brainylady

I haven't been knitting as much as I'd expected on my holiday, but all the knitting news is definitely good. After all, I can knit back in Taipei, so it's the shopping that's most important here. I got my hands on Interweave Knits. So I'm weighing in a little later than everyone else, but here's what I like. In IK, I think my favourite thing is the Short-Row Striped Pullover. I like both cable sweaters on the cover. These don’t rock my world, but I also like the Chinese Sweater, the Lace-Edged Raglan, and the Furlana Mitts. No world-rocking in VK, either, but I like the plainish cream pullover (#27) and the cable raglan pullover (#19). I think I like the seed-stitch cardigan (#26), but I might just like how it looks on the model in those particular photos; I'm not sure that I'd make it. I also like the ear-flap toque (#31).

Hey, I did finish my RocKami before I left Taipei! And it turned out well, though it's too long. I'm going to pull out the ribbing at the bottom edge and just cast off and let it roll up a bit. I haven't blocked it at all yet, but I brought it with me. So I guess it's actually 98 percent done, since I can't wear it yet. I'd like to make another, this time with shaping and wide straps.

Since being here I've whipped up a dishcloth for my mom, a mouse for Mooky (my cat! I'll see him in a few weeks!), and one little toddler-sized Hot Sok. I like the Hot Tamale colours, but I don't like the Hot Sox yarn much. It's so acrylicky. Plus, I wish each section of colour were a little longer so that it created stripes. I'd hoped that in a tiny size there would be stripes, but there aren't. Anyway, it's still a supercute sok.



Of course, the reason I'm not knitting all that much is because I'm out and about, spending time with people I haven't seen in ages, so that's been really nice. Besides catching up with people (and my friends' kids, who are all adorable and brilliant, of course), I've been taking so much pleasure in small day-to-day things. I've drunk skim milk and good red wine, and eaten tofu hot dogs, multigrain bread, and fresh peaches, apricots, and canteloupe, which is all thrilling. I went out into my parents' backyard last night at about one o'clock in complete darkness and silence and looked up at the stars. I bought three family-sized packages of red licorice to take back with me. I went for a drive and listened to CBC on the radio. Like I said before, it's all just easy. Ooh, I just remembered: I definitely can't leave without having a Slurpee. Maybe half Coca-Cola and half grape? Yeah, with a dollop of orange on top…