Travellin'

I know, we're actually finished the travelling part.  Back at home, we look at all the photos and decide that we really did have a good time.  It seemed like a lot of driving - and it was.  I'm going to start at the end and work backwards for a few posts.  It'll take that long, I think.   So, this is just my version of the home movies from our holiday.  Sit back and relax!

My last photo of Port Townsend on the Olympic peninsula in Washington State.  This is also the first view we had since it was the same ferry.  I'm pretty sure it was even the same fog.

Then, the fog lifted and, suddenly, it's not so cool.  It's turning into a hot day.  

A perfect day for sailing with Mount Baker in the background. 

These ducks are sunning themselves at Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park.  This is right in the middle of the urban landscape: behind the McDonald's and next door to a big  Safeway.  Lots of opportunity to pick up something to eat and take a walk around the lagoon. 

We wandered around the old section of town (those photos are on the other camera - later!) appreciating the old brick buildings and the ornate architecture of the late 1800's.  Apparently, Port Townsend was meant to be an Important City, but history got in the way.  Now, it's a pretty laid-back place for tourists, boat-building and a lot of opportunities to enjoy nature. 

After visiting a yarn shop housed in one of these buildings, we were hungry for some dinner.  Most of the choices offered were pretty run-of-the-mill fare.  But I spotted a chalkboard on the sidewalk offering "risotto with green tomato, leeks and smoked salmon".  They had me at 'risotto' which is one of my favorite ways to eat rice.   It was called the Cellar Door - and they didn't lie.  This is the entrance.  No sign...just yellow arrows.

Through the door and the ambience was definitely subterranean - yet ornate.  Dark wood, exposed brick and heavy furniture including some furnishings that we couldn't figure out at all.  The menu is a delightful mix of their signature cocktails with amazing ingredients put together AND fresh, local tapas offerings.  The darkness is well lit up by the cheerful young servers and, of course, a glass of Pike Brewing Company's Naughty Nellie ale.  And, yes, that risotto was delicious with big slices of fried green tomato!  So were the lamb sliders and the baked mushrooms.  The best meal on our trip.

For today, I'll leave you with this piece of the local street scene.  It was near the waterfront in part of what seemed to be a vacant lot used for parking, vehicle repair, delivery area and other stuff.  There was a lot of driftwood and other weathered wooden structures mixed in with flowers.  The bottles were $2 each according to the scrawl on the box - just take your pick and leave the money.  I think it's been here for a long time.   Port Townsend had that same kind of sleeping-in-the-sun feeling to me.  Not a bad thing at all.

Saturday Stash

I know...I know.  I missed last week's report but, trust me, this week will be more interesting.  I've been on holiday for a couple of weeks.  Driven almost 3000 kilometers and seen lots of good stuff.  We also visited with family and did a lot of eating - and knitting.

I'm stretching the definition of 'stash' ever so slightly today.  This beautiful organic cotton yarn was gifted to me from another knitter's stash.  It was destined for afghan squares but my dil and I couldn't let that happen.  So, I swapped a bag of acrylic worsted for a bag full of cotton.  There was only one pattern choice for me and it was this one by Lois Young.  The bag of yarn went in the car and I knit while we visited.  Actually, the first stop was so hot I just wanted to sit in the air-conditioned house.  What else to do but knit and talk?  I love how it turned out but it's still too warm here to actually wear it long enough for a photo shoot.

One of the cities we visited was Spokane.  There, we adventured on to a bus - hotel parking spaces were too precious to give up - and trekked off to Paradise Fibers.  Hundreds and hundreds of square feet of yarn before my eyes.  And in touching distance.  Truly paradise.  This is the first of the products made from yarn bought there.  Just a pair of socks, right?  And plain, too.  But, wait....

They had two whole walls covered in needle choices.  I had always wanted to try the Kollage square needles so I bought a set of sock needles in my favorite size.  The blue sock is being knit on these needles.  But, I needed to do a controlled experiment to see if any of the maker's claims were true.

The results are in!  One of the claims is more even stitches:  I'm not convinced about that, are you?  The fabric is firmer but the stitches look the same.  The bamboo needles create a softer and very slightly looser stitch.  Maybe that's what they mean?  Every time I look at the square needles, I think: masculine.  The needle itself looks like an Allen key to me with  very aggressive points and sharp 90 degree angles.  Strangely, the angles are not uncomfortable at all.   I can tell that I don't knit as fast with these needles as I can with the bamboo.  And the bamboo is just warmer and softer to me.  Another claim is that they are less stressful on the hands than round needles.  Well!  For me, knitting is least stressful thing I can do with my hands.  However, I don't have arthritis or stiffness issues in my fingers so I'm not the best judge.  

My last item on the needles for this week is a hand towel.  I'm using this pattern and more yarn from the big bag of cotton.  This is a brighter avocado color and a heavier weight.  I've had this pattern in my favorites for a long time.  I must have known that something appropriate would drift by.

So, now, I'm home and the holidays are over.  My plan is to get the travel photos up in the coming week.  And, I hope, to show up more often on blogger.  Not a resolution...just a plan. 

Saturday Stash

So, this week a first!  I have actually found a yarn that I will not knit again.  Ever.  I had a bunch of Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake in several different colors donated to me.  There was enough pink and brown to make a decent size baby blankie.  I started and slogged through about half before I decided to try something smaller

like this tiny hoodie that looks like an Ugg sweater.  I ran out of blue just as I was down to the last two rows of the hood.   The Ugg look came when I had to add some 'decorative' brown rows on the hood back.  Why not just carry on?   In the end, I frogged the blankie, rewound the yarn and set it aside to donate to the thrift store.  Someone else will love it, I'm sure.

I finished this Tulip cardi for the donation shelves, as well.  I didn't fudge the fair isle this time since there was only a little bit really.  I had to frog the first attempt because my 'color eye' temporarily deserted me.  Usually I can get the colors right but the first try I had too light a green and it was unbalanced by the vivid tulips. So, I did the bottom band all again - just for practice.

The slipper maker was in danger of going barefoot herself this winter.  Two years ago, I made a pair of felted clogs that I loved.  This spring they started to show signs of wear and yet I kept on with them.  It wasn''t so cold that a few tattered bits mattered.  But the tatters grew into holes and they wouldn't have done me any good at all later this year.  I dug out some Lopi and created these which turned out pretty well.  The pattern calls for a doubled strand of yarn but I found the heavy yarn worked just as well. This is how they looked before felting. 

It's always funny to see these big floppy articles transform into such a beautiful - and useful - fabric. I was a tad worried about the felting (although not enough to change yarns) because the black and the brown were different kinds of Lopi.  As you can see, it all worked out.  And because I like things just a little fancy, I put a line of pink yarn against the black.  That's my favorite part.   Now, I'm ready for winter. Well, maybe there are few more 'nuts ' to store away before then.  I may even make some more felted slippers.  Got some yarn. 

Saturday Stash

Welcome to the slipper factory!  That's what I have felt like for a week of knitting.  The shelves were bare of slippers at the seniors' craft sales and I thought it would be a fun challenge: how many pairs of slippers can I knit in a week?

This many...

And one pair more that I finished after I took the  first photo.  I started off making only the easy Grandma-type slippers that are the style usually on offer and which are popular.  But, as my daughter predicted, that became mind-numbing.  So I trolled around for a few more quick patterns.  This pattern wasn't as quick as the first ones because they use a worsted weight instead of chunky.  But they have cables and kept my interest for two more pairs.

These were the fastest!  A couple of hours with bulky yarn and big needles made a pair.  But I was too lazy to repeat it.  Besides, the week was up.

And, so I can show it off...the little jumper for Katie was finished before I began the slipper knitting.  I wish that I could make myself one as it looks like a cosy thing to wear on a cold winter day. I love how it turned out. And it used up a lot of the blue yarn which is the whole point here.

That's all for today...back to the knitting.  I'm using up a bag of Snowflake in pink, brown, blue and navy. You can see the results of this stash-busting next week.