More tricks!

I think of all my past projects, and wonder how I got along without the new tricks I learn. Or even more so, I wonder how bad they look compared to how nice things work out with my new techniques.

Here's an example that I got from Knitting Daily today. (Especially see the video.) Honk if you like to weave in ends!  I'm not hearing anything...  That Eunny Jang (editor of Interweave Knits) sure is clever and she probably has clever people working for her too. I can't wait to get to the end of a color or the end of a ball so I can use her method and NOT weave in ends when my project is done.

Can this work with fair isle--carrying the yarn on the backside? The jury is still out, but I'd like to hear your comments and opinions.

What you can do on two 18 hour flights (with plenty of interruptions):

This is another Sock Innovation pattern: Vilai.  I'm in love with the LL Shepherd Sock yarn too!

Out of Norway

 

Can you pick out the Americans in the picture?  Who isn't wearing black?


And back...
I dressed up like a big person, with real shoes that made me limp! I wrongfully assumed that the streets would be sloppy with snow, or rain, so I didn't bring proper dress-up shoes, and borrowed a beautiful pair of purple shoes that belong to Celina. A size larger than what I wear, walked 10 minutes over the cobblestones to the court house...ouch. I didn't mind!  My girl was getting married!!!


The big day began with a leisurely morning of casting on and salvaging an aborted project from the previous day. The dilemma of the wedding cuffs: When I had decided NOT to attend the ceremony (a few weeks back) I knew I wanted to make something that C could have with her. A trip to Durango to the local yarn shop and a serendipitous purchase of a "Knitting Traditions" magazine put me on the track of something small but personal: Wedding cuffs. I imagined that the bride and groom would walk over to city hall and little fancy cuffs under the bride's coat sleeves seemed perfect. And of course, she would wear her bright pink coat (her favorite) so pinks and purples--cant' go wrong. Right? Wrong. The coat would be shed and a borrowed ensemble of peach colors and red would be the dress of the day... I couldn't believe my eyes that she had betrayed her favorite colors. When I
arrived I gave it a day, and then announced that something had to be done about those pink/purple cuffs; the something being I had to make new ones in the appropriate colors. Yarn was purchased and the day continued with shopping and planning and baby holding and a nap and suddenly it was evening and I was starting my 40 x 2 rows of 60 stitches for the cuffs. I restarted 3 times, (too many stitches, wrong cast on) completed 10 rows and then the question about the prospect of finishing in time came up. It was decided I could knit up a few flowers and use as a pin... OK. I went to bed. 
 Up early, I started to cast on AGAIN.

 This time, in 1/2 hour I had a flower. I continued, knitting up 3 flowers in all, and rejecting one, went back to the unfinished cuff, bound off, sewed the flowers on and added a bright red French knot in their centers.  I was pleased, the bride was pleased. I watched, I held the baby, it was wonderful: Simple and elegant. Cake and champagne!

What I do for Love

Two full (24 hour) days of no sleep, restless nights, naps, another night of time change (setting clocks forward is cruel, especially twice!).
My journey back began by turning the clock forward, so I would have a maximum of 6 hours sleep, then proceeding to only sleep 2 hours.  Naps were all I could get.  Hopefully it means I never got my body adjusted to 8 time zones away, so I should be good in a few days at home.
I was overly optimistic when at 4 AM I could see the surrounding mountains clearly and packed away my rain jacket.  When I stepped out at the early hour, I realized my mistake, but then it was just to make the 10 minute walk and dry out elsewhere. Waking at 4 AM, out the door at 4:30, a short walk through the rain to the bus stop.  Then the bus-- Being early Sunday morning, the Saturday night revelers were still on the streets, but no one was smiling on the bus!  It was very poorly equipped, unlike the "real" flybussen, with no racks for luggage.  The entire floor space was 2 and 3 deep with luggage, people standing, no way to step around bags... it was a mess but at 5 AM no one had the energy or desire to complain.
Getting off, the first dozen people walked over the bags and grabbed their own, finally making a path.


At the airport, the time change had everyone bleary eyed.  As I waited for my flight to Frankfurt, I thought of the others being called to more enticing destinations like Rome, or Alicante.  Even Amsterdam seemed more festive than Frankfurt.  The passengers on my first flight despondent from lack of sleep and having to choose ham OR cheese. Both? No, however, Lufthansa has lovely German high quality leather seats.  Very first class! Then flying in, I remembered how amazingly forested it is around the airport in Frankfurt. That cheered me up a bit, but mid-Atlantic I realized I had another 12 hours before landing in Durango.  A journey from snow country (Norway) to snow country (Colorado).
After the first day of Spring, Norway has more hours of sun than the States.  It increases several minutes a day, but you wouldn't know it.  I last saw the sun above the clouds, briefly between Oslo and Bergen, and was thoroughly delighted that it made an appearance just as we stepped out on the street for our walk to the court house.  I immediately demanded that the wedding party stop mid street so I could take a picture in the sun!  
(A little snafu here:  I used Celina's camera which didn't get loaded into my files of pictures, and she is now on her way to Tunesia if she managed to conquer the British Airways strike, and I won't have those pictures for at least 10 days.)
It was beautifully clear the rest of the day, and in the evening the moon shone brightly. Then back to rain. I've come to expect that life goes on, with umbrellas and boots. 

Statistics: I was away from home for 5 days, 14-1/2 hours; At C's 3 days, 16-1/2 hours.

Mother of the Bride

It's just beginning!


The day after the wedding, with pictures to sort through, and the good bye's being made. It's a happy day and a tearful day, as we part for another 2 months. It means a lot that I got to hold my daughter and squeeze my son-in-law, and pinch and carry my granddaughter. She started clapping her hands during the 3 day visit. What a cheerful baby!!

Family!

My FAMILY JUST GOT BIGGER ( I DON'T MEAN TO SHOUT IN ALL CAPS-I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DID TO MAKE IT SO.)  !  I MET HALVARD SEVEN YEARS AGO  HE WAS IN CAPE TOWN THEN.  HE HAS BEEN TO MY HOUSE FOR TWO CHRISTMASES, PILOTED OUR CRUISE THROUGH WALES, AND SENT OUR DAUGHTER FLYING OFF A CLIFF WITH A TOTAL STRANGER FOR HER BIRTHDAY.  HE HAS BEEN ATTACHED TO OUR DAUGHTER AND ONLY CHILD FOR NINE YEARS AND TODAY HE OFFICIALLY BECAME ONE OF US. HE HAS BEEN UNDER SCRUTINY SINCE WE FIRST KNEW OF HIS EXISTENCE AND HAS PASSED ALL THE TESTS.  HIS FINAL EXAM OF 11 DAYS OF "TABLE TENNIS" PROVED HE IS INDEED A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH AND EVER SO WORTHY OF OUR DAUGHTER'S HAND IN MARRIAGE.  (I'VE ALSO LOST THE CAPABILITY TO START A NEW PARAGRAPH.)  WELCOME TO THE HESSE/THOM CONTINUUM, HALVARD HAGESAETHER!

Norway

Had a wonderful time shopping with C after 20 hour journey with no
sleep. I must be excited or something. In two days I'll be mother of
the bride. Our mission today was to locate fine one time use china
which if I had thought or C had thought in time I could have purchased
at home. Norwegians are so proper that paper plates are for children
only. We found only pirates, princesses and Hannah M. None of those
being acceptable we shopped at the charity store and came home with 14
china cake plates for $15.
Tomorrow's mission: Double the cake we ordered. C is finding that
there are many more coming than she intended (like her MOTHER)!

Weather is as expected: Rain with intermittent drizzle. Photos to
follow! Nothing is going to dampen spirits. Champagne,everyone?

--
J Thom

My Yarn and Ivories Blog
http://yarnandivories.blogspot.com/

Weather

Why I like New Mexico weather in March:

• Blue skies
• When I look at the 7-day forecast and 6 of the 7 days mention sun, sunny or sunshine, what's not to like?
• Snow does occur: 1 of the 7 days says "Chance for morning snow showers"
• Snow doesn't last
• I've lived here 20 years and maybe 3 times we've had a patch of ice on the north side of a building that lasted over a month.
• Special this year: Normal precipitation year to date is 1.56"; This year to date is 3.71"
• Normally we get 7.3" per year.  I can live with that!

Downside:  Body lotion is a necessity! (And the wind is not blowing at this moment...)