Extra Yarn: A Tale of Every Knitter’s Dream Come True

One afternoon last August, I was browsing through Cracker Barrel after a leisurely lunch. Even though it was 90 degrees outside, the store was already stock piled with Christmas and winter items. Holiday season seems to begin around July over at Cracker Barrel! Among the cold weather stuff was a children’s book that appeared to be stuck in with some knick knacks and scented candles. It was Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett (illustrated by John Klassen) and I gasped in excitement when I realized that I had found yet another children’s book about knitting! I mustered enough self-control to hold out and read it once I got home. I was so impressed by the story and the illustrations that I felt like I had to share it with the world. Now that we are in the middle of a particularly cold winter, the time and place to share seem just right. 

Stockinette lettering! 

Extra Yarn takes place in a small, seaside town during the winter doldrums. It has been cold, dark and snowy for some time now, and its people are just plain fed up. On one particularly bleak afternoon, a little girl named Annabelle discovers an old box in the snow. She opens it up and finds that it is filled with a ton of bright, colorful yarn. 

A random box in the snow.

Luckily, Annabelle is a knitter, and she gets to work right away on a sweater for herself, and a matching one for her dog. After she is done, she has a lot of yarn left over. She continues on, making sweaters and hats for her friends and family. Despite all of this knitting, her newfound stash never seems to dwindle. Any color or amount she needs is always there. Annabelle does not question her magical discovery, and continues to live every knitter’s dream. (Not to mention working at what is seemingly superhuman speed…)

A nice change! 

After every man, woman, child and animal in town has a sweater or a hat, Annabelle’s stash of yarn remains full. Still eager to knit, she gets creative and resorts to yarn bombing. Soon every house, car, mooring, mailbox and bird feeder in town is warm and colorful against the drab winter landscape. The spirits of the town’s people are lifted as they become distracted by the warmth and beauty Annabelle and her yarn provide for them.

Before, kind of a downer. 

Quite lovely after Annabelle's yarn "make over." 

Word of Annabelle and her infinite yarn supply spreads far and wide. Her small town is now attracting tourists, and among them is a smarmy Archduke from a castle across the sea. He has a passion for fashion, and is willing to pay Annabelle millions of dollars for her magic yarn box. Annabelle is quite dismissive of the Archduke, and barely looks up from her knitting as he raises his offer as high as $10 million. It seems that his dream of a lifetime supply of killer knitwear is dashed. As it turns out, the Archduke is a huge creep, and that night he hires three burglars to break into Annabelle’s home and steal the yarn box… But this is hardly the end of the story, and as they say, the rest is all spoilers! 

Hmm, sort of reminds me of an old boyfriend... 

I love this book because it features Annabelle as a caring and enterprising little girl. She proactively uses her unique set of skills to help everyone in her community, and make their world a better place. She is grateful and humble when she makes the life changing discovery of the box. The Archduke shows up in town selfishly hoping to gain at the expense of Annabelle and everyone else. Indeed, he does cause trouble and heartache, but karma comes back to bite him by the end of the story. The story is a must read for any school age child, as it features important lessons for children such as cause and effect, independent thinking and looking out for others.

In honor of Annabelle’s magical yarn box, I will leave you with a photo of my own stash. It may not be infinite, as I see it dwindle every day, but I am still proud of it! However, the possibilities for what each skein may one day become are endless. This is what makes every stash of yarn (be it a box, drawer or pink striped duffel bag) truly magical.  

My extra yarn. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12065943-extra-yarn?from_search=true

A Bright Green Light

As I promised in my very first post, I am revisiting the topic of my most favorite emerald green hat! I finished it almost one year ago, and it is probably my proudest knitting accomplishment so far. (Aside from some cozy, wool socks!) I feel this way about it because despite some setbacks and challenges, it turned out just right. When I wear it, I feel like it has a magical quality. Even on the darkest winter day it brightens my eyes and my cheeks and gives a much needed lift to my spirit. It’s so comfortable that it starts to feel like a part of me, and on many occasions I have forgotten to take it off indoors! Recently I wore it through an entire lunch at Cracker Barrel—by the fireplace!

The hat, the myth, the legend. 

A few years ago I picked up a copy of Debbie Stoller’s Stitch ‘N Bitch: Superstar Knitting for reasons that were equal parts inspiration and aspiration. I wanted to get better at cables, color work and maybe even try my hand at lace. I literally found new inspiration with the turn of every page. It was almost sensory overload! Stockings, sweaters, blankets and even a few (eep!) dresses make up this well rounded but advanced resource. It is a far cry from Stitch ‘N Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook, which guided me through the early days of my first shaky knit stitches. Although I had come a long way, I still questioned if I was truly ready for this tome.

One particular pattern held my gaze the longest, and that was the Gretel Tam, designed by Ysolda Teague. The sophisticated cables and twists immediately fed my fascination with all things Irish/Scottish/Welsh or English. The tam style reminded me of the gripping 1791 fright-fest poem, Tam O’Shanter by Robert Burns. It was official: This hat was for me. Whatever nerves I had over unfamiliar abbreviations such as “T3F,” “T3B” or whatever the heck “Pfb” was would be dealt with head on. I had to create it no matter what.

Tam O'Shanter and his horse, Meg, being chased by supernaturals.

It was now the third week of 2013, and Emerald was the Pantone Color of the Year. I love all variations of green, and had hoped to incorporate this vibrant shade in at least one of my projects. Needless to say, I was beyond excited when I found the most stunning ball of emerald green merino wool among my tried and true Cascade Yarns. Even more evidence that this hat was meant to be. I went home and jumped into it head first…

As usual, I chose a pattern that was a little too advanced for me. I had two false starts. After the first nine rounds, the pattern would command me to, “m1.” I interpreted it as a regular knit stitch increase. WRONG! This is actually an increase where you pick up a bar and knit it through the back loop between two stitches. I finally looked this up after two unravelings. By now I was done with making assumptions and the, “I’ll figure it out myself” attitude. It wasn’t getting me anywhere! When it comes to knitting, if you don’t know about something, you can’t magically piece it together. You must get over yourself and go consult someone or something. Humbled, I went to YouTube (haha) and typed in any and all abbreviations I was unsure about. 

Another diagram from my trusty 1973 copy of The Concise Knitting Book. 

Nice, plain English. 

After several rounds of video watching, I went back to work with a stronger sense of respect for the process. I slowly knitted, purled, twisted and cabled while taking deep breaths. I realized I could do this as long as I slowed down and chilled out. I annotated the pattern and counted stitches like crazy. I’m pretty sure I used most of my stitch markers. (I always mean to buy more, but getting around to it is another thing.) When it was time to switch to double pointed needles, I stayed up very late until I finished. By then I was in “the zone,” and a little thing like the time of night/morning wasn’t going to stand in the way. I had crossed the bridge from uncertainty and frustration into a place of absolutely loving what I was doing. If anything was worth an all-nighter, it was this!

In progress

As per the finishing instructions, I blocked my hat on a dinner plate! For any flat beret or tam pattern, this is the best little trick. A Frisbee would work, too. I allowed three whole days to pass to be one hundred percent sure that the cable-twist pattern had, “set.” Despite the milder temperatures, I took it with me everywhere through March.

Fast forward one year later, and I am pretty sure that this hat has saved my life--or maybe just my health. Winter came on strong and early. During this time I found myself with a long commute into D.C. and a walk that added up to eight blocks a day. It was doable, but not exactly fun in the “cold November rain.” Whatever the temperature is, you can guarantee that it feels twenty degrees colder down on the Metro platforms. Add on the typical delays, and I spent quite a bit of time out in the cold. At the end of some days, I would feel pretty tired and ragged. I thought that I probably didn’t look very good, but then I would glimpse my reflection in one of the train windows and see myself in the hat. I actually looked kind of cute, and I realized I was stronger than I thought. I began to imagine myself as a bright green light in the gray city streets. It helped infuse me with the positive energy needed to go home and prepare for another day. 

That’s part of the magic of handmade things. The maker infuses their items with love for the craft or for the people to whom they give their creations. Love begets more love. For me, my green hat lit up my heart on cold, stressful nights. It reminded me of going through a challenge and coming out better on the other side. 

And that's the story! 

'Go To YouTube.'

Early last October I found myself in the usual planning/buying stage for my upcoming Christmas projects. Socks, scarves and crochet amigurumi rounded out the list for family members and other special people in my life. For my ever supportive boyfriend, I knew the only thing for him would be a handsome Fisherman’s Rib scarf. I remembered seeing such a pattern on my favorite knitting blog, The Purl Bee by Purl Soho: http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2010/12/3/whits-knits-fishermans-rib-scarf-and-cowl.html 

A banner from www.purlbee.com. 

Whit’s Knits are guaranteed to inspire! I fell in love with this scarf’s understated, classic elegance, and I could immediately envision the piece around his neck. It was "his." I decided to skip the matching cowl. He just isn’t the cowl “type.” The search for materials and a little bit of advice from the yarn shop was on!

I had only one small worry going into this project. To make the traditional ribbing, it would be required of me to “knit into the stitch below” (k1b) or (k1d sometimes) for every other stitch for the duration of the project. Knitting into a stitch was so…foreign… to me. Counterintuitive, perhaps. Why would I want to knit into a stitch from a row that is already completed? How would the work ever progress if I kept dipping down to a previous row? And what about the seemingly extra loop on the needle? Did I dare just let it fall? It seemed like a one way ticket to Mistake-Town USA, population Vicki. At the same time I trusted in Whit and The Purl Bee, and their instructions seemed quite clear. To assuage my anxieties, I decided that I would ask about the stitch at the yarn shop.

Diagram from my 1973 copy of The Concise Knitting Book. 

***Disclaimer! Before I begin the next half of this story, I will add that I am not naming the yarn shop we visited. All I will say is that it is in the greater Washington D.C. area, which does not leave many hints. ***

Late the next Saturday afternoon, my boyfriend and I met up at the shop for yarn/color selection. While still keeping the nature of my project a secret, I allowed him to choose the color and texture most to his liking. This kind of thing is very exciting to us! He chose a muted forest green by Cascade with striking ease, and it seemed our trip would be much shorter than I anticipated. 

Before going to the checkout counter, I approached one of the 3 ladies running the shop. They were weekend staff, and I was not familiar with any of them, but that was ok. Without revealing too much about my project, I asked her if she could watch me do the k1b with some of their test yarn, as I wanted to be sure I was doing it correctly. She told me that of course I was free to test it out, but that she couldn’t help me because she had never heard of that stitch, and maybe it would be best for me to go home and, “go to YouTube.” Go to YouTube?! I felt like I had been told to go to Hell! Five minutes earlier I overheard her bragging about her many sweaters that were supposedly complex beyond imagination. But when I asked her briefly about “knit one below,” she could not even make an educated guess? Shady. What was going on in this store? It was so unlike them. The owner and her assistant are fantastic knitters and people, but they are usually not there on the weekends. Their weekend employees are transient and I have never seen the same person twice. I sum it up to a case of very bad timing, and it does not reshape my opinion of that shop.

Despite this epic 21^st century brush off, I worked out my anxieties over k1b in the test yarn. No need to visit YouTube, at least not on that afternoon.

 “Go to YouTube?” my boyfriend repeated in disbelief outside of the shop. We shared a sweet laugh together, and then it was time to go home and get straight to work. It was only two and a half months until Christmas!

If I owned a yarn shop, the words, “Go to YouTube,” would be forbidden! In fact, I would have a large poster in the back room as a constant reminder. Learning to knit is dependent on human contact. The process is interactive and conversational. YouTube certainly does help in a pinch, but it will never be the same as having a guide sitting next to you in real time.

What I would have in mind!

A huge reason that we still have yarn shops in a YouTube and iPhone world is that they provide a sense of community. I could have gotten all of my help and materials online, but I chose not to do that. If a customer is in a yarn shop it’s because they want to purchase and learn personally from that staff. While it’s impossible for mere mortals to have all the answers, putting up a wall is unacceptable. If the customer and the shop employee are both uncertain, why not log on to YouTube together in the store? Not only would it be good customer service, it would be two knitters interacting and learning together: a modern twist on how knitting has been through time!

After I shook off my jitters, I came to enjoy creating the fisherman’s rib. The k1b became rhythmic and second nature. It did not grow slowly or use up too much yarn, as I had worried. Instead it created a luxurious, wide, plushy ribbing that I was beyond proud to wrap up and present on Christmas.

I couldn't help myself!

In the New Year we have found ourselves dealing with temperatures in the teens, harsh winds and the tail of Winter Storm Hercules bringing everyday life to a standstill. Knowing that what I knit for him is making life easier as he shovels his way out into the world is a warm ray of light in this winter gloom. My soft, squishy creation is actually measuring up to the rugged and tough expectations associated with Fisherman’s Rib.

On the way to shovel some snow. 

It has a nice drape, too!

Rugged. 

…Still, both of us cannot wait for spring!  

Until then, looking sharp! 

New Year’s Knitting Resolutions

Happy 2014 everyone! The time has come to reflect on the past year and to set goals for the new. 2013 was quite a wonderful year for me, and I am moving into 2014 full of excitement, hope and ideas! I find myself creating a subset of resolutions just for my knitting life and projects. Before the list gets too long, I will stop and share what I have.

One: Practice better form and posture. I have this odd habit of raising my shoulders while knitting. I get tense and serious, and I do not even realize I’m doing it until they start to ache—or go numb! My left shoulder in particular sometimes feels as if a vampire has drained it of blood after about an hour of “tense” knitting. Even though I get excited and I want to see results, I need to slow down and realize that I’m not competing in a race…unless of course it is Christmas Eve. Then it would be a race against time! http://www.allfreeknitting.com/Tips-for-Knitting/29-tips-for-avoiding-knitting-pain

I can has shoulder?

Two: Continue to keep track of all the due dates and genders of the seemingly endless stream of babies being born around me. Bonnets, hats, booties and the occasional amigurumi toy take no more than a few evenings to whip up. Not to mention they make for warm, fuzzy happy babies!

Three: My ever supportive boyfriend is by now more than sweater worthy! If he can hold still long enough for me to take measurements, this should be my first major project of 2014. He’s down with the plan, I found a pattern that seems legit, and soon he can join me for yet another afternoon at the yarn shop while I hunt materials and plague the staff with dozens of questions. Truth be told, it will be the first time I’ve knit a garment that large. I’ve made a few halter tops and some miniature sweater ornaments, but a man’s sweater will be a new frontier for me. http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Tiny_Holiday_Sweater_Ornament_Pattern__D51077220.html

Behold! The largest sweater I have ever knit! 

Four: Get around to reading The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. I picked it up on a whim last summer, and it’s still collecting dust on my nightstand while I make my way down my reading list. It has some mixed reviews and it seems like chick-lit at its finest, but I couldn’t resist the pull of a fantasy yarn shop right on Broadway. It may be the light hearted, palate cleanser I will need after Killing Jesus. Brutal! http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/friday-night-knitting-club-kate-jacobs/1100315491?ean=9780425265260

Time to chill out and read. 

Five: Keep blogging! It seems like a no-brainer, but the pressures of daily life can sometimes get the best of our blogging/social media intentions. As of right now I have no shortage of material, and I will be able to at least keep it fresh, if sporadic at times. 

Five things over twelve months seem quite attainable. With the support of my friends, family and faithful readers out in the blogosphere, a busy year full of growth awaits! Peace. 

Farewell Diamonds and Rust!

My favorite shop in the history of the universe is closing. As I am sure is no surprise to anyone, it is a vintage/antique/estate shop! The owners have decided to convert their space and the surrounding land into the Farm Fresh Market, set to open next year.

Whenever I needed a break from Northern Virginia, I would plan a day trip out to Diamonds and Rust in historic Aldie, Virginia. I loved the long, varied ride through congested parts of Fairfax, to eventually see Route 50 become narrower. Farm houses and long stretches of land replaced strip malls, big box stores and townhouses. After three dicey traffic circles, I would pass the Aldie Mill and turn into the gravel parking lot. The first thing I would hear upon getting out of my car was peaceful silence. I had arrived.

The large house with the blue roof was built in the late 1800s and has served many functions for the Village of Aldie during its history. Quite notably, it was a pharmacy from the 1890s until World War II. Since 2005, it has been home to Diamonds and Rust. Like many older homes and buildings, it feels very “alive,” and I could feel this energy when I stepped inside for the first time. The pink and white striped walls reverberate with the history of the town and its people.

Two very kind and knowledgeable ladies, Marcia and Amber, ran the shop. Easy conversation was a guarantee as I floated in and out of the rooms and hallways. I would stay for at least an hour each visit. I needed to explore every room, rummage every drawer, admire each display and even look out every window! Over the years I collected all sorts of vintage items for my home and more. Furniture, art and handmade crafts breathed new life into the décor of my house and my yard. I found authentic Art Deco jewelry at a trunk show during the initial Boardwalk Empire craze. But one weekend at D&R sticks out in my memory for what I found that inspired my knitter’s soul.

Across from the stairwell was a linen closet. Depending on the day, it would be stocked with curtains, tablecloths, blankets and doilies. But on one afternoon, it was stocked with vintage knitting supplies. A large vase was filled with knitting needles made from materials that haven’t been used in a long time. Most of them appeared to be early plastic. I selected for myself a pair of yellow, size 10 Boye needles with rust forming on the metal toppers. I marveled at the well-defined points. So narrow and sharp! Today’s needles are more tapered and not as pointy.

Rusty.

Pointy!

Next was an antique tape measure/pin cushion with just inches on the tape. This item came some time before the metric system! It was in the shape of a little peasant woman, and you reached the tape by pulling it humorously out of her nose. It still had tags on it, and it was in near-new condition. For whatever reason, it was never someone’s “cup of tea,” but I found it irresistible.  

Haha.

In action a few summers ago.

It was wonderful discovering these small items, but I have been saving the true pièce de résistance of the day for last. A well-used, wooden sock darning egg from a simpler time seemed to appear before my eyes on the linen shelf. Before my trip, I had the idea of finding an antique sock darning egg. Not too many of these are made anymore, and are hard to find even in specialty yarn shops. Your best bet is an online catalogue order, and it will probably be made of plastic. What I had yearned for was an authentic, used wooden egg. I turned the relic over in my hands, and I could feel pits and scratches on the surface from where the sewing needle had jabbed it. It mended countless sock heels and toes. Although I reinforce all of my socks, the inevitable day will arrive where I, too, will add my own scratches to the wood.

The real McCoy. 

Nicked and scratched.

With the way life has been going, I will not be able to make it out in time for the last day. Work obligations, holiday obligations, ice and snow and other things have kept me closer to home. Now that I think about it, I’m not as sad about the closing as I thought I would be. I will enjoy and benefit from these items for the rest of my life! The time to collect has ended, and that is ok. In time I will find a new hideaway for when things become too humdrum or hectic. Now it is time for all of us to move into the next phases of our journeys, while holding onto the memories we made. All I have to say is thank you so much for helping me along the way to finding myself, and cultivating my methods of self-expression. It’s been real!

Links:

http://shopdiamondsandrust.com/

http://www.villageofaldie.com/index.htm

http://www.villageofaldie.com/drugstore.html

  

A Fine, Wooly Muffler for Christmas

In the spirit of the holiday season, I must share one of my favorite Christmas children’s books. Naturally, this story involves knitting! One may not realize just how many children’s books about knitting are in existence… I discover new ones all the time. 

The Gift from the Lonely Doll is one of many stories from The Lonely Doll series written and photographed by Dare Wright in the late 1950s into the 1960s. They follow a doll named Edith as she navigates childhood with the help of her friends and family. These classic and gentle stories are told through simple text and captivating black and white photographs of dolls posed in such a way that they seemingly come to life!

For those of you who don’t know Edith yet, she is a little girl doll who lives in New York City with her adoptive bear family. She was The Lonely Doll until one day she wished for some friends. The next morning Mr. Bear and Little Bear appeared at her doorstep, and they all lived happily together ever since.

In The Gift from the Lonely Doll, we learn that Edith, too, is a knitter. Edith and the bears are preparing to spend Christmas in the country with more of their bear cousins. She decides to knit Mr. Bear a, “fine, wooly muffler,” for this extra special occasion. With Little Bear’s near constant teasing and occasional help, she gets to work on a very simple red and white garter stripe scarf. She knits diligently in the weeks leading up to Christmas, while keeping the gift hidden in a basket. 

The first few rows

Much progress!

Edith underestimates her own progress, and does not realize until Christmas Eve that she has created her own version of the Doctor Who scarf. It is just way too long! 

The iconic scarf worn by Tom Baker

Edith's creation!

While Mr. Bear is grateful on Christmas morning, and the other bears praise and admire the muffler, Edith knows she could have done better. She is quite upset, and she does not know what to do to fix the problem. This leads to a quite understandable holiday breakdown at the dinner table…but suddenly she has an idea!

A holiday meltdown.

Working it out.

What happens next is all spoilers, but I will tell you that everything turns out much better than Edith could have imagined. She stayed focused on what she wanted, tuned out Little Bear’s teasing and never gave up. Because of this, Edith managed to turn it all around and the Bear Family had one of their most memorable holidays ever.

Any knitter, regardless of being a beginner, intermediate or advanced, can relate to Edith’s predicament. Dropping a stitch. Frogging countless rows. Knitting in secret. Feeling pressed for time. Or having our needles stolen! We've all been there.

To learn more about Dare Wright and her books, please listen to, or read, this eye opening segment on her life: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4258856

Knitting In The Round

Late one summer night as I was browsing on Etsy, I became fascinated by their seemingly endless supply of vintage pattern books and magazines. As I looked at the photos of the fragile black and white pages from the 1930s, I wanted very much to hold one of these magazines in my hands. I craved a more in depth look at the differences in instruction and materials, as well as style. How much had knitting and crochet changed and evolved over the last century? Rather than order a whole bunch and wait for them to arrive, I decided to try my luck at a local thrift shop. Knowing this mission could be seriously hit or miss, I went to a shop I had never visited before because I believe in the power of beginner’s luck!

I chose to begin the hunt at Clocktower Thrift Shop in Centreville, Virginia. Although not exactly local for me, I drove out to these hinterlands of Fairfax County based on the good word of other creative and thrifty people. As I entered, I picked up good vibes because of the vinyl records, CDs and dolls all displayed together near the register. Definitely my kind of place. All the magazines were on the far back wall on the lowest shelf. I hunkered down on the dusty floor and got to work. I felt unsure of myself as I perused through hundreds of back issues of O, In Style and People, but then fate intervened. A tiny, faded magazine that I could have missed came next: A Doreen Baby Book: Easy to Make Crochet and Knitted Baby Gifts, Copyright 1945, 20 cents. 

The fateful Doreen book, and the rest of my Clocktower haul.

The feeling was magical! I had truly followed my instincts to the right place at the right time. I looked through the patterns and saw that notations had been penciled in to the margins. Someone got a lot of use from this magazine. I was thrilled, and would have been satisfied in leaving only with it. However, from the vast pile of nearly discarded reading material, I unearthed eight more knitting pattern magazines, all spanning from the 1940s to the 1970s. Vogue Knitting, Bernat Sweaters, Nomotta…all had been notated with the same handwriting. At least eight out of the ten magazines I found that day belonged to the same knitter. I saw that she was not just any knitter, but a master. Only the most elegant and intricate patterns were annotated. These patterns did not tell her what to do—she told them what they were going to do for her! She resized and altered the instructions with ease—which any knitter knows is no small feat. I realized that these patterns served as suggestions to guide her along with what she really wanted to do and create. I believe with all certainty that she loved the craft. I felt so inferior to her, yet so motivated to begin my climb to her level, no matter how many years it would take me. I would bring these magazines home, keep them forever and practice them one gauge swatch at a time. I paid all of $2.10 for this treasure trove, and went home feeling honored that whatever force at work in the universe chose me as their new owner. 

Once upon a time, there was a very lucky (and warm) baby!

Annotations, tweaks and adjustments.

Elegant and challenging gloves/mittens

I think this sweater could pass for today with a different collar. Pattern is annotated, of course!

When I got home and settled down with my new/old magazines, I saw that very little has changed about knitting through time. 1,000 years can go by and people will still be making many garments and accessories the same way as they always did. So much of knitting is classic and timeless, no matter what is on the racks at Macy’s. 

A vintage bed jacket. All the rage in its time!

Ok, maybe not too many people are knitting bed jackets anymore. But I can take any sweater, mitten or sock pattern from my 1940s pattern collection, put a modern twist upon it, and look fabulous.

I began to realize that we are all “knitting in the round.” Knitting is a humble life skill that links past generations to the present and eventually the present will link to the future through the same set of practices. It is time and technology proof. I imagine that I could sit down with my Polish aunts who lived 100 years ago, and we could all chatter on about yarn, needles and stitches as if no time or space ever separated us. 

Now back to the present. The time has come to stop browsing these magazines and choose which classic pattern to recreate first. Another pair of socks? A classic and timeless sweater? Or maybe those sweet baby mitts? The choices are seemingly endless, and they could all be the right one. 

To be continued!