Portland's Knit/Purl!

I just got back from visiting my daughter, Estes, and her beautiful family in Portland. When Viviyan's second grade teacher asked her about her dreams and hopes, my granddaughter replied, "to learn to knit". Well, you can imagine my delight! So the idea of visiting Knit/Purl made both of us quite happy.
When we first arrived at the shop, there were several people, including one or two sitting in the small knitting circle. It was church-like quiet and Viv and I were whispering as she went about selecting the yarn of her choice. She loved the Habu display but understood that those weren't beginner yarns! Ultimately, she chose a lavender Malabrigo worsted yarn which was bright and cheerful, just like her and a pair of bamboo needles. I could tell it made her feel important and special to have her own materials. I explained to the staff that I lived in San Diego and couldn't be there to help my granddaughter through the rough parts. And they graciously offered to help her pick up dropped stitches in my absence.In this picture, Viv has spotted a spool of ruffled ribbon and knows that it would be the perfect finish for the Blue Sky Brushed Alpaca scarf I was knitting her. She has an eye for color and is quite a fashionista. So I promised her that I would finish her scarf while she slept that night and that when she woke, it would be hanging on the door knob of her room. Good for my word....
And before I left, I took her measurements and promised to make her a purple sweater for her 8th birthday (November 28th). I have plenty of ideas now that she was able to show me samples and photos of what she liked. It was so difficult to leave each other and knitting that sweater will help me feel closer to her.