A yarn of scurvy, toothless pirates

Only brought in 4 prawns but my were they tasty.  We caught a whole bunch of little lobster-like creatures as well, bringing one back to the boat for further investigation.

We couldn't find it in any guidebooks on board but the boys drew pictures and we took a picture for future reference.  A little googling turned it up to be a squat lobster.

My dad saw that seashell on middle left of the book cover and joked that it looks like the kind of hat I'd knit. ;)  Not yet anyways, but the Sweatermaker (of Vancouver Island) merino sock yarn is half on it's way to becoming a pair of socks.  I picked it up at the Fun Knits booth at the Gibson's Fiber Fest.  Shelley was super helpful at keeping the boys, who were extremely restless by that point, entertained while I looked through sock yarn and ogled her Kauni sweater and the Kauni yarn she had for sale.  It was awfully tempting to pick some up right then and there even without a plan for what to make with it but I steeled myself and walked away only with the sock yarn.   Indigo Moon's yarns, some chemically and some naturally dyed, were gorgeous and tempting as well (she said the yarns would be online soon).  We were also able to walk through the classrooms where there were so many inspiring workshops taking place.

E's multipurpose stripey pirate/Santa/gnome/elf socks were completed somewhere along the way on the trip, I can no longer remember where.  Pirate flags were sewn, in true procrastinator's fashion, in secret, late the night before we left home, a few weeks ago.  The boys had seen the fabric at a store in Seattle about a month prior and had asked for some.  At the time I said no, but then re-thought things when they kept talking about making pirate flags, adding it to an online order later.  These were quick and easy and I managed to get four of them out of one yard of fabric, one each for the boys and their cousin and one for my dad. They're made to slip onto the end of a stick and one was adapted to be hung on the boat.

The last pics: I just loved the combinations of colors at the beginning of a dock we tied up at, with the blackberry brambles growing through.  There was no chance of scurvy on this trip with all the coastal red huckleberries straight off the bush and blackberries eaten on pancakes.

Comments

[Rebecca]

I love those colours too, your photo makes me yearn to knit something in those shades, maybe a child's sweater, I wonder if I can match the shades in my local yarn shop.

[laurie]

just stopping in to say "i'm so enjoying all your tales and pixs". you look like you are really enjoying yourself with your pirates! thoses are going to be great lobster socks!!! happy sails!

[Dava]

Your blog has been the vacation I didn't get this summer. Thanks for the wonderful trip!

[Carrie]

Eeeuuww, the squat lobster gave me the willies. It's ironic that I have no problem with most bugs, but other critters that LOOK like bugs? Gross.
That first picture of the boys and your dad is priceless.
Anyway, sometime late tonight, turn and look toward Hamilton and see if you can see me waving. ;-)

[Cami]

Thanks for a great blog. I grew up under the Big Sky and your photos make me homesick for it. I have been so inspired by your blog and joie de vivre. I finally took the plunge and bought some yarn to dye. I was going to use kool aid until I saw the dahlias in one of your last posts. I quickly harvested some and brewed up some dye. You're right! It's incredibly addicting. I then grabbed some black-eyed susans (rudbekia) and dyed half another skein with the petals only and the other half with the full heads. Beautiful!! How much dye can I make before the garden peters out..??

[Peg]

Hooray! You did get some Sweatermaker yarn. Judy lives about 10 mi. from me! She is the nicest gal too, very much like Shelley. I am going to another knitters' retreat with Shelley. She is just the nicest person and she allows us a shop in her store without any other customers. You can imagine the chatter as we oogle and feel her yarns. I have looked at the Kauni kits, but I want to see them in person to see if I want to knit that sweater!
Love the pirate flags!

[michelle]

I just recently came across the Kauni yarn myself (but not in real life) and I find it so intresting. I love the idea of doing a faux fair isle with it though but I want to see the colors in person first - the rainbow one everyone seems to be using seems a bit much for me, but on the site they had some beautiful browns and greens and blues that seemed more like myself.

I love the toothless grin of your one son - to cute.

[kt]

I think that the colorway of the yarn you bought should be "Squat Lobster".

Just an idea...

(hee-hee)

lovelovelove your blog

[jean]

nothing makes my heart go pitter pat like a child with missing front teeth. fantastic.

[Amber]

Ooooh, love that shade of blue and red together----I'm fairly having an obsession with that shade of blue right now...