SailingKnitter

Yeah, you heard me - I don't need no stinking yarn swift. I've got the helm on the boat. See? See how the hank of red yarn sits on the steering wheelie thingy that's covered in canvas? And my arms and hands are my ball winder. Okay, so I did use those tools at Knitting Camp earlier this month, but who wouldn't with 2500 yards of laceweight yarn to ball up?

We're in the middle of a heatwave here in California so I thought it's time for me to dig out some worsted weight wool and knit up a man's sweater! Actually, last Saturday, in the air-conditioned comfort of our local yarn store, a fellow knitter was working on a sweater of worsted weight wool and I just couldn't stand it anymore. My fingers itched to knit a gansey or aran. Yep, needed some good old wool with plenty of vegetative matter in it flowing through my fingers.

This is the "Land & Sea" sweater from Cottage Craft Fine Woollens www.townsearch.com/cottagecraft/ in the Black Cherry colorway. I knit out in the cockpit of the boat when the breeze comes up, late at night when it's cooler, and in the air conditioned car.

Speaking of cars...Jones took me out for an adventure today! We went to TWO small grimy machine shops complete with guys with tattoos and long greasy hair - so cool! My dad used to drag me around town to these sorts of places when I was a kid. I just love the smell of machinery and oil!! Plus, it's facinating that out of all this massive dirty machinery comes perfect little metal parts made to your specifications. These guys are artists.

Then, Jones took me to the Industrial Surplus Store!! Rows and rows of bins of hardware, some rusty, most dusty, really wierd stuff, really large stuff for shipbuilding too. I actually bought some nylon thread to knit up some stowage bags/hammocks for the boat. Too soon though it was time to return to the boat and get to work (Jones worked - I knit). I helped a little bit.

Actually, Jones had me get INTO the dingy which is hanging off the back of the boat to try and fit the new cover on the dingy. There I was...hanging over the water some 8 feet, wobbling, hanging just by 2 ropes (lines) and the new davits. After that adventure Jones said he was now relieved to know that the dingy wouldn't be a problem hanging on the back of the boat when we're underway if it gets swamped with ocean waves - afterall, it held up while I was in it!!! So now he knew that the glued-on metal rings on the dingy would hold weight. Hmmmm...