Back in the early part of this year, I began crossing off the days before sign ups for Elizabeth Zimmermann's (now her daughter, Meg's) Knitting Camp. The night before I set my alarm to wake up early enough to sign onto the computer, enter my and my sister's information and hit submit. Before heading to bed that evening, I checked the website only to find the top of the website to say "Now accepting applications". Without a blink, I began filling out the data fields for both of us and hit submit. I called my sister and let her know that we were all signed up.
Complete Lobotomy.
Registering too early immediately put one on the waiting list.
After no sleep all night, I called Schoolhouse Press, told them of my apparent neural surgical procedure and the other end kindly said "Don't worry about it".
Don't worry about it because you're in OR Don't worry about it because are already screwed????
I waited 2 long months to find out that we were the latter.
FWD a few more months and an announcement of a fall workshop. Those on the waiting list were invited.....
So....Thursday morning we packed up our car, left the shop in the able hands of Nan, Ellyn and Kim, gave the 2 footer and his dad a kiss and headed the 4 hours to Marshfield, Wisconsin.
What entailed cannot be detailed in words. Seriously, Meg Swansen is that person who you could listen to speak for hours. She enjoys the simplicity of life, finds comfort in her knitting and can identify the good in most. After showing an almost invisible decrease, she would look up and say "Isn't that magical?" An extremely intelligent woman, I found myself often writing down vocabulary she used to look up later.
We studied sweater construction using EPS along with tips, tricks and techniques that did seem like magic. We steeked, worked intricate color patterns and listened to wonderful stories where Alice Starmore and Kaffe Fassett's first names were tossed around as if we were all just good friends. We even took a trip to Schoolhouse Press and tried on sweaters from the "Elizabeth Room". The weekend ended with Meg reading from "The Opinionated Knitter", a journal entry written by her mother detailing how they obtained the schoolhouse that Meg lives in now. Not a dry eye....
Those that attended, 20 of us from all over the country and Canada, ranging in all ages, had amazing talents. They truly were inspiration! No competitive feelings, only those of encouragement and and kindness.
I have a new perspective on my knitting. A feeling as though I could truly get rid of of all my knitting books, only to keep EZ and Meg's. Millions of ideas racing through my head. A notebook is filled with new things to incorporate into my next project. There were too many times to count that I turned to my sister and said "OMG!! Are you kidding me?" I may never knit another sweater in pieces or BO for the neck and armholes. Do you realize the wonder of a few extra stitches, a crochet steek and a pair of sharp scissors?
My hope is to organize the many things that were discussed this weekend and to bring some of them to you in the form of new classes. I also hope to order directly from Schoolhouse Press in the future. Yes, this includes books, SpunOuts, WoolGatherings and other fun things.
If you see a book by EZ or Meg or Joyce Williams, pick it up. If you get the chance to go to a Knitting Camp or Workshop, don't think twice.
It may be the catalyst to get your knitting moving in the direction you've been hoping for!
More pictures to share soon!
