MKG meeting and first WAL pattern

Monday night I attended my first Madison Knitter's Guild meeting. I really wasn't sure what to expect because I didn't take them on a test-drive, I just leaped in and signed up on the strength of the speakers. I wasn't disappointed. I didn't count the number of people there but certainly more than 100 attended. I saw familiar faces but in most cases I just couldn't place exactly where I had encountered them before. One LYS and one not as local yarn shop were vendors for the evening. There's a lending library, a help desk for knitting, a charity knitting drop-off place, oh and a swift and skein winder for members to use.

There was also a brown bag exchange, which I bravely participated in. I brought in some stash yarn in a bag and I got a bag with another member's selected stash yarn. We have to make a creative carryall with the other's yarn and return the completed item at a later meeting. Good blogging material, at the very least, and a way to stretch my creativity.

The guest speakers for the evening were Ann Swanson and Katie Nagorney, the creative and all other forces behind Two Old Bags. They were very good speakers and told us how they started their designing adventure, part of what goes into each design, and they shared their finished products with us. I have made a Lucy Bag but I didn't know they designed lace. Oh my, do they do lace. Lovely. And the lace is balanced by clever sock monkeys. They also gave out a free pattern (discontinued) to everyone. Wow.

Then there was show and tell. I'm fortunate to have found an incredibly talented group of knitters. I was alternately awed and then moved to tears by the stories the knitters told about their finished objects. I considered pinching myself. Everyone one I interacted with was very nice and welcoming. I will remember to bring a mindless knitting project to the next meeting. I brought Willliamsro---definitely not mindless knitting yet for me.

Today was a day of trying to fit work in around medical appointments, which required a fair amount of driving to various places. No knitting was accomplished today but I finished the first WAL pattern. There is an error or two if you look closely....so don't. This is my second square ever so it looks good, considering. *g* I'll work the pattern again so I'll have a correct sample.

Comments

[Stacey]

Welcome to the dark side! :D

[Kim]

Over 100 people! What a fun time! The guild near me is tiny and, to put in nicely, the members seemed very set in their ways, to put it nicely. I went once.

[Cookie]

Sounds like you've found a wonderful group. You should take Sonnet in for Show&Tell.

[Kathy W]

It sounds like an incredible group. Glad you had a great time.

I hate it when I have to do a lot of running around. I'm such a homebody.

[Vicki]

I haven't checked out the guild in my area. Oh why, why-oh-why-oh-why are there not 24 MORE hours in a day???