The Castoffs met on a rainy day, the final day in May. Hard to believe that the end of school is only three week days away! Can’t come soon enough for the teachers in our group who are beaming with relief and joy. Thanks for hosting, Deb! We know it’s frazzle time at school.
Francy told us that she had ripped out BOTH of the sweater projects that she was knitting. Just not happy with the look of them, I guess. She has started a coat-jacket for herself though, although in true Francy style, she is changing the pattern some. Instead of stockinette stitch, she is going to do all garter stitch. Why? She is taking a page from Joan’s book, I guess, and dispensing with purling. You go, Francy! Joan is making converts left and right. Well, left anyway.
Look at her! She is so happy to be only knitting!
Speaking of Joan…she came alone – Marylane was at a library meeting – and showed us her very long scarf. “What are you going to do with it? It’s getting pretty long.” We all wondered if this scarf would ever have an end. Joan just says she’ll keep going until she runs out of yarn. Knit, knit, knit. She was busy looking at a book that Michele brought. It was called SOCKOLOGY and didn’t involve any knitting whatsoever – that pleased and interested Joan. It was a book that required you to BUY socks and then make them into cute little animals for babies and kiddies. Someone suggested that Joan could knit the socks first and THEN use them to make little toys, but that didn’t fly with our Joanie.
Hey, sock toys that you don’t have to knit. OKAY!
Mary is flying along with her hooded towel for Larissa’s baby. She only has until the first of July, so she wants it to be finished when she hurries down to see that new grandchild. Knit, knit, knit, Mary!
Madly working on the towel!
Michele is knitting a sweater for Leslie’s granddaughter-to-be-born-in-the-summer Mira. She’s using a top down sweater pattern and hand-dyed multicolored yarn. So cute. I took a photo at the beginning of the meeting and by the end, she had a recognizable sweater. Super fast pattern AND super fast knitter.
The start of Mira’s sweater.
And in the blink of an eye – a sweater! Or… half a sweater.
Leslie continues to knit fruit cozies for her granddaughter Grace. Joan was a little puzzled about the whole concept of putting fruit in a knitted garment. Me, too Joan. But Grace can use them for her little treasures long after the fruit has been eaten.
One for an apple and one for an orange.
Deb is nearing the end of her vest and had a question for us. The pattern calls for picking up and knitting an I-cord for the bottom edge and sleeve edges and Deb wanted to know what we thought of knitting a stockinette stitch edging. We went back and forth and finally Deb decided to stick with the pattern. I had never heard of attaching an I-cord as an edging and I’m curious to see how it turns out.
Do ya like purple, Deb?
We missed those Castoffs who were absent – and we send good wishes to Carol in Ireland. Wow. Wish we could all go on that road trip! Next week we meet at Michele’s house and since school is out she told us to come on over at 3:00 instead of 4:00. I think Julie is the only one working in the summer this year. We’re so sorry, Jules. C’mon over when you can. We’ll still be there knitting and talking and enjoying the (hopefully) sunshine.
In the meantime, Castoffs, keep those needles blazing and enjoy the first days of June!
