Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Winter is icommen in...

and the best place to be on a [gloriously] wet grey day is in the company of old and new friends ... and if knitting, crochet, cuppas, chat and good food happen to be part of the package ... well ... what could be better ?
Don't bother to answer that. I know most of you agree with me.

We all foregathered at Purl's Palace in Daylesford for what would normally be our monthly Purl's Princesses knitting group.
You may remember from last month that we had decided today would be dedicated to whipping up some squares for South African AIDS orphans. Zoe had kindly extended it into an all day affair and donated the yarns for us to use as well.

Knit-A-Square
is now a world wide movement - which is my very unsubtle way of pointing out that anyone who knits or crochets can all contribute if they'd like to ... details are on the Knit-A-Square website ... but it happens to have started here in Victoria and chief organiser Sandy - whom I somehow failed to photograph - came up from Melbourne with her daughters Kalai and Cressida [ and I think that wins the prize for this week's most run-on and ungrammatical sentence ]

Zoe and Andy kept us well supplied with lovely teas and coffee

I got to show off the Forest Canopy Shawl which had been speed- blocked after I finished it yesterday
Meanwhile Marg was too busy concentrating on her mitred square
Cressida did her first ever knittingunder the eagle eye of her Grandma Zanny [ and check out Zanny's gorgeous Noro Silk Garden Top ] with Zoe in the background offering moral support and encouragement
Now these are the baker's dozen squares that I handed over today.
... 12 done during odd moments during the month when I didn't have enough time/peace to make it worthwhile picking up the lace knitting, plus the one made at Daylesford today. It's prooved a really good thing to do with all those single balls of this-and-that.

Moggie's Mum may recognise that dark green and the ecru, and I'm not 100% sure, but maybe the pink as well? and I just know that she and Ms Moggie approve of what I'm doing with some of her largesse.

All too soon, as I headed back to Castlemaine, I did briefly contemplate stopping the car for long enough to take a picture of the shaggy black cattle half hidden in the drizzle and the new wee lambs trailing their mums ... but it was too wet so you'll just have to imagine them.

6 comments:

Bernie said...

Good Morning Susan, loved your post. You know when I was a patient at the Cross Cancer hospital they had baskets of yarn and knitting needles at every station with instruction on knitting a square for the same cause as you are knitting for. My sister and I made several during our year there. (I am not a knitter but I do know how to knit squares) I am thinking now I should keep a basket of yarn by my favorite chair. It's a wonderful cause. Loved your post, have a wonderful day.....:-) Bernie

Donna Lee said...

What a beautiful bunch of squares you all knit! It sounds like an almost perfect day. And it followed that other prize-filled day. You're on a well deserved roll, Susan!

Blessings each day said...

Your Forest Canopy Shawl is so pretty.

We have stopped knitting altogether since the weather warmed up, but we need to get back at it and maybe even investigate this knit a square that you are doing.

Seems so so strange to think you are facing winter and we are facing summer!

blessings always,

marcy

mehitabel said...

My daughter's long-time Aussie friend is a doctor who spent time in Swaziland last year, working in a hospital and at an orphanage. Her stories are heartbreaking and I applaud your drive to get some color and comfort to those children. Squares are easy and fast to do and can bring such joy and comfort! (Yes, I make squares. And "prayer shawls" too. It's so little when I have so much!)

Lynne said...

Yep, knitting squares is a good way to use up leftover yarn. But I long ago became annoyed with all that seaming so I generally knit or crochet blankets in one piece now!

catsmum said...

Yes Lynne m'love
... if I was doing them for myself I'd totally agree with you on the seaming thing but they've asked for squares rather than finished blankets or quilts because
a] the duty on finished bedding even for donation is horrendous
and
b] they get stolen