As a self-taught knitter whose mentor lives over 1,000 miles away, I've been bothered off and on that I seem to knit in a self-imposed vacuum. I'm very content, for the most part, to sit still and knit (see blog title), but every once in a while, I get this itch to see what everyone else is doing -- talk stitches, needles and yarn, spin figurative yarns -- you get the idea. It's kind of bothered me for a bit. Every so often I get together with the handful of knitters I know, but it's never more than a few times a year, if that.
I feel that knitting, like our dog Silas, abhors a vacuum.
So, this morning, fighting my natural introvertedness, I went to the South Austin meeting of the Austin Knitting and Crocheting Meetup Group at Cafe Caffeine. I had a blast.
I got to meet other knitters, some experts, some just starting. I got to chat with folks about non-knitting topics. I got to show off my cedar socks that I've been working on, and I got to drink some delicious coffee -- all on a drizzly winter Saturday morning. It was great! I was made to feel quite welcome, and, as a male knitter, no one treated me like a freak of nature (which has happened when I've knitted in public before). I'm definitely planning on going back.
To top it all off, Leslie put in an appearance in a matching Royal Stewart Tartan beret and mini-skirt. He didn't knit, but one can imagine him doing so.
It was the perfect Austin day. Thanks, everyone, for a great time.
Oh, hurray! Having a knitting group is so great -- you can be inspired, you can be a teacher, and, most importantly, you make friends who are different from the people you are with everyday. I'm so glad you had a good time!
ReplyDeleteHey maybe Janna and I can rustle up some other S.A. knitters to come crash the Cafe Caffeine scene one of these Saturdays. That way we can also hit the LYS up there. Now I want to see that Leslie in person. Sounds like quite a character! SnB's are the best!! I actually went through withdrawals over the holidays. I missed my knitting friends!!
ReplyDeleteMentor? Mentor?? Am I the mentor?!??? That's a pretty highfalutin' word there, boyfriend.
ReplyDeleteI'll happily join you at Cafe Caffeine next time I'm in town!
I meant it in the nicest way possible. I hope you weren't offended!
ReplyDelete