Knitting a Friendship One Stitch At a Time. Chapter 2

So now that you know what happened last year let me catch you up on what's happening now.

While preparing for my move with the standard amount of stress and drama and whatnot I was ending my days as I normally do, on Ravelry.  In a not so rare moment of thinking " What will become of me?" I decided to start searching for knitting groups in the UAE.  Now I know what you're thinking because I was thinking it as well.  " Knitters in the UAE.  Give me a break.  There's probably no such thing", but  after only a couple of searches I found what is now my knitting safe haven here in the sandbox.  The UAE Amiras!

They looked innocent  enough so I decided to hit "join group".  What followed was pretty damn fabulous.  Once I joined I got access to all their chat threads and discussions and low and behold I realized I'd found my peeps again.  They knit all kinds of things and are from all over the world.  It's an amazing crew of yarn addicts who help and support each other.

Sadly I haven't any photographs of any of them but they do indeed exist and are not merely a figment of my imagination, I promise.  To say that they speak my language would be an understatement.  I thought MY stash was huge but I've got nothing on some of the Amiras,  and yes J I'm talking about you!  When I ramble about the virtues of Malabrigo sock they know just what I'm talking about.  When I whine about the fact that I now have to order yarn on line, they feel my pain.  There are some beginners but most have blown me away with their superior skills.  One even says she enjoys seaming and offered to seam our work for us.  Now if that isn't a gift from the knitting Gods then I don't know what is!!!

We meet most Mondays and sip coffee and eat lunch with yarn in our laps all the while.  We people watch and knit away the better part of the day.  Their motto is " Once an Amira, always an Amira" and I hope that for me that will always be the case.

Thanks to them I'm not underground on my own again ( Insert deep sigh of relief here)

Bisous,

G.

You're Not the Boss of Me

That's what I've been saying about  a project I started in March or so.   I think I labored over this pattern more than with any other thing I've ever knit.  What a process!

I named this project "You're not the boss of me" because completing it began to become an obsession for me.  Right, let me start at the beginning.

It all started on a rather chilly day in either February or March but as I've mentioned earlier, Brussels can be chilly even in bloody July!  Anyhoo I popped into a cute little out of the way yarn shop in Watermael Boisfort to find a DK weight cotton for a great sweater called "Paloma" which was in a Kim Hargreaves book that I ordered on line.  It seemed simple enough.  A boxy body with fitted sleeves in a drop stitch pattern.. Easy Peasy I thought.  If I could knit lace leggings then this would be a piece of cake.

Not effing likely!  What began as an easy knit stayed in my basket for weeks.  In typical Gazelle fashion, other projects came and went but this one was always in the back of my mind because I was SURE  that I'd wear an off the shoulder cotton loosy goosy jumper.

As my move to the sand box grew nearer and nearer I reached for Paloma more and more. I had memorized the pattern and there was little shaping involved.  At the beginning of the summer I chose to take it to Canada with me, knitting mindlessly, occasionally putting it up to me to check for size. It went with me on planes to and from Canada, trains to and from Montreal and I think it even went to the Cote D'azur on a beach day in Cassis.  It was one well traveled bit of knitting.

What I hadn't factored into my knitting was the fact that my mind was NOT focused on my sticks.  Part of it was in Dubai in my new and empty house.  Part was on a container with all my worldly possessions on a ship sailing somewhere between Antwerp and Jabel Ali.  Part was on what my teen daughter was doing at the University where she was attending a summer program and if I'm completely honest, part was on a pair of Citizens for Humanity jeans that I was debating over.

At one point I put the completed front piece up against me and realized that two of me could fit in there!  After much swearing, which by the way comes far too easily for me, I realized I had to frog it all and start over.  The finished piece was supposed to measure 55.5cm in diameter and mine was coming in at over 65 cm.  Blocking not to mention wearing it was going to make it even larger.

So I cast on once again and committed to it.  The summer passed and as I left Canada for my annual trip to Provence I continued to knit it.  I eventually finished both front and back but in yet another ridiculous moment I realized that it was STILL too big.  I was so angry at myself for presuming that it would somehow miraculously get smaller the more I knit but once again I had to take it apart.  I mean I knew my family life had been flipped completely upside down and everything but really Gazelle, now you're  knitting like a novice?

After months of trying it still wasn't anywhere near being finished.  Now I'm not a professional or anything but I'm a pretty good and experienced knitter and I'll be damned it I was going to let a drop stitch boxy jumper get the better of me.  When we moved to Dubai it was weeks before I picked up any knitting again.  At one point I didn't even know where it was in the house.  As September came and the kids went to school I found the large pieces and set about giving it another try.  I researched Ravelry this time for tips from those who had completed the project and worked on multiple swatches with varied needle sizing.  The problem was that Brussels was long gone and there was no way to get more yarn.  I had to stick to the original needle size but this time I cast on less than was called for and made the adjustments.  There were no new projects at first because there are no knitting shops here in Dubai.

Two shades of dark blue.  Mmmm

There is however the Internet!  Even though I hate on line shopping I began to order yarn from places like Sweden and the UK and Canada and even from Portland Oregon.  I got some lace weight linen from one of my favorite yarn shops in Gothenburg, Sweden to make a two color " Color Affection" by Veera Valmaki.

I also ordered some wonderful Pima Cotton to make a "Heyden's Pullover" from a great little shop in Toronto called Americo.

I am after all extremely challenged by the fact that buying wool is out!  It's just too darn hot here to knit with it so I have gotten creative with the cottons and linens.  My New Jersey knitting girlies had told me about a great yarn called Shibui.  I hit the web again and ended up ordering some fabulous yarn to make an "L 1" shawl by Antonia Shankland.  Feast your eyes on this people.

Naturally I had to wait to receive all of these treats and I think I was grateful to have the time to finish Paloma.  It was slow going but I wanted to be sure I was knitting evenly and the fact that it's black and that my vision is going didn't help matters.

It's been almost 4 months since I arrived in Dubai and Paloma is finally finished.  Towards the end I became obsessed by the idea that I wasn't going to let it get the best of me.  C has been laughing at me all along and although at first she was interested in making it as well, my trials and tribulations have put her off.  She won't touch it now and I don't blame her.  I've been whining about it for months!

Et Voila!  I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  I know you can barely see it on the black form but I'm not in the mood to pose for a photograph.  Would I recommend it to a fellow knitter?, yes but with some intense advice.  Was it a labor of love?  Not in the least but I persevered and I think it shows.  Remember Paloma, I rule.  Not you, me!

Bisous,

G.

Knitting a Friendship One Stitch At A Time. Chapter 1

I can't possibly go forward without explaining what  and who happened to me last year.  I will call this  post a love letter to my knitting soul mate.

You see I stopped posting because I went back underground with my knitting for a while there.  I was still doing it in the spring of 2011 but in truth I had lost my Mojo just a smidge.  Upon my return from holidays I found myself without any knitting peeps and I had pretty much resigned myself to knitting all by my lonesome.  Then, at the beginning of the new school year I met someone who was to become my yarn partner in crime.  The day we were introduced I don't think either of us knew just how much knitting mischief we were about to make together.

I 'm a fast knitter, she's a fast knitter.  I'm a natural fiber girl, she's a natural fiber girl.  I like simple and chic and she, well you see where I'm going with this.  It truly became a match made in knitters heaven.

What started out as us trying to start up our school knitting group turned into several pilgrimages a week to yarn stores not only in and around Brussels but in different countries as well.  Why limit your yarn options to two or three shops when you can shop in France?  We met all the time to knit and to show and tell and advise each other on the yarn that the other just HAD to have.

I even convinced my girl to take a crochet class with me.  Now normally this wouldn't be such a big deal but the class was being given in French.  My French word bank was void of any knitting and crocheting vocabulary and my American buddy was new to her French speaking environment.  In the end we persevered and learned heaps from the lovely Peggy and the other students.  The result was a beautiful scarf from a Japanese pattern  which we both made out of Malabrigo sock.  We wore them with pride all winter. Crochet rocks.

Not too shabby considering I hold my hook
like a knitting needle.

C's scarf with a Kim Hargreaves design she later made

The months passed with us encouraging each other constantly. While Brussels can be a dark and wet place in the winter or spring or even summer for that matter,  we made the best of it, making toasty and cozy sweaters and scarves to keep ourselves warm.  With the new year came the hope of Spring and we did our best to switch to lighter yarns of cotton and linen.  Projects were started, put aside for new and more exciting ones and the WIPS started to pile up all over the place.  As every knitter knows, some came to be while others now reside in our stashes.  I'm happy to say that most became something and I have C to thank for that.  We tried our best to keep each other on track.

As Spring began it's ever so slow start in Brussels I woke up one day with the idea that I would like to yarn bomb the school that our children attended.  C was immediately in and we set out to find other parents to help.  Because we were planning it at school it seemed only fitting that we involve students as well.  The result was nothing short of spectacular.  In the end we had over 20 parents and students produce a yarn installation on campus which was viewed by the entire school community on it's annual International day.  I haven't felt such a sense of accomplishment in quite some time.

With the onset of Spring came some big news for us both.  We would both be leaving Brussels, she to return to the U.S. and me to Dubai.  While we were both excited to start our new adventures I think I can speak on her behalf when I say we were quite saddened to have our mischief making  cut so short.  We did our very best to drown our sorrows in yarn and to promise to stay in touch.

C with what we BOTH know to be
a Caipirinha in her hand.
When on campus, help yourself
to a drink svp.

And that we have!  My knitting Bestie and I still chat almost every day, several times a day about yarn and life, and yarn and moving, and yarn and kids and then more about yarn.  She has returned to the land of Winter and snow and sends me pics of her warm and toasty wool on big needles.  I on the other hand send her daily rants on the trials of knitting in 40 degree heat.  This linen obsessed old girl is growing quickly weary of knitting on 3.5's!  While she often mocks me she is as always a constant source of inspiration as I hope I am to her.  I miss you Madame Chereeeel.

                                     

Ok so I just re-read the post and while it's WAAAAY too sentimental, I meant every word!

Stay tuned for my next post on how I met a whole brand new bunch of yarn addicts right here in the sand box.

Big love from the land of the sunshine,

G.