ReEntry

It's always such a bummer, isn't it?



Our trip was totally beyond fantastic. The weather was so-so part of the time, but most of it was good. I think I took about 900 pictures or so and a bunch of videos. Don't worry, I'm not about to post all of them. Only some of the best, and even at that I will be spreading it out over the next few weeks. I've got a whole bunch of ABCalong posts ready to go.



But this post is about the yarn. Of course the first thing I packed, along with the camera and guide book (and the cruise tickets!), was a project for airplane knitting. I took the Noro Striped Scarf, which I cast on with my cheap needles in case I lost them at the TSA check point. Not such a bad idea. We flew to Vancouver on 9-11, and security at the airport was really strict. Joe's binoculars and my camera, his carryon, and he himself got thoroughly checked out. The knitting needles? No problem. After we arrived in Vancouver I did change over to the Crystal Palace bamboos that I prefer. The Silk Garden colors I'm using are 267 ( 2 skeins of various brown shades), and 1 skein each of 258 and 255. I did get some work done on this when relaxing in the cabin or on the balcony.

Our first port of call was Victoria in British Columbia. This is a beautiful city, and we were there on a perfect, sunny day. There will be pictures later on, especially of the flowers that were blooming everywhere.

I had already searched the Internet and had found a shop for cross stitching and yarn. I have been feeling an interest lately in starting to do some cross stitch and embroidery again. So I made a visit to The Button and Needlework Boutique, a fabulous shop that I nearly went insanely crazy in. I felt that I'd died and gone to needlework heaven. There were more fantastic designs and materials than a person could even take in. It would involve a few hours to really do justice to the many patterns, books, and kits in the store. And to top it off, I had the world's greatest enabler helping me out. Joe saw several cross stitch kits and patterns that he liked and added them to my basket. I ended up getting three kits and two patterns there. (The church kit I got later in Sitka.)

Two of the kits are of totem poles, a fitting Alaska souvenir. I started one while on the cruise. I need some bright sunlight to really enjoy the counted cross stitch, and we had plenty of during the second week of the cruise.





While at the boutique I also looked at the yarn, junkie that I am, although I really hadn't gone in here for the wool. I did grab some Baby Cashmerino for a couple baby knits.

I also found this yummy hank of Yummy yarn. (Ravelry link.) The colors made me immediately think of Alaska, and the shop owners were very kind to wind it up for me. I had packed my sock needles for just such a situation as this, and later that afternoon I did cast on for a pair of socks that I'm calling "Monkeys in Alaska".

The Monkey pattern is perfect for this yarn. Look at those wonderful colors!

Later in the trip we stopped in Ketchikan. I had already looked up the two yarn shops there, and once we were done with our morning tour, Joe took off to explore on his own, leaving me to the temptations of the wool and silk. How many beautiful yarns to choose from!

I bought two hanks of Pink Carrot sock yarn. Again, these colors made me think Alaska, sea colors and earth colors.

I also fell hard for the Hand Maiden. Three hanks of Sea Silk and two hanks of Casbah. There will be shawls in the future.

When it was time to come home, I packed the yarn and kits first. In my carryon. I refused to trust my precious and not exactly inexpensive treasures to the baggage handlers of America. Who cares what happens to my clothes? I'm hanging on to the yarn. Joe didn't seem to understand. But I know that you do.

And not without reason. Joe's suitcase went AWOL in California and didn't come home until 24 hours after the rest of us. Not so dumb after all, am I.