knitting in public with friends
Starting a knitting group was more challenging than I'd expected. What I learned, after taking votes and trying to juggle the scheduling and location preferences of 5 to 10 people, is that somebody ultimately has to make a decision, let the rest of the group know, and then see who shows up. It's all negotiable from there, but it's a good way to at least get things started.
Rick and I eventually decided on our local Starbucks, and have been meeting with a few knitting friends each week for a while now. Taking turns hosting the group in our homes seemed like a good idea, but it turned out to be confusing and inconsistent. A public space doesn't put the hosting burden on anyone, and we all know where to go and when to go there. There was, and still is, some discussion about our location (especially on days when the coffeehouse vibe is a bit too loud). As much as we'd like to support some of our favorite local businesses, so far none of them have the seating and lighting we need. So Starbucks it is. And they seem happy to have us.
Our core group is only about 7 people. Some of us have been knitting for years. One is way better than the rest of us. Two are men. (Yes!) And three are beginners. You can't guess who the newbies to knitting are by looking at the group. The ageist assumption would be that the elder girls, (Sharon and Sue, in the upper left of the photo) are teaching the rest of us. Not so! I'm not an expert by any means, but I know enough to teach these lovely ladies the basics, which makes me very happy. Our other new kid is Mark, the volunteer coordinator for the hospital. He's not in this picture, but he shows up most Tuesdays to work on the Comfort/Prayer Shawls we make for the hospital. I give him a lot of credit for learning to do what he asked his volunteers to do.
Visitors and new regulars are always welcome. If you're in Seaside and want to join us, please do! We meet most every Tuesday, from 1:00-3-ish, at the Starbucks across the street from Safeway. If the group gets too big, we'll be looking again for a new place to meet. Till then, I know I'm all set with my Earl Grey tea and a few good friends.
Rick and I eventually decided on our local Starbucks, and have been meeting with a few knitting friends each week for a while now. Taking turns hosting the group in our homes seemed like a good idea, but it turned out to be confusing and inconsistent. A public space doesn't put the hosting burden on anyone, and we all know where to go and when to go there. There was, and still is, some discussion about our location (especially on days when the coffeehouse vibe is a bit too loud). As much as we'd like to support some of our favorite local businesses, so far none of them have the seating and lighting we need. So Starbucks it is. And they seem happy to have us.
Our core group is only about 7 people. Some of us have been knitting for years. One is way better than the rest of us. Two are men. (Yes!) And three are beginners. You can't guess who the newbies to knitting are by looking at the group. The ageist assumption would be that the elder girls, (Sharon and Sue, in the upper left of the photo) are teaching the rest of us. Not so! I'm not an expert by any means, but I know enough to teach these lovely ladies the basics, which makes me very happy. Our other new kid is Mark, the volunteer coordinator for the hospital. He's not in this picture, but he shows up most Tuesdays to work on the Comfort/Prayer Shawls we make for the hospital. I give him a lot of credit for learning to do what he asked his volunteers to do.
Visitors and new regulars are always welcome. If you're in Seaside and want to join us, please do! We meet most every Tuesday, from 1:00-3-ish, at the Starbucks across the street from Safeway. If the group gets too big, we'll be looking again for a new place to meet. Till then, I know I'm all set with my Earl Grey tea and a few good friends.
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