meeting Alison Hyde

Last Friday, after I left Bennington, Vermont, I went on to drive up to Burlington. I had plenty of snacks in the car for the 3 hour drive, I found the Vermont Public Radio station, and I was good to go. Every once in a while I would exclaim loudly to myself, "another white church! Oh and look, sheep! Cows! Countryside! So much Countryside!" and finally: "Lake Champlain! I can't believe I am looking at Lake Champlain!!" That's when I knew I wasn't far.

Kaleidoscope Yarns in Essex Junction, a little northeast of Burlington, did a very fine job hosting Alison. There were cookies for everyone, and we sat in the bulky wool room (which is a bit ironic because Alison just about never touches anything but fine weight yarns).

I walked in and got the best hug. We both started crying. You see, Alison and I have been email friends for many years, first getting to know each other through the yahoogroup KnitList, and then later its spin off, KnitTalk. She has sent me yarn, I sent her yarn, and the rest is history. You start talking about the kids and all kinds of other things.

Alison grew up in the east but moved to Palo Alto, California many years ago, with her husband and 4 kids. I knew I was probably never going to make it to the west coast, and when the opportunity presented itself to meet her in Burlington, I jumped at the chance and told my family that I was going to drive 155 miles to see a friend I had never physically laid eyes on.

Alison brought her Kaffe Fassett coat that she made many moons ago. I think it has 89 colors in it.


She also brought her husband. (They were in town to visit their daugher and son-in-law. Go to Alison's blog, if you're not reading it already, to find out more.)

I knew from reading her blog and book that her husband was very tall. Here he is, filling out a doorway. Paula, in front with the blue shawl, looks stunned. I am not sure if it was Richard that stunned her. (Paula, if you're reading, can you please give me your blog address again? I want to link you.)



Kristine brought baby Lucy, a child with a lot of spark and spunk.

Paula donned the Blue Jay shawl from Alison's book, for which she spindle spun the yarn!!

Alison had brought a veritable trunk show of her shawls, and we were even allowed to try them on. Would the sneaky photographer who snapped this picture please come forward? I tried on the Wanda's Flowers shawl.

Here is a portrait of two friends. Thank you so much for making this possible, Alison! (But help me out here, I can't for the life of me remember which shawl you had on. Is it a Monterey??)

(And also? I promise, I do have a waist. That vest is getting so stretched out...must snip and re-knit that ribbing.) I am wearing a white lace scarf that Alison gifted me with a while back.

Thank you Kaleidoscope Yarns, for hosting this booksigning. What a most beautiful shop.