A Grand Opening

Guess where I was this past weekend-at the Purl Soho opening! I loved the old Purl and now I love this new one. It seems like they have so much more yarn, maybe because now I can see it all. My son went with me and he was very patient while I picked out some Cascade Ultra Pima for a summer scarf and even helped me select a color. I'm usually afraid to knit with cotton because it can be harsh and unyielding but this seems so soft. The colors were great too. We were very lucky and got a great parking spot on the street and I was even luckier and won a raffle prize. I just have to wait until I can get in next weekend to see what it is. They had great macaroons and punch and the whole atmosphere was delightful.

I'm still knitting. I just never remember to take pictures of my finished things. I just finished a yellowish scarf in Lion Brand Cotton/Bamboo that I got at their store, another terrific place to visit in New York. Crochet is starting to look tempting. I may try a summer sweater. I have a ton of wool in my house but now that the weather is changing I just don't feel like making anything too warm. I guess it can all wait until fall. The new summer cottons and unusual cotton blends are just lovely for right now.

Olympic Winner

I wasn't going to join any Knitting Olympics and passed up all the Ravelry events. I felt I just didn't need any more pressure. I knit all the time anyway. But when the Yarn Harlot announced her competition, I just had to join. I told myself that it didn't matter if I finished anything or not. Participating was the important thing. I wanted to make another cardigan and use up some of my room full of stash anyway and after going through innumerable patterns I finally decided on Nuss, a Berroco pattern, knit in Chaco wool yarn. Well, thanks to two snow days when I stayed in and knit for two complete days, I did finish in time. I just needed 5 more buttons and a good blocking. I would have awarded myself a silver but Stephanie had only gold medals. So here is mine.

Selbu Mittens

When I ordered "Selbuvotter, Biography of a Knitting Tradition" by Terri Shea I didn't think I would become captivated by Selbu mittens, but I have. I've been using sport weight yarn and most of the ones I've completed have been too large. I've completed NHM #9 in Knitpicks Telemark, NHM #14 and NHM #13 in Rauma 3 ply Strikkegarn that I bought on vacation in Norway. I'm working in Knitpicks Palette now on NHM #7. It is coming out much smaller so now I'm worrying that it will be too small. It is just so much fun following the charts for the stranded designs and seeing, row by row, how lovely they develop. I have many more projects planned but I just can't stop knitting these mittens.

Twins

Knitting has been suspended to announce the arrival of the most wonderful babies ever, my first grandchildren. Meet the most beautiful twins ever. They arrived last weekend and I have been watching them sleep ever since.

Summer Projects

The orange scarf is the one I knit during our Norway trip. It is the Baktus scarf by Strikkelise done in Rowan Felted Tweed. I wanted to make a Norwegian pattern while in Norway. It was perfect travel knitting and when I came home I added an edging from Interweave Knits. I think it finishes it off beautifully. On the trip I finished the body of the scarf and read the book I had brought with me and had nothing to do for the flight home. So I bought some Icelandic Lopi lace yarn to start another scarf. I looked up a stitch pattern on the hotel’s internet and was all set. On the plane I pulled everything out and discovered that one of the wooden needles had split. Four hours with nothing to do! But when I got home I started this Haruha scarf made by with the yarn. The Lopi is a little rough but I love the subtle blue and grey colors and the pattern was really fun.
Now I am practicing a new to me technique-stranded knitting. This is my first Selbu mitten. I had some trouble keeping the tension at the ends of my two circular needles. I'll try to knit not as tightly next time. I loved making it.

Our Vacation

I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Norway and Iceland. When my husband asked me where I wanted to go this year I said Spain. He then came up with a trip to Scotland. Somehow, in the way only a 40 year marriage can do it, this was the compromise. It was just so beautiful. We cruised, we ate, we toured and we went to museums and parks. We rode boats and trains and saw fjords, geysers, waterfalls and even wild musk oxen. The boat from Bergen to Trondheim was my favorite. A whole day of sitting and knitting and looking at gorgeous scenery made me feel so relaxed. We were in Trondheim during their Independence Day. You should have seen the terrific costumes everyone was wearing.
We viewed knitted items at folk museums and visited yarn stores. I bought Rauma yarn in Norway to try some stranded mittens and I bought a lot of Icelandic wool to make a vest and who knows what else. We stuffed it in our suitcases, which of course had to be expanded. Thank goodness for expansion zippers on luggage.


When I came back everyone said I looked so relaxed, and I was. We did and saw a lot but there was a lot of down time too. It seemed like there were parks everywhere with lovely benches. All the flowers were blooming and they all had ponds. I would love to go back sometime and take the complete cruise up the coast of Norway. I have to say it was a very expensive trip. But we both really enjoyed it.

Twins!

We are expecting our first grandchildren and I started knitting last week. Twins-a boy and a girl! First up were two little Baby Surprise Jackets. I‘m making them in DK weight because I thought maybe my daughter-in –law would like them to take the babies home from the hospital but they seem a little large. One is complete except for the finishing and the other is about half finished. I’m using Misti Alpaca Pima Silk Hand Paint. I bought it at the Modern Yarn closing sale. I will really miss that place. I loved going to the movies in Montclair, NJ, having brunch at Raymond’s and stopping at that store. Now they are closing, maybe to relocate sometime in the future I hope.
I liked the cotton and silk yarn so much I bought some for me too and made a Baktus scarf. All this garter stitch is very soothing, but I miss other stitches. I’ll have to make something in stockinette soon. Probably more baby things.