All You Knit is Love
This blog entry is a bit of a departure from my usual posts. I’m writing to your from my hotel room in Barcelona, Spain. Yes, SPAIN! I have a fantastic view of Montjuic (way up in the distance) from my room, which has been incredible to see at sunsets and at night.
I’m in one of my favorite places on earth, getting to do a few of my favorite things (travel, knit, eat [so much eating]), and I get to tell you all about it! I am here for my job, working with and training our production team, but I’ve still had time outside of the office to get in some fun. I’m going to cover a lot of different things this month, so I’m going to dig deep into what I learned in Expository Writing (freshman year of college!) to pull it all together for you.
Confession: I did not come up with the title of this post on my own. I’m clever, but every knitting pun you could possibly ever think of is already out there somewhere. I don’t necessarily think of the Beatles when I think of knitting, but I felt like it was a sign that I had to incorporate them somehow. From the moment I entered my hotel room and saw these door hangers….
Then, after doing some Google sleuthing for where I could find yarn, I happened upon the quaintest little knit shop called “all you knit is love.” Rightfully so, this yarn shop, nestled near the Gothic Quarter in the La Ribera neighborhood of Barcelona (not far from the Picasso Museum), became the inspiration for this month’s title. It was just under a 20-minute walk from the office, so I hustled to get there after work before it closed and before my dinner reservation. So, what are the odds that I leave New Jersey only to go to a yarn store operated by an Arizonian whose dad is from New Jersey!? I couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t a big shop (there wasn’t much more to see than what’s in the photo below), but it had a beautiful selection of natural fibers and a few needles and notions.
I’d decided that I’d travel light (so proud of my tiny carry-on suitcase and bag) for my two-week stay, so I only brought with me what I needed to finish a project I was currently knitting. So, I picked up a few soft, chunky, skeins of Hjertegarn Natur Uld 100% virgin, Danish, wool that I already had plans for once I saw it. I also grabbed a set of DPNs (double-pointed needles—biggest she had in store), and a KnitPro circular needle with a 360° swivel cable. Let me pause here a moment to tell you that this cable is everything and I will be buying more/various lengths. It’s a total game changer because it means no fussing over a cable that’s gotten all twisted up like a bad wedgie. Believe me…swiveling is where it’s at. Get one (or 10…who’s counting?)!
Since I had traveled light and since “all you knit is love” only had a limited supply of larger sized needles, I decided I’d “make do” with what I found. As much as I loved the 16” swivel cable, it wasn’t going to cut it for the projects I had in mind. And I really needed larger needles. So now I had an excuse to find another yarn shop (not that I needed an excuse, of course).
The weekend came, and after a not-so-healthy, indulgent brunch consisting of a churronut sandwich and chips (offset by a yummy passion fruit mocktail and an espresso), I went in search of more yarn. First stop was Lalanalú—another incredibly cute (and small) yarn shop. This one shares the same postal code as your beloved fortuknit (what luck!) not far from Avenida Diagonal. When I came in, a class was just finishing up. The woman at the desk was friendly and helpful in my hunt for better needle/cable options than what I’d found the night before. Even though this supply was more expansive, it was still pretty limited. Lalanalú was also full of beautiful handknit and hand-crocheted items for sale. They also had tons of books and project bags to choose from (my favorite tote that I saw is pictured below).
My third and finally stop was to Miss Kits. Apparently I’d saved the biggest shop for last. I was tempted by the massive collection of beautiful yarns begging for a trip to the U.S. by way of my carry on. I caved and bought two yarn skeins. Since I arrived just as they were about to close for the afternoon (don’t forget that many Spanish shops close for lunch), I got what I needed before heading out for some lunch myself.
I’ve been working on some “quick n cute” projects while I’ve been here (mostly hats). I worked on a baby bootie and hat set for a client order, a hat as a gift for my coworker whose birthday we celebrated over dinner last night, and a hat for myself! Photos below include my hotel-style washing, drying and blocking. I didn’t forget to bring my travel-sized Soak with me, which has been coming in handy over and over again during my trip!
Pattern Credits:
Baby booties and beanie: 60 Quick Knit Gifts for Babies Adorable kids items in 220 Superwash® from Cascade Yarns®
Magenta hat (modified pattern): Mountain Time Chunky Hat by Ashley Lillis
Multi-color hat (modified pattern): Pixels Beanie by Suzee Knits
And while I’ve been knitting with love here in BCN, a lot has been happening back home in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia. Not only did the Eagles win the NFL Championship game and are on their way to Super Bowl LVII (fly, Eagles, fly!), I also just learned of a weekly crafting group called Sew What?!, where needle crafters are gathering to share, learn and create. I hope to check it out once I’m back Stateside. In the meantime, as I wrap up not only my trip, but also this post, I hope you’ve felt all the love that poured in, especially as we kick off the month of love. Check out more photos from my trip below!
