Meeting the Harlot

If you aren't into knitting, you might as well surf on. At best you won't care; at worst you will find this disturbing.

The Yarn Harlot came to our neighborhood bookstore last night. For those who don't know, she's a knitting comedy writer (really). Mark didn't get it AT ALL, but off I went as soon as he got home to take my place in line. It was a long line.

I was number 94, but no matter. My place in line was next to some lovely (and very funny) knitters and the time actually passed very quickly. I'm not sure how many people were actually there, but I know it was over two hundred and that the book store was a mite surprised.

Anyway, thanks to the people in that knitting group I've been going to (who waited much longer than I did), I got to sit right up front (thank you!). And I mean RIGHT up front - second row. So close I could have almost poked her with a needle.

And she was interesting and so damn funny. Much of her talk was about the meditative aspects of knitting, which is something I'm hugely interested in (well, meditation in general is something I've been thinking about lately - little did I know I'm already doing it on a regular basis). Anyway, I laughed until there were tears - seriously. Plus I adore her accent; it's Upper Canadian with just a touch of rural Nova Scotia (and lo and behold, she has family in Dartmouth), and half my family shares it. That accent makes me homesick.

Most impressive: she managed to be charming and sincere at the same time, even though I was number 94 in line and didn't speak to her until almost 10:00. She had to be exhausted.

I honestly loved her. She gave me a Canadian test. When she said that she was going to, I did a deer-in-the-headlights thing for a second: "Is she going to want me to sing the anthem in French?" and "The Yarn Yarlot is going to think I'm lying about being from Canada!" It did involve singing,* but not the anthem. I passed. Phew.

Her new book, by the way, is really funny.

ETA: I'm on her blog! Tiny, but I'm there: first picture, second row, black shirt.

*If you are Canadian, you can complete this song: "When you eat your Smarties..." Apparently it's something we carry with us forever.

Comments

[Kristin]

Sounds like a fun time! Did you see her blog entry about her visit to Denver? I think I see you in her first picture! :)

[Holly Jo]

Isn't she just hysterical? I couldn't believe how funny and sincere she was too. I mean how can you be that nice to so many people all the time? Incredible. Don't you find it also a little bizarre to stand in line to speak to another knitter because they are famous? Terry thinks it is the most absurd thing yet ask me if he reads her posts. :) Glad you got to go.

[sue]

do you eat the red ones last? Oh Kathy, such fun! I heard her on the radio one Sunday and then discovered her blog. I was astounded to see 500 readers an entry...sometimes more. She spoke about the communitiy of knitters having no obvious demographic...children,young professionals- both men and women, to grannies. (I don't see any men in the photo...not in Colorado anyway!) She is funny. What a following- to think she can pack a bookstore in the mid USofA!
Your productivity continues to astound and inspire me. I brought many projects to start and finish on my holiday....a bit warm for knitting but no excuses.
Love from Florida,
Sue
Love Sue

[stefaneener]

Okay, here's the plan. She's not coming here this tour but I should have come out there to see her and you!

It is lots of fun -- she's amusing and it's just a good time. I'm so glad you got to go.

[Karma]

I love your reaction to the Canadian test. :) How fun!

[Jody]

Sometimes I hate living in Arkansas. We never get good bands or the Yarn Harlot. Grr.

Looks like fun! (And I did visit her blog to check you out. :))

[Stacey]

There you are in the black shirt! I saw you!

And yeah, is it "do you eat the red ones last?" Cause I saw her a couple of years ago and she gave someone the test then. I didn't remember it. But I want to know it...because I want to be Canadian.

I've been on the lookout for another Los Angeles Harlot visit...but none have been listed yet.