Retreat Time

I suppose it's a good thing when I get home from a knitting retreat and have almost no photos to share with you. (It's a bit of a pity because this is held at a beautiful lakeside setting.) This was a retreat where I was so engaged with the project and the other knitters that I hardly thought about making photos. Except for our retreat keepsake...this travel mug. The retreat logo is one of Jessica's designs and I had to make a photo to show her. This picture and a very few others are all I have from a wonderful weekend. Fewer photos. More good memories. That's a good thing.

Nearly 40 knitters from several southern states gathered at a camp situated on our lake. 10 minutes away from our lake house. For the first time, the retreat offered a pre-retreat day for those who wanted to come on Thursday for an extra day. Since we had room at our lake house, a few knitters that I have met at other retreats came a day early and we had a "pre" pre-retreat visit. How much fun it was to have some pajama knitting time on our lake cabin porch before we left for the real retreat.

This retreat always has a project that is especially chosen for this gathering. It always includes something for us to learn—a new stitch, a new technique, etc. For this particular retreat, our leader/hostess designed a shawl pattern, Pajama Day. AND she dyed all of the yarn that we used. She is amazing.

Another feature common to most retreats is the "show and tell" session. That's when knitters are invited to show us their finished projects. And we all "ooh and ahhh" and make notes of pattern names and yarn colors. This retreat had two younger knitters in the mix. Retreats are often made up of those of us "of a certain age." Those of us who might be retired and have time to come. So it was exciting to see knitters who are not grandmothers. The youngest knitter told us that she had been knitting for four years. Now, there were plenty of knitters there who had been knitting for forty years, so we waited to see what a newer knitter had to share.

My wonderful door prize.

And we were totally and completely blown away.  She learned to knit from videos while she was deployed overseas and had lots of time by herself. Oh. My. Goodness. She pulled fabulous creation after fabulous creation out of her very large bag. Where the first bag was empty, she announced that she was giving away everything we had seen. My name was the first drawn and I chose this sweater that fit me like she had knitted it for me.

Another friend got a silk and cashmere shawl. Another chose a beaded lace shawl. It was such an extravagant act of generosity. This knitter didn't give away her rejects, or the projects she learned on. These were were wonderful beautifully knitted works.

That stack of beautiful hand knits were given away to 15 thrilled recipients. And then our young knitter showed us what was in the other bag. It was full of cabled sweaters that she had made for her husband who is currently serving in the military and huge lace wraps that she can snuggle up in when the weather gets cold. She said she can knit her husband a cabled sweater in less than three weeks. Wow. In addition to her excellent knitting skill, she is a speed demon of a knitter!

And the other young knitter, also a military wife, then showed her bag of equally amazing work. Rest assured. Knitting is not endanger of dying out. These young women are proof that the craft is still going strong.

A bonus at this retreat was the music. Live music! At a knitting retreat. A friend of one knitter came along and provided some background music off and on during the retreat. Ukulele. Piano. If you could name it, he could play it. I hope he comes again. I hope we all get back there again. A few days away with friends, old and new, is a renewal for the spirit. Now I'm looking forward to our next get-away.