When you are just learning a technique a small project often seems like a better idea than a big one. Sometimes you just want to DO a thing, learn a skill and move on. If you end up with something useful, even better. Today's project is "just such-a-one", as the old timers might say. In chapter 4, after you have experimented with the techniques used in circular knitting presented in chapter 2, and read a bit about potential problems in chapter 3, you can cast on and knit your first circular project. Perhaps a pair of fingerless mitts or an ear warmer, or a set of potholders knit in
Lion LB Collection Organic Wool! I like potholder projects. I know some people make faces when you say the word - but here is why you shouldn't: if you make a mistake on a learning project that serves such a useful and practical purpose, the blemishes that are inevitable won't bother you nearly as much as if you had turned to page 203 and started in on a steeked cardigan (yes, there is one!). The potholder is a "safe" way to practice a new skill with minimal commitment and a useful outcome!
Start small if this is your first foray into circular knitting. Make yourself a potholder. Make a stack and give them as a housewarming or shower gift with some nice kitchen stuff from someone's registry. It's win-win, really.
Did I mention it is ORGANIC? And it is dyed in six richly saturated colors with low-impact dyes. They also have two
organic cottons as well. Kudos to Lion Brand!
Ok, now, remember to post your answer to the question below to be entered to win four generous skeins of Lion Brand LB Collection Organic Wool and a copy of Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting!
The question for today - what was your best weekender, vacation, break, or mini-break ever?
61 comments:
This is a really difficult question because I love to travel. But I'm going to say our first trip to England in 1998 just because every experience was new and exciting. Also we had a fantastic time in St Andrews, Scotland!!
Well...since all of my weekends/vacations/breaks revolve around knitting, I'd have to say my favorite trips have been to the Knitters Review Retreats organized by Clara Parkes. Knitters, yarn, food...what's not to like?
My favorite weekend trip is Maryland Sheep and Wool. Maybe because it is the most recent one I have been on! Really I like going to Rhinebeck better.
Best vacation I ever had? Easy! I splurged and treated myself to a week's retreat at an adult camp in Maine -- I took the full package, 3 squares, room, programs (music and philosophy) and refused to think about the cost once I had paid my bill. The husband stayed home and was fine. The weather was perfect, I could hear the ocean as I went to sleep at night and the people were delightful. Now I just wish I had the money (the cost has increased by 30% since) to do it again.
Do I get extra ponts if I say Rhinebeck with all my bestest friends? Actually probably my honeymoon in San Fransisco. Not only was it my honeymoon and somewhere I'd never been before, it was probably the first and last time we splurged on whatever we wanted!
Another easy one - Last year we eloped in Maine over 4th of July weekend. Best trip of my life!
My favorite was a weekend trip with my husband driving through northern Michigan.
I've been lucky in that I've been able to do some really great traveling. I love going up to the Russian River Valley (Sonoma county, California) for just a mix of wine, food, biking, beachcombing, hiking etc.
The only place husband & I got teary-eyed upon leaving was Bora Bora, though.
Nags Head, North Carolina. There is a lovely yarn store there, Knitting Addiction, that is better than anything here in central Virginia. It's so much fun to shop for yarn and sit on the deck knitting and watching the ocean!
4 days in San Francisco with blue skies and temps in the 70s. The locals hated the heat, but it was perfect for us SoCal folks. Fog rolled in as we left town!
We took our kids to England last summer. They were 3 and 5 and are still asking to go back! We spent a lot of time outside just enjoying the countryside and they even got to see the Jumpitz when they visited the base!
I would have to say camping....getting back to the basics...such great memories and times were had by all!!!
Denver is a favorite mini-vacation for me. They have brew pubs everywhere, lots of sporting events to attend, music/theatre, and every outdoor physical activity you can thin out (biking and hiking being my favorites). Thanks for the chance to win!
We went to a state park in January one year. We spent time tromping about in the snow, and on the third day we were hit by an ice storm and spent the evening by kerosene lamp. It was lovely!
The best weekend getaway is to get in the car and take a drive with hubby driving, a new audio book going and knitting. If I plan ahead, we can take the RV and set it up somewhere, pull in the boys (4 canine boys) and go somewhere and park it and then explore new countryside. And of course I have to check out all things yarny, festival, shops, etc.
Victoria BC, hands down! So romantic!It is a beautiful town and they have a wonderful afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel. I still have the mini strawberry jam jar they served with the scones!
the best weekend vacation I had was with my best friend Claudia. We went to Fort Wayne, IN for the Vera Bradley outlet sale. Bought bags for organizing everything, then we went on to Ohio to the Longaberger factory to see how those beautiful baskets are made. Of course during the vacation I taught Claudia how to knit and she loves it!
OMG! Camp KIP with Jackie of the KIPing it Real podcastwins this honor hands down! It was a laid-back retreat in a lovely location, full of the most welcoming knitters.
Our best mini-breaks were the genealogy-hunting trips we took researching in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.
Highlights were visiting county courthouses and looking for, and finding old graveyards where hubby's ancestors were laid to rest.
hugs,
Gerry
The first time my husband and I spent a weekend at the coast, in a little six-room inn with a view of the ocean from every room and a hot tub on the cliff above the ocean! Pre-kid; perfect.
My favorite trip was Hawaii, my favorite week end trip is Rheinbeck with MS&W a close second!
That is a tough one! I think it would have to be the first week-end we spent as a couple after our kids were born, the eldest was about 4, the youngest 2 1/2. We spent the week-end in a nice hotel in Brussels (Belgium) and just enjoyed the sights/food/drinks. :D
That is a tough one! I think it would have to be the first week-end we spent as a couple after our kids were born, the eldest was about 4, the youngest 2 1/2. We spent the week-end in a nice hotel in Brussels (Belgium) and just enjoyed the sights/food/drinks. :D
My first thought was Rhinebeck and Maryland Sheep and Wool. To be honest, though, it is any weekend I have my grandchildren on our farm. They are 3 and 5 and a new one due the end of the month! I love being a Grammy.
My honeymoon to San Fran was the best trip ever!!! I was in love and I was just married and life was good. We did so many things together and even now we talk about that trip and how much fun it was to just be together and away from home.
I have had some good ones through the years, but I think my best was last year when I attended the In The Company of Women Conference last summer at Ferry Beach in Maine. It was the most enlightening, invigorating and affirming thing that I have done in a long time. Plus this summer I go back as one of the workshop coordinators!
I have had many wonderful vacations with my parents, growing up we traveled Europe and most of the South and Western States.
And My Beloved and I have traveled on motorcycles and visited family several times.
But I think my favorite vacation was when I married my Beloved and we just stayed in the basement of our home for a week. We just spent time together, enjoying each others company!
I combined this with a work assignment - Hershey Hotel spa - sipping cocoa & watching the sun set while waiting for a massage
esea on ravelry
My husband and I are such history geeks- my favorite vacation was when we went to Gettysburg for 5 days two years ago. It was the most relaxing and fun vacation ever!
Honeymoon in Turkey, backpacking for 4 weeks! Incredible country - super friendly people, great food, amazing history. It was an incredible trip.
Puerto Rico! I wanna go back. I am not a beach person but I sure became one while I was there.
The best vacation was to Scotland with my husband. We had a great time traveling around Scotland. I loved it. We stayed in a 17th century coaching inn in Pitlochary.
I've really enjoyed last year's Knitter's Review Retreat: knitting, food, new friends who speak my language and understand my obsession/passion for fiber- what's not to love? The best family vaca was New York City a few years before 9/11; the kids were young enough to want to be with their parents and old enough to undertand and appreciate the city.
Best break ever, a road trip with my daughter to Indiana where she discovered geocaching and I found out that I love to knit after not a hiatus of about 7 years.
Judy
iknit4joy
My favorite vacation was in Maui with family: gorgeous ocean views, snorkeling, watching our teenagers take surf lessons, luaus, hula lessons, great food and shopping!
Favorite get away was to Adirondacks cottage...no phone service, no internet, no TV....just quiet and knitting, of course
Last minute trip to Williamsburg Va, with the kids. Told them when they woke up to pack for a few days and we were leaving in 3 hours . We tossed everything in the car and just drove from NJ to Va. We hade the best time.
My best vacation was my first vacation with my boyfriend of two years--we stayed at a house on the beach in Canada, and I put together most of a blanket, and we got to just BE. It was wonderful; one of those unobtrusively life-changing experiences.
Spending the weekend at the beach with my family! :)
I recently went to visit my daughter in Chicago with my son, her only sibling. She is 25 and he is 23. Now you might say what is so great about that. Well the thing is my son is leaving to fight wild land fires out west, north west exactly. I wanted to see the two of them together again before he left. They, as most siblings do, argue and wear me out most times. This time was different, they really enjoyed each other's company and I felt like the odd man out. That made me very happy ;o)
I would have to say my best vacation ever was our honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas. Next best would be the long weekend we spent at Lake Tahoe.
The best vacation ever? I spent a week on Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine. It was the first vacation I ever took by myself. I knew someone who worked on the island, but went there alone and spent the majority of my time hiking and writing and spending time alone! I learned so much about myself and had a grand time! What a beautiful place.
Dawn Allen
Hard to choose but I would say the vacation my hubby and I took to Costa Rica in 1997.
I adored Squam Art Workshop last June. An amazingly beautiful setting, knitting classes, lovely people, delicious food, and fun activities. Summer camp for adults, but even better.
The best trip I've ever taken? Egypt, hands down. It was like standing inside a history book!
Secret weekend get-away with DH. You don't get to know where, just pack what he tells me and then a fun time is ahead. Best one was at Lake Tahoe. Sweet memories :)
Tough one! Probably years ago I was in France on a study abroad and one weekend I took a last minute trip to Paris. We ended up at the gay pride parade with 60,000 people. Our host for the weekend were the Swiss national treasurer and his partner.! It was a weekend full of surprises and adventure.
My husband used to go to a trade show twice a year and I would go and hang out in the hotel during the day and we'd go eat at different places at night. It was a long weekend and I really enjoyed those little trips.
As always, I have a hard time making up my mind about my favorite anything! However, one of my more recent favorites was a trip to Savannah, GA, with my husband. Eating at "The Lady & Sons", touring the Julliet Gordon Lowe house, and buying souvenir yarn were the highlights. This is one place I want to visit again!
My wonderful husband & I took a train ride to the Issak Walton Inn. This is located halfway between east and west Glacier in Glacier National Park. We did some cross country skiing, sat by the large lovely fireplace in the great room, ate fantastic meals in the dining room, and I met a women who, over 10 years later, is still one of my closest friends! This was by far one of my most favorite mini vacations.
My best relaxing vacation has been the times we've gone to Maine. I've been able to knit while on the porch overlooking the ocean.
Falling asleep to the sound of that ocean is just so peaceful...
There is nothing like it!
Once I flew to Vegas with my mom and our friend to see a Monkees concert :) We saw them for the first time close to our home here in NY and had such a blast that we hopped on a plane a couple days later and saw them again! That is also the most impetuous thing I've ever done.
Darn Blogger lost my first comment so here goes again. I don't travel anymore, not that I did much anyway. My favorite thing is to be able to spend a whole day at home in my jammies with my kitties.
I thought I posted this before, but can't find it, so here's my favorite "getaway" summary. A few years ago, Sandi (dtr) and I went on an unexpected road trip to Indiana. Among our discoveries were (1) an awesome labyrinth we both walked and loved, (2) Sandi discovered geocaching (3) We had one of the best meals ever at the Tin Fish, which was going out of business a week or so later, and (4) I re-discovered my love of knitting - after a 7 year hiatus - and began knitting socks two at a time (Thanks to a great book from MMO).
Best short vacation? A trip to see my friends from university a couple of summers ago.
My best vacation whas to Vlieland. A small Iceland here in Holland. I went there with my parents for years and years. Nature is so lovely over there. And only local people are allowd to drive cars. So there's very little trafic. And lots of cycles and even horses. Every time I've been there I am so relaxed!
Pre-kid...the weekend my husband and I took to go stay in a little private camp on the Bay of Fundy in NB, Canada. Foggy in the mornings, right on the ocean, the sound of seagulls to wake us up - it was bliss!
In the mommy era? Every trip we take is my most current favorite, because it's so much fun to watch my 7 year old fall in love with my favorite places <3
Having lived near Naples, Italy for 4 years and travelling in the area makes things pale in comparison. However, my husband and I just returned from a two-week trip to France. The first week was spent in the Normandy region near Rouen and the second week we stayed in Vincennes and took the Metro into Paris to do things during the day. It was a wonderful birthday present!
I spent 10 days or so I Brugges Belgium in the late 90's with my family for the World Championships for men's wheelchair basketball. We even got to go to the US Embassy for a reception....
Flying out to CA for my sister-in-law's graduation. A lot of firsts on that trip.
First time flying, first time in the Pacific ocean, first time at a Disney Park, hanging out with my father-in-law listening to jazz, learning the family onion dip recipe, and feeling completely at ease with all my in-laws.
My favorite vacation is Walt Disney World! I just love it there! I went there last November to celebrate my birthday with Mickey since we share the same day (11/18). It made me feel like I was turning 8 again instead of 38.
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