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?

The Castoffs met at Leslie’s house and the noise was terrific.  At one time I heard bits and pieces of several different conversations: Mary talking about her recent trip to Italy; Julie sharing her easy pattern for mittens; Marylane trying to set up her brother with Carol; Leslie telling about her visit with her grandchildren.  Well, it was a wonderful time with good friends.  We were visited by Shannon, Carol’s daughter, and by Linda who had a bag full of great projects.  We love having new people come by to talk knittin’.  Or anything else, for that matter.

We have SO MUCH FUN!!

Marylane’s sister Joan (from Arizona, but living here for the summer) brought her mysterious hats and they are stunning!  And they have matching scarves.  She can no longer tell us that she isn’t a knitter.  Joan, you are a KNITTER.  She is quick to point out, however, that she is a ‘knitter’ not a ‘purler’ so maybe we’ll convince her to learn to purl while she’s here.

Marylane and Joan wearing Joan's hats and scarves. Not sure when she'll wear them in Arizona...

We were happy to hear about Mary’s trip to Italy where she visited her daughter, hiked the Cinque Terre and other delights, and made a trip to Budapest.   I, for one, was jealous.  Mary is anxious to finish her felted purse and we are looking forward to seeing it.

Ciao, Mary. Welcome home!

Marylane and Joan brought some polymer beads that a friend makes.  They added them to some felted bracelets and we all were very impressed.  They add the beads and then felt them in the washing machine.  I loved the combinations.  Perhaps someday I’ll try felting.  For some reason, it makes me nervous, but I’ll try to overcome the fear of shrinking (too much, maybe?) down a garment or accessory that I’ve spent hours and hours knitting.  Gulp.  These bracelets just might be the place to start.

Beautiful felted and beaded bracelets.

Speaking of felted accessories, Linda joined us and showed off her beautiful tote bag that she will felt soon.  It is big and bold and I want to see it when she’s finished.  She was also working on a pair of socks.  Another project that I haven’t tried yet!!  Marylane knitted a pair of socks that very nearly did her in, so I’m apprehensive of bringing them around where she can see them.  Am I beginning to sound like a wimpy knitter?  Uh…Yeah!  But there are so many projects, so little time.

Linda and her amazing technicolor tote! Leslie likes it!

Several of us are knitting ‘thick and thin’ scarves and we decided to bring them all to the next meeting (or the next) and have a real showing of the different looks that the same basic pattern makes when you use vastly different yarns.  This will be a lot of fun because we are all so different in our approaches to knitting.  It’s always so much fun to see what the minds of the Castoffs come up with…bwah-ha-ha!  Oh.  Here are some candid shots of our knitters in action.

Shannon and Joan listening to a discourse on the World According to Marylane.

Carol, Leslie and Linda just knittin' away.

Next week we will meet at Joan’s home away from home and catch the view from the base of Lone Pine mountain.  I can hardly wait.  Until then, careful of the pointy ends!

Apologies to Julie who didn’t get in on the photos.  I guess I was knitting.  But here is a picture of a pair of her mittens that she swears is the easiest pattern ever!  She gave me a copy so I’ll just try it.

Winter's a'coming sooner than we want.