Monday, March 23, 2009

‘Arwen Cardi’ gone awry, run amok….

I’m not going to talk about the ‘Arwen Cardi’ just yet…. First I want to talk about positive things!

My husband (Bob) and I just spent four days in Portland, Maine, which was a first for both of us. What a pretty city! We both thoroughly loved the Art Museum, and Bob enjoyed the Maine Boat Builders’ Show while I happily visited three yarn shops and a weaving shop! What a wonderful surprise for me to find that Tess’ Yarn has moved into a retail space in Portland. I was actually alone with owner and mother of Tess, Melinda, in the shop on Saturday afternoon after years of not being able to get anywhere near her wares in her booth at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival! And what did I do with that whole shop to myself??? I freaked….I completely shut down and could not choose a color. There was no way I was leaving that shop empty handed though, so I finally chose three skeins of neutral colored yarn as well as a pattern.portland shopping 3.09 007 In spite of my resolution not to buy any yarn or fiber this year, I felt I was contributing in the smallest way to keeping these wonderful local yarn shops in business by purchasing just a bit of yarn and some patterns and needles. Am I not a master of justification?

At Knitting Central I bought sock yarn, needles and a pattern for a moebius (“Omega Wrap” by Christina Bylsma). I actually left on this trip without a knitting project! I had just finished the most recent Swallowtail and the Arwen Cardi (more on that shortly) so I actually didn’t have anything quite handy, although I do have more UFOs than I can count in one lifetime…portland shopping 3.09 005

I am already beginning the toe decreases on this sock, and it feels like this sock materialized out of thin air because I did all the knitting during times when I don’t normally knit! I started it while walking around the Boat Builders’ Show. I continued while having coffee in a coffee shop, and I continued through the whole ride home on Sunday. I wasn’t as fast as when I’m not walking around, but I still accomplished most of a sock during times when I normally do nothing at all!

At KnitWits I bought two skeins of sock yarn: Regia’s Design Line Kaffe Fassett in color 4454 and Louet’s ‘Gems’ in eggplant. I will use these yarns to make the cover socks from The Eclectic Sole by Jane Laidman.Eclectic Sole portland shopping 3.09 006

I also bought two skeins of Louet sport weight linen in a lovely green that will someday become a shawl, probably the Icarus shawl by Miriam Felton.

Well, now I’ve shared all that good news, and I should begin to talk about my Arwen Cardi debacle. But I’m out of time! Until next time, suffice it to say that I wanted to wear it in Portland so I stayed up well after midnight into the wee hours of the day of departure to finish the collar I had designed and sew on the zipper. A quick trip to the large bathroom mirror at 2 am gave me a horrible shock! I need to photograph the Arwen nightmare in order for anyone to fully comprehend the problem, so I’ll do that shortly and report back!

7 comments:

Theresa said...

My Dad went up to the Boat Builders Show also.
Did you stay for the dogs? Sounds like a nice jaunt through yarn shops but if you go again and have time,
Halcyon is right up the road in Bath ME.

OzWeaver said...

Hello, Theresa! I do go to Halcyon once a year in the summer, on my way to our annual sailing vacation. Are you a misplaced Mainer now, in OR?
This was my first visit to Portland, and I think it's a lovely place!

Life Looms Large said...

I'm about 1.5 hours south of Portland, so I get there sometimes....but I've never thought to shop for yarn there. Doh!

You made some good purchases - I love the cover socks you're going to knit!

Couldn't you go to both WEBS and Halcyon en route to your summer sailing vacation? I think so!!!

Sorry about the Cardi problems - learning experiences - unpleasant creative surprises. Fingers crossed that it doesn't seem as bad during daylight as it did at 2 a.m!

Sue

OzWeaver said...

Sue,

It seems like you must be in a great area for real-life yarn shopping! Harrisville, Webs, Halcyon, Tess...all within your reach!

Webs is just a tiny bit out of the way for me when I drive to Camden each summer. Since it's an 8 hr drive I try not to add any detours besides Halcyon. Luckily I have family less than an hour south of Webs so I do get to them once a year or so....

Thank heaven for real yarn shops!

Life Looms Large said...

That's good that you get to WEBS every year!! (More often than that could be dangerous for me I think! I still have yarn from my last trip there that I haven't used....although I know what I want to weave & knit!)

I guess New England is a yarn store paradise!! Maybe we just need a lot of wool here! Brrrr! It's cold today!

Sue

Theresa said...

Misplaced for sure, I grew up in MA and Vermont
and it took me a while to finally get to the other end of the country. I miss New England, but less and less
and I get a 3 week visit there once a year, so I can get all my yarn shopping in.

OzWeaver said...

Theresa,

I would have a very hard time choosing which coast to live on, if I had a choice... luckily I don't! I love northern Calif, Oregon and Washington, but will have to make do with visits for the time being. I always get an overwhelming sense of inner 'righness,' like coming home.