Monthly Archives: May 2010

Linda’s house – May 27, 2010

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The Castoffs met at Linda’s house where we laughed, talked, ate, knitted and discussed plans for the summer.  Linda baked us the most delicious ham and cheese pinwheels.  Yummm!  We were also treated to fruit and nuts, tea and wine.  Thank you for being such a wonderful hostess, Linda.

Yummy treats!

First things first...FOOD

After the edge had been taken off our hunger, we actually started knitting.  Leslie had a boo-boo on the edge of her final scarf that displeased her, so, to our amazement and horror, she started ripping it out!  Such violence!

Scarf with offending bulge on side (nope, I couldn't see it either)

Ripping and unravelling

Leslie spent a great deal of her time on the floor working on the ripping, but she was satisfied with the result.  Maybe next week we’ll see all seven scarves together?

Francy was out of town, but she sent me a photo of the completed hoodie sweater for her daughter-in-law.  It turned out wonderfully and I wanted to share it with you all.

Great job, Francy!

Linda completed unravelling the fringe on Carol’s scarf and it looks great.  All that anxiety that we felt about her (gasp) cutting the yarn was for nothing.  Wow.

Beautiful fringe! Beautiful scarf!

We were all mightily impressed with this pattern and Linda’s work on it.  Here is a closeup of the fringe.

Fringe, fringe, fringe

Marylane is almost finished with her knitted (some of them felted) bracelets for the female members of her family who will be here for a reunion in July.  The bracelets are so colorful with their beads.  Lucky women!

That's a whole lotta I-cords!

Getting to the end. Love this bead!

Deb and I mostly talked about hikes that we had done and hikes that we want to go on this summer.  I think I knitted one row of my afghan – too busy talking, but at least I remembered the pattern this week.  Deb is working on a scarf for her daughter who lives and goes to school in North Carolina.

Dreaming of Carolina

Mary, Mary.  I looked over and Mary had emptied out her entire knitting bag onto her lap.  Geez, Mary, perhaps some organization is in order?

"I know it's in here someplace..."

"Oh! Here it is!"

One little stich counter was the lost item.  When we razzed Mary about getting organized, Linda showed us a nifty needle holder – looks like a pasta holder, doesn’t it?

Noodle/needle holder

Once we finished with the product marketing portion of the meeting, we talked some more about summer plans.  Several of us work in the school district and are REALLY looking forward to school being out in two weeks.  I mean, REAALLLY, looking forward to it.  Right?  When school is out, Michele will finish knitting her bathroom curtain and Leslie will get her little girl married off.  Marylane will have her reunion and Deb will vacation with her family in the Carolinas.  Mary will enjoy a visit from her daughter who lives in Italy and Linda will continue to try to sell her house.  I will look forward to documenting all the fun and changes that we will all go through.

Michele's curtain is comin' along nicely!

Marylane sent me the recipe for the delicious rhubarb pie that we had last week at her house and I promised to post it.  Here it it:

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

2 cups rhubarb

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

2 eggs

Cut rhubarb into small pieces.  Beat eggs, add sugar and flour.  Combine with rhubarb.  Put into uncooked pie shell.  Spread crumb topping evenly on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

CRUMB TOPPING

1/2 c. flour

6 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 c. butter

We will meet at Deb’s house next week.  Sure hope the rain has stopped by then!  In the meantime, organize your stuff and keep on knitting!

Marylane’s house – May 20, 2010

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We met at Marylane’s house on a cool, rainy day.  Once we all had wine, or tea, and knitting in hand, life was much better.   We got so involved in our knitting and talk that we completely forgot the rhubarb pie that Marylane made.  But we recovered our senses and ate some.  Yum.

Michele brought the afghan that Francy had backed with flannel and was tying through all layers.  Almost finished!  And it’s really warm.  Some lucky senior will welcome that warmth in the nursing home next winter.

Last touches on the afghan

While Michele was working on the afghan, I knitted a row on her bathroom curtain because I left the instructions for MY afghan at home.  Duh.  Working with linen thread was different and unforgiving – not stretchy like yarn that I’ve used before.    After she finished the afghan, Michele snuggled underneath it and took back her own knitting.

A perfect picture of knitting

Francy brought her hooded sweater that is almost finished.  She’s working on the hood’s band.

Great lookin' sweater

Marylane is knitting more bracelets for her family reunion this summer.  She has decorated them with beautiful beads that are made locally.

Marylane's beads and yarn for bracelets

Marylane let me choose some beads to decorate either hats or bracelets.  Uh-oh, one more project to look forward to.  Now, how many does that make…?

Leslie is working on the final ‘thick & thin’ bridesmaid scarf.  We are all wondering what she will premiere next.  It’s been a long time since she’s knitted another project.  Can’t wait.

I sense a sense of accomplishment from Leslie

Mary was diligently knitting her polar bear scarf, but I’m afraid that the field of unrelieved white garter stitch is getting to her.

Don't do it, Mary! Death by knitting needle is way too messy!

Linda was working on a scarf that has wonderful fringe, but she had to CUT the yarn to unravel the fringe.  Yikes!  We all held our collective breath while the dreaded scissors came out.  It was a frightening moment, but Linda valiantly continued and voila!  Fringe!

Magic fringe appearing from cut yarn

I can’t wait to see the completed scarf.  Also, I think we are in for a treat from Leslie.  She might bring ALL of the bridesmaid scarves.

Deb and I goofed around because we didn’t have our knitting.  We enjoyed the conversation, the wine, the rhubarb pie and the presence of our friends.  Next week we will meet at Linda’s house.  In the meantime, keep those scissors away from your yarn!  Unless the pattern demands it, of course.  Keep knittin’!

Leslie’s house – May 13, 2010

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On a warm sunny day, the Castoffs met at Leslie’s house and enjoyed our first deck seating of the summer.  Here’s to many more!  We were delighted to have a fashion show by Leslie showing us her possible choices for ‘mother-of-the-bride’ outfits for her daughter Sienna’s wedding in July.

Dressy dress with jacket

I personally loved this look!

This IS Leslie and, I think, her favorite. Imagine colorful necklace.

There was one other  choice, but the photo was not very flattering – besides, it was our least favorite option.  We are anxious to hear which one Leslie chooses.  We love her in all of them!

Leslie, by the way, is knitting the FINAL ‘thick and thin’ scarf for the bridesmaids.  Perhaps next week we’ll see them all together?  Whadya say, Les?

Marx Brother? Nope, these scarves have just driven Leslie around the bend.

Francy was about to knit the button band on her hoodie sweater.  She showed us the seam (or non-seam) made by a three needle bindoff.  It was perfect and perfectly beautiful.

3 needle bindoff - a perfect join

We gave her our opinions about the button band which goes all the way around both sides and the hood.  One piece – pick it all up.  Can’t wait to see the end result.  Francy is also knitting a dishcloth – it’s always good to do something easy when you get tired of concentrating on something difficult.

Ahh, a relaxing dishcloth

Linda came in and told us that she had moved back from Denver for the summer.  Yay!  We’re glad to have Linda’s knitting projects to look at all summer.  She is knitting a scarf/shawl for Carol for her graduation and the pattern calls for cutting part of the edge to make fringe.  Gulp.  Scissors and knitting don’t sound natural, but she swears that it should turn out okay.

Oh, sure. Just cut the edge of your precious knitted garment. Iiieee!

Linda also brought some fingerless gloves that she and Francy played with for a while.

I think these are longer than the ones I made. I might have to knit some more.

Marylane knitted a great hat and attached femo beads.  Very fetching, Marylane.  I mistakenly referred to them as phyllo beads until the baker in the group, Lisa, corrected me.  Oops.  Guess you can tell who doesn’t make pastry.

Pretty beads, but don't eat them.

Marylane is also still working on the baby hat in that striking fuchsia color.

Better get crackin', Marylane.

Michele brought the almost-finished afghan that her class knit.   Francy is going to sew the backing onto it and I know that it will brighten some elderly lady’s room in the nursing home.

Wow. So bright ya gotta wear shades!

Now Michele is back to knitting her mohair sweater with big ribbing about the bottom.  Beautiful pattern and yarn.

Big ribs on the bottom

Julie was all smiles because she leaves on a family vacation soon.  She may or may not take her knitting with her.  What do You think?

Goin' to Wisconsin

I’m starting my afghan for my sister-in-law.  Amazingly, the yarn that everyone hated in the skein doesn’t look so poopy on the needles.  I might end up liking it which is probably a good idea, since I’ll be looking at it for a couple of months.

Marsha's afghan - good thing it's summer

Leslie served us wine and tea and great pineapple chunks and some little muffin thingies called Aussie Bites.  I loved these – and they’re healthy for you, too!  Lots of nuts, seeds and fruit.

The dingo ate the Aussie Bite!

Mary was stitchin’ and bitchin’ about the polar bear scarf.  Now she wants to put it away for the summer because it’s BORING.  Geez, Mary, by the time you finish that thing, polar bears will be extinct!

Token two rows on the polar bear. Marylane can't look at it anymore - neither can Mary!

Next week, we will meet at Marylane’s house after we shamelessly talked her into hosting and ditching the district retirement party.  Oh, she likes us better anyway, right?

A couple of days after the meeting, Marylane, Mary, Marsha and Linda met up at a brunch for Carol in honor of her graduation from college with her degree and teaching certification.  It was a lovely day, full of loving friends and relatives.  We are so proud  of Carol and know that she will be a great teacher.

The graduate plus knitters

See you at Marylane’s on Thursday.  I’ll leave you with a great sign from Leslie’s deck that brought back fond memories of Julie’s youth.  “Ah, Blatz beer.  $2.50 a case and that’s what you did the next morning.  BLATZ!”  Thanks for the visual, Jules.  Have a great vacation!  Keep on knitting!

Could there be a more descriptive name?

Marsha’s house – May 6, 2010

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The Castoffs met at my house this week and my son Eli outdid himself in providing treats for us.  He made shortbread cookies that were out of this world (and into our mouths) and a lemon dip to go with them and with slices of melon, strawberries and  kiwi.  Yummm.  Thanks Eli!

Yum.

We were all busily at work on our interesting and engrossing projects.  Francy was stitching together her beautiful sweater for her daughter-in-law.  We were all in love with the pattern and with the perfect seams that Francy made to hold it all together.

Leslie is admiring Francy's beautiful hoodie sweater

Leslie was hard at work on bridesmaid scarf #6.  Only one more to go.  She was wondering if she would remember how to knit any other stitch when all the scarves are finished.  She’s been working on them for a long, long time.  I can’t wait to take a photo of all seven scarves together.

Can there be life after 'thick and thin'?

Julie is working on a shawl that is coming along very nicely.  She is going to add fringe to it once it is finished.  I like it.  We talked about heart-shaped dishcloths so I loaned her a few that I knit for my sis last year.  You know, those were fun to knit.

Shawl - pretty yarn, eh?

Marylane is starting on a baby hat in a great fuchsia color.  Tiny little beginning.  I don’t know anyone with a baby.  But two of our Castoffs soon will!

How to join yarn into a round? Just keep knitting, Marylane.

Speaking of one prospective grandma, Carol couldn’t make it today, but she is receiving her degree and teaching certificate next week.  We all admire you so much, Carol, for going back to school and fulfilling your dream of being a teacher.  You’re going to be a great one!

Mary was getting tired of her polar bear scarf – “It’s just knit, knit, knit, white, white, white.  Boring!”  But we finally persuaded her to get back to it…after she threw a tiny little tantrum…

Careful! Your face could freeze that way, Mary!

Ah, there's our sweet little Mary

She really doesn’t have far to go.  Kind of like me and that damn sock.  I am gradually getting it done and trying not to think about the OTHER one that I have to do to match it.  {Fume}  Maybe I’ll just stop here and use this one as a holder for my cell phone.  Knitting a dishcloth is sounding better and better.

The cable pattern on the top IS pretty

Michele is still stitching together her afghan and trying to decide on a backing for it.  She and Francy talked it over and came to a decision.  I hope we’ll get to see the finished product next week.

Sometimes it's hard to concentrate at a Castoffs meeting

Michele was wearing a great boucle sweater that she made last year.  I’d almost forgotten how pretty it is!  Sometimes we make mistakes at the Castoffs meeting because it’s hard to concentrate with all the talking and eating and drinking.  Michele discovered that she had put a row of squares on backwards.  Grrrr.  She and Leslie had to have a long look.

Maybe the optical illusion will make the mistake invisible?

I’m sure that by next week all will be well.  We will meet at Leslie’s house and ***special treat*** Leslie will give us a fashion show of the mother-of-the-bride choices that she wants our opinions on.  Really?  She wants OUR opinions?  We are flattered and confused.  Anyway, we look forward to the show.  In the meantime, keep those needles moving and have a great week!

Michele’s house – April 29, 2010

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The Castoffs met at Michele’s house on a cloudy, drizzly day, but the CAKE that Michele served us made coming out in the weather all worth while.  Poppy seed cake with lemon cream cheese icing with more poppy seeds in it than I’ve ever tasted.  After the first bite, almost everyone said, “Don’t take a drug test tomorrow!”  As if the Castoffs, bastions of respectability, would ever worry about a drug test.  Ha.  We laugh in the face of authority.

Francy knitted a darling pumpkin hat for her little grandbaby that’s due in the fall.  So cute…it’s hard to find something on which to display an infant sized hat, but we did manage.

Little punkin head

Our other grandma-to-be, Carol, was working away on a blanket for her granddaughter.  We all really liked the pattern.

Baby basketweave

Carol showed us the other blanket that she’s making for her grandson.  It’s coming right along.  Confusing for her to know which one to work on first!

Busy granny

Along the same pattern lines, Marylane is creating a dishcloth using the ballband pattern, similar to Carol’s blue baby blanket.

For a teensy weensy clothespin baby

I think we’ve all used this pattern at one time or another because it’s fun to knit and it’s practical as well as pretty.  Makes a thicker washcloth AND baby blanket.

Michele’s kids at school have finished knitting the blocks for their afghan to be donated to a senior at the nursing home, and it’s time to connect the dots (so to speak).  Michele laid out the blocks and they made a pretty pattern.  Francy helped her begin to sew them to gether.  This is going to make a very personal gift for someone.  Good job, kids!  And good for you, Michele, for teaching your kids a skill as well as a project to help someone else.

The blocks laid out on Michele's oriental rug

Closeup of the afghan blocks...psychedelic!

Francy and Michele putting the blocks together

Mary was still working on her polar bear scarf, but she showed us the yarn for her next project and seemed pretty excited about it.  Knit faster, Mary!

Project in the chute

I think it’s a dishcloth…to be.  We all have projects in the ‘chute’ that we start dreaming about before we know when we’ll be able to start them.  I have patterns and yarn for at least three other projects, even though I’m still working on two projects now.  One is my boucle sweater and the other is my ‘magic loop’ socks.

No magic for me in the 'magic loop'

I did successfully turn the heel

I’m not overly crazy about this method, but I might like it better on the next sock.  I’ll push on, dreaming of my next projects.

Julie, you scamp!  You got away before I photographed you!  And you didn’t even bring your knitting today.  For shame.  Next week we’ll be meeting at Marsha’s house.  I was hoping that we could use the deck, but I’m a real dreamer, huh?  The forecast calls for rain and clouds…again.  Ahh, springtime in Montana.  At least it’s not snow!  Keep those needles moving, Castoffs, and I’ll see you on Thursday.