The Castoffs met at Michele’s house and we got the grand tour of Michele’s new Scamp Camper. I must say that it is adorable – compact, efficient and cute (if a 2,000 pound anything can be called cute). We toured it (only three of us fit into it at a time), but all thought it was the perfect getaway camper.
You little scamp, you!
Linda getting the grand tour
After the tour, we trooped back through the rain and wet leaves (ah, autumn!) and enjoyed a hot cup of tea and some very delicious cake that Michele made. This is a recipe that Michele got from Leslie and we never get tired of it. I asked Leslie to send me a copy of the recipe, so she did – the quick way. The name of the cake is:
PINEAPPLE CAKE WITH GINGER CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING
First part of the recipe
Second part of the recipe
If you can’t read it, DON’T CALL ME, CALL LESLIE. Aren’t camera phones wonderful?
Michele also had pretzels and corn candy for us to munch on. I reached for a pretzel and everyone shouted at me. “NO. Eat a pretzel and corn candy TOGETHER. It’s a complete taste treat requirement!” Okay. So I did and it was.
DON'T TOUCH THAT PRETZEL...WITHOUT SUGAR
Just in case you’d forgotten, we were here to knit. Oh yeah. And, boy, were we knitting! Everyone brought projects, old and new. I had finished my hat for my son, Eli, and brought it to show and tell. I took a photo of him modeling it before I got to the meeting. I like it.
Eli's new hat
I used Vero yarn, double strand, and size 13 needles, so it was a very quick knit. The ribbing is forgiving of all head sizes. I think Eli liked it too.
I also finished (finally) my green chevron scarf. I had a hard time grafting the ends together due to all the yarnovers on the final row, so I ended up doing a three-needle bindoff to join the scarf in the middle. It turned out nicely – an easy pattern even though it looks harder. Only two pattern rows.
Chevron scarf...at last
Francy returned from Minnesota and her new granddaughter, Grace. She must have liked knitting a top-down sweater for her son, because now she is knitting a top-down Henley for her son-in-law. She is using a Knitting Pure & Simple pattern and soft wool yarn by Paton.
Neckdown Henley
Julie brought her finished afghan for her brother and sister-in-law and asked us to PLEASE intervene if she ever thinks about knitting an afghan again. Julie, it’s like having a baby – you forget how painful it is every time, so stupidly, you want to make another one. But…we’ll try to intervene next time. The afghan is beautiful, however.
Stop me, please, stop me!
Julie is also becoming a sock-creating hurricane. She had finished a pair last week and now is working on the second of a pair this week. Must be a relief from the afghan, eh Jules? She is using Paton’s Kroy sock yarn.
Nice sock!
Deb finished her hat made with Mocha Plus and modeled it for us. Mary has some great Peruvian Tweed yarn and decided to use Deb’s pattern to make a hat for her son-in-law and daughter. Busy, busy.
Love this hat!
Mary's alpaca yarn - soft and pretty!
Marylane is working on her sweater. She ordered two skeins of yarn that she ran out of – they came quickly this week. She must have communicated that it was an emergency! The yarn seller understood.
Hey, Deb. What are you working on? Tea?
Michele is knitting a boxy baby jacket using an Ann Norling pattern. Very cute. It’s knitted in one piece, then seamed up. She is knitting neck and button plackets with contrasting colored yarn. It’s going to be sooo cute!
Ann Norling design
The little green hat is the one that Mary knitted for the same baby. A designer ensemble.
Busy knitters, uh, and eater
Leslie is knitting the last block of her rug. She is trying to decide how to put them all together. However she does it, though, this is a fabulous, bright rug for a small space.
Great design for a rug - and soft, too!
Linda is working on her shawl, but when I took a photo, my camera told me that its battery was exhausted. Poor camera. By the time I revitalized it, I forgot to retake the photo. Next time, Linda!
Speaking of next time, we’ll meet at Linda’s house. I’ll leave you with a quote from Stepanie Pearl-McPhee’s AT KNIT’S END:
“When I run the world, test-knitting a pattern before selling it will be law. I’m not sure what the punishment for breaking this law will be, but it will take at least 57 hours.”
Until next week, keep those needles blazing and enjoy Halloween! BOO!
