Randomness

Isn’t this pretty?  This gerbera was a very kind present from Shirley yesterday – I love any daisy-like flowers and I can never resist yellow either.  Gorgeous.

This post is proving quite tricky to write – we had our third Knitters with Attitude meeting last night but, because it was the usual raucous and rowdy affair, it’s hard to know where to start with documenting it!   I think the best way would be to split it into sections – things we’re making, things we discussed and things we’ve learned.  So ….. here goes …..

Oh, hang on, the food too ….. there was an awful lot of it, and it was yum, as usual.  We had quiche and new potatoes and salad and bread rolls and fruit crumble and custard and chocolate gateau.  We didn’t even get started on the trifle which arrived after most of us had eaten two courses. 

Marti was eating at least one course behind the rest of us!   And now we’re wondering whether to cut down on the food altogether so we have more knitting time?   This time we had THREE puddings – so it has been mooted that we become a Pudding Club instead?  I shall add it to next month’s agenda for discussion ….. 

Now, what can I say about Shirley’s magic waistcoat?   Well ….. there was a wee bit of a mistake on the back of this garment, which entailed more unpicking – about six inches worth this time!   We did suggest that Shirley make the same mistake on both fronts to turn the blip into a design feature, but to no avail.  She’s a perfectionist!  It appeared that Shirley had given up altogether on the back and had started one of the fronts – although we’re sure we saw her unpicking that too.  And henceforward this will be known as “Doing a Shirley”. 

Ruth – our newest member – was next to arrive with a lovely box of chocs – I’m not sure if this is construed as bribery?  Ruth did show some trepidation as she thought we’d make her “make” something as an initiation into the group!  Because Ruth hasn’t knitted for yonks, she brought a very simple, but really beautifully snuggly, chenille scarf to make.  So soft!

Mo brought the gorgeous green scarf to carry on with.  We can forgive her though as she has been busy with the sewing machine, modelling a rather jaunty houndstooth check top for us.  She’s too clever!  Mo was the reason for the look of terror on my face when I thought a steam train was about to come through the front of the house – but it was just the text message alert on her ‘phone.  Trainspotter!

Michele is cracking on with her purple stripey bed runner – it’s gorgeous.  I think it would make a lovely table runner too.  At the last meeting, Michele had brought a pretty top she had been making, but it was a sixteen row pattern and rather unforgiving when you make a mistake.  Even I would baulk at the idea of sixteen rows!   So Michele had “done a Shirley” and was going to start it again later.

Marti is making black sheep bottle tops.  Obviously.  Considering that her last two projects have been meerkats and zombies, I am not a bit surprised.

Amanda’s knitting made a guest appearance, even if Amanda didn’t.  The ripple blanket is absolutely beautiful and was the subject of much debate about the speed at which it has been made.  Gorgeous.  Amanda actually rang at one point, demanding that we save her a doggy bag.  Apparently she was already in her jimjams (this was about eight o’clock!) polishing her new sideboard.  But if you don’t turn up, you don’t get nosh – them’s the rules.

So that’s the things we’re making covered.  Next up are a sample of the things we discussed – and they make no sense whatsoever, so I might just have to list them – I certainly can’t give them any context because they were very random – quelle surprise?! 

Food porn – Waitrose v Marks and Spencer?  We have all decided that we’d like to work for Waitrose or John Lewis because of the fab discounts and staff perks they have.  Not to mention that amazing wool department in the Norwich John Lewis – I’d be spending my entire discount in there without a doubt.

Church steeples – there was much debate about whether there are spare burial plots scattered around graveyards to bury any busy-bodying church committee members who upset the vicar?  

Living organisms which somehow became confused with orgasms – this momentarily put some off us off our stroke.  Pun intended!  

Sewing machines and home economics lessons – and especially singing encouragement at the machine to make the material glide through more easily.

Pre-retirement courses and how they might teach you to shout louder at people and also encourage you to go shopping at the busiest time of the day while those people who work are taking their lunchbreaks.

As for things we’ve learned:-

1.                  It would appear that listening to the Arctic Monkeys while knitting makes your garments grow quicker than if you’re listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. 

2.                  You have to eat a lot of Gu puddings if you want a charming display of tea light holders when you’re camping.

3.                  And sometimes a man just can’t compete with chocolate gateau.

And this box of beauties is hopefully going to remain intact until our next meeting in July, although I’m promising nothing!  I cannot wait until the next instalment – I know we had suggested meeting more regularly than once a month, but I think I need a few weeks between meetings to gather my wits again!