay Team Shetland

(Jude, Melissa, Lydia and Malin)

In the afternoon, the marketplace opened and we were able to look around at all of the vendors.  It was very impressive and there was beautiful things.  I behaved myself and didn't buy much because there is absolutely no room whatsoever in my suitcase and also, when we get to Shetland, there isn't an elevator or a bell hop where we are staying so we need to lug all of our stuff upstairs to our room.....sigh....sounds like a weak excuse right?  Here are some pictures of some of my favorite vendors:

|Julia (sulkycat) had wonderful bags for knitting needles, yarn and other accoutrements...

Louise (woolfish) hamming it up with Jared Flood...actually she's showing off and knitting with her arms!

Louise modelling the finished product!

That night there was a Ceilidh  (I think its pronounced kay-lee).  The dinner beforehand was wonderful and we had haggis and neeps and tatties (forgive me if I'm misusing terms here).  It was wonderful!  I really loved them!  Watch out Bill.  When I get home, the menu is changing.....   Here is one of a friend from Canada trying them out for the first time.

Danielle (tricotonrideau)

And a few more friends at my table:

Michele (bitbot) and Chris (chiknitter)

Michele will be going to Shetland with us.

Sasha Kagan (on the left) was our Intarsia instructor...she is so sweet!  The sweater drapped over her shoulders is one she made....and as impressive as it is, she had brought other samples that were far more intricate than that!

Lydia and Sasha Kagan...color me happy!!!

Trudy, Jude and Doris and ???

Barbara (babalor) and a couple from Portland ... should remember names better but it's really late and I'm pretty tired.  Barbara will also be going to Shetland.

The ceilidh is very closely related to square dancing...there were two accordian players, a fiddler and a drummer and caller.  The caller calls the dance and teaches it as well.  Then the dancers proceed through the steps.  It was funny because well, most of the people at knit camp are women (obviously) so it was 95% women.  They would forget who was supposed to be the woman and who was supposed to be the man and would run into each other and it was all very entertaining to watch.

This morning, when Trudy and I got up we discovered that we had no clean clothes.  So we went in search of a laundry.  So over hill and dale we trekked, backpacks and smelly clothes in tow.  After hmmm, I say at least 3 or 4 attempts and up many more very steep hills, we finally found one only to find that we didn't have the right coins.  Or soap.  I left Trudy to watch the clothes (to make sure they didn't crawl away..) and went in search of the proper change.  A nice lady gave me a ticket for one wash and one dry....I was so happy!  I skipped on back to the laundry room and found the card was empty...so Trudy and I sat around wondering what to do when, lo and behold, who should walk in but Doris!  And not only Doris, but she had a laundry ticket for 2 washes and 2 dries.  And she had soap!  I'll never call her a flirt again!

The washer women

The sisterhood of the traveling clapotis

(Doris borrowed the clapotis for the clapo-tea party and it has to have its picture taken everywhere we go).  Sorry Trudy, but this picture just needs to go on the blog....your butt just got in the way.

We didn't take any classes or go to any lectures in the afternoon.  Afterall there is only so much a person can absorb, although I did hear that all of the lectures and programs were excellent.  Instead we climbed up to the Wallace monument.

It's right above the campus where we are staying and was supposed to be a short walk....well, it didn't work out that way.  We found a footpath through the woods and it appeared to be headed straight to the monument.  Unfortunately it did a dog  leg turn on us and we winded up in the Bridge of Allan.  So, several really, really steep hills later, we made it. 

There was a docent dressed as a warrior of the time of Wallace and did a very good job of telling the history. And, of course, Doris flirted with him.... 

We made it to the top of the monument drenched in sweat.  It was quite a climb to the top but the views made it all worthwhile...

Looking down on the University of Stirling

Coins in the downspout

Love them socks, Trudy!

River Forth with Stirling Castle in the upper right quadrant

The three stooges....

 We had dinner and a party in the student union tonight but sorry, no more pictures....I'm really, really tired right now and can't write much more.  I'm sad knit camp is over but will have wonderful, wonderful memories.  It's been a great week and I can't wait for the next knit camp!