It’s The Most Wonderful Time
Yes, as the popular holiday song goes, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” But for me, it’s the two or three weeks prior to a retreat.
What’s Your Most Wonderful Time of the Year?
For me, it is, by far, the week or two prior to a Men’s Knitting Retreat and it happens twice a year.
It’s an incredibly busy time for the retreats that I help facilitate.
- Nametags
- Project bags
- Name pins for the bags
- Providing the retreat venue with all the final numbers, room assignments, agenda, etc.
- Organizing all the materials that need to go up with me
- Interacting with the attendees with any questions
- Organizing local transportation
- Purchasing candy/snacks for all the guys
Honestly, the list goes on an on. And I add items as often as I can, because doing each and every one of them brings me an incredible amount of joy. For instance, the feature photo will be part of the three lottery baskets we’ll sell tickets for. Helmud will be part of the crochet-prize-basket. That basket includes dozens of little plastic “eyes” that I wanted to demonstrate in a finished product. And given that I’ve never crocheted amigurumi, I think Helmud came out quite well.
Two weeks from today, I will be packing up my car and starting the 4-hour journey up to Easton Mountain. In between now and then I will be very busy and in my glory. Anticipation and preparation make for in incredibly exciting time.
Current Crochet
I put down the short-sleeve crocheted shirt to bang out Helmud.
He’s almost finished. He just needs feet.
I also did some work on the short-sleeve shirt.
I’ve completed a 2″-wide non-button-band on one side. I’m doing a crab-stitch finishing edge and then I’ll start on the other side. Honestly, it’s not going to be the most well-fitting garment I’ve ever made, but I think I’ll enjoy wearing it. Hopefully I can finish it in time for show & tell in a couple of weeks!
Candy and snacks?!? I WILL make this happen next year, either spring (I know odds are against me) and/or next fall. Ah, the joy of anticipation. Looking forward to glorious photos of the festivities. Enjoy, Joe!
I’ve been watching your progress on this crocheted shirt/cardigan since you began to show your progress. Although you expressed some doubts about the need to add the addition of the button band, this might turn out to be a great design addition, because it contrasts in an interesting manner with its vertical placement. In fact, if you need any additional width to the garment, the addition of another vertical band on the opposite side would also be attractive. You could even add buttons with this design by using crocheted loops instead of the open spaces that are the usual design for buttoned garments. I think you might end up with a real winner project when the garment is finally finished. Hopefully, you have enough yarn to keep working. Thanks for the continuing views,
PS: I adore Helmud.