If you're a knitter headed to Stitches West in Santa Clara this weekend you're in for a sea of temptations. Between the many new vendors, new products and free classes on hand you'll find it hard to keep your wallet in your bag. For those who are new to knitting, Stitches West is the annual knitting convention sponsored by Knitters Magazine. It always happens in late February and is your opportunity to take knitting classes from well-known knitting professionals. Registration usually fills up in October, but there's still lots of fun to be had at the marketplace, which has hundreds of vendors with all kinds of knitting gear for you to find.

The best part of the marketplace is encountering vendors and products that you haven't seen anywhere else. This year's highlights include a new tweed yarn, getting to meet the representatives from online craft class purveyor Craftsy, discovering a brand new knitting bag handmade in the US, checking out the new bags from Jordana Paige (have you seen the Cezanne? Drool, drool, drool), and meeting Heidi from Pepperberry Knits who spins her own... wait for it... CASHMERE -affordable cashmere!!!!!

My favorite booths to visit at the Stitches West Marketplace for 2013

1) Pepperberry Knits

Booth 1046

Do you want to meet THE nicest person at Stitches? You'll meet her at the Pepperberry Knits booth. Her name is Heidi. She handspins and sells CASHMERE for a prices that you can't resist. Check out the laceweight cashmere which goes for $16/skein or grab one of their nifty hat kits at $45. Even if you're not in the market for cashmere (what kind of knitter are you anyway?) you MUST see their booth. It's easily the cutest at the whole show.

2) The Knitting Ranch Bags

Booths 109-111

Are you in the market for a new knitting bag? Do you appreciate not just good quality, but fine-handmade-in-the-USA quality? Then get over to The Knitting Ranch and meet Suzi, the woman behind these bags that are totally swoon-worthy. Suzi not just puts the bag together, she actualy makes the leather handles herself. The insides of the bags are just as beautiful as the outside. If you like to pamper your knitting with a handmade luxury knitting bag, you gotta at least see the The Knitting Ranch bags in person.

3) Jordana Paige

Booth 729

Jordana Paige always has mad exquisite bags for knitters, but her most recent addition has been the Cezanne Bag, which I have been coveting for such a long time. Really. I haven't been able to hint strongly enough to my husband that I really really really want this knitting bag. It comes in beautiful shades gray, orange, burgundy and blue that will accent whatever you're wearing. It's rare that I find a bag that I like so much that I want it in every color, but the Cezanne Bag is so well made and easy to wear that I'm sorely tempted.

4) Craftsy

Booth 926/1025

You've seen Craftsy everywhere and it's a burgeoning business. If you've been thinking about taking a craftsy class you should definitely check out their Stitches Booth. They have staff and teachers on hand for your to meet in person and you might just find a surprise if you visit their booth. Super nice people making a useful product for knitters. Stay tuned for more from me on Craftsy. I had the opportunity to corner the people behind craftsy to learn some cool things they have coming up soon. I think we're going to be seeing a lot from them in the coming years, making knitting instructors available on your computer anytime.

5) Leilani Arts Donegal Tweed Yarn

Booth 713

I love tweed yarn. It's my favorite. I stash and hoard it. If there's a tweed sale, I'm all over it. Me and tweed? We're likethis.

So you can imagine how I felt when I strolled past Leilani's booth and and saw baskets of Studio Donegal Tweed.  Leilani Yarns takes fiber from Donegal and mixes it with super soft Australian merino and you get some of the softest tweed you've ever felt, in colors that would wow the Victorians. Must. Have. This. Yarn.

What did you think of Stitches West this year? Did you take classes? Did you find treasures?

I would like to introduce a little something new. We all watch awesome shows while we knit. For sure there are already a ton of knitters watching Downton Abbey, Doctor Who and America's Next Top Model. Why don't we all use these experiences to share what we're knitting and what we're watching? You might discover a new show or appreciate old favorites and find new knitting blogs to read!

For sure I've been inspired by Ginny at Small Things and Tami's Amis, but both of those blog alongs happen on Wednesdays, which is great for a hump day, but not so much happens on Fridays and sometimes I need a little extra inspiration to blog on Fridays. I thought maybe some of you do too.

So allow me to introduce.... Knit Watcher! It's a Friday Blog Carnival where every week we share what we're knitting and what we're watching. I liked this idea so much that I made a button type thing:

If you want to grab this button to add to your blog post, just right click and save it to your computer. I'm in the process of making little mini buttons as well.

How do you participate in Knit Watcher?

1) Write a blog post where you share what you're knitting and watching.

2) Click the Link Button below and add your blog link and your blog name and you will be listed here for other knit bloggers to visit!

3) Comment here on the blog and let me know that you've joined in!

4) Tell your friends to join too!

As for me, I've been watching this Ramsey Behind Bars, where Gordon Ramsey goes to a medium security prison in Brixton and tries to start a business where prisoners cook and bake food and sell it to the outside. This teaches them new job skills and builds self esteem. I love this show because it really shows you how tough it is in jail, how mentally ill many of the prisoners are and how there is no easy solution to help people in jail, especially when they don't really want the help.

I'm going to start knitting the Mudra Cuff. I've been wanting to start it for ages, but haven't gotten around to it, but that changes today!!! Hopefully next week I'll have some progress to share with you. Be sure to join along!