So Much to Write About!

Mostly, my trip to Iceland and Scotland with the Vogue Knitting Tour.  It was amazing to travel with fellow knitters.  I had a wonderful time, it was truly the trip of a lifetime!!

My very best friend on the trip, Norma, and I in the lobby at Aberdeen, knitting and laughing.

We travelled with Nicky Epstein.  She never knitted except this once, when she borrowed some of my yarn to make a leaf.  She was very energetic and vivacious, but had to leave the tour when she fell and broke her ankle.

A picture of me in St. Andrews Scotland.  This was a beautiful part of the trip.  So much was wonderful, I have so many amazing memories, I cannot even write them all here.  Mostly, I want to focus on the knitting aspect!

We met Ysolda Teague, who  is so talented, I was in awe of her. She came and gave a presentation and offered some of her yarn and books for sale. I bought her book which I really have not had any time to read, but I know it will be a great resource when I have the time.  She was adorable and friendly and humble.  I wore my curlique shawl, which everyone loved.!!

 Just had to include this photo of me going into the Blue Lagoon.  What an amazing experience.  I would go back to Iceland just to go there.

 Some of the amazing Icelandic yarn that I brought back.  I had to ask my friends to carry some home in their suitcases because I did not have enough room in my bags!!  This is Lett Lopi which is the medium weight yarn.  All made from Icelandic sheep which are different than any other sheep in the world.

 We knitted at night in the sitting area of the hotel, we knitted in the day on the bus,

 I carried and knitted this sweater all the way through Scotland and iceland.  Lots of my travelling companions could not understand what I was making or why I was knitting this sweater from side to side.  Here it is all finished, I wish I could show everyone how nice it turned out!!  Who's laughing now??                               

 We were introduced to yarn and more yarn, all gorgeous an hand made and hand dyed, it was too much to even choose from.  It was like a dream come true, everywhere we went.

 Photo from the plane, this is when we were flying over Greenland to come home.

                                                 
 So I used some of the Icelandic wool to make this hood/cowl.  The pattern was from the Lopi book that we were given at the Istex factory, the name of the pattern is Hetta.  Lindsay loved this right away so she took it home and wears it in the cold Boston winter.
                                                           

 When I got home I set up this old worktable that I salvaged from Dad's basement as my own type of worktable.  I wind my yarn here and it doubles as a sofa table.

 This is some of the yarn I bought from the Sheep and Wool festival this year.  I saw the colors together and had to buy it.  Vogue  had a pattern for a "varsity jacket" style sweater so I knew what I was going to use it for right away.

                                         

 Mom and me at Skytop.


Tools of the trade:  The woman who makes these knitting pots by hand was retiring, so it would be her last year at the Sheep and Wool festival.  I had to buy one of her pots.  It holds the yarn while you knit so the ball doesn't roll all around the place, like under the couch or something.  Also does not allow Elle to get all tangled up in it!

 And buttons! I am always fascinated with buttons, especially old buttons.  I love to search through all my buttons to find just the right ones.  Karen and Gap went to an antique show while we were in Atlanta for Brian McNally's wedding and they came home with this Ball jar full of old buttons for me!!  What a treasure!!

 Laura Jean is still making great use of the warm hat and cowl I made for her.  This winter has been brutal, especially in Chicago!!

I me other famous knitters when i went into Manhattan to the Vogue Live! show.  I met up with Beth, a friend from the trip to Iceland, and her friend Helen.  It was so great to see them and enjoyed the show together.  

 They also got to spend some time at Times Square which was a thrill for them.

 And the picture of my house, this is what it looked like almost all of February, encased and surrounded  by snow.