From Susan:
I just got back from my brief visit to DC. If you’ve been reading our blog you know that Sally had recent bunion surgery. She is getting along pretty well but can use some assistance, and it was a good excuse to get together.
Thursday
First order of business was cooking — I was asked (ordered, directed, instructed, forced??) to bake both a “Cockeyed Cake” and a “Twinkie Cake.” These time-honored recipes are family favorites (esp the Cockeyed Cake, which originated as either a Depression era or WWII cake). After that I made tacos, homemade pizza, and shortbread cookies. And then a second Cockeyed Cake!! When did I knit? In between batches!
Friday
We had lunch with Wendy Johnson of WendyKnits fame. She is a world-renowned knitter and published author. We had a great time! It felt like I’d known her for ages because I start every morning with her over a cup of coffee (reading her blog) – she treated us like old friends. With knitters you always have a lot in common. I have been inspired and humbled by her so many times and learned so much reading her tips on making socks, Norwegian knitting, etc. Â
Thanks, Wendy, for a great time! Hope we can do it next time I visit. I did present Wendy with a small gift.Â
The pattern is one I wrote up for a class I teach occasionally here in the Twin Cities and is based on a fairly standard amulet bag design — though I did use built in i-cord this time on the flap. I certainly cannot take credit for the method — check out any antique store and you will probably find a purse knitted with this style of beading. It has been around quite a while and is a fun break from most of the knitting I do.
Saturday
Sally and I worked on stash enhancement. We visited a couple of nice stores in Maryland.Â
We both fell in love with two patterns in this book and of course, silk is to die for. Mine is the silver and Sally’s the pale green.Â
From Sally:
Yes, my sister waited on me hand and foot. What about it? The cake requests were from my children — I guess they’ve been deprived of sugar during my convalescence. I insisted on the shortbread cookies, even though the recipe is right here waiting on the blog. With my husband bicycling in Italy and my children both back in school (college and high school respectively), it was really nice to have adult companionship and some help. A big thank you to my big sister.
The yarn shops we visited were Woolstock in Glyndon and All About Yarn in Columbia. Both shops are fun places to shop and they both carry beautiful yarn. We were especially taken by the buttons at Woolstock and by the beautiful silk yarn at All About Yarn.
When Susan was allowed out of the kitchen, we sat in my library and watched movies while we knitted. A favorite was the classic film noir Double Indemnity. Barbara Stanwyck is bored with her husband and reduced to knitting (the horror!) until Fred MacMurray comes along. Yes, those insurance salesman are SO much more interesting . . .
