Time for reviewing and updating our goals to start off the day. We found that most of the goals had been accomplished or were being worked on.
Learning review update: What new ideas have we gleaned since yesterday’s review?
What makes a sweater an Aran sweater? Let’s see. The designs come from the Aran Islands off Ireland. Their fishermen wore them at sea and at home to keep them warm and to indicate in some cases where they came from. They include many cables, twists, blackberry stitches, and purl bump stitches like seed and moss.
10:42am:
This is how those purl-bump designs go.
Wow, we are just cruising peacefully along here. Everyone is either working on their own design or the challenge from yesterday, with the twists. We are at the point, as a class, where everyone can chatter away as they work– much better for the morale than when we were all hunched over our samples, feeling stressed! And it’s a sunny day out, to boot.
I sat down with every student and went over different cable patterns and discussed their upcoming projects with them. They are raring to go with scarves, small sweaters, and samplers. After I review the traditional Gansey design, the finish projects will begin. What are Ganseys anyway?
Well – Ganseys are fishing sweaters or knit-frocks from the ports of England and Scotland made of sturdy yarn on size one needles. Distinctive individual patterns are common.
2:50pm: “We are feeling great!” “Confident!” “Yes, we can!” Those are the things the students shouted out when I asked the class how they were doing just a second ago. (Okay, they also shouted out something about Cool Whip and sang some jingles, so we may be going, well, a little loopy. Sorry…knitting pun.)
This afternoon we’re continuing to puzzle out our own patterns, inventing as we go. “I can make a smiley face from purl bumps. Does anyone else feel the sense of accomplishment?”
Jennifer decided to work outside because it was finally a nice sunny day. As she left she said, ” I am going outside and I am not taking my notes because I no longer need them.”
Outside on a beautiful day without notes
A day of steady progress. Tonight we have a “knit in” in the living room from 8 to 10PM to share our accomplishments with other students. We will let you know how it works out.
