The day was perfect for knitting outdoors. We all gathered at Woodland Park and the meeting became a Baby-palooza! Mary’s daughter, Larissa, was there with Aurora. Francy’s daughter, Betsy, was there with daughter, Grace and son, Owen. Then Leslie came with her daughter Sienna and granddaughter Mira. Wow. That’s a lot of kiddies.

Knitters and babies and toddlers, oh my!

Baby Owen and Aurora played with Grace’s dolls, while Grace looked on.

They played together very well.

Owen was the happiest baby I think I’d ever seen. He loved everybody and visited all of us with a big smile on his face.

Mira was interested in Owen.

Michele finally got her hands on Owen.

Linda had to get in some practice. He’ll have a grandson to hold very soon!

We couldn’t believe how big Grace had grown! She’ll soon be four years old!

Such a big girl!

We hadn’t seen Mira in nearly a year, so we all fell in love with her red curls. So cute!

Miss Mira.

Aurora was keeping her eye on Deb and Julie, who actually brought something to knit! Imagine that. They don’t have grandchildren…yet.

Hey! Why aren’t you two playing with a baby?

Sheesh, what do you think this is? A knitting meeting?

Owen crawled all over and was a big hit. When you’re the only boy in the crowd, it’s important to be the center of attention, right?

Go, Owen, go!

Not a lot of knitting was done, but we all got our kid fix. It was fun to watch the girls run around and the lone male crawl. Darling children. Next week, we’ll be heading out to Francy’s rather than meet in the park. Strictly speaking, it’s not a Castoff’s meeting, although many of us will be there. Betsy is setting up her jewelry road show and Francy is feeding us. What could be better?

See you next time. Keep those needles blazing and enjoy August!

It was a wet, rainy day so we met at my house to keep us out of the damp in Woodland Park. Leslie’s daughter, Tammy, was in town and came to knitting with two of the grandchildren, Grace and Alex. I’m not sure how thrilled Alex was to be with us. He was a good sport, though, to put up with a roomful of laughing old women!

Alex amused himself playing with his phone. Tammy and Julie join in the party.

Now, Grace fit right in. She brought her knitting and made some progress on a scarf. Good job, Grace! After the meeting, she told her grandmother that we didn’t seem ‘that’ old. Ha!

A new knitter! Yay!

Linda was just starting a baby blanket for her grandson (to be born in the fall). She knit several blocks together and then will join them and face the back of the blanket.

For a little baby boy!

Carol is knitting crowns to go with her granddaughters’ tutus. She is beading them as she knits and they will be adorable. Here’s one now:

Princess Carol.

Purple is finished and red is coming along.

Julie brought her mohair curly scarf. I think this is beautiful. So light and airy.

It’s a great color, too!

A hiking friend of mine had dropped off a wick-away hiking hat to see if I could use it. It’s a ‘one size fits all’. Well, I’m here to tell you that one size doesn’t fit all! At all! We had quite a discussion about it and everyone tried it on. Definitely does not fit all.

It fit Tammy and looked great on her.

Was WAY big on Grace!

Alex joined in. He’s very cute.

Didn’t fit Leslie very well.

Looked pretty good on Linda!

I think that’s Julie under there.

Looked good on Mary!

Too big for my little pinhead.

Just right for Carol.

We had a lot of fun with the hat. It went back to it’s rightful owner the next day. We’ll try Woodland Park again next week, Castoffs. Until then, keep those needles blazing and wish for less-than-blazing temperatures.

Monday was hot and sunny–perfect for an afternoon in the park. We sat near the lake and the rose garden and both were beautiful.

Ah, the rose garden!

You can just see the lake over Marylane’s shoulder.

Speaking of the sisters, Joan is knitting like mad on her scarf and it’s getting longer. To only think about knitting only one stitch over and over sounds rather nice in the summer. No stress knitting.

Gonna touch the ground soon, Joan.

The rest of us, alas, pile on the stress and the intricate patterns in a sort of masochistic way, but we seem to create beautiful things. And if we don’t, they disappear quickly into the depths of our closets never to be seen again.

Carol brought her gorgeous sweater. She had just blocked it and we love it. Not only does it fit, but it’s very flattering. And the texturing on the back! Oh! Sublime.

“I feel like a knitter!” You are, Carol. You are!

The pattern on the back is subtle, but stunning.

Carol’s knitting tutus for her granddaughters. Here’s the first one:

Very cute. There seems to be an explosion of tutus in our group lately.

Carol was knitting little jeweled crowns to be worn with the tutus. This started a discussion about how to bead your knitted garments. Carol slips all the beads on her yarn before she begins and then pulls up a bead when she needs it.

The point of a tiny crown.

Michele is knitting a beaded cowl. Her method is to attach a bead using a crochet hook in mid-stitch. I’ve never done either, so I can’t give an opinion on which is the best or easiest method. Both knitters like their own ways, however, so it’s nice to know that there are options.

Michele’s beaded cowl–or the beginning of it.

Linda is knitting strips of blocks for a blanket for her grandson (who’ll be born later this year). She wanted a pattern in which she could join the blocks as she knit. Sewing together little pieces didn’t appeal to her (nobody likes to work any harder than they have to after the knitting is done). This method saves the sewing together and it helps keep the same tension and size for each block.

Strip of blanket.

Deb joined us and is knitting ‘the skirt’. So many of our knitters have made this little skirt with a lace edging, that we should name it the Castoffs Skirt. Deb is knitting this one for herself. Yay, Deb!

Should be ready by the time school starts.

And now, a sad story that concerns Marylane. She’s knitting a chunky sleeveless vest with a shawl collar and somehow–when she tried it on–she had gone the opposite way on the edging and…well, here’s a visual:

That wide part on her right hip should be at her shoulder. Argh!

She started ripping it out once she realized that her shawl collar was down at the bottom of the vest. Oh, Marylane, I’m sorry! This happens to us more often than we care to admit. I’ve ripped out many goofs.

I am at the decrease row of my vest. Now it will begin to gently curve up to my shoulders — I hope. The hot weather isn’t very motivating for knitting wool garments. I’ll have to sit under our little room air conditioner an hour a day.

Vest is growing larger.

Our friend Lisa and her granddaughter Greta stopped by. They had been at the pool on the other side of the park, swimming, and were on their way home. Greta has grown so much! She’s adorable. Good to see you both, Lisa!

Greta was shy with us.

We love knitting in the park. Peaceful, pretty and shady. We’ll meet there until the cold weather drives us inside. Until it does, Castoffs, stay cool and keep those needles blazing.

Nothing could be finer.