prepping

Posted on annePosted in book reviews/events, designing, lace/shawls, projects

i think we’re all set NOW for kim’s arrival this evening, hee-hee.
i made a pot of tomato soup and a fudge cake yesterday and david vacuumed and dusted the house top to bottom last night and prepared the guest room (alternatively, one could use such a cake as a distraction in case the cleaning did not get done . . .)

we are SO excited to be heading for rhinebeck in the morning—beckie, kim, and i have been emailing back and forth wildly for the last two days to discuss our final travel details. i’m picking kim up at the airport this evening so she can ride along with us to new york and get her hit of fall foliage.

we love this trip—aside from the time we get to spend together, it is a true vacation, since there is no internet access at the rental house and little cell phone service in the area of the catskills where we are headed. that allows us to concentrate on what’s important for the next six days . . .

david and i will miss each other, but it’s also true that absence makes the heart grow fonder (and the roofing go faster).

and of course i’ll miss you too—really, i will.
and in fact, i have a few treats planned for the blog over the weekend . . . so try to check in now and then while i’m gone.

i’m running in a million different directions today, trying to tie up loose ends—i still haven’t packed, but i’m headed upstairs to do that as soon as i have this post finished. i haven’t even finalized which knitting i’m bringing, can you believe that?

these socks are going into my bag for sure—i may even have a finished pair when i get home. in fact, i may bring an extra ball of sock yarn in case i need to start another pair—i have a another design all planned out to go on the needles when these are done.

my good progress on them over the weekend reminded me that i do a lot better at finishing socks when i concentrate on one pair at a time. my resolve about this habit varies and tends toward the weak end, but since i’m starting afresh with socks i may as well try to keep it sane.

my bamboo/merino les abeilles saw a lot of airtime over the weekend in cleveland—i completed the hem section and started the garter stitch top part by monday evening, then put it all in a project bag to take on my trip. the remainder of the knitting is perfect for traveling.

i am casting on another copy of my recent secret project to take along as well—this one will be in spirit trail neith or ananke

do you sense a blue theme about my travel knitting so far?
anyway, it’ll be one of these two yarns, which just arrived in today’s mail. not at all hard to take, are they? i’ll have to decide between them, though for this trip, and that’s going to be the tough part.

last week, just after i released the hellebores pattern, my friend susie was sitting here knitting along on her elm row scarf, which she knit in the same yarn and color i did. and she casually mentioned that she might make the hellebores lace wristlets to go with it, since it’d be a shame to waste any of that luxurious louet mooi yarn.

i instantly flashed on the pair of mitts i started and abandoned two years ago with my own leftovers. almost as soon as the class left my house, i ran upstairs to rip out those mitts and rewind the yarn. after dinner, i sat down and cast on another set of wristlets, this time in the pattern from the elm row scarf.

a few hours later, i had a complete wristlet, and over the weekend, i cast on for the second one. so i’m definitely taking that little project too. then i can block them when i get home. omg, these feel so extraordinary on my wrist and hand—so soft; see that halo of cashmere on the surface? that’s what makes them feel like a cloud against your skin, mmm.

i also have that little hellebores beret i cast on in fibre isle magique to go into my bag; i would have liked to finish that before i left, but it’s not meant to be. i’ll have it for the next trip.

i think that might be enough knitting—five or six projects, isn’t it? that should do it. i’m sure there was another one, though i’m not remembering it at the moment . . . maybe my wasp and rose (but i thought i decided to leave that home, since it requires too much thinking).

i’m not sure what i’m going to look for at the sheep and wool—something sheepy to knit david a hat, maybe and certainly i’ll be visiting briar rose and spirit trail (we already have dates!) and hanging out with woolen rabbit kim, too. i’m going to let the days take their course and find whatever comes across my path—i’m taking it easy for the next six days.

i’ll be back next week with a full report about everything we see and do.

21 thoughts on “prepping”

  3. Oh, I’ll take cake over a well-dusted home any day 🙂 My theory is that dust is a protective coating for furniture so if I don’t get to the dusting as quickly as I’d like, it’s okay. 😉 Love the socks!

    Enjoy Rhinebeck!

  4. First: Yay!! Sock mojo has returned!! 🙂
    Second: Yum…that cake sounds and looks delish!! Lucky Kim!!
    Third: Have a grand time at Rhinebeck! Wish I were going, too. Maybe next year! 🙂

  5. Ohhhh – I wish I could go too! It sounds like so much fun. I really AM a good traveler and a fun friend to have – can I ride in the trunk? LOLOLOL

    Hope you have a wonderful time and come back with lots of goodies and wooley treats.

  6. I hope I bump into you on Sunday, if you will still be around. My friend Karin Maag-Tanchik is usually in the booth next door to Briar Rose (she helps with the Sliver Moon booth) and Karin has some amazing sock yarns in pretty luscious colors. You can check her out…Periwinkle Sheep.

    Too bad you won’t be able to continue on up to Albany, but I have heard a rumor that you will be teaching a class again at Trumpet Hill…I am hoping that it’s on a weekend when I am in town as I missed your last class.

    Happy trails.
    Elise

  7. Have fun! Barring a miracle, I won’t be making the trip this year. Again. Take many pics and see you in 2011! 🙂

  8. Have a wonderful time and enjoy the company of great friends. I hope the roof comes on a treat and look forward to seeing some photos of your adventures. Enjoy

  10. Is the cake recipe forthcoming?
    I made your spinach-feta pie last week and it was yummy — and easy, just like you said.

  11. It sounds like you have a wonderful trip planned! What pattern are you using for the socks? Is it one you’ve already published? It’s just so nice and warm and squishy looking; I have some sock yarn that would look wonderful knit up in that.

    Enjoy your trip!

  14. I’m not really a cake person, but every time I see one of your chocolate cakes, I swear I start drooling. Have fun at Rhinebeck!

  16. Thanks for letting me live vicariuosly through you on Rhinebeck.
    Have a wonderful time! I’m going to make it there one year soon! Yep.

  18. My mom and I will be at Rhinebeck (along with a friend of hers and 2 of my friends…gotta spread the knitting love!) and hopefully we’ll run into you! Have a safe trip!

  19. I am sooooooooooo jealous, but happy for you having such a fun weekend planned. I can’t wait to hear all about it.

    BTW, I agree with the other commenters that your cake recipe would be yummy. My birthday is a little over a week away and I could drop not-so-subtle hints on how much I would like a cake like that made by my David.

  20. I’m so jealous–I would love to go to Rhinebeck. I’m seriously considering it for next year! Do publish the Elm Row wristlets. I have that pattern and a skein of Mooi with which to make it. I hate to waste the luxurious leftovers too. 🙂

    And the cake looks great!

  21. I agree with Jody — do publish the Elm Row wristlets! I plan on buying the Elm Row pattern with which to use with my single skein of Mooi (in that same colorway!) and would adore matching wristlets.

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