Recently in KIP Category

You might remember that I sometimes cruise the Craigslist Missed Connections website. Usually it's when I'm on the phone. I find these things so silly. I mean, if someone can capture your attention in the subway of all places (I think that 95 percent of these posting are about brief encounters on the train), then it's worth working up your courage for a moment to speak to this person while you have the chance. Personally, if someone can't be bothered to speak when the opportunity is there, there I couldn't be bothered responding to one of these silly posts. [Not that I would for a moment, given that I'm off the market.]

Anyway, perhaps you might feel as if you were distracting the person in question--from her knitting:

You: In summer's heat, I am wondering: What could you be knitting? You were on the F train and got off at Chruch ave. My stop was one before yours, but I stayed on to see where you would get off and hopefully have enough courage to ask you. Alas, you got off with only connecting eyes with mine. If this is you, or do you know a knitter in summer?!? contact me? I would like to say Hello.

This is NOT me. But it's got to be one of us, no? If it is, I hope that it makes your day that you turned someone's head. And, I think that it counteracts the (incorrect) assumption that you'll never meet anyone when you're knitting knitting. Heck, I indirectly met Sven because of knitting. [That, dear readers, is a story for another time.]

So Saturday dawned, hot and steamy, as World Wide Knit in Public Day. I'm not sure what's so special about that for me, because (as you know) I KIP every day, but I'm not one to let such an event go by unnoticed.

Given that chez Subway Knitter, BK was mere steps from the meeting site, I thought that it would be especially foolish to miss out.

So, about 1pm I donned hat and sunglasses and made my way slowly to the Brooklyn Museum.

The Brooklyn Museum is this amazing institution housed in an equally amazing structure on Eastern Parkway. I can't hardly believe that I live so close to it and have visited only once. Shame on me.

Siting on the steps of the museum, you are treated to a show by the fountain:

And, if you're lucky, a breeze blows some water spray your way.

Anyway, Saturday marked visit number two. I must admit that I approached the gathering with a bit of anxiety. Would I know anyone? Would people be nice? Would people think that I was silly for bringing a cardigan sleeve to a knitting event?

The thing about knitting, or any hobby I suppose, is that it gives you an entry line with anyone else who shares your interest. So, "What are you knitting?" immediately morphs into "Where did you buy that yarn?" "What do you think of that store?" "Oh, you live near there? So do I!" And suddenly you have more in common that just the knitting.

This was all very nice for me, because I don't participate in a Brooklyn knitting circle. Spiders is about all the knitting group time I have every week. Still, I hear that there's more BK KIPing planned for next Saturday. I might just need to stop by and catch up.

Ah! Nothing beats a seat on the train and long rows of stockinette after a long day at the office. Okay, maybe a seat on the train, long rows of stockinette, and a beer. Or, maybe a seat in the garden, long rows of stockinette, a beer, and nice music playing softly in the background. Or, what about: a seat in the garden, long rows of stockinette, a beer, nice music playing softly in the background, and someone giving me a foot massage.

Oooh, yeah! I think that we've got it now.

Many people have asked me if anyone ever recognizes themselves as a "Mystery Subway Knitter of the Week". It's happened once.

Although yesterday something somewhat similar happened. I logged on to Ravelry (like you do) and noticed that I had two new messages. Am I the only one whose heart does a little skip when you see that you have messages? Probably not.

The messages were from Mary. [Click through to her Ravelry page, if you can, and read her profile. It's really funny.] One to add me as friend, and another to say "Hey! Remember me? You took my photo in Zaftigs in August 2006."

So I did. Actually, I remember the evening well. To say that August 2006 was an unsettled time in the life of Subway Knitter would be an understatement. To offer some support, some fabulous friends met me for dinner at Zaftigs. It was a fun evening, and really took my mind off of a few things.

And, like it or not, Mary was a part of that evening. And, now, she's a part of my Ravelry network. Awww!

Hooray!! As the flowers bloom, the subway knitters are coming out of the woodwork:

I wonder if she just cast on for a spring cardi. Like me!