In the years since that time, I have crocheted on and off and explored other fiber arts, but in recent years I've pretty much defined myself as a shuttle tatter, although I always seem to have some crochet project going on the side.... then... I hear that CGOA's Chainlink conference will be in my own back yard, relatively speaking of course - Buffalo, NY. I had attended once before. In 2003, Chainlink was held in Chicago, my relative backyard at that time. It seemed to good to pass up!
![a view of the showroom floor at Chainlink 2009](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXQJNQTnMg0Hwu-a8C5g8-cRzONcEvauELGvNQYqBlaUOB-kAyjryg_zdF9E6c0M1YYRMT4XjgoQgSaWCVfZ4tVOk4sGrmthYSHkfXQ42vDUFYkaYCU7TtWpiqdU4xpxwUOqsd0PJfnfc/s320/showFloor.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBih55oBxx0uRK14lUlkUrsp2Az7aGT2x2JIYOp2k-b2NE3C2o4z3htoBnBTlbfR8dzPy6UhnKFrkigM7rF8Ee1UE0P_ueCDn-AuHC2kahOoEWNXmVxymDM3i_Xd-JksjX1JLq6-EgwOo/s320/knitting.jpg)
Oh, and if you believe in messages from a higher power, I got one while at Chainlink! I won two door prizes in the course of my time there. One was Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Knitting. I love this kind of book! Filled with swatch examples to peek the imagination, and since I don't often follow a pattern, it's a great resource for me. My other doorprize? A set of Takumi bamboo knitting needles from Clover! Is there a message here? Time to hone up on my knitting skills, I think!
So, as I pick up those knitting needles over the next few days (I promise I'll try not to swear as I do!) I'll be blogging about some of the things I did at Chainlink, skills learned, projects completed and ... items purchased!