Some good, some bad

Part of this post has knitting content and well, some of it does not.

 I'll start with the very good - I'm in the French Riviera and I didn't pay to fly over here.

Ok, now the bad. I lost two sets of double points and a sock knitting holder (the needles were inside the tube) on the airplane, I had to rip back all of the patterned part of the mitts because of a very bad error that could not be fixed, it's raining and chilly, I woke up a 3 am with a sore throat and could not go back to sleep.

But there is some good. Work is going ok, I have free internet in the hotel room, the hotel room is big...a little shabby, but I really can't complain, I'm in France!, I found replacement double points to knit the cuffs of the mitts, so I can at least finish them.

My throat still hurts so I went out to the pharmacy to get some throat drops. Here in France the pharmacist dispenses assistance and an appropriate remedy. So I practiced what to say in French: J'ai mal à la gorge...but didn't use it. I walked in and there was a basket of "Vicks" throat lozenges packages. Perhaps not as potent as what the pharmacist could give me but hopefully they'll help. Since I have a few medicinal allergies I didn't want to risk taking something that might cause me a rash...or worse.

Since I was already out in the chilly air - and the rain has let up for now - I thought I'd see about replacing my knitting needles. I passed a rather pricey looking knitting shop yesterday and although I was sure the needles would be way overpriced (this IS Cannes and the shop looked like it catered to the elite), I decided to try it anyway.  I again practiced what to say and brought along one of my remaining needles to show them what I was talking about. But the shop is closed on Monday. Oh well. Not wanting to give up just yet, I tried the Monoprix - a lower priced department and grocery store. Score! They had a section called "Le Weekend" with shelves of mostly acrylic blend yarn, a small selection of essential sewing supplies and a few pairs of knitting needles. But I guess something went right for me today because one of the pairs was 2.5 mm double point...almost exactly what I needed. I say "almost" because bamboo would have been preferable over the metal but they'll do just fine, thank you. And I didn't pay an exhorbitant amount for them either. Woot!

Now if I could get over this sore throat and escape without a cold or flu (had my flu shot, but not H1N1).

I give you knitting!

I know I've been lax in posting any knitting or sewing content on this blog. Despite home renovations and jetting off to Japan, I have been knitting. (The sewing is on hold until the renovations are done and I can get my sewing area straightened up.) I may be knitting but it seems I'm not finishing much. I did finish one project - a baby cardigan and hat for a friend of mine. It helps to have a deadline.

The cardigan is knit out of one skein of Plymouth Italia Fingerpaints (discontinued) with the cuffs and collar out of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride bulky. I used the remaining Brown Sheep for the hat. The pattern for the cardigan is "Toddler Cardigan" by Hope Blazer and Joanne Turcotte, and I used "New Directions Hat" by Margaret K. K. Radcliffe for the hat.

I started a new knitting project yesterday on the 10 hour flight from San Francisco to Paris and then the 1.5 hour flight fron Paris to Nice. Yes - I'm traveling again! But it's not a vacation. I'm in Cannes for work for two weeks. The new knitting project is the "Endpaper Mitts" by Euny Jang:



And I'll leave you with a not so "soleil" Cannes beach:

Happy Veterans Day

This was many moons ago! I wasn't a pilot but I was in the Air Force and initially I planned to be a pilot. This photo was taken when I was an ROTC cadet, during my 4-week summer training. We all got 1/2 hour rides in the T-37. The pilot let me take control for a bit and he coached me through an aileron roll. Quite fun!

Pictures from Japan

We visited the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology in Nagoya. Toyota started out making spinning and weaving machinery before they made cars. I have lots more photos of the spinning and weaving. This photo shows one of the more modern looms.

Some early woven cloth for yukata (a cotton robe as opposed to the silk kimono)

The Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima (near Hiroshima)

Statue outside the Nagoya station

More to come...

Far from home

I'm in Japan!



And it's true that the young women there wear some interesting clothes.

This emperor has GREAT clothes

Valentino the Last Emperor is a film that came out last spring. It had limited showing in selected cities and alas, I missed seeing it. But on Sept 8 it comes out on DVD and Blu-ray (gotta get one of those players)! The movie is a behind-the-scenes look at the world of Haute Couture. Valentino Garavani is of course the star, but the film also goes into his relationship with his long time business partner, Giancarlo Giammetti, and follows the last two years of their 50-year career.


Oooh and there's a contest to win an actual Valentino gown. It's red and it's fabulous.

More monkeying around

Knit Picks has a new sock monkey knitting kit to go along with their earlier monkey kit (which is no longer available):



Yes I bought it and no I haven't even started the first one. I'm a knitter (and sewer) with stashes. What did you expect? But I am almost finished this short sleeved twisty sweater from Sublime:



I may not be sewing right now (still don't have the sewing room(s) back in order) but I am knitting.