The Joys of Social Knitting and then some

We’ve been meeting regularly (well, almost) for years. Our knitting group began with five of us who were also part of a grassroots entrepreneurial support group. Membership is casual and unofficial. Sometimes only two of us have shown up and on other occasions there have been as many as ten or twelve of us. We used to meet at a local bookstore but hard chairs and a couple of long commutes led us to one member’s living room for our monthly gathering. Fresh eats and wine and tea followed.

One of the things we’ve all learned the hard way is that social knitting projects are recommended — that is, one that doesn’t require careful counting and attention to pattern. Without one ready and waiting in my knitting bag, I made a gauge swatch for a pair of Elizabeth Zimmerman mittens during this month’s get-together. But I don’t know if I feel like knitting mittens in June. So now I’m thinking about the February Lady Sweater on Ravelry. Or Mason Dixon knitters’ mitred blanket squares. When I finally stop scratching around and settle upon a project, the only other requirement is that it should be made out of my stash pile.

BTW, two members of our group went on a knitting and fiber vacation to Ireland last month. They’re now hooked on needle felting — that’s in the photo above left. More roving (red) in the photo above right.