The Institute for Excellence in Writing Blog

Sunday, December 8, 2013

A Company of Women

One of the supreme pleasures in my life is sharing my passions, interests, and talents with other like-minded people. I love meeting new people and learning more about them in a framework of a class. Yesterday, I was privileged  to have the opportunity to meet and teach some lovely people how to knit my pattern, Hester's Hope.

The class was intimate, with just three students, but what fun we had! We met at Knitwitz, a Jacksonville knitting establishment that stocks lovely, yummy yarns. It was a day spent with great company, surrounded by gorgeous yarns. In other words, knitting bliss!

Another nugget I was able to share was my appreciation for the iPad/iPhone app, KnitCompanion. This powerful tool has made me a better and faster knitter. I spent about ten minutes the night before class getting the project formatted, and they were able to see just how easy reading those pesky charts becomes when it's in KnitCompanion.

Of course these ladies rocked Hester, and I'm so looking forward to heading back next week for the next installment of the class, the lace bind-off. For those of you who knit, you may wonder if you can complete this full-sized shawl in only a week, and the answer is absolutely. As it's worked in bulky yarn on size 13 needles, it truly flies, and before you know it, a last minute Christmas gift is completed!

What a great bunch of gals!
Here's a few snaps of the wonderful progress they made:
This beauty is being knit in Cascade 128 Superwash.

And this colorful Hester is being done in Marble Chunky.

This pretty periwinkle number is also being done in Cascade 128.
Thanks, ladies, for coming in and spending the afternoon with me! I had a blast! I can hardly wait to see all those finished shawls!

4 comments:

  1. They were fortunate students indeed to have you as their instructor! I can't think of anyone better!

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    1. I'm honored you think so! It is such a joy to share my love of this craft.

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  2. Love Hester's Hope and love you too! Knitting it up again in Cascade as well. Glad your class went well!

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  3. Thanks! I really did have a great time!

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