What a weekend then WHAT A WEEK!!!!

I spent last weekend at Stitches East. We went to Baltimore early Friday morning and got back to NJ after 9:00PM Sunday night. We had a class packed, shopping, walking fest. I took three classes, Engineering with Entrelac, Russian Continental and A Taste of Bead Knitting. Each class was very useful in a different way. The entrelac class had a very patient teacher( Joan Schroeder SP?) who discussed working without patterns and ways to design your own sweater or vest. Just the thing I like to do. I would take another class with her in a heartbeat. The second three hour class was with a Russian women named Galina, (can't remember her last name) A very different class, an interesting teacher, very opinionated but not the most patient of people. She did deliver what she promised and I think I finally have found a purl that I LIKE to do. The bead class was one of the hour market classes and it just was fun.

I bought enough yarn to enjoy but not too much. I picked up some black angora merino to make another shawl for myself, some great Merino twist from Blue Moon Yarns in Lagoon, luscious greens and blues to make a vest for myself, a lace book, a few patterns and a beautiful oak swift. It is one that sits on a table not an umbrella one, now that I don't have an extra set of arms around often a swift is very useful! I got some other yarns but they are earmarked for my swap pals so I'm keeping them secret.

We enjoyed walking around, tried to enjoy eating out, and just had a good time visiting and soaking up all the great knitting vibes.


I came back to the week from Hell at school. NYC is rolling out more computer based programs to track, measure and monitor each and every blip that any poor kid in our schools does. All of this nonsense requires HOURS of training and work and they are FULL of errors and never up when you need them. Right now I'm wishing for the days of chalk, pencils and teaching!!!!

On top of all this I am doing two major projects (at least pretty major for my time and energy) one for principals and another for about 30 or more teachers from several schools. I don't like working with groups of principals and big groups of teachers in these one shot deals. What I love about my job is working with the same teachers for months and years and really seeing the growth and development they make. For me it's like knitting. I love the process not just the product. I've done these things before and usually all they really want it the "packet of papers" to use as a short cut. They want to skip the process and work and then never understand why it just does not work for them! Well enough whining!!!


I've been practicing my new continental stitch on my new Blue Moon vest but I've been so tired this week I have done very little. Sat., we are having a family party for my Grandmother's 96Th birthday. Sunday, I want to clean up quick then just sit in my backyard and knit all day!