Whirlwind Weekend...

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...and it's not even over.*

Friday and Saturday were very eventful and emotional days, and last night I went to bed around midnight, exhausted, fully expecting to sleep for ten hours. But I woke up at 5 this morning with thoughts of the previous two days filling my head, and I couldn't get back to sleep, so decided to get up and start organizing photos and writing this blog post.

A few weeks ago, my Lynchburg sister Anne & I decided to come to Blacksburg this weekend to accomplish a couple of tasks. Anne had books she wanted to donate to the families of the Virginia Tech shooting victims, and I wanted to help with sewing some of the knitted & crocheted squares into Hokie Healing Blankets which will also go to the victims families.

My friend Isobel from our Tuesday Night Knitters group was able to take off of work early Friday and ride along with me, so we left Richmond around noon and made it to our hotel around 4 pm, after a couple of stops for gas and lunch. Anne arrived in Blacksburg about two hours earlier and completed her book delivery to the Dean of Students office, so after settling in at the hotel, the three of us drove over to Mosaic. We wanted to offer our help in setting up for the following day's activities, and also to shop a little (of course). Mimi was working and assured us that they had things well under control for the sewing party, and so I then proceeded to do my part to stimulate Blacksburg's economy by making a purchase of some Tilli Tomas "Rock Star" beaded silk in a gorgeous Jade colorway. It's the least I could do. ;-)



After leaving Mosaic, we met up with my old high school friend Judi who is on staff at Tech. (You may recall the Hokie Hope Hat I knit for Judi a few weeks ago.) Judi works closely with the student group that calls themselves "Hokies United". These kids are the volunteers who organized the candlelight vigil on Tech's drill field the Tuesday evening after the shootings, and who now very unselfishly and reverently maintain the memorials for each of the shooting victims.

Burruss Hall

Judi graciously offered to give us a tour of the campus and show us the memorials. Our first stop was Norris Hall, where we walked all around the outside as Judi gave us a narrative of her local perspective of the horrific events, pointing out where some of the broken-out second story windows had been replaced, and more chillingly, remnants of blood on the sidewalks. There seemed to be a hush over the building, a cocoon of silence, if you will, and I felt both grief and reverence, as we paid our respects to those who lost their lives there. Certain aspects of the scene seemed very familiar, thanks to all the media coverage.

We then walked over to the drill field, where a soccer game was in progress, and I was comforted that students are feeling "normal" enough again to be able to partake in carefree activities. As we observed the arc of memorial stones for each of the victims, and a 33rd stone someone added for the shooter, I made an effort to capture images of the memorials for the two native Richmonders, Matt Gwaltney and Rachael Hill. It was obvious they were loved by many.

The items around each memorial stone are just a fraction of what has been left by numerous visitors, and for a time, many additional items were displayed under a tent on the drillfield. The tent items have now been moved to the Shultz Dining Hall, and that was the next stop on Judi's tour. I was not prepared for the volume of items there, or the emotional impact they would have. There were aisles and aisles of huge signed banners, and posters sent from everywhere. There was a table for each of the victims displaying more of their memorial items. People sent or left some really beautiful items, including an icon, a painting, a carved wooden horse with signatures all over it, and a set of handpainted Ukranian eggs. I had been holding back tears ever since we first arrived at Norris Hall, but finally had to let a few go when I came upon the table containing items and letters for Cho's family. On it were many notes conveying concern for the family and forgiveness for the shooter. And a simple handwritten note on a 3"x5" index card that said, "I forgive you..." sent me over the edge.

After leaving Shultz dining hall, the four of us ate dinner at Mike's Grill, and later had coffee at Bollo's before saying goodbye to Judi and retiring to our hotel rooms around 10:30 pm. What a long and full day!

(I invite you to see more pictures from Friday's campus tour which can be found in my "Virginia Tech" Flickr photoset, and I would recommend either the slideshow or the detail method of viewing.)

We Are All Hokies.
Issy & Anne with Hokie-Pokie-Dot bird at our hotel
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The next morning after checking out of our hotel, we ate breakfast across the street at the Inn at Virginia Tech and then found our way to the conference room where the Hokie Healing Blanket sewing party was taking place. The three of us sat at a table where we made new friends with several local knitters from Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Roanoke. We were also joined by another Blacksburg friend Lawre, sister of our friend Jane in our knitting group. We had just seen Lawre when she was in Richmond on Tuesday, so it was fun to see her again so soon.

The ladies of Mosaic had prepared 32 bags of 64 squares each, and so our table grabbed a bag, arranged our squares and got down to the business of whip-stitching them together into an 8x8 blanket. Eight seamstresses and sixteen hands made light work, and we finished seaming our blanket in two hours.

By the time we finished Blanket #1, a couple of newspaper reporters and tv news crews had arrived and were shooting video and pictures and interviewing various folks. Issy managed to find herself in an on-camera interview for Roanoke's News Channel 10, but I'm not sure if that has aired yet. I did see that Channel 7's story and video has already been broadcast, and you can see Issy and myself very briefly in that. There's also a little article in the Richmond Times Dispatch and Anne and Issy are holding our blanket in that picture, along with Lawre, Gina Bonomo, and new friends Heather and Joy Kim. I'm quoted briefly, although I have no recollection of saying those words. I do recall starting to cry (and the subsequent embarassment) when he asked me about our previous day's campus tour and what was most meaningful to me.

The folks from Mosaic were incredibly generous, giving a goodie bag to the first 100 knitters who arrived. There were also door prizes and a silent auction. I won a craft book and Anne won a gorgeous red cashmere cabled scarf. They were also selling some really cool Hokie Knitting merchandise, include t-shirts and satchels. Food and drinks were provided, and one woman walked around massaging everyone's neck and back, and so we felt very taken care of during the whole experience. Our table managed to get another blanket sewn together before Anne, Issy and I had to head back home around 3. I had such fun sewing, though, and was really tempted to stay and work on a third blanket.



(More pictures from Saturday's blanket sewing party can be found in my "Hokie Healing Blankets" Flickr photoset, and again I recommend either the slideshow or the detail method of viewing.)

As of this writing I haven't read any other blogs about the event, so am not sure if all 32 blankets were completed yesterday, but if not, I have every confidence that they will be completed in short order. Mimi told us on Friday that at last count, they'd received 6,100 blanket squares, and after that, stopped counting. They asked that everyone take bags of squares home to sew more blankets together and then send them back to Mosaic. Issy used her experienced eye to pick out squares for a blanket with the idea that we Tuesday Night Knitters might sew one together. Additional blankets will be given to survivors, and perhaps to some of the police and EMS folks who attended the scene.

My friend Judi also requested that we might obtain a square for each of her Hokies United students who have been working so tirelessly to maintain the memorials. Gina very graciously agreed, and so I selected a number of squares and left them for Judi.

Issy & I were on the road headed home by 3:30, and decided to take 460-East the entire way, rather than the truck-clogged I-81/I-64 route that my GPS and MapQuest recommended. It took us slightly longer, but most of the drive, once past Roanoke, was quite peaceful and pleasant. And it was a pleasure to have Issy there to keep me company!

All in all a lovely, meaningful and fulfilling couple of days!

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Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon

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According to Virginia Tech's website, those are the official Hokie colors -- "burnt orange" and "Chicago maroon", adopted back in 1896. Didn't realize maroon was associated with Chicago, (I always think of how they dye the river green on St. Paddy's day), but, there you have it.

Anyway, I bring that up because I have a little update on the Hokie-knitting goings-on in my little world.

You may recall the Hokie Hope Hat I knit for my friend on the VT faculty. She received it back in early May, and emailed me a heartfelt thank you, and followed up with a sweet thank you card:


In her email, she wrote:

"I LOVE my Hokie Hope Hat! What makes it extra special is that you made it! I will wear it with love and pride --- you have no idea how much it means to me. I am touched beyond words! And for the blankets being knitted with the remnant yarn, I again, am touched beyond words.

Your gift is from the heart as well as your hands. You have made me smile and truly feel "happy" again. Thank you for finding such a special way to share in our loss while also celebrating our lives (and friendships)."

I share her words here not to toot my own horn, but in hopes that it might brighten the days of anyone who has been knitting for Virginia Tech and wondering if their knitting has been received in the spirit in which it was intended. Rest assured, it is.

Judi's hat was knit with some luscious Malabrigo:

purchased locally at the Yarn Lounge. And lucky for me, I still had lots of yarn leftover after the hat was finished, so I knit several squares for Mosaic's Hokie Healing blankets:

log cabin square
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two VT logo squares using Linda's pattern

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And I still have enough of the orange leftover to knit at least one more square. Last week, Unraveled's Mary Jane Watkins was gracious enough to take my three squares and several others knit by fellow Tuesday Night Knitters, and ship them off to Mosaic with other squares collected at her shop. Thanks a million, Mary Jane!

Speaking of the Tuesday Night Knitters and Hokie squares -- one of our knitters, Linda M., knit a whopping eighteen (18!) blanket squares! So many, in fact, that she won some gorgeous Lorna's Laces yarn from Phyl's blog contest! She brought it to knitting last night, but I didn't take any pictures, so you'll just have to imagine some pretty yarn....

And speaking of pretty yarn, how about some more Burnt Orange and Chicago Maroon:


After I pestered Scout for a solid two weeks, she somehow found a spare moment in her crazy-busy life to dye me some Hokie-colored yarn. (Thanks, Scout!) Both hanks are 100% superwash merino (a Louet Gems base yarn, I believe). One is a worsted weight, and the other is sold as "bulky", although I'd probably call it a heavy-worsted (about 4 stitches per inch on 9's), rather than chunky or bulky. Still lovely to knit with, and knit with it I did.

And what else would I make, but a hat:

Specs:

• Yarn: Scout's Handpainted Swag in a custom Hokie colorway
  
• Gauge: 4 stitches per inch
• Needles: U.S. size 9 (5.5 mm) Denise circulars & Clover bamboo 7" DPNs
  
• Pattern: cast on 80 stitches, join in the round, knit every round for ~6-7", decrease & finish according to Super Simple Hat Calculator; make pom-pom and attach.
• Size: ~20" circumference
  
• Recipient: either Tanya's Project Hokie Hope or the Knitting for Virginia Tech group -- whichever group wants it first
  

Yes, at the risk of ridicule, I've knit another hat. It's no secret -- I love knitting hats. Easy, mindless, quick. Only slightly more complicated than a scarf, and takes a fraction of the time to knit -- they make great gifts. My feeble, unemployed brain can handle hats, so, for the time being, I'm clinging to hat knitting for all its worth. Hats are probably the one knitted item I wear the most, (of course, not at this time of year), more so even than socks or scarves or sweaters.

But I do get teased about my constant hat knitting, and perhaps am getting a little too sensitive about that. Case in point: I may have snapped and actually told someone in my knitting group last night to "Bite me!", after being teased once again, about my hat knitting. (My humble apologies, Linda.) And I may never, ever, live that down. Sigh....

So let me change the subject by distracting you with pom-pom remnants:


So far, I've only used up the heavier Hokie-colored yarn -- not sure what I will do with the worsted weight, but am open to ideas. And anyone who snidely suggests a hat is just asking for it!

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Hokie Hope Hat

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At last, I can show you what I only hinted at on Saturday. It is not a blanket square, as many of you guessed. A few of you saw me cast on for this last Tuesday night, so you had advanced knowledge as to what the final product would be. And anyone who reads this blog regularly should not be surprised that it is, in fact, a hat.

It really doesn't (shouldn't) take me an entire week to knit a hat, but, then, I don't always knit every day, especially when I have things like plant sales and gardening to attend to. Also, on Sunday there was a little scare involving my dad and an emergency room (all is well, now), which sorta messed with that day's knitting mojo.

The hat was actually complete last night, I just needed to make the pom-pom today -- my very first, as a matter of fact, and I think it came out fairly well, if I do say so myself.

Specs:

• Yarn:
• * Main color: Malabrigo worsted 100% merino in "Velvet Grapes" (#204)
  
• * Stripe & pom-pom: Malabrigo worsted 100% merino in "Sealing Wax" (#102)
  
• Gauge: 5 stitches per inch
• Needles: U.S. size 8 (5mm) Denise circulars & Clover bamboo 7" DPNs
  
• Pattern: cast on 100 stitches, join in the round, knit every round for ~6-7", adding contrasting stripe(s) as desired; switch to DPNs, decrease & finish according to Super Simple Hat Calculator; make pom-pom and attach.
• Size: 20" circumference
  
• Recipient: high school friend Judi, who is now on Virginia Tech faculty

* I can't say enough nice things about Malabrigo. It is incredibly soft, a joy to knit with, creates a beautiful fabric, and I just love the mottled effect of those kettle-dyed colors. Granted, it is single-ply 100% merino, so, pilling is inevitable, but, a small price to pay, in my opinion, for such a lovely end-product.


Pom-poms are a risky design choice, and although the hat was nice as-is, I felt it needed another dash of orange. I will send it to Judi with a note telling her that to remove the pom-pom if it's not her style. Or, if hats in general (or this one in particular) are not her style, perhaps she can give it to a student in need of a little Hokie spirit.

The best part is, I have lots of leftover yarn with which I can now start knitting some squares for Mosaic's Hokie Healing blankets:

(click ^ for mailing address)

If you, too, decide to send in knitted or crocheted blanket squares to Mosaic, don't forget to also enter yourself in Phyl's blog contest!

Or, if blanket squares aren't your thing, and you'd rather knit & donate something else, check out Tanya's Project Hokie Hope or the Knitting for Virginia Tech group blog.

Linda in our knitting group has created a VT logo square for the Mosaic blankets -- I think Jane will be posting the pattern on her blog, but if not, I can post it here and/or email it to folks. And a Blacksburg knit-blogger has created a Hokie-bird intarsia chart that can be incorporated into blanket squares. Leave her a comment and she'll email you the chart.

I'm also attempting to commission a professional yarn dyer to create a custom "Hokie Hope" maroon and orange colorway. Nothing is firm yet, but if this would interest you, let me know, and also what your preferred yarn weight might be. If and when I know more, I will announce it here on this blog.

And of course, for those who'd rather donate cash, there's always the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund.

God Bless knitters who are always willing to jump in and help during times of crisis.

And God Bless Virginia Tech!

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Sneak Peak...

...at my current project:



Any guesses?

Full disclosure tomorrow, after it's finished.

But right now, I must go herb shopping....

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Day of Mourning

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Actually, it's been a whole week of mourning, but today was the Governor's officially declared Day of Mourning. I debated as to whether to go down to Monroe Park and attend the service there, but opted to watch it on television, instead.

I've wept all week as I watch the news accounts, was angry after NBC's aired that lunatic's rantings, and was then proud of our local NBC station for agreeing not to show his picture anymore. Like everyone else, I'd much rather focus on the 32 victims, the survivors, their families, and the suffering folks at Virginia Tech who have ties and connections all over the Commonwealth.

The Richmond area has lost two shining Tech students, and I know of at least two other Richmonders who were wounded but are recovering, and I'm so grateful for that. One of the survivors is the daughter son of the President of the Christian Children's Fund, based here in town. Another is the daughter of a girl with whom I went to high school.

Another high school friend who now works in Tech's vet school was shown weeping on television Tuesday, during the Convocation. She's since received a flood of emails and phone calls, expressing love and concern. She wrote us back, saying:

...Prior to my position at the Vet College, I was the Director of Undergraduate Recruiting for the College of Engineering. Norris Hall was a fixture in my life. I’ve also taught for VT, so from a faculty perspective, I now think back on what would have been my own reaction to all that happened that morning to protect my students.

...These are just some of the emotions that the last few days have brought to mind. Your thoughts mean more to me than this note can possibly share. Thank you for taking the time to share them. As the week progresses, the reality of everything continues to find new ways to hit home. We have all tried so hard to be strong for one another on campus that our ability to let what happened sink in personally has been the hardest. That’s where your personal thoughts, prayers, and love have meant the most. You’ve given me what I have spent the week trying to give to students, colleagues, and friends who have endured Monday’s tragedies at a variety of levels.

... I speak for all Virginia Tech alumni, students, faculty/staff and friends when I say that your words and thoughts HAVE made a difference....

I find encouragement in her words, and in seeing people of different races, faiths and cultures uniting together to share their grief and comfort. I'm so proud of the students I've seen interviewed, proud of their poise through all of the madness and sadness. I take joy and comfort in learning about the wonderful lives of each of those 32 beautiful people. I dread and loathe the copycat activities, but am thankful that at least everyone's awareness level has been significantly heightened, so that perhaps future tragedies might be averted. I pray for the victims families, and hold out hope that this incident might help change some laws, in this state and this country, to help prevent future tragedies.

God Bless Virginia Tech.

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God Bless

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