Now Seating All Knitters & Crocheters ...Have Your Boarding Passes Ready for Inspection!

How many times have you said or heard this?   Knitting/crocheting is my getaway?  It's my mini vacation away from a slow-moving postal clerk.  It's my escape from an indecisive customer with a crying baby at Starbucks.  

I take my getaway from noon to 1 p.m. after a busy morning solving workplace issues.  
 I escape after I'm finished tackling Honors English and Geometry.  My peaceful sojourn comes after I've exhausted my muscles at Aqua Zumba.   Fill  in  your escape blanks.  (Grey Handbag - OOAK - Etsy)

Aren't you special ...you get to vacation whenever you like.  Even if it's only for an hour.  Now you get it.  That's why you're peering at vintage luggage through a picture window blog design.  Symbolism is my favorite tool, next to my plum double-pointed needles.
  
So we grab our trusty crochet needle, our favorite bamboo knitting duo and lose ourselves in the granny squares and the stockinette stitches of it all.  
 (Granny Square - From Stitch of Love)

It won't be long before we reach our destination ...a baby's blanket for your pregnant cousin, a shrug for your best friend's 40th birthday or socks for your husband just because.
  
It's okay, if we don't reach that destination for another six months.  There are always exciting side-trips we can't resist.  Try and stop me from knitting a simple garter stitch scarf on a whim.  Well, not exactly on a whim ... it's cold outside.   

Or you may find me crocheting a flower after I whip up a headband in a few hours.  That is, once I master crocheting a flower and headband in a few hours.  (I know you're grinning First Tuesday' members.  But mark my words, I will master the crochet needle by Spring.  Okay, definitely by the first day of summer, June 21.
 (Red Heart - green headband)

Ah ...the freedom of knitting and crocheting take us to exciting places our imagination and needles can easily create.  Sure we can grab a road map or pattern whenever we like, but it's so much fun going off the beaten path and seeing where the yarn takes us.

(Slouch Hat)

Speaking of taking a side trip, the slouch hat above is one of this season's hottest accessory, according to Lion Brand Yarn.  Click here to get the free pattern.  Level:  Easy+ (Level 3)

Yarn:  Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick - Bonbons.  There's a 15% discount for subscribing to the website.  

Welcome First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting & Crochet Club members to the launching of our first blog.  Yay!

Thanks to Iman's suggestion and Elkins Park enthusiasm, there will be two monthly knitting-crocheting sessions, starting this month. (February) 

Our individual project flights land us at the Glenside Library at 215 W. Keswick Avenue in Glenside, PA -- the first      Tuesday of every month from 7 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. with a new connecting flight landing at Elkins Park Library at 563 Church Rd., Elkins Park, PA on the third Wednesday, same time. (crochet tree - Street Art Utopia)  
 Our first meeting for this month only will be held on Wednesday, February 28. From March 19th on, mark your travel calendars and iPhones to the third Wednesday of each month. 

We're Connecting Online!

Well, the weather outside has been frightening and everyone's singing don't let it snow ...don't let it snow anymore.  Nevertheless, we're so excited about meeting other passionate knitters-crocheters online, beyond the book-lined walls.

Welcome knitters/crocheters across the globe ...Aloha!  Ewa Beach, Hawaii.  What's up, Morningside Heights, New York.  (my old stomping ground)  Hey there, San Diego. Bonjou, New Orleans.  Hola, Carolina, Puerto Rico, Greetings London and Ireland. (another old stomping ground)
 

As our winter wonderland rages across the country, it hasn't dampened our projects.  I've added change purses to my cell phone purse and E-reader bag repertoire. I'm in love with  Lion Brand's Silky Twist Yarn. 

Lion Brand offers a free pattern of this stylish cowl in Lion Brand's Silky Twist Yarn.  It'll come in handy as the temperatures continue to drop.

I'm also excited about knitting my first hat.  I've been asked to knit a beret for a Red Hatter friend who lives in Norfolk.  Thanks Elise for giving me the fast tutorial on creating one.  I can't wait to give it a go.

Here's a Quick Snapshot of

First Tuesday's 2014 Meetings

(Wilmot Mountain)

1. Joquina and Karen joined us in January, adding their expert knitting and crocheting skills to our eclectic mix.  We loved Karen's striped socks she made for her husband and Joquina's beautiful crocheted preemie baby hat and blanket shown above.

Unfortunately, the socks above are not Karen's, they're from Maiden Jane's blog. But hers is similar. We'll showcase Karen's socks, along with more crochet and knit masterpieces from our members in upcoming posts.  

So ladies bring in your photos.  Or you can email them to me as a jpeg.  Thanks Joquina for emailing me your preemie hat and blanket. They're beautiful.

From Slip Knot to Scarf 

in One Minute

2. On 1/6, I showed the group a looping technique my mother-in-law taught me.  In literally minutes, I can create handbag straps, bracelets and even a headband without using needles. 

Get Your Swerve On! 

Joquina found a man demonstrating the same looping technique on her iPad.  He created an Infinity Scarf using Red Heart Swerve yarn in literally a minute.  See for yourself, below.

3.  Bonita, Sara and Lindsey, our mother and daughters' knit-crochet team, brought a lot of  laughter and stories. 



Happy Birthday, Sara!  
Our youngest member talked about her amazing masking tape creations and her love for anything American Girl.  

(Mini American Gir Dolll - Julie)

She even a made a cast for one of her fashion dolls out of masking tape.  You go ...Designer Sara!

(Cecile - Mini American Girl Doll)

 

With the right amount of masking tape and a good pair of scissors, Sara could probably build a house.  We have our own tween female MacGuyver.  (MacGyver) 

I know you'd have no problem making the chair above made entirely of rubber bands. Pretty cool.

Talent and design skills run in the family. Elise, our professional knitter/crocheter, taught big sister Lindsey how to knit a cable, which she learned in a blink.  For Christmas gifts, our high school junior (apologies if I wrote the wrong grade) knitted wash cloths and wrapped them around lotions.  What a great idea!

Knit-it-Forward

4.  First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Club is knitting-it-forward.  If you'd like to join in, here's how it'll work.  We'll each knit or crochet (whatever you prefer) one 10"x 10" block in light and/or dark blue.  (You can do two if you like.)  Use any texture of yarn and stitches.  We'll weave the blocks together with cream yarn to create an afghan for a dialysis patient.
   

Video Chatting and 

Knitting/Crocheting

 
5. This week I'll investigate a site, that will allow members who can't join us to video chat and knit/crochet right along with us. Hopefully, we can set it up for our March 4 meeting.

Final Words...
I hope you can stop by the Tea Demonstration at Elkins Park Library on Wednesday 2/19 at 
7 p.m.  

Bring in photos of your finished projects at our 3/4 meeting so we can show them off here.  Despite what it looks like outdoors, Spring is coming on March 20.   

(Marcia Brady Cell Phone Purse)

What are some of your Spring and Summer projects?  Did you start them already?  


Bring them or your ideas to our next knit-crochet gathering.  And for our new online friends, tell us about your spring/summer projects and send photos or links of your YouTube videos.  

(vintage knitted swimsuit)

I've got another project I want to complete by the summer.  It's a bit challenging, but with instruction and advice from all of you, I'm sure I can pull it off.  

Like Us -- First Tuesday-Third Wednesday Knitting-Crocheting Club -- on Facebook and Pinterest.  Twitter will be coming soon.

I'll leave you with this cute crochet wedding dress the bride crocheted in six weeks.