This is a story.  A story about the generosity of knitters….and how procrastination pays off.

About a month ago, I found myself attending a knitting retreat for the first time ever.  I was excited to meet people who, like myself, really love yarn.  I don’t usually participate in big group knit-a-longs and I don’t spend a lot of time on ravelry forums chatting with strangers, but when I signed up for the retreat, I did.  I wanted to meet and talk to the people that I would be interacting with for three whole days and I wanted to really get involved.  So when Steven suggested that we all do a KAL with Blue Moon Fiber Arts yarn, I jumped on the opportunity.  And when I say I “jumped”, what I really mean is that after initially agreeing, I then proceeded to procrastinate with said purchase of yarn and pattern.  Because, procrastination really is the only thing that I do well….consistently.

A few days before I was all set to leave for the retreat, I order the yarn and pattern.  Of course, my yarn showed up on my doorstep the day after I left.  So there I was, at the Gourmet Retreat, yarn-less for the KAL.  We were all gathered together in the sun room, introducing ourselves whilst happily knitting away on our own projects (many were casting on for the KAL, I shamefully worked on some other lame project that I’ve probably frogged since).  The woman sitting next to me, Tamara, was working on her cowl and I mentioned that my yarn didn’t arrive in time.  Of course I left out the part where I procrastinated, because I wanted to make a good impression and whatever.  She just looks at me and without a second’s pause says, “Well, I have an extra skein.  I’ll go get it for you right now.”  She got up so swiftly that I didn’t even have time to register what had happened.  Did a complete stranger really offer to give me her skein of yarn?  Just like that?  What kind of weird alternate universe have I stepped into?  Did I really get rewarded with a free skein of 100% silk yarn because I procrastinated?!  Well, I guess that’s one way to instill bad habits.

Tamara asked for nothing in return.  We spent three glorious days together cooking, knitting, and dyeing.  I got to know her pretty well during this time, and I have to say, she is without a doubt, a most generous and kind person.  She didn’t even scold me for procrastinating.

I was able to participate in the KAL and finish knitting my cowl before the end of the retreat all because of the selflessness of a wonderful knitter.  So, this FO post is a shout out to you, Tamara.  Thanks for making my first knitting retreat a memorable one!

Why am I posting this FO a month after I finished knitting the cowl?  Didn’t you guys learn anything?  I’m a procrastinator, and honestly, Tamara really shouldn’t have rewarded me for my bad behavior.  But I’m sure glad she did!

Pattern Details

See what other (and most likely, non-procrastinating) knitters have made at Tami’s blog.