Monday, April 20, 2009

Joy! Joy!

It's done! It's done! I finally finished the "Bookworm Tunic" from Hip Knits that has traveled with me from the States to Prague and then made the move to London. I told myself that I needed to get this sweater sewed up before the vacation was over so of course I put it off until Sunday evening and had stay up until 11:00 p.m. finishing it. It only took a couple of hours, but I just kept procrastinating. Wasn't difficult... actually sort of fun. Why did I wait for nearly two years to do it? Really... two years!

I'm not the only one though. A woman who organized the Prague knitting group had a bedspread that she'd started in the States, took with her to Africa and then to Prague. She kept dragging it out during knitting group, but she never actually worked on it. I think that project was going on ten years.

Also just wanted to post a couple of felted ditties that I made. Hubby started wearing those dime store reading glasses this past summer and he needed a little something to hold them in. Someone gave me some nice yarn, but there wasn't much, so I had to come up with a small project. Also decided to make him a cover for his iPod. There is no creative knitting here... felted them and they work. However, when we were in Switzerland visiting his sister, he loaned her his phone and now his phone case is M.I.A., so he's using the iPod cover for his phone (probably fits better).

Waiting for some Rowan yarn that is back-ordered to come in. I think the package is waiting for me at the Post, but when I walked down to collect it, I found that they closed at 1 p.m. and I didn't make it there until 1:30p.m. Drag. What closes at 1 p.m.? At least it was a sunny day and a pleasant walk; however, I really want to work more on this sweater, but there is nothing I can do until I get this yarn. Even went down to the John Lewis on Oxford Street where they have a pretty good selection of Rowan yarn. They had tons of the Calmer yarn, but of course nothing in the color that I needed. Will have to make another trip to the Post tomorrow, but not sure that's possible as I have meeting after meeting.

Friday, April 17, 2009

Just back from Switzerland


Returned two days ago from Basel, Switzerland where we visited my husband's sister and her family. We had warmth and sun every day... it was beautiful. Took the kids to EuropaPark one day, visited the Tinguely Museum and the Kunstmuseum. Took beautiful walks along the Rhine and ran in the hills by their house in the village of Gelterkinden. Also took a gondola up one of the local ski hills and scootered down. Super fun, but what is it about that jarring of your arms that makes them so itchy? It was nuts.

Visited a number of yarn stores while there. Some in Germany but one in their village of Gelterkinden. Bought a few things... mostly for gifts. Wish I didn't have so much sock yarn at home waiting to be knitted because there is so much cool stuff out there, and what's nice about these shops is that they seemed to always include sample socks in each of the yarns. So helpful to see how it will knit up.

My sister-in-law has been trying to knit for a couple of summers now... gets into it while we are together (and with her mother who knits), but then we all leave and she never finishes her projects. My kids made her children monsters (see the pictures of their monsters). She decided that if the girls could knit a monster, so could she. Just before we left for the train to go to the airport, she finished her monster... the first project she ever finished. Not sure I remember the first project I ever completed, but I'm sure it was a scarf, but I'm sure the feeling was the same... great!

I have way too many projects going at the moment. You can see the socks that I knitted for a friend's birthday. I have to admit that it's the first pair of socks that I ever knitted. I've done one, but never the second. Finally got smart and knitted two at once. They are nothing special, but at least there are two. Had my daughter model them as my feet are much too big.

Off to try and finish some things. Wish me luck!