Just spent a great weekend at the Kellogg's Biological Center on Gull Lake. Not sure if that is the "real" name of the place but it's close. The Mid Michigan Knitter's Guild went on a retreat there this past weekend. Kellogg's beautiful Manor House(built about 1929) is at this site. Wow-a beautiful old Mansion in a Tudor style on the shores of Gull Lake. I grew up around this area and I can tell you that the mansion is set on some of the highest rent property in Michigan. People buy houses for a million or so dollars on Gull Lake-tear them down and put up bigger houses worth more money than I will ever see, have, or know of. Millionaires are common as dirt there-and multimillionaires are looked down upon by the billionaires. This East Side Kalamazoo girl can only dream-but at least I know some people who live there-none of which will be leaving me any of their money. Our nephew married into a Gull Lake family whose home went 1 million over budget-and they are not thirty yet! Sigh-too much pressure for me !!! Talk about trying to keep up with the Jones!!!! It's impossible if their names are UpJohn or Parfet.
We were not in the Mansion-it was the summer home of the Cornflake King from Battle Creek, Kellogg. Like in Tony the Tiger Frosted Flakes. MSU owns it now and hopefully it will remain well kept and open. Our retreat was held in the adjacent buildings and really the place was very nice. Dorm rooms(better than I remember) and all the food was handled by the staff. Great food-enough to feed a small country-snacks too!
Two workshops were held-one on Shadow knitting and one on the Moebieus. Great fun! I didn't ever really get Shadow Knitting before the workshop-but once the teacher showed us how to view the "hidden" pictures I found it fascinating! And easy! I had done a couple of Moebieus(I have no idea what the plural of that word is or even if I am spelling the word correctly) but the cast on still throws me-It is like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time! Like the Kitchner Stitch it is easier to have someone else count while your concentrate on under/over casting on -unless you are multi-talented and ambedexterous(God, my spelling has gone to hell). Rae from Rae's Yarn Boutique(soon to be a published author-watch this space) taught this workshop and it was fun to see the different yarns others had chosen and what their projects looked like.
There was tons of free time to knit-no interruptions-and everyone was friendly, nice and fun to get to know better. Jessica did a great job setting up the retreat-applause, applause! Can't wait to do it again. Rae is planning a retreat at Drummond Island in October - I will be there God willing and the creek don't rise!
My shawl collar vest for my Dad, which has been a breeze thanks to Kim Torrko's video, has only the collar to finish. I have torn it out 3 times-I just don't like the way the increases look so I am starting it again and again. Dan is making antler horn buttons for it out of deer antlers we have-so far they are too small but I think he has the idea now.
My thrummed socks are cozy and I love the "afterthought heel" which I think is one of Lynn H.'s favorites . It was my first time to try these and I will use this heel again-I mean, you just knit a tube with a little waste yarn where the heel belongs, tear out the waste yarn and stick in your needles for the heel. Cool.
I have also started a "ballerina" cross over style sweater for Caitlin out of Wool Bam Boo that I found at the Clever Ewe in Ada. Very nice yarn!!! And booties for N. Curtis's new granddaughter out of Sublime from Rae's. Norma went on the retreat and was very patient-she waited and left for Cinncinatti for quality baby time after the Sunday free knit time.
Another storm is headed for Michigan(they say) but even with the below zero wind chill and snow we are better off than that town in New York on Lake Ontario-100 inches and counting-dear God!!! I hope the knitters there were prepared with lots of new yarns and projects. Almost sounds good doesn't it!!! LOL