The Knitting Guild & Book Club

Tuesday night, with encouragement from some members of the Ample Knitters Group, I went to the monthly meeting of the Windy City Knitting Guild.

What a wonderful bunch of people. There is something empowering to be in a room full of like-minded people, with NO ONE bent out of shape because you are knitting during a presentation. In fact, non-knitters were a very small minority. The group is friendly, well-organized, open-minded, cheerful and encouraging. I look forward to joining and attending regularly.

The presentation was of the most amazing knitted lace. The designer showed us shawls, scarfs, stoles and a duster, all her own designs and her own lace patterns. She had a magazine article showing the bridal veil that she knit for her daughter. Spiders would be envious of the sheerness and beauty of her work. Speaking of spiders, on piece featured spiders. Who says lace knitting has to be serious?

Wednesday night was the regular meeting of our Book Club. (When I clean up its web site I'll link to it.) We had a very pleasant discussion of The Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. Everyone enjoyed the book, which is unusual. Joy, our hostess, followed the Japanese setting of the book and served wonderful Japanese snacks and sushi. Yum. During the meeting I worked on my hat for the Dulaan project.

I am having trouble joining the fronts and sides of the Sandy cardigan. Garter stitch is clearly the way to go, stockinette was just too curly. I am not pleased with the line formed by the picked up stitches. Back to the pattern book. I've ripped out the sides four times and I do not want to do it again.