On why having a Stitch N Bitch group rocks

Thank you so much to those who commented on my blanket dilemma. Since I have no choice in the yarn (the store manager gives me yarn and says "create something to showcase this"), I just need to find something that somehow keeps it from looking all fugly. I didn't want to have to do this, but I think I'll be bringing out my hooks. It seems that this yarn wants to be crocheted, not knit. Maybe even a simple double crochet back and forth? I might die from boredom, but it'd probably look better. The thing is, I wanted to stay away from crochet with this yarn since it's a boucle, and I really like to be able to see every stitch so that I can count and keep track of where I am and such. This could end up quite wonky. I may not work on it any more though until after my Sockapalooza socks are done. They are taking first priorety right now!

My childhood friend, Sarcy, came for a visit last two weekends ago. Before she got here she'd left me a comment on this blog, saying jokingly, "I wonder if you'll teach me to knit while I'm there?". I knew this was spoken in jest, so I wasn't standing ready with needles and yarn in hand when I picked her up at the airport. (Well actually I was, but it was a project I was working on, not for teaching.) =) We had a wonderful visit, and I never asked about giving her a Knitting Lesson. Then I asked her if she'd like to go with my sister and I to the Stitch N Bitch group that happened to be going on one of the nights during her stay. She agreed, and then said "well, if I'm going to go to a knitting group, I might as well learn how to knit". Her words could not have been sweeter.

I grabbed some needles and some wool and cast on for her. After about a half-hour, she was producing fabric enviable of some people who've been knitting...well, at least for a few months. Now, I knew that Sarcy was smart and adaptable and skillful with her hands, but dare I say it? Do we have a born knitter on our hands here?

Here she is, at right, with my sister at our SnB:

I wish that I'd taken a closer picture of the piece she was knitting. It was that good. I sent her home with plastic circulars and my Stitch N Bitch book so that she could knit in flight, and by the time she got home, she had learned to cast on and off! (I'm busting at the seams with pride, as though I am responsible for the sucess of her intelligence, and am starting to sound like a new momma, so I'll stop now.)

In the left bottom corner you may notice a knitted babe. That little beauty was knit by my sister Joy, who in that photo was knitting the tiny lacy undies.

Here's some more pics of our lovely little group:


(Before you ask, yes, my eyes were closed in this picture, but it's the best one I had. In all the others, I looked genuinely demented.)


On the left is the Laura I spoke of yesterday:


I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to meet with other ladies who share my passion for yarn. We are all of different skill levels, from all different walks of life, and from different generations, yet we're able to talk late into the night, brought together by the fiber in our lives. I always hate to leave, and as soon as one has past I am looking forward to the next.

If you don't have one in your area, start one! If you need some suggestions to get it kicking, drop me a note and I'll help you out with some ideas that have worked for me.