My friend Roz likes to knit. She learned how when she was a little girl I guess. My grandmother once told me that as a baby I would watch her knit and pretend that I was knitting too. I'd work my fingers like her knitting needles. I have no recollection of this but let me tell you I was one cute baby girl. Anyway, I digress. Roz urged me to learn to knit so I bought a CD and taught myself how. If ever I get in a jam, Roz rescues me. This happens more often than I care to discuss at this time. Anyway, she talked me into going to some knitting retreats that a local knitting shop started. These retreats are usually a weekend long so it involves spending the night. We've had some great times in a nun's convent (no kidding) and also in a great lodge with a pool. Always great food. And there's always someone there to give you a massage. Wonderful. Oh, and yes, lots and lots of knitting projects. But I must confess the very most fun I've ever had at a knitting retreat was in France. Somehow Roz convinced me to go to France to be in a class headed by a famous knitter, Louisa Harding. It was a fabulous experience I kid you not.
Each time I go to a retreat I learn something more; a new stitch, a new trick, a new pattern, a new yarn. I am still a struggling amateur. My main problem is that I don't really do it to relax and so I end up rarely finishing projects. I usually knit when I'm with my friends who knit. I have completed a couple of pretty purses and scarves. One purse was started in France at a chateau in Mont Blanc. We had to design an heirloom stitch. Mine was called Mary Gail's Oil Derrick stitch. Louisa really helped me tremendously with this project. She had beautiful books of stitches we could take ideas from. And she was an inspiration to me. She was working on swatches she designed for her next book. Roz stayed after me until I finished it although it took several months. Roz came to my rescue when I got tangled up at one point. I entered it in a contest and it placed 2nd!!! I won a $50 gift card to a yarn store. I bought a cardigan pattern and some yarn. Someday I'm going to start knitting that sweater. I'll probably wait until the next girl friends retreat at the farm!! Now that's another story all together. All for now.... now where are those knitting needles?
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