Right around Mother's Day, right before we were about to head to Lugano for the Helvetia World Stamp Expo, my @kimberlee_fuller IG account was hacked.
Most of my peeps are already well aware but if anyone hasn't figured it out by now, I had to create a brand new account and my new profile is @therealkimberleefuller. In a way, "losing" my account was one of the nicest things that ever happened to me. More people reached out to check if I was OK and/or really me than to congratulate me on getting married or even giving birth to Xena!
Anyway, while we were in Lugano, I finished my Hills and Hollows Tank designed by Jamie Hoffman. This kit was part of the Ritual Dyes Spring Equinox 2022 offering and it was my Easter present to myself.
I knit Size 3 of the pattern and went down a needle size using 2's throughout except when I used a 3 to bind off in a few places.
The undulating rhythm of this pattern is so soothing to knit.
This is the perfect summer top for SF "summers".
The tank couldn't possibly fit better. I haven't even bothered to block it.
It also matches perfectly with a classic Euro-holiday cocktail, an Aperol Spritzer.
If you look closely at the pattern, it creates a repetition of little heart shaped bunny footprints and if that's not the cutest thing ever, I don't know WTF is.
Below is all of the yarn I bought at Yarn Shop in Lugano.
The Lanivendole "A Stormy Blend DK" is non-SW 70% Brogna Wool + 30% Alpaca from Italy. The yarn on the above right is "A Chic Blend" which is 60% Abruzzese Wool/20% Alpaca/20% Mohair. I'm going to use it to knit another Hills and Hollows tank.
Lots of lofty summer yarns on the table.
I was very impressed with Gabbi's Ito selection.
Did I mention that this shop was walking distance from our hotel and practically around the block from the stamp show?
This is Gabbi, the owner, holding a Feel the Bern Sweater knit in Myak. She was very kind and welcoming and I sincerely hope I get to visit her shop again someday. Even though most of the customers at the trunk show were speaking Italian, we were still able to communicate through our mutual appreaciation of the patterns that we knit.
Aside from all of the obvious (food, philatelic events, luxury BS, etc.) the best part of my trip was all of the time I had to knit!
That's me in Zürich Hauptbanof, waiting for our train.
As usual, Matt was working on his stamp exhibit down to the utmost last minute before it was too late to put it in the frames.
This is a photo of the sock I was knitting after hiking down Monte Brè.
This is my sock before take off in Frankfurt.
Finally advanced to sock #2 while watching the NBA playoffs at the SF Athletic Club.
Returning to the US was rather anti-climatic but in an effort to return to the reality of Bay Area life, I cast on my scrappy sale yarn Stage Coach sweater.
I'm using all discontinued Fibre Co. RTCL so the colors used depend on the quantities available.
The contrast is limited but I'm still feeling it. Anyway, my struggle isn't completely over but I have reached the point where IDGAF and I am just done with these mittens. It's a long story but I already tried knitting these mittens in 2 different brands of yarn, using 3 different needle sizes and I'm still not totally satisfied with the results but I digress.
I knit these mittens for my penpal, Raquel, who is also one of my best friends IRL and certainly my favorite resident of Stockholm, Sweden.
Kent is one of her favorite bands.
