The blame for the posting sparseness as of late falls upon the shoulders of what I will grudgingly refer to as "real life" (indeed. It does rear its nasty head once in a while).Between work-travelling, wedding-planning, exhibition-researching and course-enrolling I've had my hands full. Added to the mix is canary mourning; Mats died a few days ago, and now the canary population round these parts has dropped to three.
So basically, I've had a couple weeks away from my regular knitting night.
That whole "you don't know what you got til its gone" thing is way totally true. I always look forward to my Tuesday nights; but now that I've missed two in a row, the benefits of sitting and knitting with others have really become clear.
And so, here be my list of why knitting with people is way cool:
1) Talk shop. Getting the newest knit news is very important. One must keep up on these sorts of things.
2) Ogling the knitting of others. In the very best of ways. Seeing what and how others knit is always fun and interesting. Great example: while not a sock knitter myself, I get to live vicariously (and snag some inspiration from) a great sock knitter friend in my knit group!
3) Encouragement. It's always nice to have someone look at your work with an eye that's not nastily critical like you always are about your own stuff!
4) Does any non-knitter understand the distress of a dropped stitch? You need those around who get it so that you can vent. And, conversely, who else are you going to share the joy and excitement over a luscious yarn or adorable pattern with?
5) And of course, catching up on that world outside of knitting, where you and your friends have to, for better or worse, live most of the time.
Do you have a regular knit group? What makes your knit night happytimes?
12 comments:
No, but I wish I did have one. Not enough knitters in my immediate surroundings, and not enough time to go looking for a completely different group of people - though I might go that way sooner or later.
I'm sorry about Mats, he looked quite the accomplished gentleman in that last photograph. :-/
Oh, I am so sorry to hear about Mats! And we all just met him. :( I'm sure he crossed over knowing he was loved.
It sounds like you have your hands full! I wasn't an obsessive knitter yet when I planned my wedding, and I have no idea how I would have fit it in had I been. Wedding planning is a full time job!
I don't have a regular knit night, but I do have a regular knit group that meets up when we all have time. I agree with your 1-5...also, getting together with my knitting ladies is the only opportunity I have to talk about things like Star Trek! They're my only friends as nerdy as I am. :)
So sorry about Mats.
I do not have a knit night as I haven't taken the time to find one, but I am sure if I had that comfort and support it would feel empty when it wasn't there.
I hope you can fine a way to go to your knit night soon.
Poor wee Mats - he was a cutie. Saying goodbye to pets is hard.
I don't get to knit with other people very often, as I'm too busy/disorganised to get to knit nights regularly, but it's great when I do - for basically all of the reasons you listed!
There are so many good things about knitting with others, you're right. I must get out there and find some fiber friends!
You know, I don't have a group, but I wish I did. Every group I've looked at seems so tight knit that I would feel like an interloper. And I only know two other people who knit and we really never talk about it. I'm going to have to join a group though, because my husband just stares at me blankly when I gush about the new cable pattern I came up with (or whatever).
My sympathies on poor Mats' passing! I've lost two canaries, so I know how it feels. :( *hugs*
I don't have a knitting group. There is one locally but they meet at a time that I can't make....
Sorry to hear about Mats! :(
I don't have a knitting group, but I do have a very close knitting friend that I LOVE getting to spend time with. I totally agree with all the points you wrote. And I don't know if I'd enjoy knitting so much if I didn't have that "in real life" knitting support. :)
Sorry to hear about Mats :(
We've missed you at knitting! I know what you mean, its so nice to have other knitters around who understand the yarn obsessions and dropped stitches.
oh, that's sad about little Mats.
I keep meaning to join a regular knit group, but I never have- there isn't' one in my neighbourhood, and the ones I would like are quite the trek across the city. I like knitting at home, anyways. I don't mind knitting alone. :)
- Julie
Knitting group is a great place to see my buddies, meet new knitters and learn from other people... I missed the last two myself and it feels very much like my weeks were incomplete. I am lucky, I have two nights to choose to knit on. We made our own, because we couldn't get out to the other ones. Too early in the day for us working stiffs, or too far to go.
Sorry to hear of your loss. Pets are family.
Yes, I have a wonderful knitting group. We found each other on Ravelry and have been knitting together for almost 2 years now. Before I met everyone, I kept knitting scarves, because I was too scared to try anything new. I was inspired by the lace knitters, sock knitters, and sweater knitters. I easily moved into those other areas of knitting because I had the support of my knit group! I go into withdrawal if I can't vent and chat and knit with them every Friday night. :) Your post hit home for me, I know how you feel! I don't know what other knitgroups are like, but my group loves new knitters to join. If anyone is in Inland Empire Southern California, please feel free to join the Friday night Redlands Knitting Group. :)
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