I'm so disappointed that I didn't post much here but I just didn't have the time to post on both blogs on this trip.
Did I mention that I finished three single socks? I had to pick one to work on this flight (I'm waiting to board the flight from Shanghai to Chicago. The other project I have with me is the meadowgold shawl. I just cast on the second sock of Almondine.
I'm sorry I haven't been posting here. Please check my regular blog for updates on my travel. My other blog is Too Much Energy. Here are some sock-related photos:
Great Wall:
Summer Palace - Mountain Resort
Birdsnest
I've had long days on the tour and I can only update one blog. and that's with falling asleep at 1 in the morning. I've been knitting, but not as much as I thought I would (well, I brought to0 many projects, of course!). I've finished the gusset on 3 socks - all first socks of different patterns. Today, I'm flying from Bejing to Shanghai. We have to be checked out by 7, wait in the lobby until 9, 2 hours of taxi ride to get us to the airport by 11, check in for a 2 pm flighyt - you get the idea - lots of waiting time... lots of knitting, right? I'll just have to be prepared that my knitting needles are safe from being confisicated.
p/s This is Christine. Socks are still asleep so they're not telling the story.
Hi! Mom hasn't really knitted since arriving at Beijing - other than at the airport. Today was a full day, getting up at 5:45, coming home at 9:30 p.m. We saw Tianamen Square, Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven. At the Temple of Heaven grounds, we saw two women crocheting toys - Aunty Denise would have been interested in these. I didn't feel like taking a photo of the toys without buying. If I see them again, I may take a photo and buy something. Some things are ridiculously cheap, and some things are not! But what do I know? I don't work! Here I am at the Temple of Heavenv
and at the Forbidden City
You can read more about our trip at Mom's blog at http://www.christinepetterson.typepad.com
Mom has lots of leg room. She stretched out her legs and can't even touch the partition.
Dusty here. Mom switched needles with Arroyo (he's my favorite little brother!). So she worked on me from Minneapolis to Chicago. We are boarding in 1/2 an hour. On board are Meadow, Berry, and a few Bugs. Here I am.. I grew a little.
Hi. We would like to introduce ourselves as we have now been selected to go on a trip with Mom. I am Meadowblue, but I like to be called Meadow. My pattern is Meadowgold by Romi Hill. This is me. I'm related to Hayrick, who went to London. We have the Bugga-Blue-Arsed-Fly gene. I will be sitting in the cabin.
I am Dusty. My pattern is Dusty Corners by Linda Welch and have the Socks-That-Rock-Lightweight-in-Ramalaba gene. I will be riding in the baggage hold area. Because there is a 1/2 Right Twist every other row, I don't know how much I'll get worked on. I should have been started on wooden needles so I can ride in the cabin!!!!!
Hi! My name is Caretta! I am an Sokkusu Original in River Styx. I was meant to be a Cookie A Sock Club pattern, but I was so loved that I was selcted to be Caretta Caretta by Alice Yu. I will keep Dusty company in baggage hold.
I'm Berry (short for Pick Me some Berries). I was named after my pattern, Blackberry Brambles by Carrie Sullivan and my yarn, Hazel Knits Artisan in Pick Me. I'm riding in the cabin. woohoo!!
Hi. I'm Red - very Red. My yarn is Smooshy with Cashmere in Red Rush. My pattern is Almondine by Anne Hanson. My Mom said there must be red representation for going to China and that would be me. I haven't decided if I prefer to be called Red or Almondine. See my cables? Yep, I'm riding in the Baggage Hold. Darn it!
And finally, I'm Arroyo, named after my yarn, Hazel Knits Artisan in Arroyo. My pattern is Haystacks by Lisa Stichweh. I was cast on wooden needles, but I am such a good-on-the-bus-to-knit-sock that Mom may switch me with Dusty. I'm ok either way, whether I'm in cabin or baggage. I know I'll be a favorite on the bus cos I'm easy!
And we have a bunch of little Bugs coming along so Mom can take a break and knit some hexiflats. We will see you in China. And we will try to keep Mom's organs safe!
p/s We were late in attending Mandarin classes so we will be telling our stories in English!
Yarnover was a bit blah for me this year. I did not see any celebrities, so no autographs. I did not buy a lot - I bought some, but not a lot. I'm glad to learn that Darn Knit Anyway is now carrying Becoming Art (which I picked up at Sock Summit) and Sweet Georgia yarns. DKA is about 45 minutes from my home in a historic town. But I was approached by 2 blog readers who knew who I was, but I didn't recognize them. And MissFrances, who lives in a St. Paul suburb and I have been communicating about meeting finally met! Thank goodness she recognized me! Let's see some photos...
This was StevenBe's booth - a bucket of Madelinetosh!
This was at the For Love of Yarn's booth. I ordered some custom dyed yarn to make that orangy shawl. can't remember the pattern - but I have it written down somewhere.
and here is Darn Knit Anyway's booth with SweetGeorgia, Three Irish Girls, and Becoming Art. Photographed are mostly the Becoming Art yarn.
Here's what came home with me...
A skein of Three Irish Girls Adorn Sock, Propaganda Yarns, and Becoming Art's MCN. A project bag from Yarn Pop:
And check out these stitchmarkers. I couldn't resist! They were so cheap! All 48 of these for $10. I had been paying $12 for 18 of them or something ridiculous, but they're the best stitchmarkers!
When I got home, there was a package from Twisted's Shawlette Club - a skein of Pllucky Knitter Primo was in the kit!
And mini Bugga skeins for my trip!
I'm now trying to cast on the projects I'll be working on in China.... I have the Meadowgold Shawl ready, and I also have Dusty Corners ready, but I need more projects!! Yvonne is so funny! I was listing to her that I'm bringing 2 shawls, 4 socks, 2 50%-completed socks, and 50 mini's for the hexiflat blanket. She asked, "How many years are you going to be there??" I love her! I replied 0.038 years (that's 2/52 weeks).
That's how many squares I have knitted for my blanket! In June 2011, it was this size:
In January, 2012:
and now, it's here! (I've knitted 85 squares so far this year - 40 away from my 2012 goal of 125!!) - out of the 85, 40 alone in the month of April!!
I'm a little less than 1 1/2 years into this blanket and I'm at 1/4 of my goal - which makes it right on target to finish in 6 years - 4 1/2 years from now.
For me to stay up with the pace, I would have to knit to at least this size by the end of this year: (approximately 70 more squares)
Stay tuned to read about Yarnover!! Have a nice week! 9 more days to China! And I haven't selected all my yarns and patterns yet!
Doctor's Orders: Relax and take it easy - and that's what I've been doing; knit, watch TV, go for a walk, knit, read, knit, take naps, knit. I've already knitted 30 mitered squares this month! I have to make about 5 more and then, I will put it away as I'll be exactly 1/4 of where I want the blanket to be in 6 years... I'll show you a photo when I finish the next 5 squares.
But first, I want to show you my latest pair of socks (BTW, I have too many socks! I haven't worn a single sock that I've completed in 2012!). This is very comfortable and a bit big on the leg, but not big enough that it will slip off my leg!
Redbud in Socks That Rock Lightweight in Grimm's Willow Wren.
This is the shawl I started earlier this week. It's called Meadowgold by Romi.
I'm using Bugga in Blue Arsed Fly. I've stopped working on it because I've confirmed this is a project I can knit on the plan ride next month. Right now, I'm still checking out the patterns I'm going to knit on my trip. I've confirmed the 2 shawl patterns. And I have about 4 sock patterns and there is no way I can finish 2 pairs of socks - let alone 4 pairs! So I have to narrow down my choices by the end of next week.
Tomorrow, I'll be attending Yarnover. Details here. I'm going to bring my Sock Knitting Master Class in case I run into Nancy Bush, Clara Parkes, and Anne Hanson for them to sign their pattern. As I was browsing the book, I just realized I want to knit Anne's Almondine - I wanted an easily-memorizable pattern and this looks like one! eek! I'm back to 4 patterns!
Almondine - Anne Hanson
Blackberry Brambles - Irishgirlieknits - Carrie Sullivan
Vorticity - Alice Yu
Dusty Corners - Linda Welch
Have you knitted any of these and would you recommend them? Stop me if you see me tomrorow at Yarnover to say hi! I may take a photo of you to post on the blog (don't let this stop you from saying hi!).
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