Planes trains and automobiles

Alright, so I've finally got a nice rainy weekend to get through this all, so my knitting blog is being hijacked for my trip to Peru updates. Don't worry there's some knitting intermingled throughout, but I've got some trip reports to write!

Photos for day 1

Day 1. Alright, there were no trains, but there were planes and automobiles. It all started at 4:30 in the morning, woke up, watered the plants and headed out to the airport an hour later. This was for my first flight to Miami (about 3hours) after arriving there I got to spend about 2 hours of my 10 hour layover (yes you heard me...10 hours) before my parents arrived. There was a little miscommunication but we met up alright, then after a long long time of just sitting in the airport, with nothing open, we flew out at Midnight to get to Lima, Peru. There we were whisked through customs and sent to wait again (this is now 4:30am) for our final flight to Cusco. At this point in time I have had little sleep on the planes and really just wanted to go to bed, but we arrive at Cusco at 10 and we're out and about walking around town by noon...so there´s no sleep for me. But before I get to Cusco, I have to tell you about one of the weirdest sights...picture two guys, with backpacks...out of each backpack is a pole with a monitor screen on it, facing the same direction as the guy. These guys walk up and down the place advertising the mini cooper...then for an added attraction you can play a racing game on the screen...as they stare at you? its kinda weird...but very entertaining. OKay, now in Cusco...starting with a fight into the Andes. Thankfully I was able to stay on the flight. I get to my seat, 5J which is an aisle seat, I get to the aisle seat and I see someone sitting in it, I say I believe that's my seat and we seem to get confused and I sit at the window (I'm thinking we traded) then another lady comes up...we all have seats 5J listed! AHH. Apparently the flight wasn't full because they just moved her over to a different section and all was well...phew.

Cusco is approximatly 10,700ft above sea level, and filled with people, its one of the longest lived in cities in the world. (My mom tells me that its a world heritage site) Its not a large city, not like Lima which we saw at the end of the trip, but its also not a small 3 house "town" like some of the places we went to during our walks. Let me digress a little and tell you about our approach into Cusco. This city is high up in the mountains and yet down in a little valley, so what do you do as a pilot? Bank super hard, skimming the rim of the valley and land on a short runway (awesome). We then got out, walked down some stairs right on the tarmac which is something I've always wanted to do. The airport is small, under construction and selling shots of oxygen for those travelers not used to moving around at such high altitudes. I almost wanted to get one just for the fun of it. We then got our luggage and went to find our guide. This was the last time I got to move my luggage on my own outside of the hotel room. On the one hand not having to carry everything is nice...but there are times when I just want my luggage with me you know? Did it get on the boat, no idea I could never be 100% sure it got off the bus or left the hotel since I never saw it, but oh well, this trip pampered everyone in many ways.

Once arriving at our hotel we had the afternoon to relax, have lunch, don't do anything strenuous as you enjoy the alitude. Oh and have Coca tea. That will help with the altitude, that and coca candy. (Later there were also Coca leaves, about the only thing missing was the powered stuff ;) ) At the hotel there was this older woman who was spinning yarn with a drop spindle and selling her wares in the courtyard. It was interesting to watch her work. Even though I have no spanish skills, it wouldn't have helped. Carlos (one of our guides) told me that the women wear different hats and that the hats mean different levels of "western education" (Of course there are tons of what I called "modern" people who looked like any other person, but there was a handful of people who were sticking to the older more traditional ways of life) This woman's hat told us that she had no western influence, and therefore wouldn't speek spanish anyway but Quechua. So needless to say the people I wanted to talk to in regards to knitting, and weaving...wasn't going to happen.

We met up with the rest of the group, and started our walk for the day, an evening walk through the town of Cusco. I know that this isn't a unique or rare thing, but not having them really in Seattle or Denver I noticed it. Everyplace had tons of street vendors. Not just shops that spilled out a bit, but little carts selling juice and snacks, or locals selling fresh pineapple. What was interesting here is that there were "Rent a cell phone" people who would sell you some minutes on a phone and you could call whomever you wanted. Being a newly claimed "Heritage Site" there are certian rules for building in Cusco. All roofs had to be made with the red titles. No thatch or corrigated metal, or american shingles could be used. I thought it looked really nice, but I'm sure it annoyed people. I have several pictures of dogs, honestly I wish I brought a counter with me. I had to have seen thousands of dogs walking around, laying in the sun, doing whatever. As my mom would say they were useless dogs. Didn't herd sheep, scare off birds...nope, just pets running around town. Each of the dogs in Cusco however were no strays, they just aren't allowed in the houses during the day, but are let in during the night time. The cats (which I only saw 2 or 3) apparently just stayed inside. (Probably hiding from all the dogs). The streets were mainly cobblestone but everything had a nice rustic feel.

Of course there are Incan walls which have been used to build some of the current buildings. There are also several churchs in Cusco, and these are the impressive. HUGE churches with more gold, silver and jewels in it than I've ever seen. To be honest, going through London and seeing the Crown Jewels...these weren't as impressive when compared to the churches here. The walk around town saw a mix of ancient and modern, Spanish and Incan. In additon to modern shops there were places selling more traditional stuff. There were also women who are dressed in all traditinal gear and often with Alpacas or llamas. You can take thier picture, or take a picture with them for just a sol or two. I did it once and got a picture with a baby alpaca. (See the hat she's wearing? She has some western influence)

That's most of day 1. At the end of it all I was exhausted. After dinner I had a huge headache (more from traveling less from altitude) and I took a long nap. Felt better afterwards and for the rest of the trip.

Just in the nick of time!

Finished! And what perfect timing. I leave on Thursday and the mother is being induced tonight. So huzzah, all ready to go. One of the guys on my team, Kegan, is having a baby boy and now that baby will be loved with a knitted blanket. Probably the smallest blanket I've ever made, but that means its probably the right size instead of being super big like the others. This blanket was both easy to make and frustrating. Each of the little squares are done seperately which made them easy to complete. Maybe an hour per square, so I could knock them out fast, but even with the slip edge there was a lot of picking up bindoff stiches which was kinda hard. And the multicolor edge was alway un-even. Could never make an actual square! So that was a problem, the overall orange edge (which I couldn't decide to go with the orange light colors or the dark green/purples until the very last minutes) helped to conceal this fact but you can still see it. I'm giving it to him today, I hope he likes it!

This blog seems to have become a knitting for babies blog. But I promise that with my trip to peru coming up super soon, there will be other knitting stories. I have some 8 hour flights and I even have a 10 hour layover, so lots of knitting will get done. I am kinda torn on what to take. There's my sweater which needs the body done...but also it will be finished soon...there's starting my sweater jacket but I would need to select yarn and then there is knitting a lace shawl which takes time and concentratation but the yarn is super light... decisions, decisions.

Oh yeah baby, work it!

Here's what you get when you ask a mom who is a photographer to take a picture of something you knit for them... you get a ton of pictures both showing off the jacket as well as cute baby pictures. It was an awesome photo shoot with the little guy. Like most models he was fussy to, refusing to wear the hats I made for him. Maybe he knew they would clash with the jacket, who knows. Regardless I've selected a few that make me smile. The jacket still looks alittle big, but that will keep him pleanty warm in May with the snow (yes I did say snow) falling outside. Hopefully it warms up so that my plants will survive the two weeks I'm gone without worrying about bring them inside. Stupid Colorado. But on with the fashion show!

Isn't he a cutie? After a month or so of harassing I finally got the picture I was asking for! It's Curtis's little boy, staying warm in a nice knitted jacket. Yay!

(On Another note, my binary blanket has made it to China and back, sadly no pictures got taken by the parents during the trip of the blanket next to something noticable Chinese, but that's okay, we all know it happened)

Colors

So I owe an update on some more yarn dying (Cotton this time, and failiure) and my current set of projects. Also the various thoughts I have on what to bring to Peru. But alas that will have to wait just a little long, however I ran across this yesterday and just had to make mention of it...

Several years ago a guy friend of mine wanted a scarf, him not being a boyfriend there was no hesitation in making the scarf (there is a curse for those of you who don't know) I asked him what colors he wanted and he responded with "green". After going to the store I had found a yarn that I liked and was ready to buy it....so I went back to him and asked "what kind of green?" He of course had no idea what I was talking about...what do you mean there are different greens? I ended up finding a website for a computer RGB key card that had some 20 different greens to show him how wrong he was about there being just one green. Well this little comic reminded me of it yesterday so I thought I'd share:

There are several cool other little charts and whatnot about guys versus girls, actual colors, and the spelling of Fuschia, or fucha, or fuchia...you get the picture at: http://blog.xkcd.com/2010/05/03/color-survey-results/

Multiple Projects

I've had several people laugh at me and ask me why I feel the need to knit something for every couple I know who's having a baby. To be honest there are lots of reasons, first every baby should have something hand made and something that has a lot of love and caring built in. Second it gives me a break from whatever project I'm currently working on. My sweater that I've been working on is now in the long dull phase, just trying to get length, so its nice to have a break from now and then working on other things. Lastly, gives me a chance to go through my stash and dwindle it down. Especially the smaller scraps of yarn that aren't big enough for other projects. 

As you may have guessed...I'm knitting another baby project. A baby blanket...I tried this pattern once before and failed at it, but I've learned more now (and it seems to be paying off) I started the blanket this weekend, its knit in a series of squares...when I was laying out the yarn I thought it would look alright...but it turns out that I hate the color combination...not sure what I was thinking. I didn't even finish the red portion before I gave up and decided to look for more yarn. (You can even see that my pick up and knit was off too, because its not really a rectangle) Anyway I grabbed the yarn that my sweater is made of but in different colors and started a new set. The squares are smaller but the knitting is faster, so I think it will work out. I can always make more squares until I get the size I am looking for. Interestingly, the pattern calls for a slip edge, which makes it easier to pick up and knit...but you also have to pick up edges that have been bound off...so I don't know how that's all supposed to work. But I'm managing. I've got three squares done now.

The blanket pattern calls for 12 of these squares to be made, then they are all attached together (and all those pesky ends are woven in) Lastly the entire blanket gets a solid edge attached to it. I'll have to see what yarn I have left to see if its possible to put one of the lighter colors around the edge, otherwise it might be one of the darker colors. (Purple and green). Overall I'm much much happier with the color combination this time, and the yarn feels more baby friendly to me. Like I said its a fast knit, made those 3 squares in about a day.


One final note. The color work on my sweater is done, now it's just a matter of time to get it all finished. I figured when I had a few hours to sit down and knit I would work on finishing the baby blanket (I have till mid May) but when it comes to doing little knits here and there and during lunch or whatever I would work on my sweater. Hopefully it will be done soon!

A days work for color

So I got bit with the artistic bug. I had to do something different, new, and creative. I decided to try my hand at dying yarn, Easter egg style. Here's the account of my weekend's adventures.

I started with several kinds of wool  yarn. From what I have gathered reading on the Internet, wool yarn is easily dyed with things like Easter egg dye and kool aid, but natural fibers like cotton needs something a bit stronger. I followed a tutorial I found online (Kathryn Ivy) until my book arrived, I suggest reading it if you're going to dye yarn, this is just quick notes of my adventures.

First I took my 2 different kinds of Peruvian wool (100% wool) and unwound them into hanks. I started trying to use my yarn swift, but that wasn't the easiest thing, so I switched to a two wine bottle method. Worked much faster and much much easier.

Since I moved my yarn to the floor with the bottle method, I got lots of kitty help from Lilu. Mostly she just wanted to sit next to me and get petted every now and then, but of course, cats and yarn, especially moving yarn....well she had to grab it from time to time. Was really amusing, and of course there is always time for kitty yoga while knitting too.

After all of that work, I hung up my white yarn on the drying rack (even though it wasn't wet yet) just to get a picture of what I had, plus it was a good time to get things cleaned up and organized before the next big stage...actual dying.

This stage involved cutting up a trash bag and putting it on my counter, mixing up some Easter egg dyes, and filling my sink with vinegar and cold water. The first step is to prepare the yarn, so it was soaked in vinegar water for an hour, then its ready to accept some new colors! I was amazed at how clean everything ended up being, there wasn't much in the way of "shoot I got that everywhere" which made me really happy. Plus it will give me confidence when I go to the chemical cotton dyes which WILL stain everything, unlike the Easter egg dye that's designed for children to mess around with.


After the color is added to the yarn, it gets thrown on the stove to get stemmed. I have a collider resting on top of the pot and the yarn goes in there. It gets steamed for 30 min. I thought I was going to be behind on my coloring, but no. I managed to color almost everything while waiting for the first few to get steamed. It gave me time to do some actual knitting and cleaning while I was dying yarn. The hot yarn then gets taken out and put in a sink to cool, once its cool, you put it in warmer than the yarn itself water and makesure the color doesn't run. Add some wool wash to keep everything nice and soft (and get rid of that vinegar smell) and the drying process starts!

After all was said and done I refilled my rack with beautifully colored yarn. The one thing I didn't care for, and I'm not sure how easy it is to correct, is that the yarn seemed to always be a bit pastel. You couldn't get a really vibrant big bold color, it will be muted a bit. (And the colors in the water are much brighter than when they are dried) But I'm happy with the colors I got and I'm excited to see what other adventures I might have. I went back to Target to get some more Easter egg dye, got lots of different color options. Neon, some actual greens, a brown, lots of variation. So I'm looking forward to it next time. I have some more ideas on getting really creative. I don't have much more white wool left in my possession, but maybe next weekend or the following there will be some more snow (like today!) and I'll get back to dying. In the mean time, it took a full day to get this all done. Would have been faster if I had made my hanks the day before, but still enjoyable, creative and a fun way to spend the afternoon!