The Castoffs were met by Leslie giving all of us a disclaimer: “I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO WHOOPING COUGH. APPROACH AT YOUR OWN RISK!”
Well, a little infectious disease doesn’t stop women who knit. We armed ourselves with needles and went on in. Besides, Leslie baked cheesecake. Of course, in true Leslie fashion, there was a disclaimer for the cheesecake: “I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN MY CHEESECAKE. IT CAVED IN THE MIDDLE AND USUALLY LOOKS BETTER THAN THIS.” This is our reaction to the disclaimer:
We didn’t come to look, we came to eat.
Pertussis has made its presence known in the valley. Michele was exposed too and has a cold on top of that, so she stayed home. Leslie told her she could come and sit on the deck beside a window and yell through it to us, but she declined. That would have been fun, Michele. Carol piped up “I’ve been exposed too! Sooooo, should I be sitting here exposed to someone who has been exposed when I’ve been exposed?”
Huh?
Both of them were supposed to go to Missoula for Mother’s Day to visit their children, but Leslie decided not to expose her pregnant daughter – secondhand – and Carol wasn’t sure if she should go and expose her grandson Waylon. This was too much for me, so I just got a glass of wine and knitted. Whoop! Whoop!
Carol is still working on the baby hoodie-towel for grandson Waylon’s brother who will be born in the summer.
Carol got her pertussis booster anyway.
Leslie knit a little lamb for Mira – her granddaughter who will be born this summer but she didn’t have stuffing for it. I did, however, and promised to bring it over. Darling little lamb.
Flat and in pieces, but not for long!
Francy is back from her trip to Germany! Welcome home, Francy. She bought a little bear backpack in a secondhand store in Munich for Grace, her granddaughter. The idea was to cut off the old sweater and knit a new one. Just so happened that Leslie’s sweater that she knit for Mira fit the bear perfectly. Wow. Francy is going to use that pattern and add different Pooh-inspired buttons.
Old sweater.
New sweater – or at least the idea for the new sweater.
Leslie also knit one of the cutest baby sweaters that I had seen in a while. It was knit with sock yarn in a sideways pattern – going from one sleeve edge to the other – a pattern that Michele had used for a baby gift a few years ago. I love this pattern and I want to knit one for myself. The idea of knitting a garment from side to side really intrigues me.
Sideways baby sweater.
Joan is back for the summer from Arizona! It’s so good to see her and to see the sisters together again. She and Marylane already had a busy day – book group, buying flowers for their yards, knitting group – Joan even volunteered to host knitting next week. Jeeze, how did we get along without you for so long, Joan?
Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters…
We asked Joan to show us what she knitted over the winter so she blew the dust off the old MSU scarf and held it out. Hmmm. Joan. It doesn’t look a whole lot longer than it did in September…We’re glad to see you anyway. Maybe this is the year you learn to purl???
It really isn’t cold enough to knit in Arizona anyway.
Marylane is working on her multi-colored vest. I think it’s going to be great. She thought about putting it all on one needle, but couldn’t figure out the logistics. Another great theory though.
Keeping it straight.
My scarf that I’m knitting for my friend Michelle is getting near the end…I think. It’s about my height now but I want it to be between six and seven feet long. I’ll check with Michelle to be sure but I think that’s what we agreed on. I’ve enjoyed knitting it, but I just bought some NORO to make a slip-stitch cowl and I want to start.
Getting longer, Michelle!
Linda was working on her lace scarf so diligently that I had to get her photo. She looks like the perfect, content knitter, doesn’t she? And her scarf matches the upholstery.
All she needs is a cup of tea, a cat and a fireplace. And a basket of yarn and a cottage. And another pattern to start on when she finishes this project. And…
The warm weather really seems to be here – for a while – so get out and enjoy it, Castoffs. I got a new bike for my birthday and I’ve been riding. Marylane and I will have to take both our new bikes out. Maybe other Castoffs will join us?
Next time we meet at Joan’s house. Hope it’s nice enough to sit on her deck! Until then, keep those needles blazing, Castoffs and have a sunny week!
