Having spent most of this year knitting with 4ply I’m shocked at how quickly big wool knits up! Actually it’s probably not big wool, it’s kind of aranish. but anyways I’m probably going to get this finished on the bus into the city this afternoon, when I go to meet my sister.

The pattern is an adaption of the usual wave:

Cast on 20 stitches

Row 1: Knit (RS)
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: K1, K2tog x3, (yo then k1) x6, K2tog x3, K1
Row 4: Knit (WS)

Repeat Rows 1-4 till you run out of wool.

Cast off. Weave in ends.

All good. Maybe I’ll take Knitting on the Road with me and read up on how to knit lace socks, since most of my socks are based on a standard pattern I know off by heart and are just wiggled with to get the desired size or whatever. I’d start on my arm warmers but I think I want to get some of the christmas presents completed first.

I’m umming and ahhing about this month’s Month of Softies challenge, having not done either of the last two challenges due to wedding preparations, but I’ve a horrible feeling i’m going to slide this month too, and finish the sockmonkeys I was hoping to add to the kids bags, as part of their christmas presents instead. they are mostly done. it’s just a case of ears and faces and then any clothing they might need.

but anyways I should gather up my stuff and head off…

On the first of October this year I got married to the lovely W, after being together for about five years, (give or take a couple of weeks.)

We have spent the last two weeks on our honeymoon in Italy – a place we’d been saying we were going to visit for about the last four years. We had a great time exploring Rome, Venice and then arrived in Florence, where I promised myself I’d go check out a wool shop I’d found recommented while hunting around online:

www.beatriceyarnshop.com

(hey look! It’s me, as snapped by W, choosing wool. And what a selection…)

So this is what I bought:

Clockwise from the top:
Camel coloured camel wool, except on the back of the label it says ‘one hump camel’, which is a dromedary. but now I’m just being a geek. This is probably the softest wool I’ve ever bought, and is destined to be arm warmers for when I go biking. <3<3

Plum coloured extra fine merino which is again, very very soft, and I think I’m going to make into socks, possibly as a christmas present.

Raspberry coloured merino/silk/cashmir mix which (can you spot the theme…) is omg!soft. Again these are probably going to be socks since I love knitting socks, and they only take a couple of balls or so to complete.

and…

Teal coloured Alpaca which are all warm and lovely. These need to be made into lace socks, again for christmas, though I might cave and keep them for myself.

While I was choosing away W was either stroking the camel wool (‘if you do nothing else you HAVE to buy the camel…’ <3 and snapping photos out the back of the shop where there is a little terrace that looks over the River Arno.

 

Beatrice (who is LOVELY) pointed out how good he was being – usually guys end up shooing themselves out, at which point I mentioned that he was being extra good because a) I knit him socks, and b) because we’re on our honeymoon. At which point there was hugging and kissing and: 

FREE WOOL! which, as she pointed out, would make a great scarf (‘but for you!’) which is exactly what I’m going to do. (I’m thinking something drop-stitchy.)

I came out feeling utter bliss, and spend most of the next couple of days periodically jumping up and down going ‘I’ve got wool! I’ve got wool!)

*grins*

So if you are ever in Florence then I can’t recommend Beatrice highly enough.

Also: Hi!