Knitting Report from Europe

I expect to be in Portugal when you read this, taking many pictures and storing up adventures to tell you about when I return. While I may find a computer and Internet to post occasionally, I’m concentrating on just being there and enjoying Paterfamilias’ company. But I’ve taken advantage of Blogger’s delayed publishing feature to leave some posts so that you don’t forget me while I’m gone. Comments are welcome also — I’ll see them when I check my e-mail, even if I can’t manage to answer them. I’ll catch up when I get back.

Perhaps you’re wondering what, if any, knitting I brought along, and how I plan to get it on the airplane (or perhaps not, but I’m telling you anyway).

With classes finished at the beginning of May, I gave pretty free rein to my Inner Obsessive Knitter, as I hinted earlier in regards to my rotator cuff and my physiotherapist. I’ve finally finished my Dollar and a Half Cardigan, seamed it, put the buttons on, and blocked it two nights before leaving for Paris — I’ll model the blocked version for you when we get back, but here it is pre-blocking and, I think, looking pretty good already. The blend of silk and wool makes for a gorgeous weight — warm enough for fall/winter but light enough for spring and for summer evenings. I suspect this will get lots of wear. Here it is before its Eucalan bath:

And a bit closer so that you can see the buttonsBeing green, this also qualifies as a Project Spectrum: Earth contribution.

As does the chevron scarf I couldn’t resist starting in this scrumptious 100% cashmere, 2-ply, by Handmaiden, altho’ it mixes some watery blue in with the earthy colours. I’m using the Chevron Scarf pattern from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts, but only using one colourway rather than two — I’m really happy with how the variegation is delineating the chevrons, and you can’t believe how luxe this feels to knit. This may be a gift for someone, but only if I never once tie it around my own neck.

I was also enjoying working on the Indigo Ripples skirt, the stocking stitch making a nice project for tv-watching. When I get back I’ve only got another 4 or so inches of that before I get to tackle the more entertaining lace section.
And of course, during our last few pre-flight days, I was trying to finish a second Le Slouch beret to take to Paris so that Jennifer might choose between degrees of slouchability. As I write, I’m hoping to knit through several Sopranos episodes and then perhaps on the ferry to Vanc’r. If necessary, I could knit on the plane — the resin (?) double-pointed needles shouldn’t be a problem for security.

I’d rather have the beret done and tucked away in my suitcase though, and if it is, my airplane knitting will be either continued work on this lacy Seasilk scarf, which I’m going to transfer to circular needles with bamboo ends (so they shouldn’t trigger the metal detectors nor look particularly threatening)or I might work on socks in this superbly-dyed Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn (using the Yarn Harlot’s Basic Sock Recipe)

Again, these dps are bamboo and shouldn’t raise any concerns, especially since I’ll have them all tucked away in a very nifty cardboard tube whose two parts slide together to keep the needles safely out of the way, with only the knitted work protruding.

In case I do get stopped from bringing my knitting on board with me, I’m prepared to abandon the needles, and I’ll be threading a lifeline through each project so that the stitches won’t be unravelling as we fly. Then once we’re in Paris, I’ll have an excuse to visit La Droguerie

where I’ll be able to pick up replacement needles so that I can knit on the train to Portugal and then poolside atQuintaMoenda.