Honeymoon Cami – Another Last Minute Project

As if planning a wedding, a honeymoon and working wasn’t enough to fill my days until the wedding, I decided to make a Honeymoon Cami out of the white silk from Sarah’s Yarns. I am using tiny, tiny size 1 needles which will slow my progress. I changed the border to use the diamonded edge from the Woodstock Sweater for a more design rich edging.

I felt that I wanted something in white that I knit for the honeymoon. I hope that it looks good! I have already tested it by threading the stitches onto a piece of scrap yarn since I’m making it skin tight.

Knitted Wedding Shower-Sisters in Yarn

Instead of a traditional bridal shower, I wanted an event that involved many of the women in my knitting life. So I had a knit-a-thon at our place. I invited my partners in yarn along with my other friends who knit! We used an email invitation highlighting our engagement announcement at The Point.

My mom provided the food including her always popular Swedish meatballs and a chicken coucous dish. For dessert, we had champagne with fresh strawberries!

Despite the terrible rain, we had a dozen women with yarn and needles in our living room trading tips and enjoying wine and cosmos, our house drink. My friend Amanda was a trooper having shlepped down from Boston! She even brought the requisite gag gift for this type of party–a pink knitted bag in the shape of a you-know-what!

Honeymoon Knitting Planned

While many of my knitting friends think that I’m off my rocker to think about knitting on my honeymoon, they overlook the fact that our honeymoon to the Cook Islands involves a lot of flying and airport time. Our flight to Rarotonga leaves from Los Angeles where we’re visiting family and friends and we’re coming home by way of Chicago where we’re visiting more family and friends.

I like having a variety of projects in case one of them hits a snag or gets frustrating. Here’s what I’m planning to do:

- Honeymoon Vest – It’s a gift for my newly minted husband. This is a basic v-neck man’s vest. I’m not using a pattern. I’m using my gauge and his measurements to ensure that it fits. I’m using Noro Sakura which I bought at The Point on sale. It’s my third garment in this yarn. It has pieces which are wrapped in silk thread where I reverse my stitch (use purl instead of knit) so that it pops. This would not be every man’s dream since it has pink (oh my!) but my soon-to-be husband is color-friendly.

- Leaf Lace Kimono – This is a pattern in Summer 2008 Interweave. I must admit that I was influenced by the queue on Ravelry. I am using 6 skiens of Noro Lily in fushia, turquoise and orange which I bought on sale at The Point. (Sorry but $11.50 per skien is a bit pricey for cotton/silk blend, even if it is Noro!)

- Apres Surf Hoodie – This is another pattern that I was influenced by Ravelry.  My soon-to-be husband commented recently that I liked hoodies around the time I was fishing for a project. I am using some wonderful merino/acryllic in magenta, olive green and cobalt blue that I bought at the Joan Vass Sample Sale.

Wish me good luck!

2008 Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

Yesterday, I got up at the crack of dawn and I joined a bus load of New York City knitters, crocheters and spinners to head down to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. My friend Kathy got me involved in this woderful journey four years ago. This is an annual pilgrimage for me. This year, I persuaded four of my friends from the Carols Knitting Group to also make the trip.

Despite being in wedding planning frenzy, I was lucky that my fiancée told me not to return home with regrets. Dangerous words for a knitter with yarn purchasing on the brain!

As an experienced Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival attendee, I had my route planned out with stops at Tess Yarns, Brooks Farms and a small Maryland producer named Spinning Flock Farm. Armed with a set of patterns from Knitty and Jean Moss’ Sculptured Knits, I was ready for action and I did damage.

My stash was enhanced with a blue grey Blue Face Leicester from Spinning Flock Farms (which is a dream to knit with!), red solo silk from Brooks Farms, fushia lace silk for a shawl from Tess Yarns and a cone of grey charcoal Euroflax linen which was still priced based on older exchange rates.  In addition, I bought blocking wires for my wedding shawl and a pair of fleece slippers.

Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival 2008 - Main Drag

Sheep at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

 

Tess Yarns in Blue at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival