Road Trip

I just got back from a great weekend in California with Joe. He had spent the week there celebrating his birthday with "the guys".

The weekend was a knitting bonanza, I brought several projects with me (of course).

We visited San Clemente, a beautiful artsy town. I used the "yarn phone" application on my iphone to find out what yarn stores were in our travels. There just happened to be a fantastic yarn store in San Clemente called Strands Knitting Studio.
The owner, Christine, was so friendly and welcoming. A class had just finished up and I had a chance to chat with some of the students. I met Claudia, who has the Mr. Puffy blog. She has some beautifully knit garments on her blog.

The shop had a great assortment of yarns and Joe sat patiently outside in the sunlight while I did my thing. (This was not the seat in front of the store, but it seemed appropriate.)

This was the front of the store.

I snapped up this yarn right away.

It's Rehue by Araucania, 75% baby alpaca, 18% silk, 7% polyester: 84 yards, worsted weight. It is WONDERFULLY silky and soft. One of the women in the store had doubled it and knit a shrug.

As I was checking out and chatting with Christine. She mentioned her sock yarn. I couldn't believe that I missed it. I bought a skein of Ella Rae Lace Merino. A beautiful yarn that looks hand dyed, but is actually machine dyed. I have lace plans for this yarn, I just don't know what it will be yet. It reminds me of a sunset.
After indulging me in my yarn fix, we walked down to the beach and went out on the pier to watch the surfers.



Afterwards we drove to La Jolla. I used my handy dandy yarn phone and found Knitting in La Jolla withing walking distance. I love this app.
There was a lot to look at and this time Joe went off to a local bar to wait for me. I picked up this skein of Malabrigo Lace Merino.
and this skein of a Tussah Silk & Merino blend lace yarn from a local artisan, Curious Creek Fibers.
Then we walked down to the beach to watch the sunset. This sock seemed an appropriate choice to knit given the color. The pattern is called "Eyelet Rib Socks" and is nearly ready to be published.
While we were there a guy set up his girlfriend by getting her friends to bring her down to the beach. We watched him as he came out of hiding with a bouquet of flowers and get down on bended knee and propose. Of course my loving husband was heckling them, shouting "Don't do it". Isn't that special?? It was very romantic and all of us on lookers (with the exception of Joe) cheered them. He had champagne and flowers for the girl's friends who were in on the set up.

Sunday we went to the San Diego Pier.

The people watching was off the hook. What is it about beaches/piers/etc? Anyway, we settled in to wait for the sunset and I worked on another amigurumi toy for baby.

I was really excited to start my next project, Skew socks from Knitty Winter 2009 by Lana Holden. They are so cool, they are knit on the bias and she had me when she said there was an "origami moment" in the heel construction. I'm knitting it in Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino yarn. I am loving the yarn and the pattern.
Oh, and I finished a crocheted lace stole that was taking me forever to complete (for no particular reason, it's lovely, I just kept putting it down). I have to block it and then I'll post a picture. I crocheted it in Superior, a cashmere/silk blend yarn. The pattern is by Doris Chan.

and with that, I am off to bed. Jet lag is catching up to me.