KNITTING ON THE ROAD - PART 2

I had planned to knit my Tilted Duster on the way home.



My plans have now changed.

Knitting on the Road

Day 1 - I thought I would start simply with a sock. Of course I didn't have a pattern and had to guess on the size.


536 kilometres later we were in Great Falls, MT and I had a sock. Just one. I left the second one until I could try on the sample sock.

Day 2 - and a second project to start. This time I had a pattern. I was determined to complete the body of the sweater before we stopped for the night. I also had a broken knitting needle. Each time the needle came apart and five or six stitches dropped off, I wondered if I should admit defeat. It was after all, a little difficult to pick up stitches in the dark.


I'm no quitter. 1101 kilometers later we were in Torrington, WY and I was finished the body of the sweater.

The sleaves should be finished easily in ine day.



Lamar CO, 759 kilometers. Two sleeves, neck ribbing and a correction from the day before.




I finally got around to trying on the sweater today. LD has grown more than I thought and tomorrow I will lengthen the sleeves by couple of inches.

The socks also need to be bigger.

The last 749 kilometers I knit my Tilted Duster. I should have pictures after the trip home.....we're taking the long way home.

Packing for a Road trip

My dilemma - what to pack? What would be the best projects to work on and still enjoy the scenery and conversation. I'm not driving and therefore will be able to knit for 30 solid hours. The possibilities are endless.


My daughter warned me that the in-laws might not appreciate being impaled with a needle if I get frustrated and choose to throw my knitting. Putting beads on lace will not work in the back seat of the truck.

Simpler projects are key.

While it may appear that I am bringing far too many projects, I know that the driver of the truck may be convinced to stop and look at mountains, lakes or historic viewpoints. I can also convince him that we need to stop for food and a bathroom break. I doubt that we will be stopping for a set of dpns in a different size or an extra ball of yarn if I run out.

I need a bigger suitcase.

Two years later and still learning

It was two years ago today that I started working at Make 1 Yarn Studio, and in the time spent there, I have learnt many things.

I used to knit all my sweaters from the bottom up. I have learnt that they can be knit from the top down.

I used to knit all my socks from the top down. I have learnt that they can be knit from the toe up.

I used to believe that pairs of things like socks, should match. I would pull the yarn out of two balls in order to make sure that both socks matched exactly. I now know that socks don't have to match. They can even be knit from two different balls of yarn.

That is the reasoning that I am going to use to explain why I went out shopping today like this.


Some people might suggest a different reason for me forgetting how to dress myself but I believe that artist creativity is the best reason and I'm sticking with it. At least I'm still wearing my underwear under my clothes. (ask Knitting Grammy about that one!)

I have learned that some questions that arise out of discussions on Tuesday evenings are better answered by Wikipedia than by family members.

I have learned that top down socks is the best way to knit socks.

I have learned that if I don't want to swatch, I must be prepared to rip.

I have learnt that not all acrylic is bad.

The most valuable thing I have learned is that the new friends that I have made during the last two years are some of the most fun loving, crazy (in a good way) big hearted, generous people that I know.

It has been a great two years.

Heritage Park Fall Fair


will never be they same. The Volunteers, staff and many tourists from Canada and other countries were serenaded as we walked from the Canmore Opera house where our knitting was displayed, to the Bank where we picked up our Prize Money and then back to the Opera house to pick up our entries.

What song did we sing? It was an charming ditty, that was made up as we walked. The words and melody changed each time we sang. "We won! We won! We picked up our money from the bank. We have ribbons! We have 14 dollars and 50 cents. We bought candy from the candy store."

It was a great afternoon spent with friends. Next year, we can create a greater scene when there are even more knitters at the Park. Fifteen - no twenty knitters all singing "We won! We entered the Fall Fair and we won! We won!"

Long Weekend Camping

We headed out this past weekend for the last long weekend of the summer.  The weather forecast was for rain in Calgary so we drove up the QE2 towards Edmonton, turned off at Lacombe, and headed north again until finally we came to to our camping spot for the weekend.

We found sunshine, and wind and no rain. The golfers were thrilled.

I skipped out on the golfing to start this.  I love the Jade Palace cashmere yarn. It is so soft and cuddly that I was stopping everyone who walked by to make them feel the yarn.  It's wonderful.

I finished two socks on the way to New Norway so I had to start another on the way home. This is "Baudelaire revisited" It's also known as "Upsidedown Baudelaire". I happy with the third start on the sock. I hoping the heel I have planned will also work out.