I have this old, approximately the 1960’s, PATONS 65 cents pamphlet with knitting patterns for Bazaar Items. Corn cob slippers, tea cozies, toilet roll covers and poodle bottle covers to name a few. I see that the same booklet can be purchased on Ebay for about four bucks now.
Not sure if anyone still has a dolly or poodle sitting on top of their toilet tank with a spare roll of toilet paper hidden underneath.
Thursday evening in Millvale, Amy McCall, owner of McWalker Yarns hosted poets Sheryl St. Germain and her former MFA student at Chatham U, Michael Bennett.
The yarn store was a wonderful backdrop for Sheryl St. Germain’s reading. Surrounded by skeins and skeins of colorful yarn, Sheryl read her powerful essay (from Stitching Resistance: Women, Creativity and Fiber Arts edited by Marjorie Agosin). She told of the role crochet has played in her life since childhood, but focusing on how crocheting with yarn helped her cope while parenting a son who was in trouble with alcohol, drugs and the law. She also read poems about her son’s dying of a heroin overdose from her book The Small Door of Your Death. Her words touched the audience as she described the helplessness and grief, her numbness, as she centered herself every evening after a long day- crocheting an afghan for her son. The repetition of hook into yarn loops as a meditation, an ease from depression and the stress of hopelessness. A healing.
Pittsburgh native Michael Bennett read his poetry first and opened for Ms. St. Germain. Michael has worked for three years with Words Without Walls program, teaching incarcerated Juvenile offenders, teenagers being tried as adults.
Cellist David Bennett and McWalker Yarns supporter introduces the poet and provided delicious desserts by Millvale Baker Jean-Marc Chatelier
New Orleans native Sheryl St. Germain has published six poetry books, two collections of essays, and co-edited two anthologies. The Small Door of Your Death, a collection of poems about the death of her son from a heroin overdose, appeared in 2018 with Autumn House Press. A forthcoming book, Fifty Miles, is a collection of essays about healing that include a couple of essays about working with yarn. Sheryl directs the MFA program in Creative Writing at Chatham University where she also teaches poetry and creative nonfiction, and is co-founder of the Words Without Walls Program . She was named Louisiana Writer of the year in 2018. Sheryl is an avid and accomplished crocheter, and a much less accomplished knitter. See: www.sheryl-stgermain.com/ for more information.
Desserts created by Jean-Marc Chatellier French Bakery
Look at this soft snuggly bunny rabbit who helped feature the vibrant “Dye Happy” colorway. A table display was overflowing with beautiful and colorful soft yarn. Steve and I popped over the river for a few minutes to see the trunk show, held at LYS McWalker Yarns in Millvale PA, Sunday afternoon. I needed some double pointed knitting needles, too for a new project.
Meet Squirrel, held by Marissa of The Spun Bunny.
I should have taken a video of his little nose twitching. So fluffy and Marissa said the scale tips between 4 and 5 pounds so the fur is light, even if it is long.
You have to see and touch the squishy and brilliantly colored yarn to see what Squirrel and his family can produce. (with a little help from spinner and owner Marissa of course) I asked how many rabbits and Marissa responded “12
2 are full english angoras (ember and cinnabun) and the rest are french x english.”
Can you find his pretty eyes?
And I lifted one of McWalker Yarns photos from Facebook Timeline (thanks Amy) so you can see the gorgeous yarn Didn’t think to photograph the yarn, as I was mesmerized by Squirrel and all his cuteness.
One birthday, my friend Donna mailed me a teabag in a little fabric envelope. Here’s how I learned about another Tea Wallet.
Last week at the NY Public Library, my sister found a murder mystery with knitting on the cover and thought of me. (Yarned and Dangerous by Sadie Hartwell) see cover image below
In the back of the book she said there was a knitting pattern for a Tea Wallet. I found another Tea Wallet pattern for one by Diane Trap on Ravelry. I knit one for my friend Vincie because I knew she carries her own tea bags in her purse. In a little plastic baggie. Not any more!
I made a modification on the front flap and made it a triangle shape, decreasing at each side.
The quilted knitting motion bag serving as a pretty backdrop for the photo shoot was stitched by my Woolswap partner, Catherine, in New Zealand.
Knit with scraps of organic cotton yarn –Made in America Yarns, the Wildflowers Collection . from Philadelphia
(Modified the front envelope flap- shortened it by half and made a triangle by knitting 2 together on edges while in one row BO 3 then next row CO 3 to create a button hole.)
Saturday afternoon McWalker Yarns in Millvale PA hosted the November Sweater Challenge (NaKniSweMo) Fashion Show.
All of the sweaters were made with yarn from McW Y, had at least 50,000 stitches and were knit between 12:01 on 11/1 and midnight 11/30.
Knitters were to wear their sweaters if they knit them for themselves.
One sweater knitter had to be at work today and was unable to attend the fashion show but we’ll try to add a photo.
Margaret “Maggie” Toth brought her husband Chris who was modeling the sweater she knit for him – Berocco Man’s Sweater free pattern “Dan”.
She used Cascade ECO yarn– colorway Shire.
Here’s Lauren Eicher modeling Jamestown Sweater knitty.com by Amy Christoffers
Yarn Malabrigo Rios “Archangel”
Christine’s niece Rebecca baked Gingerbread Men cookies sporting Holiday Sweaters 
And here is Christine modeling her Free Range Kimono Corner to Corner Crochet
Pattern by Jess Coppom Yarn Cascade Wave “Nightshade”
Christine standing by the display showing yarn she used for her Free Range Kimono
Meet Barb McAbe modeling her Sideways sweater designed by Joji Locatelli in Laine Magazine #6 Autumn/Winter 2018 Wow, look at those cables!
She used Shepard’s Wool in the Mint Colorway
Here is Denise Kaliowski wearing her Kimono Cardigan by Linda DeRuiter
Yarn is Painted Mist in Misty Rainbow (6 skeins) She made notes that it is very drapey and soft and she loves the colors. We did too.
Amy McCall (owner of McWalker Yarns) knit Selenity by Annie Rowden Laine Magazine #6 Yarn Scout Colorway Blue Heather
How about this detail?
Here I am sporting Humulus Sweater designed by Isabell Kraemer
Yarn- Lore by The Fibre Company (Earthy colorway) and Sunflower Heather is by Scout
Aimee Benswanger cheered us all on as we modeled our sweaters and here she is with her Entrelac Scarf www.frecklesandpurls.com Berocco Remix Colorway Pool
Denise is working a baby hat
Already onto the next sweater. Amy McCall inspired us to complete our November sweaters. We had a fun afternoon. The challenge produced a lot of creativity and camaraderie. Amy gave us all a sheet of Temporary Knitting Tattoos for participating.
There was a grand prize drawing for a $50 store credit and the ticket was drawn by a Sock Club member. I was fortunate to win so am planning my next sweater to start AFTER Christmas.
Tuesday morning I drove out to Columbus to visit the family.(ies) Halloween I’ll split my time between both families so I can photograph everyone in their costumes. We won’t let the predicted rain prevent the photography.
Here’s what I found when I arrived.
Maura collected the sock monkeys (I didn’t make the giant one or the ones sporting Ohio State or U of Florida hoodies)
And all her knitting projects and yarn AND a jumbo size box of Cheez-its. Mmmmmm. My favorites. (No judgment please)
My grandma name is Froo Froo Ruthie thanks to Anna now 15.
Thanks Maura for the festive welcome. Love that you created this happy scene for me to find upon my arrival. Xxoo❤️❤️❤️
Wash separately even after six years. My six word Saturday post.
These are handknit socks I made at least six years ago and they still turn the water pink every time.
When I was a kid, my mother called a red flannel nightgown that bled in the wash “a sinner”.
Have you ever had a laundry disaster with a color item that ran onto light items?
Z from NY, Joan from NJ and Clare from NZ with the scarves they knit, ready to donate
(Scarves in Window design above by Z)
Pretty soon it will be Orange Scarf Day in Norway. In all the yarn stores there were bins of orange yarn for knitters to buy and knit up a scarf.
Three fellow Knitting Cruise Members knit orange scarves during our trip. It’s good to think of the scarves keeping someone warm.
“an annual event by The Church City Mission (Kirkens Bymisjon) to emphasize caring and inclusiveness while approaching winter and Christmas season. The scarves are left on the sculptures for those who need in cold winter days.”
We docked in Alesund. There were two buses taking our group of knitters from the ship to the yarn factory-an English speaking one and a Norwegian one
The factory founder’s grandson gave us the tour of the factory his grandfather started in the late ninteen thirties.
Thursday I arrived in Omaha. After lunch my friend Joanne took me to a couple of local yarn shops. I like to buy souvenir yarn from places I visit, usually a single skein of local sock yarn.
I got in the peacock pen to photograph the skein of Acid Peacock yarn by One Twisted Tree at ImagiKnit.
Today at her friend’s farm and I tried to take a photo of the yarn AND the peacock. You can see the focusing issues I experienced.
Joanne took the next four photos. A trunkful of yarn. Hotel morning selfie she took with her timer on. Me coming out of the peacock pen.
Photo by Joanne
