Tomorrow morning, I have an appointment with the allergist and I'm leaving today to avoid a three hour trip in the early morning hours in goodness only knows what weather. Although I'm attempting to think of it as an adventure, it's really just a night in a hotel with a book and my knitting and the time to actually write this year's Christmas letter because if it isn't written and in the envelope and labelled and stamped by the 1st of December, then we're past the best before date and it isn't going to happen. It needs to. I haven't written for the last few years and there are elderly relatives who think I'm the one who died BUT... that's not the reason for going to Kelowna. It's for the appointment and as I've told anyone who asked, I'm totally prepared to hear that I am allergic to "everything" and I'll be unbelievably upset if I'm not. Someone somewhere will need to explain these reactions.
The reason for travelling via Salmon Arm is to drop my friend Wendy's quilt off to be long arm quilted by an absolutely amazing quilter who lives there and not here and not in Kelowna which would have been most convenient. This little detour takes me about an hour and a half out of my way so depending on the weather and on how long I chat over coffee with the friends that I'm visiting there and in Vernon I will - hopefully - have time to shop the thrift stores for a possible Christmas dress, the yarn stores for a possible present to me from Howard, and the "other" stores for his present. I have the list. And... possibly... even though you know I don't need to... there's the bargain center at Fabricland.
HOWEVER... even though there is a fabulous thrift store next to a gorgeous yarn store on Pandosy, none of the above is critical - not like getting Wendy's quilt to the quilter. This is her third completed project in nine years. Wendy is the friend who quilts no more than two hours a week and not always and only at my house. It takes forever for her to finish a project. This queen size quilt for their bed has been over three years in the making. The top, the backing, the batting, the thread, and a print out of the picture above are packed in the car ready to go. The picture is of the quilt on my bed that's heavily quilted in a wandering feather pattern. She wants something along that line.
It took us three and a half hours yesterday - including lunch and a visit to the yarn store - to complete the Christmas shopping for everyone but each other. After thirty-one Christmases together, Howard has come to appreciate my organize it and get it done approach.
We stopped at the yarn store because - while others might - I do not typically appreciate, practical gifts. Definitely do not buy me something for the kitchen and only get me something for the studio if I really REALLY want it - like the outrageously priced, steams like a dream, iron from last year - or if it's something that is completely worn out and I'm asking for it - like the cutting mat on this year's list. Yarn that I can't afford and wouldn't normally buy for myself seemed like a great gift idea after reading Stephanie's book. "Listening" to her talk, I decided to acknowledge what I already knew - that there's a discernible difference to yarns that it's now time to explore. That said, I'm a little nervous about getting hooked on "the good stuff" because I know what a difference quality can make and I knit really fast and I don't make that kind of money only...
When I was quilting, I never used anything but high end quilting fabrics. With my fashion sewing, I stick to higher end fabrics ALWAYS bought on sale. Since I have such a huge stash and rarely a sewing emergency, that works. With knitting, I've been stitching with acrylic and acrylic blend yarns because of the price of the natural yarns. If after this "gift" experience I'm completely addicted, I'll need to become just as good at shopping for quality yarns on sale as quality fabric. That's tough when you love color. Yarn seems to come in more colors than fabric.
The woman working in the yarn store is part of my knitting group. She tried to talk me into a smaller yarn for lace work or socks and when I said that I preferred working with sturdier yarns (but not bulky) she said it was time to take my knitting up a notch. I found that an interesting comment because while I do agree that we should always be stretching and growing - and in fact that ties into what I said yesterday - I also think it's very important to know your style and not attempt to be any other kind of "knitter" than the kind of knitter you are and what's the point of knitting with yarn you don't like?
I have tried lace work and like it in smaller doses in larger yarns like a double knit but that makes sense. I don't wear lacy frilly clothes. I'm a classic, clean lines, kind of girl. I've knit socks using every method under the sun and I hate knitting socks and it has nothing to do with the socks and everything to do with the continental method that I knit with. It's not the best for going in circles, every stitch is twisted backward and that drives my tendinitis crazy. That said, I'm giving socks a second thought. I may re-learn a different method of knitting just for socks, one I used before learning this faster, smoother, except when you're going in circles, method. We'll see and maybe not because...
... I'm more intrigued with designing my own projects. That only makes sense when you look at the textile art and the fashion sewing and the projects like the handbag project (note the finished JoAnna bag above) that really intrigue me. Not following a pattern and making up my own is just par for the course.
Right now, I'm knitting a baby size grey sweater out of 100% wool. It's a mini dose of the good stuff as well as the starting project of a study designed to move forward from a basic sweater while progressively growing my design skills. Baby size seemed like a way to test my theories without committing a life time to each step of the project. And it's time. I thought I'd only returned to knitting a couple years ago and this weekend realized that some of the patterns in my stash are dated 2007 which would mean I've actually been back four years this fall. It is time to move in new design directions...
... and to get going on this road trip. I'm off as soon as I finish reading blogs, taking Kyle to work, pack the last bits, and eat breakfast. There may be a posting tomorrow morning or not. I'm not sure yet. Check back and see otherwise on Thursday.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - friends to stop and visit while on road trips and corporate hotel rates
Safe travels and I do hope the visit to the allergist is productive.
ReplyDeleteSmall projects make sense to test the waters with the good stuff.
Have a safe trip. I hope the allergist can help you with your food issues.
ReplyDeleteI found your blog a while back but usuually just lurk. However a comment you made about types of knitting has prompted me to come out of lurkdom.
ReplyDeleteI urge you to learn to knit the english/american way of knitting as well as the continental method. I too knit in the continental method most of the time but learning both ways not only might help your tendonitis but its great if you ever want to get into colourwork. Then you can have on yarn in each hand and its so much easier than swapping colours constantly.