Places You Can Knit

Since being out of China I have really had the chance to catch up on Instagram (IG) and my blog reading. Due to the internet restrictions, it can be really difficult to load pictures or really any internet content that isn’t Chinese. Social media, such as IG, is such an inspiration for me. I love to see what people are making/ creating as well as catching up on the latest pattern releases.

All this inspiration lead me to start thinking about how I express my passions in life. So I am starting a series of posts via Instagram (@knitsbywhitsf) about knitting while traveling Australia this summer. If you would like to join in spreading knitting love use the hashtag #knitwhiletraveling2018.

I look forward to seeing where you love to knit!

Until Next Time,

-Whit-

Advertisement

Visit Vermont

Oh Vermont, how quaint your state is. Considering the whole state is less populated than the city of San Franciso I didn’t know what to expect. The two days I was there I thoroughly enjoyed your green mountains, historic towns, and super friendly citizens. 

Your state capital Montpelier has that small town charm mixed with years and years of history. I was a huge fan of old brick buildings. The state house was also pretty spectacular as well.

Not too far up the road, there was the Ben and Jerry’s factory. It was the best place to stop on a hot day. We all enjoyed visiting the flavor graveyard, checking out the cows, and most of all sampling the ice cream.

Our adventures also lead us to the Trapp Family Lodge (yes the place where the family from the Sound of Music lived), the gorgeous Shelburne Farms, and Bristol Falls for some cliff jumping.  Coming from California, a state that was in a huge drought, Vermont was soooooo green. The grass looked like an emerald carpet.

Thank you to my dear friend J for showing us such a great time. She really convinced us that Vermont is a pretty amazing state to visit 😉. 

Until Next Time, 

-Whit-

Tales From The Road

So our move has begun. We will be road tripping across the USA to Martha’s Vineyard and then we will wiggle down the East Coast to Virginia. The whole trip should take us about 2.5 weeks. As of today we are in Nebraska. It has been so enjoyable watching the changing landscape while barreling east on I-80. 

In the car, we have been listening to an audio book called Desperation by Stephen King. I have to say it is a little creepy to listen to on this particular trip. In the story, a psychopathic cop targets people on road trips as they travel down Highway 50 in Nevada. Thankfully, we didn’t take that route 😬. 

I have also been knitting up a storm. I finished an Etsy order ( Toddler Hat made with Cascade Heritage Paints in Baltimore) and started some socks. I am knitting with Payton’s Kroy Sock yarn in Grey Brown Marl. Not my favorite yarn to knit with. I like a little more sheen and springiness to my sock yarn. I am curious to see if the softness level changes after a soak. I have two skeins to work with so I am making some pretty big socks. 

Well only 1,400 more miles to go! 

Until Next Time,

-Whit-

Orchids in Balboa Park

Aside from knitting, flowers are my favorite things to admire. The variety of colors and shapes keep my inner creator intrigued.

I had the pleasure of heading to San Diego, CA this weekend and I got to wander through the Botanical Garden in Balboa Park. The garden featured orchids, tropical palms, and ferns, and there was a little tulip patch. Many of the colors had me taking notes. Case and point these flowers: 

I am in love with this rich hot pink color. I must find some yarn this exact color and knit a cardigan. Not quite sure why mind is saying cardigan, but I am rolling with it haha. 

The orchids on display were hands down my favorite. Orchids are so sculptural looking and the color combinations/patterning have me in awe. This visit most certainly got my creative wheels turning.

What inspires you to create?

Until Next Time,

-Whit-

Urban Hike: Mt. Davidson

One of my favorite things to do in San Francisco is to go on urban hikes. San Francisco, like many major cities on the west coast, has a lot of green space to enjoy. This weekend we “conquered” Mount Davidson.  As I learned from Bay Area Hiker, Mount Davidson is the highest natural point in the city.

The view from Mount Davidson was spectacular. We mainly stayed on the east side of the hill and took in the downtown skyline.  The view made for a great backdrop to take some photos.

Also located on the mountain is a giant concrete cross. In 1997, the Armenian American Organization purchased the cross from the city and placed a plaque to honor those who were victims of the 1915 genocide.

The hike was not too strenuous, and when you combine the 1.5-mile walk from my apartment, it was a nice way to get some exercise. It has been steadily raining for the last two weeks so it was nice to be out and about.

In other news, I decided to re-open my Etsy shop. I have way too many FO piled around my apartment. I also plan on listing some patterns that I have created as well. If you have the chance please stop by and visit/favorite my shop.😀

What did you do this weekend? 

Until Next Time,

-Whit-

From Beach to Snow

My husband is always saying “California is the best state.” I don’t know about all that. Yes, California is awesome, but I still have a special place in my heart for my original home state of Massachusetts.

The one thing I can say is that California has one of the most diverse geographic landscapes in the USA. We have beaches, mountains, desert, farmland, and great cities all in one state. From San Francisco alone, you can drive to the mountains, coast, farmland all within 3 hours. This winter break I got to do quite a bit of adventuring, 1,389 miles to be exact. At times, it was a little exhausting, but it was fun to see so much of California in a week in a half.

My adventures began with driving from San Francisco San Diego, CA.  I really enjoy  San Diego. I love that it is warm with great views and has a city feeling to it, but it is not overwhelming. While visiting we headed to Cabrillo National Monument, Old Town San Diego, the Gaslamp District, and La Jolla.

My college friend headed back up to San Francisco with me and we got to do a little hiking in Muir Woods/ Mt. Tamalpais State Parks. In these parks, you can take in the fantastic views of the bay as well as the giant Redwood trees.

For Christmas, my husband and I headed north to Sacramento. It was lovely spending time with family. I also got the special surprise of a ukulele! Kind of random yes I know. However, one day my husband and I were talking about things on our bucket lists and I brought up how I wanted to learn to play the ukulele. Here is me in my Red Rosina (don’t worry a future post is coming about my sweater) attempting to play.

Last, but not least, we headed to the Sierra Mountains to visit my husband’s extended family. Boy was it cold! I am used to being in 55-degree weather and it was 19 degrees one morning…Yikes! The snowy landscape was very pretty and we got the chance to walk through the snow covered pines along the Feather River. The Sierra Mountains have a unique beauty, but the winters are most certainly not for me. All and all a great trip yet, I am in need of a little vacation from my vacation.😉

 

Until Next Time,

-Whit-

The Beach

I looked out onto the world around me and took in the beauty. The beach is one of those places I can just let my senses take over and rest my mind.

Meditation along Highway 1

I am comforted by the rush of the water on the shoreline and the smell of salt in the air. 

Pheiffer Beach

I love how the wet sand bends beneath my feet as I leisurely stroll the length of the beach. Although I cannot stand the grit, I love to see the path I traveled.

Sandollar Beach

As my mind wanders, I take in the changing sounds around me. The noise of children yelling, the churning water, and dogs barking at the birds above me.

Pheiffer Beach

The beach is not merely a place of relaxation for me; it’s a place of freedom. This freedom allows my thoughts to slow and practicalities to take the passenger seat. In my world, there are so many controls that can take over my mind- work, family, politics. It is nice to have a place where my thoughts can be mine.

Beach near Point Sur Light Station

-Whit-

Adventures in Big Sur

This weekend was my birthday (the 31st edition) and my husband suprised me with camping in Big Sur, California. Big Sur is located on the central coast along Highway 1. It was a spectacular trip. Over and over again I am amazed by the beauty of the California coastline.

We started in Point Lobos Park to view the tumbling cliffs and sandy coves.

We headed south to Pfeiffer Beach. This beach was a little hidden and foggy, but such a great place to rock climb and explore nature.

We camped at Fernwood Resort, which is a great campground for Rvs and tents. Our campsite overlooked a small river, which made for some lovely views while I worked on my Red Rosina sweater.

On Saturday, we drove a total of 35 miles on Highway 1. Our hikes took us to McKay Falls, Limekiln Park and Pacific Valley Bluff Trail. All were fairly easy hikes with great scenery. I just couldn’t get enough of the breathtaking ocean views.

On Sunday, we took a tour of the Point Sur Light Station. The tour was little long, but so infomative. We looked for whales, explored the lighthouse, and then got to see the Head Lightkeeper’s house. The house was awesome as it was preserved with 1950’s artifacts. Everything down to the cans in the kitchen cabinets were vintage.

Later that afternoon, I received my birthday present. My husband (the smart man he is) treated me to a trip to Monarch Knitting Shop in Pacific Grove, CA. This yarn shop was magnificent. It was big, spacious, well organized and very welcoming.

The staff were super nice without being pushy. There were so many great brands from economic (Berroco) to pricey (Sweet Gerogia) to choose from. I ended up splurging and got two skiens of Madeline Tosh DK in Spectrum. Ooo whee 😍. I get excited just thinking about it. My first skeins of the coveted Tosh yarn. I think I am going to stash this for awhile till I find the perfect project.

 Until Next Time,

-Whit-

Adventures in North Bay

On Saturday morning we packed up the car and headed northward to Marin County for an evening of camping. My husband wanted to take me and some friends to Dillon’s Beach, where he spent many weekends while he was a Boy Scout. Let me say it didn’t disappoint. Never have I been to a country area that abuts a beach. The vibrant green grass and rolling sand dunes in combination with the low lying mist hovering over Bodega Bay was spectacular.

On Sunday, we packed up camp and drove back into civilization. We made a pit-stop in Petaluma, California. What a cute town! There are a lot of historical Victorian buildings still in Petaluma as it survived the 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco. The town has done a spectacular job of up-keeping/restoring the buildings. One fun fact that I learned was that the town has been the backdrop for over 15 movies (example: American Graffiti). 

Lucky me I also discovered a lovely yarn shop in the downtown area. Knitterly is a spacious and welcoming shop. The yarn selection was mostly in the mid-price range ($13 and up) with a few brands of lower cost yarn (Plymouth and Berroco). What I enjoyed most about the shop was that they carried a couple of brands that I have wanted to pet in person (Brooklyn Tweed, Quince and Co, Hedgehog Fibers). I ended up purchasing a skein of Brooklyn Tweed Arbor and a skein of Woolfolk (worsted weight).

I selected Arbor from Brooklyn Tweed as it seemed the softest against the skin. Plus I loved the vibrant red color. The Woolfolk yarn was a total impulse buy. I petted the skein and was divine. It was soft, squishy, and in a lovely jewel tone color. *swoon*

Fun with friends, exploring new places, and yarn. What a weekend. 🙂

Until Next Time

-Whit-

Sometimes

…my commute home surprises me. 

San Francisco Bay Bridge

–Whit-