Nothin but knittin on my mind....

post by wg

(picture below is of the Slain Castle, about one hour north of Dublin)














It's hard to believe I have already been back from Ireland for a little over a week. What happened to the time? This trip we had been preparing for, anticipating for months, dreaming about....this trip is now over, and we are back to our daily routines, busy at work, busy at home, busy with our lives. Why does every day at work seem like such an eternity and yet, 2 1/2 weeks of vacation seem to fly by in the wink of an eye? Such is life, I guess. I just wish that every day could be as luxurious as waking up when we darn well feel like it, eating lunch at a little quaint pub just a hop and a skip down the street from the bed and breakfast we're staying in, and staying up till all odd hours of the night with friends, singing Irish folksongs and laughing the night away. I wish that every day could be spent driving along little country roads, where you might just have to stop here and there to let the sheep cross the road, where the locals have lived there for centuries, and where each person says "top the mornin to ya!" when you're out for your morning walk. I wish that more days were spent at a slow pace, where living life didn't mean stressing about how quickly we could get something done to get on to the next thing that needs to be done. In Ireland the banks open at 10 and close at 4, so that everyone can relax and enjoy their evenings with friends. In Ireland life is a constant celebration, it seems~where when one pub closes and the one down the street opens, where friends are made instantly, and where the air is as fresh as the ocean, 365 days of the year. As you can probably tell, we enjoyed ourselves there!















(picture above is of the street a few blocks from where we were staying on our second trip to Dublin)

So, as I return to my life in Portland, I also return to knitting! While in Ireland, I found the knitting scene was scarce and knitting stores were few and far between. Knitting has really taken on a slow and still life in Ireland, which I know, is very difficult to believe, but it's the sad truth. I had severe yarn store withdrawals while in Irleand, and so, the morning I returned, after spending the previous 24 hours either on a flight or in an airport, and awake nonetheless, I just had to travel to one of my local yarn stores here to see what I'd missed while I'd been away. Oh how we take for granted the wonderful knitting stores we have here in Portland. It seems there are so many great places to knit amongst friends, to purchase very much needed needles, and to fondle yarn to your hearts content. This I cannot find in Ireland, and so, I determine that I am, after all, better off here, at home, amongst other knitters. Even the pub action in Ireland cannot compare to this!

NK had a very special suprise for me when I returned to work - some lovely Blue Suede Shoes Sock Hop yarn. This stuff is lovely! Thanks very very very much NK!















I mean, isn't this stuff just amazing??????















I also returned to some wonderful birthday gifts from my We Heart Yarn pals. It was such a wonderful suprise, and completely unexpected! Thank you girls! I luv all of you and appreciate this gorgeous yarn so much!!!!!!

Some gorgeous Kaalund Yarns 100% silk in the Pacific colorway:















A wonderful skein of SweetGeorgia Speed Demon sock yarn in the Honey Fig colorway. This sock yarn is butter to the skin, literally!!















The colors are just so detailed, bright and fantastic...
















THANK YOU AGAIN WE HEART YARN GALS!!!!!!!

I've mainly been working on a test knit sweater for Sundara yarn, which is coming along beautifully. It's absolutely gorgeous yarn, some of the most beautiful I've seen actually, which makes knitting it even all the more wonderful. I've included a few shots of what the yarn knits up like....It's fabulous!!!!!!!


































In other knitting updates, I have been slowly working on a pair of Wild Thing Sock Hop socks, and have just turned the heel on both. The toes and heels are both done with STR lightweight yarn (thank you S for your contribution to this!). More details on the specifics when these are complete, but here are a few progress photos...























I'm working on the 2nd Calla Lilly sock from the Sundara Petals Collection Sock Club - here's a photo of the first:




















I'm slowly puttering away on a pair of heavy weight STR socks for my very special hubby, in the Petrified Wood colorway:
















I also just started the toes on the newest STR sock club socks - but not enough to post about yet.

I am an obsessed woman lately....knitting this & knitting that....just enjoying knitting with so many different colors and fibers - being away from the knitting scene for almost 3 weeks really threw me into a knitting frenzy, of sorts, and I can't seem to get enough of it lately. Such is life, I guess, right? I could have worse addictions. :)

I leave you with a photo of beautiful Ireland....what a wonderful country you are!















(photo above: countryside at Newcastle, Ireland)