I was very excited to be able to go to the Alta knitting retreat for the first time. My knitting buddies have been going to this for years and I’ve always wanted to go but never managed to block off the time before. It has been a long time since I’ve had a solo vacation, and I came back from the retreat feeling very refreshed and relaxed!

I came up on Friday with Cheryl! A ton of knitters come up on Friday to check in and get lunch, but other folks arrive later. Here’s a view from the deck of the Alta Lodge where I was knitting, check out the aspens!

Check out those aspens!

Thai influenced salad with chicken and peanut dressing with rice!

I went on a hike to Cecret Lake. Here’s one photo taken partway along the trail.

Here is Cecret Lake! It exists!

It was a nice hike, and great to get out and walk around a little bit after spending most of Friday sitting and knitting.

I worked on one old project and started a new one, even though I brought around 4 potential projects with me just in case. You never know what you’re going to be in the mood to knit! It was just great to hang out and knit, and drink some wine, and hang out and knit some more. The rooms in the Alta Lodge don’t have TVs in them, but I brought along my iPad and got caught up on a few season premieres (How to Get Away With Murder & Scandal) and got a bit further along in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer rewatch marathon I just started recently.

I got a substantial amount done on my 3 colorway koigu entrelac scarf of doom. You can see the three colorways mixing together below. Should finally be done with this soon!

I started a new project, an easy hat called Wurm. It uses a folded brim, which I haven’t done before. I was worried I would accidentally pick up the stitches unevenly, but it has turned out great so far. I’m finding the pattern very entertaining, and I’ve knit several more bands since the photo below. I think it will be done very soon.

It would be somewhat impossible to go on a knitting retreat. I brought 5 skeins of Woolmeise, which I ended up selling before the actual stash sale, which was partly stashed yarns from knitting retreat attendees along with some great indie dyers like Intrepid Tulips and Marianated Yarns. Then I turned around and bought some new yarn with the money I made selling my old yarn, my photo does not do it justice:

The purple yarn is called Amethyst, so of course I had to get it. I’m going to see about making Joker and the Thief, although I will need to fudge a little bit with the gradient pattern for the darker colors.

It was a great three day weekend, and I’m already looking forward to going back next year!