Thank you!

This will likely be my last post before the race tomorrow, so I wanted to take time to say thank you...

To my family:

Thank you for understanding that sometimes my run is not a "choice", but something that needs to be done. Thank you for tolerating my constant conversations about training.... Even if you didn't want to listen. 

To my coworkers:

- thank you for listening to my whining about sore muscles after a tough morning run. Thank you for covering for me during this much needed vacation.

To my friends:

- thank you for inspiring me to go further

To my inspiration:

To the children who continue to fight, to the children that we have lost. To the families that stand by their loved ones as they battle disease.. Thank you for inspiring me to go one step further.  

The one where I gush about a yarn store

(Remember, I'm on my smart phone, excuse mistakes) 

Today was a glorious day! The weather, the snacks, the hat donations, and yes... The yarn store.

My day started with a run and a visit to les Madeleine's . I ate one of these.

It was salty, sweet, moist, crunchy and amazing. I took home some shortbread cookies to enjoy tonight. 

I went to deliver some hats (more about that on the PatPat's hats blog) 

I'm here to talk to you about yarn.

Enter blazing needles!!! I knew from their website that I was going to love this shop.

It did not disappoint. 

I went into the shop and was greeted warmly. I wandered around looking at their stock. They have just wonderful yarns. They have an entire wall of Quince and Co. Yes, you heard me right, a WALL!!

Want to know what is better, check out these signs.

I asked one of the girls "are these the signs that quince sends you? Nope, the store owner researched the birds and those are hand done water colors!!! 

This did not surprise me when I saw their shop in bags.

I grabbed one immediate. After much Bach and forth, I picked up this bag made by Knerd (along with a small gift for someone else) 

I looked around for a local yarn, there was a local dyed super wash Corriedale sock yarn, but not somethings I wanted.

I went over to grab some notions and I saw this.

Yes, 100% Italian cashmere.

I flipped over the tag and read this.

Yes, it is now mine.. It will become a cowl. 

Fiber friends, find this store!!! 

Oh, they also have a pug puppy in the store!!!!! 

(Ollie is very good at posing) 

The post with the yarn store

So I arrived in Chicago after an okay night sleep. I'll post more about train sleep after I've had a true full night sleep:

So, I arrived in Chicago at around 9am, as my train didn't leave until 2pm, I decided to go ahead and take a walk, and what kind of knitter would I be if o didn't find a yarn store.

I was surprised at how quiet the streets of Chicago were for a Saturday morning. I got to the yarn store and was annoyed that their hours were incorrect, then I realized it was Sunday. No worries, I found Panera.

While I was inchicago this summer, I didn't get to see much. What a beautiful city. I was lucky that it was also a lovely day, 

Such incredible views. 

And yes,a selfie

So I found the yarn store.

I was greeted warmly, and shown around. I love how the store is organized. It's organized by weight, and local yarns. When I'm vacationing I try and find something local, or something new. 

This lovely yarn seemed to be calling my name.

It is lovely, it even smells good!!! 

I headed back to the train station. Got some snacks, postcards, and boarded the next train. 

Onto Chicago

I got to my sleeper car in Albany, and LaShonda, our room attendant, greeted us with a lovely smile. She even had our names on the doors. 

Now, this sort of travel is not for the claustrophobic. These trains have tiny corridors, and the rooms are small. 

But it has everything that you need

Yes, even a toilet. 

This type of room is the view liner roomette. They say that it can be for 2 people. I wouldn't go that far.

I had a lovely dinner with Susan from New Hampshire. I enjoyed herbed chicken which I may enjoy again (yes, it was that good) I also had an amazing chocolate mouse.

I returned to my cabin to my turned down bed.

This was not the best sleep of my life, but I was rested. 

More later. It's a long day of travel. 

Cross country? By train? To run a half marathon?

Yes, I've asked myself the same questions a number of times...

Yes, in traveling cross country.

Yes, I'm doing it by train...

Yes, I'm doing it to run a Half marathon...

10 years ago did I think I would be doing this? Nope.

Please note in advance, I did not being a computer with me, so all of these posts are via iPhone: while I'm known for typos, please bare with me and be kind.. 

I think this is the best way to share my experience. Yes, knitting will be involved, but there might be less yarn than normal...

So here I am, sitting in a sleeper car of the California Zephyr. 

When did this journey start, I'd like to say it started yesterday at 9 am when I left my home in Salem, Ma.. But it's so much more. I feel like this journey goes back a decade, but I'll spare you all of that. Let's say the journey started yesterday at 8:45 am when I called the cab.

I took the train from Salem, ma to north station, 

and for the first time ever I took a cab in Boston by myself... Yes it's weird for me.

I arrived at south station and picked up my ticket. 

I was told "go ahead over to the first class lounge... What what?? 

Did you know there was a first class lounge? I didn't. It's lovely. Coffee, tea, outlets, and snacks. Also law and order.

I'm  in the first class lounge because I did upgrade to the sleeper car. Full disclosure I owe a debt of gratitude to someone who prefers to remain anonymous for spotting me the funds to book my sleeper car. The car was selling out, and she helped me out. Yes I've already paid this lovely beneficiary back, but as I sit here enjoying my own beer brought from home in my private room with my feet up, I'm super thankful.. This person is a wonderful gift in my life, and this journey would be very different (and possibly uncomfortable) without this person. 

Okay, back to reality. So a lovely red checked my bags through to Salt Lake City. I haven't seen my bags since (of course concerned, as there are over 100 hats in that bag). But I have booze, clean underwear, and yarn.. Do I need anything else? 

I boarded a coach car to Albany (no sleeper car till Albany). My stomach regretted the sandwich that I purchased, but that was resolved by some Gatorade in Albany.

Why do I love trains? 

It's the leg room. Seriously folks, I'm short, but knowing that I can spread out like this? I love it.

Okay, more later.

I have scenery to enjoy.

Short rows how I love the...

When I have a stressful week at work, I always bring along some auto pilot knitting. This is knitting that doesn't take much thought, it's comforting, it's simple, and it produces something that I love... This typically means, short rows... 

I love short row knitting. There, I admit it, I said it. I love short rows. I find them wonderful and magical, from the very first multi directional scarf, to my second and third multi directional scarf. 

Short rows reveal beautiful colors 8! Variegated yarns, and they give you the opportunity to truly enjoy garter stitch. I love short rows.

I don't event like his yarn, in fact I kind of hate it. But short rows make it bearable and wonderful.

I also may have a problem, and it is the almost lost dishcloth... Is there a support group for pattern addiction? 

If there is, please sign me up (but only if it means that I get to keep knitting them..) 

It's been a short row week, and it's been stressful, but wonderful.

Hat 1/52

Well, Hat 1 of 52 is already completed


Pattern used: I slightly adapted the PatPat's Hat Pattern

Yarn: Lion Bran Wool Ease

Techniques: Top down construction,
Elizabeth Zimmerman Stretchy Cast off

This hat will fit a school age child, and it will be donated to PatPat's Hats

This is a simple top down hat. I personally find top down construction to be my favorite. I really like that this type of construction allows the ability to see the true size of the hat before it is completed.

 

A perfectly simple pattern, a great chemo hat. 

First dish rag

Pattern: basic lace pattern from the Feb Baby sweater 

yarn: random cotton from my stash (get used to it, I have a bunch of it) 

So, while I was knitting the Feb Baby sweater, it just wasn't looking right. I decided to cast on a dish cloth to practice the lace pattern. I don't really know why, but I have found that when working some patterns, if I have to purl the wrong side row, I need to purl through the back loop to get it to work correctly. I don't really know why, I just do. 

When I started this cloth, I wasn't seeing the lace at all. When I started purlibg through the back loop, it worked great. It doesn't make sense, but I'll stick with it. 

Yeah, I don't expect I'll keep this momentum;

2016 knitting goals

Well, here we are in 2016. Of course I have set knitting goals, who hasn't? We all say "no new years resolutions" and that is almost hard. I do prefer to have it set as Goals.

Knit the Almanac
- Yup, you heard me. I really want to knit the almanac. I don't anticipate this will be in order (I have already started the February Baby Sweater because I have a baby shower in late January. I have always considered myself a project knitter, and I really want to be more o a process knitter. It isn't about the finished object, it is about the journey. Yes, some of these projects will be for me, I will NOT be giving all of these away.

52 hats
- I would like to knit 52 hats. These will all be for PatPat's Hats . I am hoping to learn some new techniques and knit some of the hats that are on our PatPat's Hats pinterest board, also I would like to knit through a few books that I have. This book, Weekend Hat's has been in my library for a long time, and I haven't knit ANY of them.

52 Dishrags

 I know, silly right. But not really. I want to learn some new techniques. I hope that knitting dishrags will help me get better with my gauge swatches, I hope that it will help me get better with knit stitches. Oh, and I really love using my knit dishrags. These will likely become knitting Christmas gifts. 

Christmas Gifts

- I have found a number of yarn/knit crafts that I would like to use as Christmas gifts. Many of them are nice enough that I might even consider selling at craft fairs. My goal is to set 1 weekend day each month to work on these gifts. 

Yes, I know, it looks like a lot. It is a lot. Keep in mind that I have an hour of commuting every day on the train. I am also traveling cross country by train in March, I am SO excited. 

So, here we are. in 2016. What are your knitting Goals? If you want to join me on any of my journeys you can of course follow my blog, you can also follow me on Instagram.