Yes, I am home from Knitting Camp, full of ideas and keen to knit them all up. Right now! This very minute! All of them!
The Knitting Camp I go to is called Retreat 2.75. There once was just Camp 1, Camp 2 and Retreat 3. But it was clear there was a need to add one more retreat. And so Retreat 2.75 was born. Many of us are what I like to refer to as ‘repeat offenders’ – knitters who come back year after year. I would be one of those. And because there are so many of us who return, it has also become a gathering of old friends; people I only get to see once a year, but with whom I share a very special bond. Now that doesn’t mean that newcomers are unwelcome. In fact we had a number of newcomers this year and they all commented on how open and welcoming this group is.
There was lots to learn, lots to see and share and lots to talk about. So, a few hightlights:
This is Janine. Some of you will know her as feralknitter. This is her own design called Starry Night. I always feel energized by reading Janine’s blog and seeing what she is working on.
We got a sneak peek on what is up-and-coming at Schoolhouse Press. Marilyn van Keppel knit this sweater in multiple sizes for an upcoming Schoolhouse Press Pattern. In the following picture, holding the sweaters, from left to right are Marilyn van Keppel, Janine/feralknitter and Meg Swansen.
It is a design from a children’s book whose name I did not write down and so have forgotten. The author gave permission to have his drawing translated into a real hand knit sweater. Here is a better picture of the sweater. Clearly my photography skills are in need of a lot of work.
Schoolhouse Press will be publishing a new book on garter stitch designs of Elizabeth Zimmermann. Publication date is not yet known but they are working hard on it. Cheryl Oberle made a coat in her own yarn for the book. Here she is modelling it for us.
Even if you think you have all the Elizabeth designs done in garter stitch, check this book out when it is released. You won’t find the Baby Surprise Jacket in this book. All the patterns are ones that are either not well known or have never been published before. We got to see a number of other designs that will be in this book. Trust me, it will be worth buying.
And I finally got a picture of both Meg and I – the Jedi Master and the Padawan.
I took along some knitting just for me – not for Sheeps Ahoy or to give away. This is Blue Moon Fiber Arts’ Traveling Sweater (although in Canada we call it the Travelling Sweater – one of those things like colour and color, get it?). This is what it looked like when I left the house.
I’m using their yarn Woobu in colourway Haida. I cast on in the Ottawa Airport before my first flight left for Camp and today it looks like this.
Now I have to say, I would have thought I would be much further along after 5 days at Knitting Camp. But then, if I told you what I actually took to work on you would think I was planning on being away for several months!
While I was away, the household did manage to function without me. My son Dennis had an accident with his cell phone and a swimming pool. Dennis and the swimming pool are fine; the cell phone is not. I will confess that our home phone is much busier as he has lost the ability to communicate with his friends via texting.
The day after I left town, my van stopped working leaving my husband stranded. I got it back yesterday after paying more money than my whole vacation to Knitting Camp! Today it is giving me more grief and will be going back into the shop tomorrow. This could cut into my yarn budget.
But despite those obstacles, the laundry was done, the house was clean and there were groceries in the fridge (and not just the ones that were there before I left home).
And now I shall go and pet some more wool. Stay tuned for more progress on the Travelling Sweater and to see what is going on the needles next.
