We all drove through the cold and ice to gather at Michele’s house.  It wasn’t as Dickensian as it sounds, however, because Michele met us with hot tea and gingerbread cake.  Yum.  We had to wait for Leslie to model her newfound pattern until she could make a grand entrance.  Well, it was worth it to see her “pidge” neckwarmer/scarf.  Really elegant and I want to knit one!

PIDGE ME! I love the next neck wrap.

Leslie also brought her finished Christmas stockings for her daughter Sienna and Sienna’s fiance, Ty.  They are so unconventional – just like our Leslie.  The stockings will be heirlooms in Sienna’s family, we know.

Future family heirlooms

A couple of other scarf-ers were there.  Marsha wore a seed scarf that she made a few months ago – it’s just now cold enough to wear it!

Finally...winter weather for all those knitted scarves!

Carol showed us the scarf that she made for her daughter-in-law for Christmas.  I received an email from Carol in California just after Christmas (you can see how negligent I’ve been about posting this blog) and she said that the scarf was a big hit!

Beautiful sparkling scarf on Carol's knee (not sure what the serious discussion is about between Carol and Leslie)

Something else that was a big hit with Carol’s mom was the fabulous felted bag that she knitted.  While we were at Michele’s, Carol and Michele felted it.

Before felting - gee, it's very big, isn't it?

After - isn't wool in hot water amazing?

I am constantly amazed to see the effects of hot water and a little agitation on wool.  Carol’s tote turned out soooo great.  Good job, Carol!  And thanks for sharing with us.  Carol was so proud that she carried her bag around on a towel to show us all.  The only negative comment (and one that launched Leslie into hysteria) was from Carol herself.  “I love it!  It’s so cool!  Ooh, it kind of smells.”  Wet wool, Carol, wet wool.  Earthy.

Marylane started a baby hat with two kinds of darling pink wool.  She and Michele (who is the gauge Nazi of the group – but someone has to do it, I guess.  Otherwise, we’d all be either squeezing into sweaters, or trying to gain weight to fill them up) were busily checking the gauge of little hat.  Michele was quite upset with me when she found out that I hadn’t done a gauge swatch for my new vest.  I live on the edge.

Darling pink baby hat in utero

Good knitters! Check that gauge!

Mary was almost finished with the hat that she knitted for her son’s Christmas gift.  She is such a shy little thing – no drama here, eh, Mary?

So much more than merely a hat, eh Mary?

Julie was busy knitting…uh…something green.  Sorry, Jules, but I didn’t write everything down this time.  Please bring it next time, OK?

After mailing all those knitted gifts, it's kind of a letdown. Perk up Julie, it's Christmas!

We are having a little impromptu knitting group on Tuesday at Marsha’s house – just because we can’t WAIT to knit together!  The regular meeting will be at Julie’s house on the 7th of January, 2010.  Wow, 2010.  Happy New Year everyone and keep knitting!

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