Back from the Beach

We got back on Sunday.





What a wonderful break from our routine. I did not get sunburned. I think I sat out in the sun a total of 20 minutes. But my sisters and brothers and all the kids got out there and baked for hours at a time. They were slathered in high count sunscreen. My sister and her friend have this down to a fine art I believe because it is the first year my husband and my son did not get burned at all. The girls took charge of the men and made sure that they put the stuff on early, letting it soak in good before they ventured out AND made them re-apply at regular intervals.





I did spend lots of money at my favorite yarn shop of all times: Knitting Addiction. I have discovered bamboo yarn. I paid money for another baby pattern book. I bought some alpaca silk yarn.





I knitted for hours and days. It was wonderful.





Maybe by next year I will have a portable wheel and can sit and spin the week away.





I also ripped out the round baby blanket thing I was knitting. I had this odd notion that I would use non-traditional baby colors and knit a blanket that would reflect the passion of the baby's daddy -- the Redskins football franchise. Unfortunately, I got the colors wrong and knitted a great blanket for someone in love with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both my husband and brother were greatly amused at my error and utterly amazed when I just ripped the thing off the needles and tore out every stitch right then and there!





So, knowing I wanted to make a blankie for my friend Shelby's future baby (due in October), I headed off to Knitting Addicti0n in Kitty Hawk. There, I found this wonderful, wonderful bamboo yarn. At $14 a skein, I did think myself a little mad. But the shop owner showed me how far one skein would go (she was knitting a top down cardigan from the same stuff in a different color), so I'm sure 4 balls will make the perfect sized blankie.





How do I describe this yarn? Remember when you were little (or your kids were little) and they had this blankie that they dragged all over the place. On the edge was usually this satin ribbon and they would hold that little scrap of ribboned edge, rub it against their cheek while laying in bed or nodding away while sitting somewhere. Remember that silky tactile sensation? This yarn, knitted up is like having the whole blanket in satin. And while the label suggests handwashing, I handled and examined a swatch at the shop that had been machine washed and dried. It was fine.





Drawbacks?: It is a bit splitty and I have to pay attention to where the needle goes. If I were making a garment out of it, I would have to be very aware of the drape issues this stuff has. It's actually kind of heavy. To me this is a good thing to put over an infant in a crib because despite being satiny (i.e. slippery), it will have enough weight and drape to stay in place. It's neither really warm (like wool or alpaca) but not too cool like cotton.


The color choices I saw did not overly excite me other than the one I bought. Most were pretty much in the pastel range -- which I don't particularly like. But that's me.





Overtime, the blankie -- if used like blankie -- will probably be a snarled mess due to the splittiness. But until then, I think it will be dearly loved and cuddled.





So, here are some pictures from the beach at Pine Island, NC -- it's between Corolla and Duck.

This is the view outside outside out bedroom door in the morning.

This is the view from the top deck looking out to the East. That blip on the horizon is a really huge ship.

And this is inside the top floor of the house. I literally spent most of my time sitting on that couch knitting. The room reminds me of a hotel lobby except the kitchen is right in the middle of it. The windows you see at the back of the room are looking out over the Sound.