Knit and Plenty

More Knit and Tell

A few of my Close Knit Friends got together at my house on Saturday morning to engage in a totally knit-share mania. We just can't talk fast enough to share our knitting trials and tribs, show our WIPs and dream of future knitting adventures. Jennifer brought her new collection of Grafton needles. These are incredible works of art; turned and polished from all sorts of amazing composite woods.

Lindsey shared a project that she ordered from Knit Pix. A knitted purse that is made from 8 different colors, in 8 different patterns. The perfect project for those of us that bore easily.

Jo Ann joined us for the first time. She's an incredible knitter. Knowing her passion for knitting, Guess what her boy scout troop bought her as a gift??

Susan was a real trooper and showed up with her right leg in this giant boot, having suffered a pretty serious sprain earlier in the week.  Heal fast, Suz!

When You're Hot...

My knitting posse all showed up tonight for some long overdue stitch and laughs. Outside it was 100 degrees, and inside it wasn't that much cooler. But it didn't stop us from having a great time.

On the left, Regina looked cool, in an incredible smile - modeling the Alpaca Wrap that Susan made with some beautiful Catalina Yarn.  Regina also tried on some of my great FAUX TAN self tanner, which turned her brown as a Berry.

Here she is wearing one of the little cardigans she made with Blue Sky Cotton.

Then Lindsey was brave enough to let me try some of my Bare Escentuals Cosmetics on her. (I'll spare you the infomercials, but I just love the stuff.)

Granted, the before picture is just not a good photo, but the after results were even better in person. She planned on waking up her husband when she got home!

I was having so much fun, I forgot to knit!

At Least Someone's Making Progress

With all the goings-on lately, I have had so little time to knit, so I was delighted to get together with the girls of Saturday Knit Live over at Major Knitters and check out all the great progress of these wonderful knitresses.  We hadn't gotten together in awhile, and in that time, Lindsey has crossed over to the other side...to...the sock knitters. I'm proud, jealous and fearful of the day when I might also make the leap. (and boy, you're certain to hear about it.) Lindsey's doing a great job leading the way!

Susan also has made a lot of headway on a sweater with one sleeve almost done. She took a finishing lesson from our friend Adelaide in Barnstable, MA and we can't wait to see her put what she learned into action.

Everybody else shared lots of great things that I didn't get pictures of: like Regina's beautiful (albeit pilly) pink cashmere wrap and Betsy, who is  actually knitting seahorses and shells and starfish and who-the-hell-knows-what-else into a shawl. It's amazing.

It's nerve racking.

I really do hope to get knitting again one of these days. If you've noticed, my project bar as been on that damn one skein lacy shawl for about two months. I am convinced, by the way, the "one skein shawl" is an oxymoron.

Shepping Nachis*

My gal Jennifer was back visiting from Seattle this weekend - and I have to say...
WHAT THE F? HAPPENED?? She's gone less then 3 months and she returns having completed a men's size cashmere sweater that she knit on size 4 needles, with perfectly inset sleeves and a cast on/bound off (didn't even know about this one) collar.  They must be drinking more than Starbuck's out there! She leaves New York a humble scarfmaker with a giant red tote and returns a frickin' Jedi Master. What? Do I sound jealous?  Just because my seams look like something out of a horror flick - and I haven't had the guts to knit on anything smaller than a 10 needle, not to mention I am not nice enough to knit anything for anybody bigger than a 5 year old (if I knit for anybody besides myself in the first place) or have the courage to buy cashmere for fear of having it end up lost in my stash somewhere never to be found again.
Truthfully, I am so damn proud of our girl - all grow'd up out there on the West coast. Truthfully, she's become an amazing knitter - to match her incredible spirit. I think I just forgot how much I like and miss her.
Come back soon, Jen. I could use a few lessons.

* Fool and amaze your friends with this little Yiddish phrase for "Being proud"

Haul of Fame.

We're off! Regina, Lindsey, Susan and I. Off on a yarn-athon. Three days of yarn stores and knitting from CT to Cape Cod. More time to  recoup from my surgery.. I can't wait to share all the new goodies we will find along the way. Lords knows, the four of us NEED yarn. and rest. Have a great weekend!

The Right Connections

Unlike what seems like the rest of the knit-o-blog-o-sphere, I did NOT get to go to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this weekend. It was one of those weekends to strap on the old tool belt and get busy around the casa. The weekend included an 8:00 a.m. run to the Home Depot, taking out the storm windows and putting up the screens, cleaning the shed, sweeping the deck, planting the window boxes and weeding the lawn. And why is it that no matter how many dozens of female and male connector gizmos I have, I never seem to have the one I need to attach a nozzle to my garden hose!???!!

The high point of the weekend was getting together with some wonderful knitting pals. We sat outside on my deck in the morning sun, until it started to drizzle and someone shouted, "Quick, inside!  I''m knitting cashmere!" I was so busy casting on, and ripping out and casting on my Rowan vest, that I forgot to take pictures. Needless to say, we had a great time with all the right connections.

Monotomy v monogamy

We all know the joy that comes from "hooking up" with a new project.  It may not be the stuff of schoolyard gossip - but I'm usual on the phone with my best buds sharing all the juicy details. There's certainly an air of excitement, anticipation, promise. I love getting the project all set-up with my bag and Yarn Minders and notes, a plastic sleeve for the pattern and all the markers, etc. that I'll need. And, of course, I MUST  work up the gauge on that very first day.

But some time after that - maybe a week into the project, I start to lose steam. I am discouraged by the long unknit road ahead. Another trip to the LYS could, and often, comes along and some new yarn might beckon. A picture on someone's blog of a great felted bag  makes me start to yearn for THAT project. My eye wanders to the latest knitting mag issue, sneaking a lusting peek at the summer shawl centerfold. Gosh, I can't stay faithful for a minute!

One thing that really helps keep me somewhat focused on the end-game, so to speak, is that I am involved in several knitting groups and I find such joy in watching the progress of other people's projects and certainly love to share the good and the bad of mine. The triumph of a finished piece is always hailed by all - and that seems to spur the rest of us onward. Having a blog to post FO pictures to is also a great motivator. I have been working pretty diligently on the shawl I am making out of...um...wait...um...excuse me...is that a new Cherry Tree Hill Boucle....???

Have a great weekend!

It's a Manic Monday.

An impromptu gathering this weekend to celebrate Jenn's first East Coast visit from Seattle was an opportunity to catch up and share our latest projects. Perhaps it was the massive amounts of caffeine, the chocolate in the chocolate-chip coconut-banana-walnut muffins, our excitement at our friend's return, or just the sheer mania that results when knitters congregate, but it was all -out bedlam. Patterns were flying everywhere. Yarn was being thrown across the room for closer inspection. My lap top was engaged in some "have-to-buy-it-right-now" online ordering. That's Lindsey and Regina on the couch trying to figure out how to unwrap a double-wrapped yarn over. The white outline is surrounding my works-in-progress. It looks like a crime scene - and I should probably be arrested for too many outstanding projects. It took me a few hours to come down from this Knit-o-mania. I can't wait until next time!

Orange you glad you brought your knitting?

Another posting from land of sunshine and oranges! I haven't traveled in awhile so in the last few days I have been pleasantly reminded of how much knitting brings us together. No matter where I am knitting: poolside, on the beach, in the airport, invariably someone has approached me to tell me that they, too, are a knitter. And there's an instant connection. A kindred spirit. And within minutes, I know how long they've been knitting, or how long it has been since they knit something. All the while, (I have noticed) they are quietly ogling my project, and dare I say it, salivating. I just know that they can't wait to get their sticks in their hands. And although I have "come unknitted" many times myself, in this moment I secretly feel so relieved that I am not them. Um, wait a minute - this post was supposed to be about our close-knit community. O.k., Next time I'll to ask them if they'd like to purl a row or two. Promise.

Swamped with Ideas

Today was our Saturday Knit Live group where everyone is so creative and constructive and willing to exchange ideas and suggestions. Jen needed reassurance that her "to-be-felted" bag (see earlier Red Bag of Courage entry) would not fit a Mini-Cooper; Betsy needed a hand to hold as she was lovingly told that she would have to start her  beautiful SIlky-Tie Wrap again.  And everyone was so kind and sympathetic that Jennifer, our "Major Knitter" host, had still had not shipped the Mets blanket.
I, too, vulnerably shared with the group my concerns about a piece I had started. I purchased some great Manos in a beautiful shade of green, together with one skein of a rather pricey Italian Skacel called Juliet which  features dyed tufts and sheered ribbon in a matching green. I thought I could combine them into a scarf. How incredibly supportive everyone was when I shared my work. As they recoiled in horror, someone shouted "Look, it's the Swamp Thing!" Gee, I don't know what would make them think of that?
Now, what's the dreadful ripping noise??