Trish Knits.com

January Knitting Group Brings Many New Friends

January 3, 2009 by Trish 4 Comments

Today was our monthly knitting group meeting at the Borders in Bowie. Was I ever surprised to see so many new faces! Today I got to welcome about four people I hadn’t met before.

Lisa came for the first time today, and brought two hats in progress, and a scarf. One of the hats became an FO and she was looking SO cute in it today.

Leslie came once in November when I wasn’t there, so I never met her before today. At least not in real life. But, once when she was headed to a new yarn shop, she and I swapped a flurry of excited emails about the shop thanks to her cell phone. Small World! Leslie also encouraged her friend Melinda to come. Melinda was knitting a scarf with two yummy purple yarns that I covet.

Old friends Lola, Rhoda, Dina, Tammy, and Diane were also there today. Oh, and the wonderful Marie! Marie has done a wonderful job of promoting our group and bringing folks in. Today she was excited to shop for knitting magazines with Lisa, and to share with the group that a Ravelry friend of hers just had a pattern published in Interweave Crochet. (That magazine rocks, by the way. Not sure my grandmother would have known what to do with it.)

It was great to see so many new faces today and for all of us to be together in the New Year. I’m already looking forward to next month.

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Knitting in December

December 6, 2008 by Trish Leave a Comment

Today was our monthly knitting group meetup at Borders in Bowie. It was a lot of fun! Today I got to meet THREE new folks: Melody, Iliana, and Diane. Our Bowie MD Knitters group at Ravelry is growing, thanks in part to the recruiting efforts of Marie.

Here are the photos from today’s gathering:

Iliana is working on some adorable booties

Melody is knitting a gorgeous beaded scarf

Trish is almost done with her daugter's hat

As usual, click on the photo to see a bigger version.

It was snowing as we were all departing from group today. A perfect wintry ending to a wonderful December afternoon.

Tegan decided she’d rather sleep through the whole thing.

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Great Group Today!

November 15, 2008 by Trish 1 Comment

Today was knit group at the Borders in Bowie. And, despite the crappy weather, or perhaps because of it, we had the biggest turnout ever! I think all of the “regulars” were there, plus we welcomed several new folks… including Tammy and Pam. At one point the only partly cloudy skies opened up and delivered a fast and heavy downpour! It was ok, though, because we were treated to a lovely rainbow afterward.

Knitting is so much fun when you do it among friends, though I do admit that not much knitting was done on my part! The theme of the day was Show and Tell. Several of us brought some of our booty from Stitches, and Jo brought her weaving projects from her recent weaving class. They were amazing! And the yarns passed around were yummy. I wanted to take them all home with me.

Here’s a gallery of photos from today’s fun. As usual, click on the photo to enlarge it and read more details about each one.

Ann

Lola’s Mr. Greenjeans Sweater

Pete

Dina’s Lady Eleanor Stole

Closeup of the Lady Eleanor

Marie

Pam

Rhoda was knitting a hat

Tammy

Trish

Today Lola brought her copy of Sweater 101, which is a timeless classic in sweater making. I do think I’m going to have to get one. It is available now as a hard bound book and an e-book, which I think is a FABULOUS idea since the book is chock full of worksheets that one can just print out and add notes and details to it. I think this is going on my Christmas list for sure, as is the Rio bag by Jordana Paige, in eggplant, of course.

All for now, I think I am about to turn into a pumpkin. Happy knitting!

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A Tale of Stitches

November 9, 2008 by Trish 4 Comments

Yesterday I had the good fortune of attending Stitches East in Baltimore, with my friend Dina from knitting group. I really had a great time! It was different from attending the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, because that show has a decidedly more local, and small farmer, flavor. This was fun because I got to meet so many people, vendors and friends, who came from all over for the event.

Almost right away I met Tina Whitmore from KnitWhits, which is one of my favorite pattern stores. She happened to have the blocking tiles set on hand, which I purchased and I also picked up a pattern and a little kit for a felted flower. It was great to meet Tina, too… whose work I have admired and much want to learn how to do. She and I seem to have a similar sense of color, which is, I think, what attracts me to many of her designs.

At long last, I got to meet the one and only Alison Hyde! Finally! We’ve been writing back and forth online for years, so it was really great to meet her at Lisa Souza’s booth. It was clear that this wonderful lady has many fans! She’s the author of Wrapped in Comfort: Knitted Lace Shawls, and I have the book already and aspire to knit something from it someday. In fact, one of the ladies who she made a shawl for was also there, and she was wearing the actual shawl from the actual book. That was fun to see! Anyway, it was fun to finally meet Alison and the great Lisa Souza.

At some point while I was in line at one booth, an announcement came over the loudspeaker that Vivian Hoxbro would be on hand to sign her latest book, Knit to Be Square: Domino Designs to Knit and Felt. Well, since I am a newly converted fan of Domino Knitting, I decided to make a break for it and head straight over. Vivian was a delight to talk to, and she was even wearing the abstract stole (Ravelry Link) from the book. It was cool!

I got the new book and she graciously signed it for me:

I even had my very first Vivian Hoxbro square from my Mitered Square Babette Blanket in progress in my purse, and I was able to show it off. She commented that my fist square was HUGE (it is!) but I am going for a really big blanket. I guess we’ll see how it turns out!

Of course I got lots of yarn! There’s one more hank I got that isn’t in these photos, because Dina has it (phew… I thought I forgot it somewhere!) but I’m sure I’ll see her soon. As always, click on the photos to see a larger version and to read more details about each photo.

Knitters Blocks blocking tiles

three different shades of Noro Kureyon

Lisa Souza wool in purple and periwinkle

Valley Yarns, burgandy and cream

Silk Garden Chunky

felted flower kit and spool of gold tinsel thread

TessYarns Merino Superwash in Purple

This was such a great day! It was my first time at Stitches and I found out on Friday that next year, the convention is moving back to Hartford. So it will probably be my last time at Stitches. So, I’m glad I have so many fun people and yarn memories. I guess they’ll have to last me a while.

Thanks to Dina for taking me to Stitches East! I had a blast! I just wish I could say that I can’t wait for next year.

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