The Beauty of Knitting Friends

Good evening!  By the way, Knit Tips Tuesday was inspired by the fact that I'm OFFICIALLY AHEAD on my Scarf of the Month Series, so I decided to start another garment.  Only unlike last time, this one is on size 8 needles and it is literally miles of stockinette stitch.  It's cute though.  You read this while I look for a photo of what I'm making...

http://www.examiner.com/knitting-in-chicago/knit-tips-tuesday-making-your-first-garment

Okay...so the pattern (yes, Amy occasionally uses patterns) is from a book called Sensual Knits, and honestly there are only two patterns I don't like in the entire book.  To non-knitters, that sentence probably seems obnoxious.  But to knitters, finding more than one pattern in a book that you want to make is...well...a pleasant surprise.  Here is the picture of what I'm hoping to get when I'm finished:

I also measure out to the Small, which means it's time I ate a freaking sandwich.  Or an avocado...ooh...

So yeah.  It's stockinette stitch all the way.  But I handed in my taxes to be done today so I feel like one burden has disappeared.  The three ladies in the yarn shop today were all making little items; two of them were making socks.  Part of me is envious, and the other part of me thinks, "But...you have to make TWO of them!"  I don't know if I have the attention span for two.  I must not be ready.

But after a weird week and an entire gamut (well, THE gamut...I don't think there is just one gamut) of emotions, I needed to get my yarn on.  I bought a pair of Addi Turbos to replace the circulars I had in the same size where the tips were wearing, and I finished next month's scarf.  Then, I learned how to provisional-cast-on with a crochet hook and knitting needle on only the second try, which makes me a new expert (I think).  THEN...I knitted up to the sleeves.

And in the meantime, I had some of the best laughs I have had in days.  Much needed.

You may think I am beating a dead horse by saying this, but knitting groups are the greatest.  Whether or not these people are my friends outside of the yarn store, the knitting circle to me is like a bar to a lonely middle-aged man in my neighborhood.  It's comfort, it's motivation, it's escape...It's just a good, good place.

Thank you.  All of you.