Little Family in the Big City: Knitting is Knotty

I am woefully not crafty. I can't make things. Or perhaps it isn't that I can't make things, it is just that I can always find something else that might take my time. So, I was a bit timid when I was asked to join the "Craft Summit," a gathering of six incredibly talented women to work on their various crafts at the Oregon coast. Laurie (see October's entry Green) convinced me that I was not hopeless, and that even I could learn to knit. So, two days, several glasses of wine, lots of relaxing, coffee, and food later I can proudly boast ten knit rows (haven't learned to pearl yet) of my first ever scarf. And despite the knots, the curses, and my ten thumbs I left quite inspired. Perhaps it was watching hurricane strength winds blow the waves of the Pacific, perhaps it was being around such creative, smart, dynamic, and interesting women, perhaps it was conquering my knit stitch that left me inspired. I now know all the best thrift stores in Portland, that it really is better to reuse and recycle, and that there are some incredible people who have chosen this damp, mossy place to call home. One of the things I really love about Portland is that it has some soul, that people would rather have that thrill of discovery at the thrift store than go to the mall (I admit, I haven't been so Portlandized as to not enjoy a mall trip!), that they would rather buy something handmade and local, and that there are people who believe that even me can learn to knit. Which, let's be honest, is a great leap of faith. Enjoy the pics of where we stayed, the view from the window when the sun came out for two minutes, and follow the links below to see some fellow crafters wares.