Bath and Oxford

I already feel like I've seen a lot of the English countryside even though we've only been here for a few days. Graeme and Edele have been ideal hosts, taking us around everywhere with delicious food around every corner.

Our first day here Jesse and I managed to walk around a bit even though we didn't really feel right yet, too much jet lag. I made it to a stiching expo that did have some yarn though. Once I got there the crowds and the walking caught up with me and I didn't stay as long as I wanted to. No pictures of it because the only one worth taking, a few women knitting with enormous 3 feet long needles!, I missed due to battery issues. The Colinette yarn is really cheap here though and I'll have to get some before we leave.

Then we left for Bath, which is a beautiful old town that is quite the tourist trap now I suppose but still very charming. Here's us at the Abbey, there just happened to be a concert going on while we were there and the church had wonderful acoustics as well as stained glass.



We stayed that night with a friend of our hosts, Justin, who is a wonderful cook. Does food taste better when you're on vacation? It seems to here.

Then we went on to Oxford which is full of specific colleges in seemingly every subject.





This building is actually a library, unfortunately it's not open to the public.



Then we went on to the Pitt-Rivers Museum, part Natural History, some photography and a lot of neat artifacts.


The artifacts were all sort of jumbled up, which made them seem a little Indiana Jones/Ye Olde Curiosity Shop but I really liked that about them. Not austere and souless. They would have a display of "death rites" and it would include those of ancient England as well as New Guinea, India, etc. The Natural History part was full of extinct animals, the birds seemed especially large. The hedghogs were my favorite, apparently they are still plentiful around here and I'm really hoping to see one in the wild before we leave.



Tomorrow we're going into Central London and all the free museums!

breaking news

Debbie Stoller, she of Stich N' Bitch fame will be visiting my yarn store soon! "My" store being:

Hilltop Yarn and Needlepoint
2224 Queen Anne Ave. N.
Seattle

On May 6th from 12-1pm. I am pretty excited! Even if she is out supporting crochet and not knitting persay. I have been practicing my crochet with her new book but it's going slowly.

And just so this post isn't pictureless:



Here's Laura loving up our bot.

As Promised

What does happen with all that i-cord anyway? Well Daphne knew, but for the rest of you:



This is my best friend Stephanie or Opie (as I have nicknamed her) modeling the Alchemy Bamboo I-cord necklace. See what you do is you knit a ton of i-cord, then you knot it up real pretty, add a bow and voila! She's practicing her crochet in a pajama party at my apartment. On Saturday nights around here we practice our happy hookin'. Pretty much any night really.

Just so you don't think that's all we do, here's the cutest couple I know with their tandem bike after we had brunch together.



They rode this thing from Seattle to San Francisco and learned that tandem bikes aren't actually meant to carry a lot of weight... like a tent or camp stove but they made the trip anyway.

London Calling

I'll be spending my spring break in a soggy land. A land of crumpets and tea, and dare I say... knitting? Yes, no tropical islands for me, I'm going to Merry Old England. Where I will hunt down the elusive yarn stores and take comfort in their heathered, tweedy goodness.

I was already looking forward to this trip abroad when I found out that Kay Gardiner of http://www.masondixonknitting.com fame is going to be speaking at a London yarn store. She'll be at Loop on March 26th to promote her and Ann's new book. Their website is so much fun, I'm sure seeing her in person will be a treat. Loop's site (http://www.loop.gb.com/) is also quite sweet. As we all know, souvenir yarn is the best!

Then I found out about the Stitch & Craft show going on March 23-26. I can't tell how cutesy it is, but I don't think I can resist. http://www.twistedthread.com/ It covers knitting, crochet, papercrafts, embroidery, etc. It looks huge, so there has to be something there I will be into.

Jesse looks a little worried about all this knitting activity... but I've promised him there are lots of museums and outdoor markets I want to go to as well. Not to mention pub grub I want to eat, I've heard rumors of a french fry sandwich... How do we not have these in the U.S.?

I promise there will be pictures of the i-cord project next time.