He said he made a graveyard

The Sunday after SAFF, a lot of us played hooky from the knitting group from shear, I mean sheer, exhaustion. The Sunday after that, last week, the men in my family lost their minds for a few days and my mother meddled madly. I understand that the planet Mars was doing something wonky along about then, and lots of us women found our men-folk a bit odd. True or not, let’s just go ahead and blame Mars, shall we? So I didn’t make it to that knit-together either.
So yeah, by the time yesterday rolled around, I was in dire need of some fiber therapy and the company of sane women! I brought a scarf I’m knitting for a gift and my alpaca to spin on the spindle. And I bought a book, ‘cause it’s just been that kind of week. A two-bags-of-candybars kind of week. I finally got my own copy of Cookie’s Sock Innovation. Maybe tonight I’ll curl up with some hot chocolate and that book.

Don’t these folks look great together? And a couple of strangers, one of which was knitting, were spotted on the other side of the café. Introductions were made, of course, along with invites to join us anytime. And yet another lady introduced herself to us, approaching ‘cause she’d heard of our group and was curious. She was just shopping though, at that moment, and didn’t have her knitting with her. I’m so proud of and honored by our group – did you know we’re three years old now?
Three years ago, I taught a one-afternoon beginners workshop there in that café, to about 10 folks. Eight went away as new knitters. Of the other two, one was blind and the other a child of about 8 or 10 years old, but they almost got it too. What? I’m just sayin’. Didn’t realize until later that the young newlywed couple were very new – on their honeymoon to be exact! That would be Daphne and Jason. Jason rarely knits anymore, but is always playing with a new crafty thing. When I sat down yesterday and asked them how they were doing, he responded, “I made a graveyard last night!” It involved old beer empties, I dunno.
Anyhoo, they didn’t want to stop knitting. Together. In that café. Ever. And we’ve grown in leaps and bounds and have knitted together for three years now. We keep up with our longevity by asking Daphne and Jason how long they’ve been married. Daphne has a very snuggley-looking, worsted weight, lace wrap nearly done. Jason’s mom, Angelika, was knitting another dishcloth, and this one looks too pretty to use!
Raeus was wearing her finished shrug and has begun a lace-weight wrap with some of her SAFF haul. Kim came back to us for some knitting, and has a holiday gift on her needles. Dunno if I should declare it here, so I won’t. Speaking of Kims, Kimberly also joined us today. My given name is Kim, so it was a Knitting Kims kinda afternoon.
Barbara started another duck to stuff – have you seen the photo of her first one, on Sandy’s blog? And Caitlyn worked some more on her Clapotis, this time with that excel chart in hand. Anastasia is on sock #2 of that pair she’s learning on, but took a break from it to cast on for her second project ever – a lace cardigan. What’s with us and lace lately? I’ve got the FLS and two lacey sock patterns going my own self.

Mary Beth declared her star illusion blanket done. See, no stars.

But when you tilt it to change your point of view, the stars emerge. Nifty huh? Debra is about half way through the alien scarf that started this illusion knitting craze.

Apparently the yarn store over in Maryville, the Knitting Nest, was having a sale, so Carol opted to help out with that. And I had missed Pat, when I came in kinda late, as she had knitted her bit and then dashed off to shop. Wonder if she went to the sale?
Brook’s Icarus shawl saw the last few rows of chart #2 done yesterday, and she’s shopping for some sort of toy that caused the following phrase to waft towards my end of the tables, “ . . . hamsters you turn on.” I almost didn’t ask what that was about, ‘cause it was just so funny by itself.
Okay, a lot of our humor is the sort for which you just would’ve had to be there. Like when that same end of the table somehow got to talking about Mumps progressing enough to involve genitalia. Yeah, the expression that flowed from that was, “mumps on bumps,” which was very nearly the title of this blog entry!
Several of us were knitting holiday gifts (how many more knitting days until Christmas?) and the beginning murmurs of having our own holiday party were heard. Yup, I reckon the season has begun.
Something I was there in time to see was Oliver’s secret talent – check him out!