World Wide Knit In Public Day at the Nevada County Library
Our guild, Foothill Fibers, uses the meeting from at the Madelyn Helling Library in Nevada City on the second Saturday of each month for "Spinning Saturday", a casual gathering for working, sharing, learning, talking and laughing, so some of the movers and shakers got pretty excited to learn a few weeks ago that this coincided with World Wide Knit In Public Day. They got permission for us to start early, at 10 AM, and to be outdoors near the main entrance, doing just that.
Then there was the t-shirt - someone discovered that there were shirts available and that we could get "Nevada County" added to the list and get them (or tote bags). While picking up a latte at one of the best local bakeries, I came out of the bathroom to find Beryl waiting in line; we were both wearing our shirts, but SHE had thought to color her design with fabric markers! Guess what's next on my list to do ...
When I arrived, several knitters were already set up and going at it, along with a few rebel spinners (hey, yarn has to come from somewhere). A canopy was in place to keep us shaded and we kept at our knitting until noon, when those staying for the afternoon adjourned to the usual meeting room.
Ginger working on a sample scarf, Sara finishing up her Fir Cone Shawl (from Folk Shawls) in a silk/wool blend, and another member whose name I have forgotten, using my favorite shade of aqua for a lacy summer top (and wearing a lacy linen vest I really envied).
Two other members, a mother and daughter, were making washcloths for our upcoming exchange at the annual picnic at the end of June (weavers are making hand-towels while us non-weavers are knitting). Another was starting a great winter cardigan from her own handspun, while yet another was sewing up a sample short-sleeved sweater for one of our LYSs to display.
Sue knitting a sock from her handspun yarn. Just out of view to the left, Jan is spinning already-dyed fleece for an upcoming guild project. Most of the members are weavers as well as spinners and knitters. The conversation amongst us and with curious library-goers was fun and stimulating and we even met a man who "knew the lingo", punning from the knitting and weaving vocabulary. Turned out that he had learned to weave in the round at one point, and could knit as well, but considered knitting too stressful - give me input here, men that knit! Some of you must find it as relaxing as I do....
I spent most of my time working on one of two pair of socks I have started using my "new to me" method of two circulars. Yesterday I ripped out DH's ragg wool one, as the gauge was too loose. I had been told that most people knit tighter using this method, but I have been using circs almost exclusively for something like 15 years now, and knit with looser tension than most. In spite of that "bump in the road", I am totally excited about using circs, and started a different pair with Plymouth Sockotta, improvising with a wooden size 1 and a composite... both 29 inches long, which is too much, and both shall remain nameless as the joins on both were total pains. I made steady progess, and went to Meadowfarm Yarn Studio on the way home, bit the bullet and got two pair of Addi Turbos in size 1 AND in size 3 for DH's worsted socks.
While at the shop, I got into a fun and animated discussion with another customer and Eileen, a member of our guild who works and teaches at the shop, about making socks with circs (all of us new to this process), and about ways to store circular needles. In a moment of group inspiration, we agreed that using a CD case from the dollar store, the kind with plastic sleeves to slide the CDs in and a zipper around the outside, would be ideal.... someone will write and tell me that they have known about this for years, but maybe its the hundredth knitting monkey phenomenon.
Back at home:
My 100 year old cherry tree is completely loaded with fruit this year, and we are keeping an eye on it to try and get the fruit fully ripe but beat the birds to it.
I spent the rest of the afternoon at a bar-be-que for Erica, the daughter of my friend Donna, and the younger sister of DD Nikki's best friend, Jessica, through her high school years. Erica graduated today, and Nikki and DS Jesse joined me in celebrating. Jesse graduated from the same high school two years ago, and he and Erica have many friends in common, including one who was killed in an auto accident a few days before graduating, along with his younger brother. Erica was wearing a memorial t-shirt, and Jesse told me about his remembrances of this young man, a funny and loving person. Hug your kids extra-tight today, for me, and for the grieving parents of these two boys. Don't ever take anything for granted, and make all the time you can for your passions.
Then there was the t-shirt - someone discovered that there were shirts available and that we could get "Nevada County" added to the list and get them (or tote bags). While picking up a latte at one of the best local bakeries, I came out of the bathroom to find Beryl waiting in line; we were both wearing our shirts, but SHE had thought to color her design with fabric markers! Guess what's next on my list to do ...
When I arrived, several knitters were already set up and going at it, along with a few rebel spinners (hey, yarn has to come from somewhere). A canopy was in place to keep us shaded and we kept at our knitting until noon, when those staying for the afternoon adjourned to the usual meeting room.
Ginger working on a sample scarf, Sara finishing up her Fir Cone Shawl (from Folk Shawls) in a silk/wool blend, and another member whose name I have forgotten, using my favorite shade of aqua for a lacy summer top (and wearing a lacy linen vest I really envied).
Two other members, a mother and daughter, were making washcloths for our upcoming exchange at the annual picnic at the end of June (weavers are making hand-towels while us non-weavers are knitting). Another was starting a great winter cardigan from her own handspun, while yet another was sewing up a sample short-sleeved sweater for one of our LYSs to display.
Sue knitting a sock from her handspun yarn. Just out of view to the left, Jan is spinning already-dyed fleece for an upcoming guild project. Most of the members are weavers as well as spinners and knitters. The conversation amongst us and with curious library-goers was fun and stimulating and we even met a man who "knew the lingo", punning from the knitting and weaving vocabulary. Turned out that he had learned to weave in the round at one point, and could knit as well, but considered knitting too stressful - give me input here, men that knit! Some of you must find it as relaxing as I do....
I spent most of my time working on one of two pair of socks I have started using my "new to me" method of two circulars. Yesterday I ripped out DH's ragg wool one, as the gauge was too loose. I had been told that most people knit tighter using this method, but I have been using circs almost exclusively for something like 15 years now, and knit with looser tension than most. In spite of that "bump in the road", I am totally excited about using circs, and started a different pair with Plymouth Sockotta, improvising with a wooden size 1 and a composite... both 29 inches long, which is too much, and both shall remain nameless as the joins on both were total pains. I made steady progess, and went to Meadowfarm Yarn Studio on the way home, bit the bullet and got two pair of Addi Turbos in size 1 AND in size 3 for DH's worsted socks.
While at the shop, I got into a fun and animated discussion with another customer and Eileen, a member of our guild who works and teaches at the shop, about making socks with circs (all of us new to this process), and about ways to store circular needles. In a moment of group inspiration, we agreed that using a CD case from the dollar store, the kind with plastic sleeves to slide the CDs in and a zipper around the outside, would be ideal.... someone will write and tell me that they have known about this for years, but maybe its the hundredth knitting monkey phenomenon.
Back at home:
My 100 year old cherry tree is completely loaded with fruit this year, and we are keeping an eye on it to try and get the fruit fully ripe but beat the birds to it.
I spent the rest of the afternoon at a bar-be-que for Erica, the daughter of my friend Donna, and the younger sister of DD Nikki's best friend, Jessica, through her high school years. Erica graduated today, and Nikki and DS Jesse joined me in celebrating. Jesse graduated from the same high school two years ago, and he and Erica have many friends in common, including one who was killed in an auto accident a few days before graduating, along with his younger brother. Erica was wearing a memorial t-shirt, and Jesse told me about his remembrances of this young man, a funny and loving person. Hug your kids extra-tight today, for me, and for the grieving parents of these two boys. Don't ever take anything for granted, and make all the time you can for your passions.
posted by Birdsong | 8:39 PM
2 Comments:
I can' read your post...something is funky with the format :-(
From the pictures it looks like you had a great WWKIP day! Glad you guys had sun!
I knit in public on Sat in the pouring rain at a "fishing derby". Kids + Fish = free bikes. Anyhoo, thanks for the interview! Sorry about the loss, and two from one famly, so sad. Where's the pic of you knitting in public??
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