We drove through the icy, slushy, slick-streeted night to Marylane’s house. When I got there, Roxanne was getting a lesson from Michele and was busily starting what would become a felted slipper. Turns out that several of us are knitting, or are planning to knit in the near future, felted slipper projects. Roxanne, Mary, Marsha, Marylane for sure are working on it. I guess it’s due to Leslie’s influence. She is pretty influential. Not to mention a great hand model.
Roxanne's second project - Slippers!
Francy was working on a cabled hoodie. She made one last year for her daughter-in-law and is making this one for her daughter, Betsy. Francy, if I have gotten the order mixed up, please forgive me. I love this pattern and I believe she’s using Paton’s classic wool yarn.
Back of cabled hoodie
Francy and Roxanne had to leave early to go to a soup supper – it sounded like the perfect meal for such a cold, wintery day.
Mary was working on her felted slipper and it made me pause because she had to COUNT so much, and so carefully. Of course, the Castoffs are the most considerate and helpful of partners in any knitting endeavor. She started counting and we quietly chatted in the background.
Michele: I think that’s on page 13, Marylane.
Mary: THREE!!
Marsha: Did you hear that the temperature got up to 40 degrees the other day?
Mary: FIFTEEN!!
Julie: I’m going to knit four more rows on this little mitten and then I’ll stop.
Mary: TWELVE…TWENTY…SHUT UP!
Oh, sorry Mary. Were you trying to count?
At least she didn't stab us with those #13 needles. That would've left a mark.
Finally, Leslie took pity on her and went over to help. The instructions for the slippers are three pages long. Gulp. Do I really want to put in the time and take the chance that I’ll shrink them down to dolly size? Oh, yeah! I’ve already goofed on the yarn – reversed the numbers and have to go get another skein. Michele sorta kinda thinks I’ll have enough on the extra skein to make a pair of felted mittens. Maybe…
Leslie, good Samaritan and hand model extraordinaire.
Speaking of Leslie, she didn’t have anything going again – knitting-wise, I mean. I think she is planning to begin a gorgeous shrug – cabled lengthwise and long-sleeved. It will be wonderful. Can’t wait to see what yarn she chooses. Michele wants to make one too, but tonight she was working on a boxy sweater that will look fabulous on her.
Great pattern, great yarn.
Michele was trying to adjust the pattern – small was too small, medium was too large. I think she got it figured out with changing the tension. It’s always fun to play with gauges, isn’t it?
Meanwhile, Deb came in with her AMAZING new project. It’s a lacy vest that we were all impressed and a little frightened with. A lot of concentration will be required. Here is Deb being possessed by knitting. We all remember the first little scarf project, don’t we? She was so cute and now she’s been inhabited by the knitting demon.
Do Episcopalean pastors do exorcisms?
The rest of us get so excited when the knitting bug really sets in with a vengeance. Those of us who’ve got it love to see others get it. It’s the disease we never want a cure for. Here is Deb’s pattern:
Pretty complicated -- but FUN!
It’s gonna be fun to see the progression every week. And here is where Deb is in the pattern so far:
Bottom of the back.
The rest of us were doing typical Castoffs stuff. I was still working on my gray vest – decreasing the shoulder edge AND the neck edge – and I probably shouldn’t have tried to do all these decreases at our meeting, what with all the counting and drinking and laughing. Julie forgot her knitting, so she and I enjoyed Marylane’s banana bread while Michele knitted on a mindless, uncomplicated portion of her sweater. Smart girl. Leslie caught us in mid-bite and mid-stitch.
Who called us the three monkies? Was it you, Mary?
I keep going on and on about our famous hand model, Leslie, but she continues to impress. Michele brought a wrist warmer that looks so toasty, so naturally Leslie was the logical one to model it. I think it’s just the thing for cold winter nights in the frozen tundra of Northwest Montana.
Do I hear the sound of one hand clapping?
Our hostess, Marylane was quietly working on her felted slipper. She pulled together all her woolen yarn stash and Leslie helped her put some colors together for slippers for her kids, Kendra and Walker. She is going to mix the colors – a yellow toe here, a green heel there – they’ll be so bright and eyecatching.
Mixed bag for slippers.
Uh, oh. Looks like somebody else was trying to count. Sorry, ML!
We had a great time and next week we’ll meet at Carol’s house. We’ve missed Carol lately because she is involved in her new dance studios. Can’t wait to see you Carol! In the meantime, keep those needles blazing and have a snowball fight!
