A Glimpse of Session II

I'm still walking on air after Sunday's close of Session II of the spring Knitaway in the Studio. 

Mini Highland Triangle Shawls in the works

   
 A lively and lovely group, these knitters kept me on my toes the whole week.  It was pretty much non-stop knitting and great conversation, plus we covered a lot of techinques.  Top notch knitters, every one.
Here are some pics to give you a wee glimpse ..... 

 

Ann's good day Sunshine by Amanda Bjørge

Chela's excellent swatch for her Noro dress to be

Leigh's Intarsia skills

Karen's gorgeous shawls

Kathie's Knitaway 2012 Shawl beautifully completed!

Diane's Simply Garter Vest makes me want to knit another one myself!

Marsha's miraculous Enchanted Forest Jacket.  You can see this story had a happy ending.

So now you see what I mean.  And there was even more.  All I can say is

Huzzah!  for these wonderful knitters.

Denver Alpaca Fiesta!

     If you are in town this weekend check out the Denver Fiber Fiesta.  Loads of outstanding alpaca animals and some lovely yarn and fibers too.  Educational, entertaining, and stash enhancing.  And did I mention it's free?   It's at the National Western Stock Show complex in the events center.  Even the parking was free yesterday when the Knitaway knitters made the scene.

 

    We got an education in what makes for a prize winning alpaca by just watching the judging of the classes.  There are obstacle course, trekking, events and even a costumed alpaca event.   As one of the Knitaway Knitters declared, this alpaca party was an ELB, an Extra Life Bonus.  Do go take a look if you can.   Get yourself some ELB energy.

Session II, a snowy start

      Another spring storm blanketed the Studio Garden yesterday, just in time for the Knitaway Session II knitters to arrive.  It was the best kind of snow though, wet and beautiful but not sticking on the pavement.  Just enough to grace the grape hyacinth with chilly frosting.  White rain.

    Here's a glimpse of  the Studio right before the knitters arrived.  I love my knitting corner, especially when the room is filled with other knitters.   It's warm and cozy in here today and I look forward to some lively knitting with this charming group.   Oh! and the sun is brightly shining,

    The Studio space certainly embraces a smaller number of knitters than the old Knitaways used to draw.  I have to admit that I am liking the the new, more intimate dynamic.  The good old days of 25 lovely knitters taking over a lodge were fantastic, no mistake about it. Great memories.  Now though, with seven Knitaway knitters in each session, I can actually spend time with each one and get a feel for what they are knitting.  Plus it's never really been my style to need a megaphone (or a sound system) to share the gentle topic of knitting.  Just sayin'.  Different times, different Knitaway...change is very good.
     Can you tell I'm happy in my work?  Now....  Let the Shetland Shawls begin!

Knitaway Days Fly By!

      Here are some photo highlights of the last couple days of the Knitaway in the Studio.  We studied Shetland Shawls, explored favorite LYS's, shared knitting triumphs and challenges, and enjoyed so much more.  What a talented and inspiring group of knitters!  Take a look.....

Claudia's fun.....

and Intarsia wow!

Beautiful treats

Bob's collection of toys by Susan B. Anderson

Jayne admiring Jo's Ice Queen design by Romi


And then....

Jo choosing yarn for a Highland Triangle Shawl

Oh!  More treats!

Jayne's bag find at Knit Knack

And Rosy's Icelandic Wonder

My conclusion?   Sweet Knitaway days simply fly by too quickly.... 

Session One Day two

Is there anything more fetching than the graceful drape of a silky shawl around the shoulders?    The Knitters all cast on the new Knitaway shawl, Arachne's Bower, and the knitted lace has begun. 

We've been bolstered in our diligent work by a lovely walk to Wild Yarns and the discovery of a new ice cream shop in the neighborhood, Sweet Cow.  "Simply Moolicious" as they say.  Their coconut ice cream, my personal benchmark, is the best!  ' Twas simply a great day at the Knitaway.

Knitaway is On the Way

     Knitaway Session I is officially on it's way.  We had a great time talking and knitting this afternoon, getting to know each other, sharing stories about how we learned to knit, and admiring what's currently on our needles.
    We are focusing on Shetland shawls and I have a lots of wonderful information to share about one of my favorite knitting traditions.   I have a small collection of shawls from Shetland that I came across some years back while I taught knitting in Lerwick.   I just loaned the Denver Art Museum one of these beauties to be displayed in their newly expanded textile art department.  It's a hand knit stole with a beautiful play of patterns using a handspun single-ply Shetland wool.  Always such a joy to see the work of a knitter's hands.
      It's going to be a great Knitaway!

 

Delirious Knitting

     Sometimes your knitting takes turns that you have not expected.  Sometimes a cast on is casting you into deep waters on a little raft.  I'm just returning from a journey during which my knitting took on a life of it's own.  Looking at it now I ask, "Who cast this on and what were they thinking?"

      Where have I been?  Down a rabbit hole with the flu the last couple of weeks.  The Mad Hatter had nothing on me; fever induced illogical thought was a constant companion.  Because I knew I was on another mental plane, I refrained from posting to the blog or doing much other than a simple answer or two on Ravelry.   To say the least, I've had a very foggy brain.   My Moebius Vest class at Knit Knack last weekend was my first foray out into the  thinking world and I so thank my marvelous students for asking questions that got my thinking back into the normal knitting track.  I'm glad to say the fog is entirely gone, conditions are much more clear now, and the weather ahead looks sunny...  fresh and inspired, I might add.
      Not that any of this deterred me from my knitting.  Above you'll see some of the inspirations that came from this trip down the Rabbit Hole.  Mysterious looking aren't they?  These are the swatch beginnings of a couple of wonderful new shawls and one very fun garment.  I did have the foresight to make notes while I knit on these and even better, I can decipher them.  
       I also got some practical knitting done. 

 

    We've got a finishing KAL going in the Knitaway group on Ravelry so I focused on getting a couple of things done.  The Basic Vest, which will be a workshop at Wild Yarns in the near future, is in it's final stages.  I used Om Organic Merino for this version.  What are the thick white lines on the vest?  Why those are pocket "thumb tricks" of course.  The Thumb Trick is an Elizabeth Zimmermann "unvention"  that creates an opening in a garment for a thumb or pocket by working in scrap yarn where the opening is needed.  Just one of the great techniques we'll be covering in this workshop.  Watch for the dates...
     The new variation on the Irish Diamond Shawl got  a few rows added, too.  You can hear more about this shawl and cast on your own this Sunday, St Patrick's Day, at the Irish Diamond Shawl Workshop where we'll be knitting to welcome in the spring.  The vernal equinox is just a few days away, on March 20th.  Great time to start a lace shawl for summer knitting.  Let the lace begin!