KnittnFool

Saturday, August 19, 2006

Travels with Knitters

I surprised my mother and my Aunt today with a daytrip to Bowen Island.
We had the best weather. It was just a beautiful day.

We found this lovely little store that just happened to be having a sale on all Knitting books, yarns and needles.
I bought a small set of Birch DPN's for SS Socky III. They are lovely but I snapped the 1st one I used. Forgot my own strength and the fact that I knit quite tightly. Neither good qualities when you are knitting with what amounts to slivers of wood.

I also bought a skein of sock yarn that is dyed to look like Fair Isle. Kind of kitschy - she had a pair of socks knit up to see how they turn out. They are pretty good - I thought it might be fun to watch the pattern emerge on its own. A little Potter-y perhaps?

I sent my Mom & Aunt to lunch while I relaxed with SS Socky III and Kira at the waterfront where we met some precocious children (not unusual for me - they seem to have a 6th sense - they just seek me out).

Three sisters eating hot dogs for lunch sat in the shade with us. After watching me knit for a few minutes the oldest (about 8) says "Do you mean to tell me you actually know what you are doing with that?" pointing at Socky and all his pokey needles. "Yep. I do." She slapped herself in the forehead and shook her head in disbelief. Her sisters mouths actually dropped open. I told them it looks more confusing than it is. Then showed them how a square of needles = a round sock. She asked me how I learned and when I told her I read it in a book she nodded very wisely and told her sisters "Of course. That is where you start. With a book." They both nodded solemnly, eyes wide.

"When you first started you looked at the book a lot, then you knew how to do it, then you got faster and faster and then you didn't need the book at all. Books are like that. They're a good way to learn anything you need to know." Well. I couldn't disagree with that. My Mom had the camera or you would have seen these three worldly wise children who were so very impressed by Socky.

We spent some time relaxing on the shore of Tunstall Bay while Kira explored. Then we had a fabulous Taco Salad Bowl and homemade pie before we got on our ferry home.

Oh - and on that ferry ride home, the very same pigeon whom I had been speaking of so kindly just moments before, flew into the rafters directly above our car and shat on me & Kira and the inside of our car door. It was hot, huge and completely disgusting. I was nearly sick. Kira just looked at me with the biggest, saddest eyes and laid her head on my lap. Boy was I glad my mother hoards napkins in the glove box. Let me tell you!

While I worked on Socky, my Aunt completed about 4"s of a cabled blanket she is making for my cousin. Talk about fast! Again, no pic - I blew it - sorry.

BTW - we were lucky to find some yarn on the Island. Not only has the Fibre Arts Studio closed, the farm where they grew the sheep, sheared the wool etc etc until they sold you the yarn has also closed. Talk about disappointing.

ALSO: I have had very little time to blog. Work life has been madly, insanely interesting lately. We are waiting for big changes on Monday. Perhaps Tuesdays blog will have some news...in the meanwhile it is very hard to wait. Nevermind concentrate on knitting...with toothpicks!