August 01, 2005

....I had enough yarn to finish a Fiery Bolero! (The yarn gods must like me.)




Fiery Bolero details: Fiery Bolero from Interweave Knits Summer 2005. I used 5 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cathay for the size small, and barely had enough. I made no changes to the pattern other than adding a couple of extra rows to the body of the bolero for length, working three rows less on the ribbing of all edgings, and wrapping the stitches when working the short rows on the edging in order to avoid the "eyelets". [Footnote: Best instructions I've seen to date re wrapping stitches for short rows: Vogue Knitting's Ultimate Knitting Book.]

Petite sundress details: Simplicity pattern 4994, size 6-8 (I cut the pattern so that it would be between those sizes). I purchased the fabric at La Maison des Tissus and all notions at La Mercerie. Both are in La Croix Rousse, which is a walk from my home which makes me sooooooooo happy.




And speaking of my vacation, I had a fabulous time. In summary: I traveled down the Loire River in a traditional boat called a futreau, strolled through fog in an international garden festival at Chaumont, watched July 14th fireworks from a terrace overlooking the river, visited where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last days, looked at over 300 portraits of illustres in a castle gallery, watched some jousting at a dungeon, got my hand kissed [!] by a stunt horseman wearing a knight costume, and then traveled up north outside of Paris for a surprise party for my dear friend Laetitia (with whom, incidentally, we stayed for a few days and had the best time ever). And when I wasn't doing all that, I was knitting, bay-bee! Mostly in the car or early in the morning while sunning myself on the terrace of the apartment. No sassy photos for you of the sunbathing but I do have, of course, a customary slideshow of the car knitting**. (You knew I would, right? I always do.) Click to see all the snapshots:

**Rules of my car knitting snapshots are as follows: All snapshots must be taken while knitting, or with knitting on one's lap, IN THE CAR. Further, the car must be in motion, temporarily stopped at a traffic light, intersection, in traffic or similar with engine always running. In no event may the car be parked, halted for more than 30 seconds or deliberately stopped for purposes of taking a photo. The seatbelt must remain on at all times, but the hand may be carefully stuck out of the window in order to obtain a good shot provided it doesn't cause any traffic accidents and even though it makes one look like a wacky camera-happy tourist.

P.S. Speaking of good friends, I had some WONDERFUL things waiting for me in my mailbox when I got back from my trip. My pal Bonne Marie sent me a surprise mega package filled with lovely gifts: some VERY haute yarn, a book of her prints taken in Paris, Last Minute Knitted Gifts, a slinky black long-sleeved shrug [!] (how she knew I wanted one, I'll never know) and some fab knitting mags. But that's not all: My pal Silvia has been doing some pattern shopping for me, BIG time. We're talking major pattern enabling...check out all the great sewing patterns she sent me! Woo hoo! What a welcome back, eh? I know I'm gonna sound mushy, but I don't care. I am so thankful for all the good friends I have, and for their sincere thoughtfulness and everything they do for me. They've all got star status around here. THANK YOU!

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