Off The Hook or ‘Ode to Annalee’
This week’s post is so titled because I am off the hook for knitting material. Annalee is ‘On the Hook’ again to take up my slack. Or should I call it my kindergarten blues? Actually, I think it’s more shell shock than blues.
I waited bravely at the bus stop Wednesday morning with my big kindergarten kid. She got right in line to climb aboard; I had to pull her back to get a kiss. She climbed up, chose a seat and and started chatting up the girl next to her. Not a single backward glance. Which tells me I’ve done something right. Confidence and independence are traits to be desired – especially in a girl. It’s just that no one tells you how it will feel when the baby who depended on you for survival happily steps up on to the bus and away. Parenting has to be the biggest butt-kicker there is: becoming pregnant and hosting a life for nine months and then proceeding to grow them up and away from you. Who knew? No one, that’s who. Because if you knew going in you would never take the plunge. So anyway, I am wiped out and it is Annalee To The Rescue! with some of her crochet magic.
You might remember from a previous post the shawl (Diamonds Silk Scarf) she was making 
with Berroco Sox Metallic and our Gemstone Silk Boucle. She used a recipe from the Winter 2007 Interweave Crochet (which we do have in stock). Here it is in all of it’s beautiful finished wonder. (Be on the look-out for it in Interweave Crochet in an absolutely stunning ad.) I think it was an inspired use of this sock yarn. She is back to her tricks with the same issue of Interweave Crochet, this time working on the pattern called Infinity Wrap. When she saw the picture, she loved the concept but knew it was ‘too big and bohemian for her taste’. Inventor that she is, she has taken the original idea and scaled it down. Using beautifully kettle-dyed yarn she is making it more of a scarf size. There will still be 5 of the main motifs (S shapes 
pictured right) using the Malabrigo Silky Merino which she will then join together and c
rochet around with red Silky Wool. Stay tuned for the finished project.
I have also snapped pics of her latest Amigurumi creations that she made for store display. They are very cute (and sometimes surprising!) hanging out all over the shop. If you’ve never been tempted by crochet before, these should do the trick. If you can get to the store, call and sign up for a one-on-one crochet lesson with Annalee. She i
s an amazing crochet instructor – keep a look out for her scheduled classes too. You’ll have your own critters in no time! My daughter came in and promptly ordered one of each, with the robot at the top of the list. I have not had my crochet lesson yet but am planning one.
So here’s to Annalee for falling in love with Amigurumi books and creatures and beautifying our shop. But more than that, thanks to Annalee for seeing the possibilities within a pattern and then being brave and adventurous enough to modify it to her own desires and 
specifications. I’m sure we could all use at least a small dose of fearless in our approach to crafting (and life).
Next week Beth will have a post about the sweater she is making with our favorite Swans Island Worsted…
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