Mall of America knitting mania

Basking in the glow of a wonderful weekend assisting the Craft Yarn Council's Knit Out at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN. Made new friends, saw lots of inspiration. A video shows a fraction of the fun. There was a very funny dog show that I helped out with, a fabulous group of therapy dogs that just loved to show off on the catwalk! Jampacked schedule and lots of freebies from the participating companies. More photos showing the stage, the kids fashion show, 2 of the dogs in the dog show, an overview of the booths, the give-away goodie bags, the Lion Brand Mascot, Warm Up America! afghans, demos and more.

Mary C and Mary R... thanks for having me, I had a ball!!! (pun intended). And Evie... I love you. Hope the shoes arrived and of course, the salami!!! ;-)

Many thanks to my roomie Barbara who is an inspiring crochet artist and founding member of the New York Crochet Guild and a major coordinator and colleage for the New York Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef project. We met at a NYU Institute for the Humanities workshop and collaborated on the installation at the SHOW Gallery on Staten Island.

Knitting fever

or is it cabin fever? the sun is finally shining today. And I am in the final stretch of finishing Tim's pewter-gray sweater with cables and a very different ribbing. This morning almost done, got the shoulders together and did the neck... now to sew up the seams and voila! another sweater.

Can't wait to start the new project, a Mermaid by Hanne Falkenberg.... looks like an interesting project, requiring a lot of patience.

Call me a compulsive knitter. I learned when I was a child from my Mother who was always knitting something. Sweaters, hats, socks. Some that I never appreciated until it was too late. Mom, I do remember that red Mary Maxim that you made for me. Thank you. But what do kids know? I yearned for the "store-bought". Got hand-made and hand-me-down instead. Now I just wish for enough time to make more things, for friends and family and self.

This was the second year of the sock! My friend Mary turned me on to the wonderful pre-striped yarn that knits up delightfully into multi-color delights. I made pairs for me, and friends, and gifted at the holidays as well. Socks are a great, a satisfying diversion that is portable and short-term. And I never cease to get a thrill from turning a heel. They're magical. (And if I can keep my Gordon Setter, Rennie, from eating the reinforcing yarn I'll be doing great--and so will she.)

If only everyone knit (or crochet), or was required to do so! What a different world we would live in.

I'm bloggin

Onward to something new.