A new year! A new outlook on life! A new venue for the Castoffs!

We decided to hold some of our meetings this winter at the cozy, inviting room that Camas Yarn Cottage uses for classes. We asked if Mondays were taken, and when we learned that it was free, we asked to meet there. It’s more convenient for some of our members to stop by on the way home from work. I like it because I can go directly down the street to the Kalispell Brewery for Trivia night. Win, win.

The only drawback is that I find it difficult to keep the meetings straight. I used to know who was hosting by the house we met in, but now I have to check the date on my camera (or sometimes the progress made by our Castoffs’ projects).

The first Monday — January 4, 2016

Carol and I happened to walk in together wearing our newly knitted accessories. I had finished my pink(ish) cowl that matched my puffy pink coat, and Carol was sporting new mittens and a hat to match. We were very stylish.

We took our places and started to knit! Francy got a yarn bra (yes, that’s what I said – a yarn bra) at our Christmas party. It’s a stretchy  tube that corrals a ball of yarn so it doesn’t run away. I can’t tell you how many yarn balls I’ve chased in my lifetime. Well. Problem solved.

Linda is still working on her beaded cowl. I love the openwork and the sparkles.

Although Deb is finishing up Glen’s top down sweater, we could tell that she was anticipating her next project. One good thing about meeting at Camas is that we can look at the possibilities of future work. Deb looked through some pattern books. Got any ideas, Deb?

Mary was back with us – briefly – she’s off to Las Vegas soon to babysit. She picked out a new pattern and yarn to make a hooded cowl for her daughter. I have this pattern but I’ve never knit it. When I see Mary’s cowl, I might be inspired to try it.

Leslie has started a hat for a co-worker’s baby. She used her phone to keep up with her pattern. Good idea. I liked the colorwork.

January 11, 2016

Another week, more projects to see and more catching up with the Castoffs. The hat that Leslie had started was finished! She also knit another baby hat. Very industrious, Leslie. Much more than I was.

Michele was working on a baby sweater – not sure if it was for the same baby. If so, lucky baby! The color for this one was vibrant.

Francy started a sweater for her grandson, Owen. It’s going to have a contrasting stripe or two. I love seeing the process unfold before our eyes every week.

I didn’t knit very much this week, but I brought my asymmetrical scarf. I really love this yarn and the pattern couldn’t be easier.

Our friend Kerrie dropped by. She’s writing an article about bookmarks, and as it happens, Marylane collects bookmarks. Kerrie was delighted to borrow them and to talk with us for a while. Come back anytime, Kerrie!

January 18, 2016

Mary is in Las Vegas, so she sent me a photo of a new pattern she’s working on. It’s a scarf for her granddaughter, Aurora. So cute. She put down the cowl because it’s not easy knitting something intricate while watching an active toddler.

Carol finished one of her fingerless mitts. The pattern swirls the yarn around the cuff. The other mitt swirls the other way.

Here’s a photo of the finished baby sweaters that Leslie and Michele were working on last week. Gorgeous! What a lucky kid.

Marylane finished her hat with ear covers. I liked this pattern a lot, but I’m not a big fan of wearing hats. Maybe I could find someone who is and knit one for them.

We had a visitor this week – Paulette! Good to see you again on this MLK day. Paulette was knitting a shawlette.

My shawlette is skinnier than Paulette’s, but it’ll grow. I’m not moving very fast, but it’s a good easy pattern to knit in the evening when I’m watching TV.

Michele was knitting a double-knit vest for her sister. It looks fairly intricate, but she says it’s not so hard. I’ll be interested to see it when it’s a little bigger.

January 25, 2016

It was a week for finishing up — and for ripping out. Michele wasn’t pleased with the vest she was knitting for her sister, so she found another pattern that she liked better. It’s called Shale (and it’s on Ravelry). Softly curving in the front and knit in a fuzzy yarn. I love it. I looked on Ravelry and discovered that I had already put it in my Favorites list.

Carol and Linda had their heads together. Carol said she had ripped out and re-knit one of her fingerless mitts several times. “It just doesn’t look like the other one!” We get it, Carol. Left and right are not knit the same. I think she was finally convinced that she was doing it right.

Marylane ripped out her Log Cabin blanket, too. She didn’t like the colors as they came off the ball of yarn, so she’s snipping and joining to get the colors that she likes on her pieces. Makes sense to me. She’s much happier with the blanket, now.

Francy is almost finished with the sweater for Owen. It’s so cute. Looks very little boy-ish. Only the sleeves remain to be knitted.

Deb is on the final sleeve of Glen’s sweater. I think she’ll be glad when it’s done.

Leslie is knitting a pair of Monster pants – Francy knit a couple of pairs last summer, too. These must be for Jet, Leslie’s grandson.

Here we are, sittin’ and knittin’.

That’s it for January, Castoffs. Get out there and enjoy the snow, but keep those needles blazing while you’re indoors. See you next month!

 

We had a cold December – nothing unusual about that in Montana – and we started receiving regular snow falls that built up and up. Ah, a white Christmas!

Knitting at Linda’s House – December 7, 2015

Linda was trying to get it together to decorate for Christmas. I’m lucky if my husband gets the tree up by the week of Christmas. And he only has to walk to the garage (our tree lives there in a box all year). Anyway, we oohed and aahed over the swag she had gathered. Lovely.

Carol finished both of her squishy blankets and they are beautiful! She sounded delighted to begin a new project. We get it, Carol. Most of the time, I’m ready to start a new project in the middle of my old one. Hmm. Maybe that’s why I have so many UFP’s (UnFinished Projects) lurking around the house.

One thing I DID finish was my triangles scarf. This is the second one I’ve made using this pattern and I have to say – I love it! The sock yarn I used was soft and pretty and I can’t wait to wear it.

I have a mystery project to confess. I took this photo, but because there were three sets of hands in the picture, I can’t remember whose scarf this is! Sorry. It’s beautiful – beaded and with YO’s. Let me know, Castoffs, who is knitting this lovely project. Thanks.

Michele finished her skirt! It turned out great and it fits her so well, she wore it to work today. I remember all the angst while she was knitting and all the questions about the size. Well, I’m glad it fits and is so beautiful.

Linda was knitting mittens and a matching hat for her grandson, Michael. She is so happy to have that little guy to knit for. The colors in this set are vibrant and will look great on him.

Mary sent me a photo of the boot toppers that she finished for Larissa. I forgot to put it in the blog last month, so here they are. They look great, Mary!

That was it for our meeting at Linda’s house. Next time, we’ll meet at Camas Creek Cottage for Michele’s turn at “hosting”.

Knitting at Camas Creek Cottage – December 14, 2015

To accommodate travel distances for our working members, we decided to meet, occasionally, at Camas Creek Cottage – since it’s centrally located. The meeting room is cozy and comfortable. The staff is welcoming. And there is a store full of yarn and knitting accessories at our fingertips. What’s not to like?

Here we are, sittin’ and knittin’.

Since she happened to be in a yarn store, Deb took advantage and popped out to buy some accessories. I have a feeling this will happen a lot.

Deb is close to finishing the sweater she’s knitting for her husband. Not sure what Linda was working on, but the yarn is beautiful.

Leslie has been a busy Santa, knitting a drop-stitch scarf and a cabled hat for Christmas gifts. The drop-stitch pattern is intriguing. Maybe I’ll investigate it further…

Marylane brought her blanket project that resembles a log cabin pattern. I like that she doesn’t have to sew anything – just pick up stitches along the edges to join and increase the size. Pretty yarn, too.

We enjoyed our meeting at the yarn Cottage and we’ll be back right after the first of the year. Thanks, Camas!

Christmas Party at Marylane’s House – December 21, 2015

We had a snowy afternoon for our party, but we warmed it up with our friendship, gift exchange and lots of wine. The food was fabulous!!! We had a lot to choose from and we enjoyed it all.

Carol came in good spirits and in her Santa hat. Cute.

Marylane’s Christmas tree was beautiful and our gifts for the exchange filled the bottom.

After we ate and talked and drank and ate some more, we got to the Gift Exchange! Yay! Our favorite part of the party. Linda had a very interesting time — she opened three or four gifts because most of them were stolen from her. I think she had fun opening and she ended up with a gift that she really liked. The stealing is always the favorite part of this show.

Julie opened a couple of gifts, too. The first one was yarn bras (!) and Burt’s Bees lotion. Both useful but stolen. The second was some beautiful yarn and a pattern that she got to keep.

We all had a lot of fun opening and trying to keep our gifts. Here is a sampling.

I’m afraid I didn’t get a photo of everyone and their gift, but we all had fun and laughed a lot with the stealing shenanigans. At the end of the party, Marylane’s husband, Richard took some photos to commemorate our time together.

Here we all are. Merry Christmas, Castoffs! I’ll see you all in 2016!