Where I've been...

This was the view outside my hotel window. Eat your heart out.

...Amsterdam! This past week I was lucky enough to attend EuroPneumo (yup, really what it's called). It was 4 packed days of pneumococcal disease - and I was stoked.

Of course it wasn't all rainbows and canals. In true cursed-me form, the traveling was a nightmare. Notable hiccups in chronological order:

- leaving my poster at security

- having my plane from Columbus delayed 1.5 hours

- consequently having my layover in Detroit reduced from 1.5 hours to 0

- alternately sprinting and heaving in the Detroit airport

- leaving my passport on the airplane in Schipol (seriously, who does this?)

- not being able to find the baggage carousel

- finding the baggage carousel and realizing my bag was not on it

- realizing I'd lost the claim ticket for the bag when I left the passport on the plane

- realizing the bag had the Fella's identification information on it instead of mine

- being hoodwinked by a Dutch cab driver/arguing with a Dutch cab driver

- realizing that not having luggage also meant not having pajamas (bonus points since sharing a room with my boss)

- finding out there were mosquitoes in our room and waking up to a quarter-sized itchy red bullseye on my forehead

- remembering no luggage also means no makeup

and that was just the first 24 hours. Huzzah! But seriously, never travel with me.

Hats!

As I traveled to lovely NYC last weekend, I anticipated some cool fall weather (btw, I was right). At the last minute, I packed two favorite hats, my Odessa and a slouchy hat.

(this is the first version I knit as a gift, but I like the way L shows of the sweet swirl action)

The Odessa was a pattern published in the now-defunct MagKnits, by the delightful Grumperina. The pattern was well-written and really fun to knit with the traveling stitches. It called for a slightly above-budget Rowan cashmere-wool blend. But it only needs one ball so I gave in and I'm glad. It's soft and lovely. It's thin but warm.

(this is not me either, as far as I know this is the designer, SloMoeKnits)

The slouchy hat was knit on a whim, before I realized slouchy hats would be in style for the following 4 years... This was knit in a more budget-friendly yarn, to the tune of $3.00 and change. I actually think I like it more now than when I first knit it. It's a good go-to.

What I love most: each was knit sometime around 2007. And they still rock. Each is soft/stretchy enough to not pinch my ears with glasses on (am I the only one who has this happen?) And both were knit in neutral enough colors (dark teal, "mushroom") that they go with most anything. Hat win.

Traveling fool

I've been off gallivanting again. This time? The big apple.

Oh hello there Brooklyn Philharmonic in Bryant Park!

Starting and Finnish-ing

To plan for some upcoming travel (coupled with Knitter's Mercantile summer sale) I decided I needed a hipster-jet-set-bandana-scarf-shawl-thingy. I wanted lace, but not frilly. I settled on a pretty simple, geometric pattern called Fifi.

The only catch was that the pattern was written in Finnish. Because the pattern was charted, I really only needed to know what each symbol represented, plus any unique finishing details. Thank goodness for Ravelry, I found someone who'd knit this pattern and seemed to know English. I was able to email her and sort things out. She is my Terhi-godmother.
Nonetheless, I am the proud owner of two skeins of Twisted Sisters Zazu merino in monochromatic variegated gold. I looooooove it. It is precisely the color of marigolds. Or more appropriately mums, I suppose, since it's fall.