Day 3 August 28, 2007

Hi-ya! So far no one has said that to me yet, but I also haven’t been around too many Brits just yet. Most of the people I spend time with are in the program. Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s only day 3. We started orientation today, and it’s been busy so that’s good. This evening hasn’t been so busy, so I’m feeling homesick. I’m not a big fan of transitions, so being over here and away from home and everything I’m familiar with is kind of hard. I’ve got to get used to it before I can really branch out and explore the city. It probably doesn’t help that I have hardly slept the last few days. Hopefully I won’t have the problem tonight, cause Kathleen has melatonin. It helps you fall asleep, which I have been having some serious issues with. Hopefully things will settle down soon, and I’ll finally be able to stop having crying fits in the evenings. Those are not so fun. I can’t wait for this transition shit to be over.

But enough about homesickness, and more about yarn!!! Mouse keeps telling me to post pictures of the yarn that I brought with me so she can see it all before she leaves. Well, here are pictures of it in bags. The individual skeins can be seen on their own as I take them out of the stash. So here are the pictures:

That’s the lace bag. It has the Feather and Fan shawl from Folk Shawls with Interlacement’s Lace Weight. Also Sarcelle in light cream/white Marino/silk blend (you can’t really see it, but it’s right above the malabrigo). The green-ish-blue skein is hand dyed, by yours truly, and the same yarn as Sarcelle. It’s for a leaf scarf. The other lace is the Malabrigo lace weight in Pearl for the Wing of the Moth Shawl.

This is sock bag one, and it has two skeins of Jitterbug, one in Marble and the other in Copperbeech. There are also two skeins of Mountain Colors and two of Rio de la Plate (or as Mouse and I call it, River of the Plate). I’d link all the yarns and colors, but that’s just a pain and I’m not in the mood. Cut and paste!

This bag has two skeins of Opal. The blue skein is the London skein I bought with Mouse. I miss my Mouse… Anyway, the other yarns are a skein of Schaffer Anne and some Brown Sheep Wilde foot for my Grandmother’s socks that I was supposed to fix a long time ago. Oh well. I’ll get to them by Christmas.

That’s all the yarn I brought, and I already showed pictures of current projects. I should have scenery shots soon. I haven’t really had a chance to take pictures just yet. Soon though. By the weekend I should have some to show.
Happy knitting!

LONDON!!!! August 27, 2007

I’m here, I’m alive, and aside from a late night freak out, I’m doing good! I have knitting pictures to show you from home that I took before I left, and next time I’ll have pictures of London. Cars driving on the other side of the road, Hyde Park (less than a block from where I live. I walk out the door, look left, and I see the gate). So far that’s the coolest thing about being here, and I’m only on just starting day 2. So, here are some pictures!

I finished Daddy’s socks. My brother has them at home because I didn’t get a chance to mail them. They look very nice.

They’re Rio de la Plata in Seaweed that I bought at Flying Sheep earlier in the Summer. I know, it was bad. But they’re so perfect. Some how, Anna’s birthday socks got lost in transit, so I’m going to make her some new ones. And I think I know just the yarn… And I brought it with me to England so I can finish them before I leave. I’ll have to check and see if I have a picture of her original socks to send her. So at least she can see them.

I also have pictures of the Jitterbug sock in Blue Parrot. The first one’s finished, and I just started the second one.

Isn’t it pretty? I have some more of this yarn in different colors to keep me busy while I’m here.

I also bought some sock yarn with Mouse (it’s all her fault. Don’t believe her when she denies it), and it’s now the “beach yarn” I started to sock on size 0 dpns. I kind of like them, even if the needles are a little small. It’s fun to try something new. They’re very pretty, though. I added some extra stitches to make sure they’ll fit properly.

They’re farther along now. I worked on them on the plane. I had three pairs of socks with me, but I decided to work on just the one. I’m sure I’ll make the same mistake on the way back. Who knows, maybe I’ll just have one pair left to knit when I leave. Haha, yeah right. At least I know I have to start Christmas knitting as soon as I finish the projects that are for me. I already have plans for one gift, but other than that it’s up in the air.

So, I’ve been kind of bad about finishing my Aunt’s shawl… It’s a little bit farther along than the picture…

It’s the Ene’s Shawl from Scarf Style made in Alpace with a Twist Fino. I love it, it’s amazing and purple. I’ll either send it as soon as I finish it, or wait until I come home (I think I have to do that. I didn’t bring enough needles to block anything. SORRY SHEILA!!!! I’ll send you a picture, and send more than just the shawl with it!).

Another amazing shawl is the Feather and Fan shawl in Interlacement’s lace weight. I love it. It’s so pretty. I got the pattern from Folk Shawls. It’s very pretty. And the colors are amazing.

Sososososo pretty. It’s farther along than it looks. I just love it.

Here’s a picture of the socks I brought as carry on.

I’d show you the yarn I brought, but you’ll see over time. There’s yarn for socks and lace shawls and a lace scarf. They’re all very pretty. Don’t worry, you’ll see.
Happy knitting! I have to eat breakfast before a flat meeting. (almost 6am at home, almost 11am here. oh the time difference…).
Happy knitting!!!

11 days… August 14, 2007

That is correct, I am leaving in 11 days. It’s kind of freaking me out. The god news is that things are coming together, the world is not ending, and I will have new pants for the trip (woo-hoo!). I will now have two pairs of these (same color, differnt size. It wasn’t until after I ordered them that I saw there is a slightly different color with some fancy decorative buttons available in the same style… I should pay a little more attention), and one of these. I can’t wait. I love express shipping. It’s much better to know that my pants will be here before I leave than hoping and wondering if they’ll be here. I can’t wait. I will need some other clothes, and I’m thinking that another pair of dress/real pants might be a good plan (as much as I love them, jeans are not appropriate for ALL occacions. Even if they are brand new).

Tomorrow Adam returns home from North Carolina, and he will have my computer! I can post pictures! I have so much to show. It’s truely exciting.

Oh, and Mouse found this for me yesterday. I’m in love.

And Daddy’s socks are done. One project down, two to go.

Finally August 3, 2007

I have the last bit of fabric so I can finish cutting quilt pieces. It may have been just me being dumb and cutting wrong, or I may have not bought enough fabric, or some combination of the two. But I did need to buy more of my background and main color for my quilt. Oh well, the fabric was cheap and on sale. However, do not go to the big Jo Ann’s on Carpenter when you feel like buying something. I barely made it out with that I needed. The wall of quilting fabrics is amazing. I ended up talking to a pair of experienced quilters buying fabric for a new quilt. I told them about my first quilt, and they were both very happy for me. They warned me of the high risk of addiction that comes with quilting. I told them that I am a knitter, and I am prepared. It was a wonderful time. They were both very sweet. And I think they’re right, I already wanna buy fabric for another one, BUT I can’t. Must save for England…

Speaking of England, I heared about my internship yesterday. I will have an interview once I get there to see how it fits, but it sounds pretty cool. Go check out the Camden People’s Theatre website. It sounds pretty fun, and I think I’ll get to do a lot. I’m so excited. I know where I’m gonna live, when I fly out and all kinds of important information that make it all a little frighteningly real… It’s really happening. Oh the terror and excitement…