It was, quite literally, a dark and stormy night when crafters, friends, and Knit Picks employees met up at the West Elm in downtown Portland for Knit Picks’ 2014 Holiday Craft Party.  Though a wind storm with gusts up to 74 mph was blowing through the area and quite a few lost power, West Elm glowed bright and warm. It was really an excellent night to stay in and make craft-tastic things with old and new friends.

West Elm set us up in the front of the store with several large burlap-covered tables, perfect for spreading out projects, and comfy chairs.

Everyone got started on their projects. Knit Picks staff helped anyone who needed it and gabbed it up with attendees. It was so great to meet some of our wonderful customers face-to-face! In this photo, I’m in my gray Cumbria Sweater teaching Alexis from our photo department how to cast on, while Heidi is chatting about crocheting.

Swag was in abundance, as everyone got several skeins of yarn, needles and hooks, and a Knit Picks pattern book to take home in a ‘Handmade is Love’ project bag.

Lots of people were learning new skills, whether basics like chaining or more advanced like continental knitting. Lisa was teaching her friend Allison how to crochet.

West Elm’s holiday decorations were so festive and cheery! They really made the place cozy and delightful.

Whole Foods donated a great spread of snacks, including trays of fruit, vegetables, and cheese and cured meats. Hannah was pretty excited about these!

All of us at Knit Picks had a really great time at the party. If you attended, we hope you did too. Let us know in the comments!