Linda’s house – May 27, 2010

The Castoffs met at Linda’s house where we laughed, talked, ate, knitted and discussed plans for the summer.  Linda baked us the most delicious ham and cheese pinwheels.  Yummm!  We were also treated to fruit and nuts, tea and wine.  Thank you for being such a wonderful hostess, Linda.

Yummy treats!

First things first...FOOD

After the edge had been taken off our hunger, we actually started knitting.  Leslie had a boo-boo on the edge of her final scarf that displeased her, so, to our amazement and horror, she started ripping it out!  Such violence!

Scarf with offending bulge on side (nope, I couldn't see it either)

Ripping and unravelling

Leslie spent a great deal of her time on the floor working on the ripping, but she was satisfied with the result.  Maybe next week we’ll see all seven scarves together?

Francy was out of town, but she sent me a photo of the completed hoodie sweater for her daughter-in-law.  It turned out wonderfully and I wanted to share it with you all.

Great job, Francy!

Linda completed unravelling the fringe on Carol’s scarf and it looks great.  All that anxiety that we felt about her (gasp) cutting the yarn was for nothing.  Wow.

Beautiful fringe! Beautiful scarf!

We were all mightily impressed with this pattern and Linda’s work on it.  Here is a closeup of the fringe.

Fringe, fringe, fringe

Marylane is almost finished with her knitted (some of them felted) bracelets for the female members of her family who will be here for a reunion in July.  The bracelets are so colorful with their beads.  Lucky women!

That's a whole lotta I-cords!

Getting to the end. Love this bead!

Deb and I mostly talked about hikes that we had done and hikes that we want to go on this summer.  I think I knitted one row of my afghan – too busy talking, but at least I remembered the pattern this week.  Deb is working on a scarf for her daughter who lives and goes to school in North Carolina.

Dreaming of Carolina

Mary, Mary.  I looked over and Mary had emptied out her entire knitting bag onto her lap.  Geez, Mary, perhaps some organization is in order?

"I know it's in here someplace..."

"Oh! Here it is!"

One little stich counter was the lost item.  When we razzed Mary about getting organized, Linda showed us a nifty needle holder – looks like a pasta holder, doesn’t it?

Noodle/needle holder

Once we finished with the product marketing portion of the meeting, we talked some more about summer plans.  Several of us work in the school district and are REALLY looking forward to school being out in two weeks.  I mean, REAALLLY, looking forward to it.  Right?  When school is out, Michele will finish knitting her bathroom curtain and Leslie will get her little girl married off.  Marylane will have her reunion and Deb will vacation with her family in the Carolinas.  Mary will enjoy a visit from her daughter who lives in Italy and Linda will continue to try to sell her house.  I will look forward to documenting all the fun and changes that we will all go through.

Michele's curtain is comin' along nicely!

Marylane sent me the recipe for the delicious rhubarb pie that we had last week at her house and I promised to post it.  Here it it:

RHUBARB CUSTARD PIE

2 cups rhubarb

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

2 eggs

Cut rhubarb into small pieces.  Beat eggs, add sugar and flour.  Combine with rhubarb.  Put into uncooked pie shell.  Spread crumb topping evenly on top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

CRUMB TOPPING

1/2 c. flour

6 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 c. butter

We will meet at Deb’s house next week.  Sure hope the rain has stopped by then!  In the meantime, organize your stuff and keep on knitting!