Wool in my soup

I am a 67 year-old grandmother living on Vancouver Island. I have crocheted, cross-stitched and rug hooked, but I always had yarn on needles. Recently knitting has become my primary hobby!

Name:
Location: Canada

Thursday, September 28, 2006

When Bloggers Meet - Pure Joy!

I was waiting outside my LYS and there she was with her DH and I knew right away that this was Jo and her beautiful smile said it all to me. What pure joy to meet a fellow blogger - and to think that we both have not even been blogging for six months. This is the best thing about blogging! How else would an Irish lass and a Canadian gal meet when they live half-way around the world from each other?

We exchanged gifts. I was the lucky recipient of two skeins of yarn. Jo, I have already chosen a pattern for the Aran! It will be this vest and 200gr should be enough - if not, we can get more - RIGHT?



















The yarn is from Kerry Woolen Mills and is an Aran weight. The pattern is from Sally Melville in her Purl book! I had thought of a vest with celtic patterns, but as I just wrote this, I thought - perhaps a celtic knot on the back and a small one on one side of the front! The only problem might be that the twists and turns would 'eat' so much yarn! How many yards do you think there would be in 200gr of Aran weight yarn? It will be something I can wear with lots of memories floating about my head of my wonderful few hours with Jo in my LYS. I will also need some terrific buttons, but no problem, as my LYS also carries beautiful buttons. I live in a small community, but I think Jo will attest that we have one beautifully stocked yarn shop run by a young gal with enthusiasm and attention to serving her customers. You could not ask for more.



The other yarn she brought to me is going to be a shaped scarf - you know the one that I knit with Goldilocks - that one. It is a terrific scarf, as the little triangle fills in what Jo and I agreed was not the most attractive part of our bodies!! Won't it just be beautiful? Again, another Sally Melville pattern from the Knit 1 book! I am afraid that the photo does not do justice to the beautiful blues, mauves and greens in the yarn. Wish I had gotten Richard to take a photo of the yarns with his Skookum camera. No that is not a brand, but a way we have here of saying that something is wonderful, terrific, just right, etc.















I had gone in to my LYS earlier in the week to see if I could arrange for Jo and I to go to the shop of Judy MacLean in our area. Judy is a charming gal who hand spins and paints yarns in beautiful, just beautiful, colourways. It was not to be, as she is a busy gal and it takes time away from her dyeing to give "tours". I understand this and said that at least we could show Jo some hand spun and hand dyed yarns from our community. We were busy chatting, shopping, more chatting, more fingering yarns, more chatting - you get the picture. Anyway, Jen, who owns the shop and her Mom, Judy, were most generous in allowing us to almost take over the little shop. We were busy gazing at Judy's yarns, when who should walk into the shop - you got it - JUDY!!! I did not arrange it, but it happened. We got to spend well over a half hour talking to Judy and I bought a small skein to make a scarf, but I will return to get more. This is only my second skein of Sweatermaker yarns, but it won't be my last! She is a true artist, but very approachable and friendly. I hope Jo enjoyed meeting her as much as I did and what luck to be there when she came in to get some of her product to take home to make a shawl she is working on! My guardian angel was a busy gal today!

Here is my Sweatermaker yarn! Wish we had remembered a camera to take a photo of Jo and Judy!




John, my DH, and Richard went off to see some of the Valley and we met them at the chocolate shop across from Uptown Yarns. We had coffee and a snack - no chocolate - how did we manage that little faux pas! Next time! Richard took some wonderful photos that you can see on Jo's site!

There is another LYS in the area, but Jo and Richard had an appointment further north, so they had to leave. Perhaps Jo can make a visit when they are on their way back - sure hope so! It was so lovely to meet such a delightful couple and the four of us had a wonderful time. Knitters are just the nicest people. I came home and knit and thought of my good fortune to meet a fun couple from another country, share our time with them and show them a small part of our world. Life is very sweet!

6 Comments:

Blogger Rain said...

Aw, it sounds like you had a lovely time.

2:49 AM  
Blogger LaurieM said...

I'm happy for you both. It sounds like you had a lovely time.

I do think you should worry about cables eating up the yardage of your yarn. Aran weight will go fast with even a simple cable. You could always knit the back, (1/2 the vest, right?) and if there is yarn left over then you should be safe to knit some cables into the front.

3:56 AM  
Blogger LaurieM said...

I meant wool leftover from the first skien.

3:57 AM  
Blogger Susanne said...

So glad you had a great time. It is exciting to meet another blogger.
The vest is a great idea, you could do a swatch of the cable to see how much yarn it eats up and go from there.

6:44 AM  
Blogger rho said...

I didn't tell Jo but I am pea green with envy that you guys got to meet. It sounds like you had a super time - that vest will be perfect and every time you wear it you will remember this great day and a great friend.

And your present to Jo -- OMG that was beautiful - just breath taking. I don't think I will ever feel up to doing lace....

8:57 AM  
Blogger Lisa said...

Sounds like you had a great time. The vest will be pretty in that yarn. Nice choice.

Happy to be home. Sounds like your trip was a great success too!

11:06 AM  

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