Knitting Catch-up: our very different styles

Carried my latest big project, another more complex vest, on our December trip to New York.  Very cold--this before the big blizzard--so had taken two scarves.  Put small extra (always prepared to shiver) around Roxie's little neck.  She liked that:  Grandma's scarf.

Should I make one for her?  She liked that too.  On our only day in Manhattan, our first stop was a sentimental one at Knitty City.  Crowded before Xmas with many customers, big beginner's class.  "Naomi Bloom!" Pearl Chin shouted as I was enveloped in a hug, "Where's Ron?"  He arrived soon, triumphant at finding a parking spot.  About to celebrate its 5th year on the upper west side, it seems Ron and I spent many years at this very special neighborhood store.  Bought soft purple yarn for Roxie scarf (second-best little girl color after pink).

Kay Gardiner famous via the Mason-Dixon knitting blog arrived for three of us to do lunch at Hampton Chutney Co., Amsterdam and 82nd.  She introduced us to Dosas and was amused we were so taken with them.  You can miss many things when you live in the Big Apple and this was one of ours.  I'm going to see if these "light, crispy, sour-dough crepes made from rice and lentils" might find a place to light  in foody Portland.

What did we not discuss? Yarn, of course, and her adventures as a "lone blogger" while partner Ann worked on a novel.  Kay also quilts, so we heard about "long arm quilters" which may be a bit arcane for most of us...SuperEggplant, a knit/food/thread PDX blog whose wrap-around skirt could work for your tights-wearing friends in the Northwest.  Cultural stuff is always on our minds when we meet.

I copied in my notebook her phrase about how we respond to these times, the challenges for young people like her children and our grands who are "living in a world where it's all optional."  Think about schools where students become accustomed to no-deadlines.

Ron realized he'd not made Kay a hat.  Gasp!  She tried on my Ron-hat, and now one is on its way to her.  I accept responsibility for Ron's dive into wool [link is to THE story/book]--all that schlepping around to fiber festivals.  And telling him that spinning had to have an end product like knitting.   Never did it occur to me that he'd turn into a major producer of hats--with labels.  The count is beyond 100 now!  Some of the most recent resting on his spinning wheel with Kay's at the top, ready to be mailed.

Yes, he is all about production, a very tempting destination.  I did that once with the 150 red wiggler worms some ten years ago.  Now it's just one slow project at a time though I did turn out Roxie's new scarf on a three-day turnaround NY-D.C.-Tarrytown.   Photo is recent products of the hat-worker, a/k/a, "knitting fool."  Kay's ready for mailing on the top.

Used up every bit of the Malabrigo skein (51% silk/49% wool)bought for Roxie's scarf.  Found a variation online I  when I couldn't remember (what a surprise) one used over the years.

Mistake rib:  Multiple of 4 + 3, size 8 needle.  Slip first stitch knitwise, then knit 1, (p2, k2) to last three stitches, knit two, purl one.  Repeat every row.  Roxie's knit on 39 stitches.

Hoping it keeps her warm in all the very cold, snowy weather in New York.  We were sad to miss her 4th birthday last week, could only sing on the phone.