Guild Meeting Day

Today was the monthly meeting of the St. Louis Knitters Guild, a venerable organization to be a part of, and it was very exciting! (for me, at least.) Teri, who has recently moved to Kansas City came to town the night before, and we met before the meeting for lunch at Brio, a wonderful restaurant across the street from the library where the meetings are held. I wore my recently-finished Cabaret Raglan, and everyone who hadn't already seen it Wednesday night was duly impressed. (I usually wouldn't wear the same outfit fewer than seven days apart, but there were extenuating circumstances.) I spent a full half hour expounding on the critique of my Master Knitters Level I submission. First I had to explain to one side of the table, and then the other side asked, so I had to answer their questions, didn't I? Excuse me if I like to be detailed and clear in my responses.

Lunch was delightful, and we moved on to the guild meeting, which I have never been early for. It was nice. We chatted, and I helped Kim with a poncho she's working on, which was about the worst pattern I've seen anyone pay money for. (Sorry Kim! We rarely know these things until it's too late. It's not your fault.) The picture was so horrible it defies description. The poncho was worn by a pole with a sheet over it. Can you picture it? Neither could I, until I saw it. Deplorable. (Kim bought it because she saw it in person, and was able to try it on, not because she liked the picture.) Then it made statements like "crochet until done." Ok. I'll just do that.

The meeting was uneventful, for the most part, but then I got to meet with a NEW LYS owner, and since Mary Ann talked me up quite a bit, she's looking to me for help and advice. Thanks Mary Ann! It helps me to feel better about the whole Master Knitter debaucle that my peers still consider me, well, a peer. So while everyone else participated in the (lamest ever, I was told) program about finishing, she and I went off to another part of the library to discuss her store, and what I could do for her. I MAY have a very-part-time job soon, hanging out in a yarn shop! How cool is that!?! I was thinking about getting a job for the holiday season, but this is something I could do all year 'round I think, or until she feels that she has enough expertise to do it herself. I told her I could teach classes, or just be there to help trouble-shoot, which is what I do best. I can read a pattern like nobody's business.

Then, Teri came running out to tell me that "Show and Share" (which is exactly what it sounds like) was going on, and I'd better get back in there, or I'd miss it. I waited patiently for my turn, and then showed everyone the sweater I was wearing, and told them what the pattern was, and what yarn I used. While the historians were taking my picture, I heard "Tell the sleeve story!" from the back. (Thanks, Teri.) So I had to go back to the microphone, and I explained: "Ok, so I had all four pieces done, but was almost out of yarn, and I feared I didn't have enough for the collar, even though it's nearly inconsequential, you still have to do it, and I felt that the sleeves were a little too long, so I snipped a stitch, unraveled 6 rows and grafted them back together." The last bit was sort of cheered into the microphone, as I could sense from the gasps that they were pretty impressed, and then they broke into riotous applause, and cheering. I took a bow, and returned to my seat. Humble, as always. Maybe now someone will remember my name.