Yesterday's Knit Out!
The knit out yesterday was a wild success. I lied about the newspaper article not printing our contact info – apparently the print version had our location and our yahoo group address. When I arrived at 11 there were so many people at Mama Javas that I had to sit in the back at a table. Not only that, I only recognized about 3 other women – everyone else was new. They had all read about us in the paper and stopped by to knit. Many of them are interested in day meetings, one woman wanted to meet every day! Okay, I love to knit and all, but every day?
I had a great time walking around and meeting people. Janet, who has been knitting for 65 years and didn't look a day over 50, spins, dyes and knits with her own yarn. She has 3 tons of wool at home if anyone wants to learn to knit. (Three tons of wool? What does that even look like? And Joe thinks I have too much yarn.) Her intarsia was phenomenal. Another woman came with tons of hats and purses made out of eyelash yarn (you'll see a picture of her with Annette modeling one of her creations). And then someone who was knitting lacy mohair shawls. AND, one girl completed an entire mitten while we sat there. An entire mitten.
Over the course of the day people came and went. I was there for six hours and could hardly leave because I was still talking to people. Guido and Lucca beckoned, however, and I had to feed them before the evening knit-out began. I hardly got anything done during the day I spent so much time telling people about our group, chatting with the people I already know, hearing about Jessica Knits and how fabulous is it. Both Becky and Shannon went there and have nothing but rave reviews. I can't wait to go. I've got to start working again after this baby gets here so I can have some yarn money.
I was worried that knitting all day would make my hands tired, but instead my throat was hoarse from all the talking. I did not finish a single thing as expected, but I did have a great time. And I learned that if you forget to do a yarn-over going one direction, you can pick it up by doing the same thing as a Make One going the other direction. Jen figured this out for me, brilliant knitter that she is.
At night we met in a small historic house in the Roosevelt District. We were there participating in First Friday, which is an art tour put on by Art Link. So people were wandering the streets and galleries and stopping by to see what we were up to. It was like a mini art show – our members brought things they had made to show off and we all sat around and knit. I did get more done at night, and finished one panel of Madeline's poncho.
Kathy Murillo from the AZ Republic asked me the other day what we talk about at knitting. I didn't really know, so I paid special attention yesterday to see what we really talk about. During the day, and when there were a lot of new people, we talked a lot about yarn and projects. Illana brought a new book she got as a birthday gift (happy birthday by they way! She turned 23 yesterday.) At night, however, the discussion got much more serious – relationships, therapy, spending a month in Bali, a little politics (although I've learned to keep my mouth shut in this arena. Living in the Bay Area for four years taught me a lot about trying to discuss anything political with people of other beliefs.) Nick was there so we got a man's perspective on certain issues. We need more men in the group – it's a nice balance to have a guy show up. Plus he spends way more on yarn than I do, so I start to feel frugal when he's around. He just spent $22 a skein on custom dyed suede to make belts. Not only that, he had to commit to buying 10 skeins! I will admit the belts look very cool.
Ten hours of knitting in all for me. Whew. I was exhausted by the end. I'm not usually so pleasant when I haven't had a nap. By ten I felt like I was going to fall over. I got home and realized my feet had swollen up like Polish Sausage – I guess from sitting up all day? I propped them right up on the couch where they belong and opened my pint of Chubby Hubby ice cream that Joe bought me at the store.
Pictures are below - I'll post Madeline's poncho progress tomorrow.
I had a great time walking around and meeting people. Janet, who has been knitting for 65 years and didn't look a day over 50, spins, dyes and knits with her own yarn. She has 3 tons of wool at home if anyone wants to learn to knit. (Three tons of wool? What does that even look like? And Joe thinks I have too much yarn.) Her intarsia was phenomenal. Another woman came with tons of hats and purses made out of eyelash yarn (you'll see a picture of her with Annette modeling one of her creations). And then someone who was knitting lacy mohair shawls. AND, one girl completed an entire mitten while we sat there. An entire mitten.
Over the course of the day people came and went. I was there for six hours and could hardly leave because I was still talking to people. Guido and Lucca beckoned, however, and I had to feed them before the evening knit-out began. I hardly got anything done during the day I spent so much time telling people about our group, chatting with the people I already know, hearing about Jessica Knits and how fabulous is it. Both Becky and Shannon went there and have nothing but rave reviews. I can't wait to go. I've got to start working again after this baby gets here so I can have some yarn money.
I was worried that knitting all day would make my hands tired, but instead my throat was hoarse from all the talking. I did not finish a single thing as expected, but I did have a great time. And I learned that if you forget to do a yarn-over going one direction, you can pick it up by doing the same thing as a Make One going the other direction. Jen figured this out for me, brilliant knitter that she is.
At night we met in a small historic house in the Roosevelt District. We were there participating in First Friday, which is an art tour put on by Art Link. So people were wandering the streets and galleries and stopping by to see what we were up to. It was like a mini art show – our members brought things they had made to show off and we all sat around and knit. I did get more done at night, and finished one panel of Madeline's poncho.
Kathy Murillo from the AZ Republic asked me the other day what we talk about at knitting. I didn't really know, so I paid special attention yesterday to see what we really talk about. During the day, and when there were a lot of new people, we talked a lot about yarn and projects. Illana brought a new book she got as a birthday gift (happy birthday by they way! She turned 23 yesterday.) At night, however, the discussion got much more serious – relationships, therapy, spending a month in Bali, a little politics (although I've learned to keep my mouth shut in this arena. Living in the Bay Area for four years taught me a lot about trying to discuss anything political with people of other beliefs.) Nick was there so we got a man's perspective on certain issues. We need more men in the group – it's a nice balance to have a guy show up. Plus he spends way more on yarn than I do, so I start to feel frugal when he's around. He just spent $22 a skein on custom dyed suede to make belts. Not only that, he had to commit to buying 10 skeins! I will admit the belts look very cool.
Ten hours of knitting in all for me. Whew. I was exhausted by the end. I'm not usually so pleasant when I haven't had a nap. By ten I felt like I was going to fall over. I got home and realized my feet had swollen up like Polish Sausage – I guess from sitting up all day? I propped them right up on the couch where they belong and opened my pint of Chubby Hubby ice cream that Joe bought me at the store.
Pictures are below - I'll post Madeline's poncho progress tomorrow.
posted by Jack and Nicholas at 9:39 AM
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