Socks!

So, recently I've been on a sock kick.

These pictures show a pair of socks I'm making for my sister. These are being worked on Magic Loop - a technique where you use one long circular needle to make two socks (or mittens or sleeves) at once. I had wanted to use a simple pattern, since it was a new technique, but after doing the foot part of the sock, I got bored. hanseth suggested mini-cables, so I decided to incorporate those into the ribbing. I'm hoping my sister will be wowed! I used Lion Brand Magic Stripe for these ones, so there will only be a few ends to weave in.

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Since I'll be taking a long trip this week, I need to come up with yet another project - I think these will be done after a few more hours of work, and the other project I've been working on isn't very portable. My theory is that I will make some squares for The Network. Perhaps it will give me a chance to try out some new stitches.

Blue Harbor House, encore

I spent the weekend at Blue Harbor House in Camden, Maine with redjo. I love the place. Free wireless, afternoon tea, and best of all - staff that goes out of their way to accomodate my food allergies. So, I had delicious fruit porridge for breakfast on Saturday, and an amazing veggie wrap for breakfast on Sunday.

I did meet my resolution of NOT BUYING MORE YARN. As I explained it to her, I had spent more than a hundred dollars on yarn during my previous trip, and I haven't even STARTED using it yet. Which meant - no new yarn!

On Friday, we got in kind of late, and just cuddled and went to bed.
Saturday morning, we hiked up Mount Battie, which was more strenuous than either of us was expecting. Saturday afternoon, we had some quiet time and then went to Birch Point Beach, which was a gorgeous cove. We watched part of the sunset there, and part of it over Owl's Head Marina. The sky and the water were pink. It looked like a postcard.

Sunday, we poked around downtown a bit and then headed out. We had lunch on Kittery Point, by Fort McClary, which was also beautiful. It was sunny and breezy and the air smelled great. We spent most of the car ride home singing! I love to sing but often feel shy around other people. It was great to hear my voice combining with redjo's. She taught me the chorus to some of her songs, and I taught her the chorus to some of mine. We were both singing folk songs, but given our different regions of origins, they weren't the same songs. Although we did conclude with Amazing Grace and American Pie, which we both knew. It was very different and very special.

It was a lovely weekend and she made a great traveling companion.

packing light

I have real difficulty packing light.

This is about to be a problem, as I am taking a bus to NYC to get transport down to Dark Odyssey in three days.

How do you go about packing light? What do you do?

I felt so happy this weekend that I had brought everything that I needed with me. But now, I need to figure out how to have everything I can't live without, for a longer period of time, with less space. I think that a suitcase, a sleeping bag, and a backpack is about the most I can handle by myself.

Help?

your packing tips are awesome!

Also, opn generously offered to take a few things down for me. I'm going to accept that offer. So, I won't have to take a sleeping bag, and taking the cloak and towel out of my suitcase may mean I can bring a bag smaller than a backpack to go with my suitcase.

Thank you so much for all your tips. They were awesome. I am thinking carefully about what I REALLY need and what I can live without. Also, how to pick clothes that all match. As a fashion whore, that's tricky, but I think it's safe to say that I will be wearing black and red this DO.

Now to run out and buy a camping pillow and some smaller toiletries.

Thanks guys.