Yarn store’s close-knit class pleased with finished afghans

A sense of accomplishment and a lot of camaraderie filled the cozy Ramona Country Yarn Store.

It was the last session of store owner Connie Phillips’ 12-week Building Blocks knitting class. Participants from her Tuesday morning class joined her Wednesday night class to celebrate their completed block afghans on April 15.

Each week the women knitted a new block for the afghan using a different stitch for a total of 12 blocks.

“A lot of different things they learned each week,” said Phillips. “And they’re all doing a super job. I’m so proud of them.”

“We had such a sense of accomplishment to get this project done,” said Stephanie Hurst, adding that some of them were not knitters.

Hurst had done more crocheting than knitting in the past but said she had not done either in a long time.

Ebed Almaraz was experienced in crocheting, but knitting is different, she noted. She said she learned a lot in her first class with Phillips.

“Connie is a great teacher,” said Lynne Shevinsky. She’s very helpful.”

It had not been Kira Reynolds’ intention to take a knitting class when she entered the yarn store last December. Reynolds, who had no knitting experience, said she went in to buy yarn for her mother for Christmas when Phillips suggested she take the class.

“Honestly, Connie is amazing,” Reynolds said.

While all the other women that evening were from Ramona, Marilyn Webber came from Poway, encouraged by her aunt, Carolyn Elias, to join the knitting class. Webber said she had learned to knit when she was 8 years old, but had not picked up knitting needles for 40 years.

Their afghans, made of a soft cotton bamboo silk yarn, were completed, so the knitters worked on shawls Wednesday night while comfortably seated in armchairs or around the distressed farmhouse table in the front of the store. Nearby a mannequin displayed the finished shawl pattern. While most were using a sock yarn, June Ford used her own yarn, generated from the alpacas at her home.

Phillips noted that through the course of the classes she and the other women have become friends. That sentiment was shared by others.

“It’s been a wonderful camaraderie to get to know the ladies, and the new skills,” said Hurst.

Phillips started a new 12-week Building Blocks session this week. The class is two hours and participants have a choice of 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays or 6 p.m. Wednesdays. Anyone interested can still join the class, she said.

Ramona Country Yarn Store is at 638 Main St.