The Walls of Jericho

It appears that I've been ignoring you. But it only appears that way. Rest assured you have been on my mind. I have been busy knitting up a small storm. These are some of the things that have come off the needles recently. Yes, just some, there are one or two (maybe three) things that are not here.

The fabulous Melissa arranged for our group to go to Close Knit - a LYS in Evanston and we were there for a few hours. It is a small shop - the smallest we've frequented but the owner, Lucy, was great. She went around the table helping the folks who needed help with their projects. We've already got another date to go back there.

Two things I discovered:

I need to add another exception to the yarn moratorium. The first reason, you recall, is when I need to get filler yarn to complete a project. The second reason is when a shop owner does a very nice thing like host a group of knitters in her shop and keeps the shop open a little longer - including the cash register for people to make their purchases - we should, indeed, make a purchase. After all, when we meet at Borders and Tamale Hut Cafe, I ask people to make a purchase there so we just aren't taking up space. The same holds true for LYS, especially since when we are being hosted we take up a lot of room other customers could occupy. Which explains the three balls of yarn I purchased yesterday.

Second, there are two things some LYS do that really bugs me: a very small clearance sale stock (which the store yesterday had but it's understandable there because the shop is very small, but there are others that just have a small basket in a big ass shop- c'mon now.) AND those shops that refuse to wind sale items. As if my purchasing the yarn they put on sale is somehow insulting and not in need of winding. They put it on sale for whatever reason they wanted - wind the damn thing up. (That was not an issue yesterday. My skeins are ready to go.)

Melissa asked if I was ready to go for the show the first week of December and I said I thought I was. She asked how many afghans I had ready and I said six, but I think I have five. She wanted to know how many items I had. i said about 40. I was much better than last year when I had more than double that amount because I wanted to make sure we had stock. This year, we don't have as many artists contributing so of course, I have less. I also noted that yesterday marked the two week blitz but this afternoon no blitz has started. I do have an afghan square on the needles - Beth attended yesterday and brought me squares she's been holding on to for a couple of years when she attended the Sit and Knit!! A great start to 2011!

I may be able to knock the monochrome afghan out by the time the show rolls around but I'm not in a rush....

Is this calm attitude worrying anyone else but me?

I'll Try Something New

I spent the weekend with the fabulous Melissa and the wonderful April - though not at the same time. StitchCraft met on Friday and April was there along with the terrific Vicki and Debbie and Nicki (a twelve year old who sat and read and wasn't at all interested in the knitting. But can't fault a girl who loves her books - and we were in Border's after all.)

April asked if I was going to the knit out that would be happening the next day at the Oak Park Women's Exchange. I didn't know there was a knit out so the next morning, I joined her there. It was a small group but we spent three hours knitting to raise awareness for Project Linus. We met Sharon and her daughter Rachel and granddaughter (I don't know that I learned her name) Mary and Gloria who also came to knit out. It gave me the idea to team up with Sharon for our Sit and Knit and Pleasant Home next year because Sharon said the blankets produced here stay local and there are other local charities where Project Linus donates. We would be more successful if we partnered up so that sounds like a plan.

Last Sunday Melissa and I decided to go to a LYS closer to her and yesterday we met at The Woolly Lamb - which oddly enough is very close to my house. Though I missed the turnoff and went well out of my way but the kind folk at the shop told Melissa who then told me how to get back on track. Turns out, it's less than 15 minutes from Casa Honey. (Just what Mr. Honey desires - less than 20 minutes from the house is a Joann, a Micheal's and a LYS.)

There were, what seemed to be, a regular group that meets there because they were all just talking away and knew each others names but they were all very friendly. Melissa and I were in the back room and they told us to join them in the front. They were very friendly with their advice and praise (and let me tell you, there are some expert knitters there.) The store really felt like a big living room (complete with a comfy sofa.)

They were part of the yarn crawl but we really missed that one! The selection is smaller in both brand and quantity than our other haunts but the atmosphere is by far the best and the store front is across from a park and they have benches outside their store so it would be a great place for a knit out as well. Believe it or not, I didn't buy a thing. Melissa and I had a long discussion on why I can't buy any more yarn and then she proceeded to show me some yarn at 30% off. Pusher.

They invited us back and we will go back there because it's so nice and I will certainly tell everyone else about it.

I love the company of women. I especially love the company of April, Melissa and Vicki - guaranteed laughs and good times and tree pals who listen and don't judge. Another perk of knitting groups - you knit hearts as well as fiber.

Fun weekend.Thanks, girls!