World Wide Knit in Public Day (Week?!?!)

WWKIP day (which I've recently discovered has since expanded into a week) was this past Saturday.   The knitting ladies and I usually spend it in Bryant Park at Knitty City's annual celebration.

Gertrude Stein is nice and toasty on a warm June day.

There are usually over 30 knitters that turn out and sometimes there's even live entertainment and snacks.  Last year there was a great turnout.

We even had our own designated table and a hand made sign.  Pearl from Knitty City makes all fiber crafters feel like old friends.  That's why I think Knitty City is the best yarn store in the world.

Our table sign.

We are the Astoria Knitting ladies. (And we really like our sunglasses.)

This year, however, we had to miss the Knitty City gathering to attend a different more awesome event: Brandy's bridal shower!  She's getting married in September and her family and friends got together to celebrate.  We're super happy for her and her groom.

Brandy in her ribbon bonnet.

And there was, of course, still knitting in public that day.  You can't keep a good (obsessed, whatever!) knitter down.  There were three shawls, a sweater, and a blanket all being worked on while Brandy opened presents.  We heard a lot of' "I should have brought my knitting (crochet, etc.)" as people passed our table, but my favorite was "Oh! You really ARE the knitting group!"  

Yes, yes we are,

Joyce

P.S. Brandy isn't the only lady in our group that's getting married this year.  (I'd worry that it's contagious except I've been married quite a while now.  Which means I'm a carrier!) The other one, however, is getting married on Rhinebeck weekend.  Luckily Rhinebeck is two days, so we don't have to make any awkward decisions. (Who am I kidding? We wouldn't dream of missing her wedding!  But maybe I should distribute a calendar of important knitting dates next year.)

Gifts and Relaxation

This past week, the knitting group had it's biannual white elephant gift exchange.  The gifts are knitting based (what else would you expect from a knitting group).  It can be yarn, notions, project bags, books, you name it. Stitch markers and pretty project bags are particularly coveted and fought over in the fray.  During the gift exchange, stealing gifts from others is not only condoned, it's encouraged.  But everyone goes home with a gift and usually everyone goes home happy.

I managed to get (I stole it from Lana after the gift I opened was stolen from me) a great gift of beautiful blue Mad Tosh sport weight in Lapis. (which is the reason I stole it because GiGi loves that color), a project bag with sheep on it (so cute! It's from Blue Tulips' Etsy Shop), and some adorable Lantern Moon crocheted sheep stitch markers.

On top of a great gift exchange, Hubbie and I got to spend the weekend at his sister Kerri's house in Pennsylvania.  "The Hotel" (Did I mention that her place is huge?) is a great place to relax and knit (and read papers and write dissertation chapters).  We spent a lot of time in front of the fire reading and knitting. (Well, I knit, Hubbie's not so fond of it.  I've decided to let this one slide.)

I've been working on Stephen West's Pogona for the past few days.  I wanted to knit with some lovely Tosh Merino Light (Rhubarb colorway) I got in November.  Pogona is a simple design that works well with highly variagated yarn.

When I get tired the stockinette shawlette, I switch to the monster lace project that I've been alternately knitting on and avoiding for the past few months (in Jaggerspun Zephyr in Garnet).  This relationship is likely to continue for quite some time because this is just the test knit.  The full size shawl will be circular.  I'll keep you posted.

Winnie got to spend some time with his Weimaraner cousin Bella. They played, ate, went on lots of walks, and then finally crashed.  They sure do love the fireplace!

Such a tough life they lead,
Joyce

Stitch-N-Pitch

Stitch N Pitch NYC took place recently and I got to go with the ladies from my knitting group.

We got to watch the Mets play the Nationals and, sadly, lose. 

But the knitting was great.  We geared up before hand by knitting yarn bombing squares. 

The knitters were allowed to yarn bomb our section of the stadium this year. 

Knitty City coordinated the efforts and my knitting group was assigned two garbage cans.  I think we did a great job. (Sadly, mine squares were attached at the back of the can by the wall.)

The people from Warm Up America were there giving out yarn and needles for knitting blanket squares (which are really rectangles, but let’s not get into that again). 

By the end of the night we had enough squares for a small blanket.  (Which then became enough squares for a large blanket because people kept giving us squares.  Did I mention that awesomely weird things happen when I’m with the knitting group?)

But my favorite part of the night by far was the cowbell man.  He rang a cowbell during the game to get the fans to cheering.  I, of course, thought of Christopher Walken the whole time.

More Cowbell!
Joyce

My knitting history: a story of crochet gone awry and bullet points

1. I started knitting in February of 2007. I was originally a crocheter, but made the mistake of crocheting a king-size afghan in 4-inch granny squares. Crochet and I weren't friends after that. We've only recently started being civil to each other again.

2. I learned how to knit from a tutorial offered by Lion Brand, but probably wouldn't have thought to try it if had it not been for Elle.

3. I knit my first shawl in September of 2007. It was the Easy Triangle Shawl from Lion Brand and was in Lion Brand Homespun. And thus the obsession starts.  I'd knit four variations of that shawl by the time the dust settled.

4. I continue to be encouraged in my knitting by the wonderful women in my knitting group. They are intelligent, strong women and I'm glad that I know them (and not just because we are sharing a house at Rhinebeck this year).

5. I started designing in June 2009 because I lost interest in the shawl I was knitting and decided to put a different edging on it. That was all it took. The bug bit me and things haven't been the same since.

And don't get me started talking about the wonders of yarn,
Joyce

Rhinebeck

We're just past the halfway point until this year's New York State Sheep and Wool Festival!  It's held in Rhinebeck, NY and is two days of yummy fibery goodness.

Last year the ladies in my knitting group rented a house and we stayed there for the two days of the festival.   It was amazing and quite convenient.  We have plans to do it again this year. 

I can't wait!
Joyce

Until then, enjoy some of the sights from Rhinebeck, 2010.