I better pick up where I left off yesterday. Yesterday’s post was written while I took a break between Montmartre and shopping. For shopping, I decided to check out a yarn shop in Paris, not far from Chatelet-Les-Halles, called La Droguerie (French for “hardware store”. Nice).
I think the place was beautiful. As you walk in, both walls are covered in yarn for several metres. This is quality stuff, and the prices reflect that. I was quite fond of the kid mohair they had for sale. It was so fine, with such a big halo of fluff around it. They had a simple pullover made of it on display. It was knit very loosely, but when you held it in your fingers, you can tell how insulating and warm, yet light, it is. It would make a great Spring or Autumn outer layer. Note to self: get a goat. Also near the entrance to the shop was a table of knitting patterns for sale. They were in display books, like how linen shops often display sewing patterns. There were some finished garments on display nearby, and I was quite taken with a child’s pullover with a picture-knit horse and rider on the front. It reminded me of the beautiful intarsia ones I saw at the craft market in England last week.
Further down the room at La Droguerie, there was a lady demonstrating one of those spinny hank/skein winders, and also a ball winder. I lusted after these, all the while reminding myself that I am living out of a suitcase right now and therefore should steer away from things that take up lots of space. Not to mention Australian Customs wants you to declare any wood you’re taking into the country. La Droguerie also sold things for other crafts like beading and sewing. I really liked the shop. However, I didn’t buy anything. You see, lots of other people liked it too, and there was a massive queue for the counter and SO many people. I even went back an hour or so later to see if the crowd had died down, but it hadn’t. I’m not too fond of crowds. The shop was open odd hours, but this isn’t a bad thing, in fact it was good for me that day because I went there later in the day.
Yesterday evening, I also finished the beanie I was working on. Ta da!
I’m pretty happy with it. As well as adapting the pattern to be knitted flat instead of in the round because of the needles I have with me, I also increased the number of stitches and reduced the needle size for the same reason. I think it should fit a newborn up to maybe 3-4 months. For the ribbing, as I do for most ribbing I knit, I twisted every stitch by wrapping the yarn the opposite way around the needle than usual. This makes it super stretchy and in my opinion, just more effective for its purpose.
Finishing this pattern means I don’t have a project on the go at the moment. This is rare. I suppose I still have projects to steam or block. And I have some handspun socks on indefinite hiatus because I ran out of yarn, but that project isn’t in this hemisphere. I think I’ll work on my cross stitch until I get to my next destination, where I’ll probably raid my sister’s stash (she’s a crocheter), or get her to take me to her yarn pusher, and make some more stuff.
So, that was yesterday.
The Knitted Kitten and I had a very busy day today, but since I do want to keep this blog about knitting, I won’t go on and on about it, but I will share some pictures of our adventure. I also went to Pere Lachaise cemetery and tried to go to the Catacombs but it’s closed at the moment.
Paix,
Kat
