Roscommon, Part 2: So Many Knitters, So Little Time!

This ewe was so curious (or maybe
cautious) that she would hardly look away
from Cathy, even though her friends
were eating all the dinner.

One day, while we were staying with the Gerry and Caitlin Browne in Roscommon, Gerry took Cathy out to the property where he keeps a few sheep and cattle. He is raising the Zwartbles breed of sheep, a black variety with a white face, feet and tail. They originated in the Netherlands. He is hoping that all seven of his ewes are bred and will lamb this spring. They are known for bearing twins and triplets. We will hope for 14 lambs this year, Gerry!

A few days later, Cathy was hiking up in the hills near the Browne’s home and met Dorrie, who told her about another knitting group that meets at Gleeson’s Restaurant in Roscommon on Fridays. She agreed to meet us there and sure enough the next day, I had more contributors…Anna was created a double-moss stitch in vari-colored brown/tan yarn while Marion crochet the other end (AT THE SAME TIME!) with a dusky rose yarn. This was the first time knitters/crocheters worked at both ends at the same time. 

At Gleeson's Restaurant in Roscommon, Ireland, Marion crochets while Anna knits
at the same time!

Bridie added some white garter stitch and Dorrie, some plain rows of garter stitch in a lovely gray yarn.

Later in the week, Marian surprised Cathy by bringing by the house a cute gift from the knitters, a little sheep mug cozy in Roscommon’s colors!

Back at the Browne household that same evening, while waiting for dinner, Cathy started talking to Coman, Caitlin and Gerry’s son, and learned that he had known how to knit back when he was seven in primary school. He very gallantly volunteered to be the first man to contribute to me! Yay! I knew we would find one eventually—a male knitter, I mean. He was a bit tentative at first—not sure if he could remember— but Cathy made two knit stitches for him and it all came back. He sat by the cozy kitchen wood stove and added some rows of garter stitch. 

His dad, Gerry, sat down beside him and recollected that he might be able to knit, so Coman demonstrated for him and Gerry took up the needles as well. What a sweet sight!

  

At the last minute, the night before we had to leave Roscommon, Caitlin added her part to my knitted end using some of the grey llama yarn that comes from Kelley Hubbell’s fiber llama herd back on Vashon Island, Washington. I am such a global being!

So many thanks to all the folks in Roscommon who made Cathy and me feel so welcome during our sojourn in the heart of lamb country in Ireland. We can’t wait to return later in the spring.