Grab your knitting needles and come relax with me.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Yarny Side of Vacation
The best part about vacation for me is vacation yarn shopping! We were so buzzing busy this year it's amazing I got to go to any yarn shops. My mom took me to two yarn shops in the D.C area (I am highly disappointed in her lack of enthusiasm over the 10 other shops she won't look for). And i scored some MORE red lace weight.
It's funny: after YEARS of searching for red lace weight and coming up empty, suddenly I have been able to find some nearly every where I go. I got these pretty specimen (and as you can tell it's rather large) at Aylin's Woolgatherer.
I found some pretty Schaeffer Anne at Knit Happens in Alexandria. My Mom hated trying to park (in the rain no less), but I told her Knit Happens happens to be my favourite yarn store in her area.
I am seeing a pretty elven scarf for this yarn.
We were only in Waynesboro a short time so I couldn't go to my all time favourite yarn shop (poot!), but next year I WILL take myself to On The Lamb (many times in fact!).
On the way our of Myrtle Beach we stopped in Knitting Up A Storm. We got yarn for Granny's Christmas presents and yarn for me.
This is for a warm shawl for Granny, I am thinking a triangle shawl with a feather and fan pattern. Something like this. I might chance up a few things...not sure if I will use the exact stitch pattern. And I will definitely chart it out. Written out lace instructions are just too long and cumbersome.
I will be making some felted slippers with this yarn. Not totally sure what sort...I was thinking I would like a high cuff to keep her ankles warm, but I also like the lower style too. We shall see.
So pretty and soft...I am thinking it will make pretty cowl or something.
I knit quite a bit on vacation--with the 24 drive up (and back) and the driving all over VA and down to SC. Then there's the beach and pool--even with 70+ SPF I still don't spend much time in the sun and water...so I knit under umbrellas.
I knit on my beach sock when I was at the beach and poolside.
I had completed the toe increases before I left for vacation and while on the drive I frogged a few dozen rows. I was going for a pattern but I came to my senses and just kept it simple.
I did bring nearly all my projects, but really the only other project I worked on was the silk Isobel scarf.
It's nearly finished. And in the heat we endured on the drive back...silk was the only fiber I wanted to touch.
I was also on vacation from the Knitting Bunnies, but on the drive back inspiration hit and I got some great ideas for the wildflower scarf that's been simmering in my cerebellum. Now that I am back home, I got some patterns to work on and some gift knitting and perhaps some baby knitting, as well (and NOT for me).
I pretty much spent this weekend knitting socks. I wanted to start my new Corolis Sock before we left for vacation. And then I saw my poor neglected Harry Potter ribbed sock, had to knit on that some. And POOF there went my weekend.
And now I have SOCK pictures!!!
First the Corolis Socks (not sure that will stay the name...whirly socks?).
I am LOVING how the colour is turning out. But next question: which side will be the instep (the top)?
I am leaning toward this side as the top, but I will have a better idea for sure as it progresses. I am still stuck on a name...because the colour of these socks...they need a special nome. Not just Corolis (that's the name of the structure of the socks...and the name is being USED all the time). I like being unique.
I worked the heel on the Harry Potter sock on Saturday, ALL DAY and practically all night. I wanted to finish this heel!!
The new Harry Potter movie is coming out in little less than a month and a friend suggested that wearing them to the film would be Harry-tastic! Grin. I was planning on knee socks...let's see how that works. I was also planning on those ribs doing some traveling up the leg, we'll see how that works out as well.
More Pics!!!
This sock uses the Upstream Sockitecture from Cat Bhordi's book.
I also worked on some jewelry...you can see the results on my other blog and some good news as well. Here's a sneak peek...
As a knitter packing (getting ready) for vacation is a bit more involved that it is for the "muggles." Since we go to the same place every year, I already know the locations of all the area yarn shops. Before Ravelry I found them by searching online; now it's easy peasy using the myriad of Ravelry's search features and forums. It is a little known fact that vacation yarn doesn't count in a Yarn Diet. Grin. So for me what's left: what knitting to bring.
I am project whore. I have several going on at once, because for me different projects suit different moods and environments. Example: lace should not be worked while waiting in line at a post office, but a sock or are a simple patterned scarf--totally. Knowing I am going to have a 2 hour wait at a Doctor's office: break out the lace or difficult cables. Nevermind there are different projects that sooth a rumpled or excited spirit. Anyhoo, I must pack accordingly for vacation.
I already decided to start a new plain jane sock (out of that lovely Acaundadia sock yarn I bought last week)--that's gonna be my beach sock or talking with people sock...mindless...just keeps my hands busy. Now car knitting (since we are driving 24 hours to get to Virginia), I will need a varied amount of knitting. I will get bored so I need to have a variety of things to keep me occupied. I am thinking of bringing along my neglected Swallowtail Shawl. I am nearly done and I am working on border nupps (pronounced NUPS!! I am sorry in no way should it be pronounced noops, that us just SILLY. If it was MEANT to be pronounced NOOP then it would either be spelled noop or nupe!!! Sorry small side rant that has been bubbling up for quite awhile) and beading. My only "fear" or concern, is I may finish it while on vacation and will have to wait on blocking until I get home. Yes, stupid concern I know.
As I am trying to decide what to bring, I will invariably just bring all my current projects (at least the top six in my Ravelry project tab). I think the hardest part is to resist the urge to bring virgin yarn, all my Barbara Walker books, and the Knitting Bunnies. YES, the knitting bunnies are staying HOME!! This is a vacation after all...
I can finally let one Knitting Bunny aka Super Secret Project #1 out of the bag.
I had entered it in the Lone Star State Knitters Dogs Days of Summer design contest and it won first place (it tied actually with a sock design from one of my best friends--oh sweet!) I have been waiting to tell its story for months!! It was knit for Jamey's newest baby cousin and despite some problems with the edging motifs--I was able to gift the blanket before we left Virginia this summer. My job on vacation was to finish this blanket. The picot bind off (on very nearly 700 stitches) took me 3 solid 16 hour days. It nearly undid me, I had to place warm cloths on my arms to go to bed at night. But it turned out beautifully and I am very proud of it.
I played with different snow flake motifs and finally decided on one I worked up myself (but I am sure it's already been done before)--it's the motif between the white and red pins. I had originally wanted to use a rocking horse motif for the edging, but I was having problems turning it upside down so I decided to go with the pinwheels for a more blizzardy snow theme.
I hope y'all enjoy it, it was a blast to design and knit (even though the cast off can be brutal if tackled as I did--in one fell swoop). It was so fun I am working on another one right now.
We just got back from our trip. It was a very productive trip knitting wise. One of my super secret projects was finished and delivered--however--it will remain a secret until November. Sorry guys.
I visited my favourite yarn shop in the world and stocked up on some more malabrigo lace weight. Woot!! Ooo the plans I have for it.
More tales and pictures tomorrow. We drove straight for 24 hours and I am cramped and tired.
Okay fellow Knutters, I am leaving on our annual vacation. But as I can not stay totally unplugged from the internet for long. I will check email and may even post to the blog (once or twice). I am planning on visiting several yarn shops and doing other knitterly things...so at the very least expect a nice long fun post in two weeks.
Wish us luck (Murphy tends to follow us on vacation too...)!
I've not been feeling the knitting lately--basically going through the motions. I am rushing to finish up my Super Secret Projects. I also have a few days till we leave for vacation. We'll be in Virginia for two weeks--posting here will definitely be spotty, at best.
Like I said, I am feeling stretched. I think it's a collusion of things. Family fun stuff (not the one I made, but the one I was put into) mainly--with other stresses sprinkled in. So I found something to put myself in a better mood. While it DID put me in a grand (grand) mood, I was tethered to the couch for a bit.
I chronicled my tethering (smirk) on The other Blog. Really I don't want to have to re-write the post here as well--so go!!
It's May! And I am a bad knit blogger. Sorry 'bout that. This week was one of those weeks were I had stuff going on every single day and no time to sit down and write any thing. But I did get to knit.
I am about half way done with the Lacey Tulip Blanket.
However, I still have a ways to go in the scarf department. But it is progressing...
These are at a foot now...if I match them to my orginal scarf--I have 5 more feet to go. And of course detail shots--this is a really really simple pattern--easy to memorise.
This week I also had time to knit the tiger sock-this particular shot was taken at the zoo! Very apropos--next time though I will take a picture of it in front of the tiger enclosure.
I had to do some pattern re-writing/editing for a friend who loves designing but hates actually writing out the pattern. Totally understandable. I would much rather watch the design in my head grow under my finger tips than write out the pattern itself (it's fraught with headache and anxiety--what if it makes no sense to any one but me!?! What if it's riddled with errors?). But it's part of being a designer really....you just gotta do it. While I complain about how slow I knit and how many Knitting Bunnies I have yet to knit up, it's been suggested I just write the pattern and hand it over to a test knitter. But then I won't get the treat of knitting up my creation. It might be more productive, but no fun and if I am not going to have fun well I might as well get an office job if my goal is to make money but have no fun. And to further summarize: I am a terrific friend.
I am hoping to treat myself after I finish the scarves and blanket for the shop, with some design time. Especially since in about a month we are going to Virginia, design time would be a rare find.
