A Wild Luxury

Home, home, I am home – and there’s not a single person alive who could be enjoying it more. I had a fantastic time at Knit City in Vancouver. If you have to travel for work, I highly recommend the way I did it this last weekend, which was in my own country (so nice not to need my passport, or to have to negotiate US customs. They seem nice enough, but their all armed, and it makes me nervous) and with friends, in a city I adore, and with absolutely un-Vancouver-like sunny warm weather.  In 3 days I:

-Knit the daylights out of my Rhinebeck sweater. I’m feeling good about the progress I’ve made. I’ve finished the top part, and divided for the body and sleeves, and made it a few inches past the armholes. It’s not a sweater yet, but I’m seeing how it could be. I have 8 days. I think all things are possible right this minute.

essweaterprogress 2015-10-07

-I taught a ton of classes while I was there, including one fun one where at the end, knitter took pictures of their swatches. I think that means they were pleased.

knitterswatches 2015-10-07

-I ate my way across Vancouver with Clara Parkes and Kate Atherley.  The three of us were on East Coast time, so aside from waking up every morning at 4am and wondering why Vancouver wasn’t ready to rock and roll, we were ready for dinner at 4pm. In case you’re wondering, this means you have no trouble going into any restaurant you like. We ate at Tamam, Tacofino’s and The Acorn, and made at least one new bartender friend.

kateclarame 2015-10-07

bartender 2015-10-07

(That’s not easy to do in such a short time, and with only one Margherita, but we’re really charming.)

-Took Clara on the bus. While we were on there, a guy who smelled exactly like a bottle of cheap gin poured on a mensroom floor in a cheap gas station told me I had a nice shirt, then minutes later, asked what it would take to get a phone number. The answer? “So much more than is possible on this bus, sir.”  I think Clara enjoyed the cultural moment.

clarabus 2015-10-07

– Saw a marketplace so chock full of CanCon (that’s Canadian Content, for those of you outside our lovely country) that it staggered the soul. Fabulous marketplace.

knitfastdiewarm 2015-10-07 katebook 2015-10-07

-Fantasized about what it would be like to sleep in my own bed 10 nights in a row. So far, it’s all I’d dreamed of.

claracam 2015-10-07

-Reminded myself that if you’re on a 2 week sweater thing, that you’d better plan ahead for buttons – but didn’t buy buttons.  I’m on it.

58 thoughts on “A Wild Luxury

  1. The only disconcerting thing in all this is that you know what a bottle of cheap gin poured on a mensroom floor smells like.

    The sweater looks great. 8 days? totally doable.

  2. I love the feeling you exude when you’ve been away having a good time and are back, reveling in all things that say home. It makes me appreciate my own home all over again.

  3. “So much more than is possible on this bus, sir”

    So Canadian. Polite, no cuss words, and “sir”.

    But, I too wonder how you know about the smell of the gin …

  4. I love the detail along the sweater’s edges! Also, so glad you had fun. I am home with a toddler and a baby which I adore but it sure is fun to vicariously love through your adventures. 🙂

  5. I was recommended to your blog, and I started ALL the way at the beginning. I just got to your first Rhinebeck post from back in 2004, and I am loving your blog. It’s all giving me the urge to cast on with wild abandon, but because I would run out of money before I run out of projects I want to cast on, I’ll just take a deep breath and collect myself.

  6. Three friends on the lamb in Vancouver with good weather, margaritas, and knitting needles. Watch out, World!

    Just think, if Mr. Gin Stinky got too pushy, you always could have jabbed him with your knitting needles. Good last-resort self-defense. In an emergency only.

  7. I’m planning on buying the buttons for my Rhinebeck sweater at Rhinebeck. A) That way, I’ll know for sure what size I’ll need. B) There are better buttons at Rhinebeck than I can find locally. C) I’m expecting that button-shopping will distract me from the fleeces.

    (ha. right. I know what my priorities are.)

  8. Mm, Tacofino! Best if you can actually eat at Tacofino in Tofino, but I bet the Vancouver edition is also delightful. Wish I were in Vancouver now…. Enjoy your bed!

  9. America – care of tonights’ CBS News – now knows all about Steph’s buddy Chris Hatfield, and we got to watch him sing “MAJOR TOM” from space. OMG – I was giddy….that guy is sooooo cute!!! Too bad they didn’t show him with the Far Side of the Moon socks 🙂

  10. I see my bum in the swatch photo! That means I’m famous! But seriously, that was an awesome class and I feel so much more confident about colour now. Thanks and enjoy sleeping in your own bed!

  11. Knit fast, die warm…sounds like my plan for the zombie apocalypse! Glad you enjoyed your time out west, hope you’re feeling much better now that you’ve had a decent margarita (or two!)

  12. I did love ‘knit fast die warm’… 🙂 Yes, my own bed is so perfect upon return. Now I have to get up to Vancouver. I’ve been to Toronto, Quebec and Montreal, but not on my own coast. Every time I read of your Vancouver adventures I want to head north…gotta go!

  13. Random question for you, if you don’t mind.

    I’ve been on a knitting hiatus for about a year, due to multiple health issues. I want to get back in the swing of things. What’s a good way to dive back in? I’m pretty experienced, and I like to knit pretty much anything.

    Thank you!

    • How about a hat and mitts in happy colors? Teal or red? Pick something that makes you smile when you pick up the needles and you’ll be back in the swing in no time at all!

    • Spend some time with other knitters, preferably in a yarn store absorbing the wool fumes, and start off with a yarn whose color and texture you absolutely love.

  14. Lots of people smiling in those photos — so I’d say it was a good time! I’m not a big fan of traveling, but if I’m going to travel, I’d prefer it be for a knitting-related thing.

    Now sleep in your own bed as much as you can before it’s time for you to travel again!

  15. That’s so funny. I love going to Canada, but Canadian customs are SO MEAN to me! I have to dig deep and summon all confidence. (I know hurt feelings are not a real border issue, I’ll be ok.)

  16. Awesome sweater. I see you’re wearing your foxpaws; it’s going to be stunning with the new sweater, which will be finished for Rhinebeck, no problem.
    I used to live 20 minutes from the DC Fairgrounds. Now it’s a stupid 1000 miles away, outside my range and my budget. Very sad.
    So, that thing about Canadians being super polite is true, then? Congratulations on the sweetest put-down ever.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

  17. Would LOVE to visit Vancouver one day! Your sweater looks great. I’m missing Rhinebeck for the first time in about 8 years to go on a drag racing trip with my husband. While I’m sad, I guess it’s ok to indulge my husband’s hobby for once – after all, he was by my side every one of those 8 years, encouraging me to buy yarn and roving!

  18. It’s so much fun to read about your trip. We are looking forward traveling to beautiful Canada this summer to do a circumnavigation around Lake Superior.

  19. Why do so many knitters spoil their knitting by knitting with ugly colours that resemble mud? So many lovely colours but knitters seem to prefer sludge, beige, grey and mud. What a shame. Okay that’s the colour of earth, but if you look up a bit you can see grassy and leafy greens, beautiful flowers, the vivid blue sky and fiery orangey-yellow sun. It’s so much more fun looking up.

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