Men's East Coast Spring Knitting Retreat 2013

A truly wonderful thing is Men's Knitting, so how do you make it better? Create a male space where we can knit openly and proudly and learn from others! HELL YEAH!

Men's Knitting Retreats are an inclusive space for men who enjoy knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, and other fiber arts crafts. These retreats not only support the education, study, and practice of these cottage arts, they help to end stigma against male knitters. These retreats support and promote local businesses and fiber companies as well. Every year the retreat is made possible by the generous donations of the local businesses and companies as well as the men who attend! This year, because of the generous support of the participants of last year's attendees, three scholarships were available for the following categories, New knitters, not-so-new knitters, and experts.

This year I traveled to easton with Alasdair Post-Quinn. He is an up and coming designer in the knitting community and men's knitting circles. I will say, what Bach was to the fugue, Alasdair is to Double knitting. His newest design, 52 pickup, is an intriguing double knit scarf made of 52 double knitted panels, for which there are more combinations for the panels than there are atoms in our known universe... makes card counting look easy! That means if the scarves are made at random, like intended, all scarves are completely unique. Alasdair also showed off samples of quilted double knitting, micro double knitting, and even double knitted lace. All using his patented techniques.

This is my second trip to MSKR, my last being in 2010 when i went as a volunteer and teacher! I was so blessed to win one of three scholarships to attend this year! We had two new knitters and myself as winners which was great, it is always nice to work with eager learners because many of them love the lavish attention and gifts (i brought glow in the dark crochet hooks for the new knitter's swag bags!).

It was great to be back at Easton after two years. While Easton changes, i never forget the wonder of this very special place. I met many old friends and made several new ones! My roommates all snore, which was actually awesome because i am always freaking out that my snoring will wake people up.

Interestingly enough, I was shacked up in room 8 with another winner, Jaye who is a newbie knitter and Barry who was on the scholarship committee, and it was a blast! But one thing about room 8 is that the boys at Easton think it is haunted! although that door is quite tricky.

So this year I did not have as many projects to show off, because my mom is sick, so everything is going to her. I did however have two shawls, a wine bottle cozy in tunisian crochet entrelac, and my kickass kilt hose. but what i am really proud of was an entrelac cube that i knit over the weekend.

you can see links to the pattern here:
I also was really fortunate to get into the shawl blocking class, which incidentally i got into the first time round, but i was able to block my Queen of the Canopies shawl, affectionately known of as Shawlzilla. While the shawl took me nearly a year to complete (60% of that time was the edging alone), i finally got it done and blocked. never would have thought to strap it into a frame like that.

In comparison, Vince made the same shawl without a lace border and it was absolutely gorgeous! You can see both of the shawls on Van Waffle's Blog, the link is below!

Scholarships like mine are made through the generous support of the men who attend the retreats, the next men's knitting retreat is in July in the Allenspark, CO.  Give generously to keep these retreats alive!

Check out Alasdair Post- Quinn's Blog
Van Waffle's Blog
Men's Knitting Retreats website