While we’re in the subject of fangirling and bands playing in Dubai, here are a few more photos I took from that very hot evening spent singing along with and watching Boyzone in Dubai. Dear me, this was 3 years ago!
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Take me back to this amazing place…
A very quiet spot in the woods. We just had to stop our tour bus and get off and smell the crisp clean air and take photos while dodging cars!
Brandywine Shawl is one of those patterns in my one-day-I-will-knit-this list. I coveted the pattern ever since I laid my eyes on it and was lucky enough to receive it as a gift from a swap I participated in ages ago, (thanks, Susan!) but just never found the drive to actually knit it.
I hand-dyed the yarn I used for this project, originally planning to use it for colourwork but I was itching to cast on a shawl in this yarn. The pattern is a gift from SusanFromAthens during a Sundara swap. 🙂
My original cast on date was actually the 12th of August 2011. Yes. So long ago. I was in the middle of Chart B, that much I remember, and I made the mistake of not marking my place in the chart. So when I dropped the project to work on something and then came back to it, I could not read my work! I had no idea where in the chart I was.
So nearly 3 years after that original cast on, I frogged what little progress I had and restarted the shawl. The years between had hopefully given me enough experience to know better than to rely on my own (failing) memory.
I did 12 repeats of Chart B since the skein is quite generous and I think I could have added one more repeat and still have leftover to contribute to my sock yarn blanket.
It was fun while it lasted but I am glad to finish this shawl. Seems like ages ago when I first had the desire to knit this complicated-looking shawl. I struggled with the i-cord bind off and even thought of doing just a regular stretchy version but it looked untidy and out of place. So I persevered until I got the hang of it, which was quite satisfying because now the shawl has a nice neat top edge.
Thanks to the ever gracious Marina for modelling the shawl for me.
Raveled!
Cast on: 27 July 2014
Cast off: 2 January 2015
Needles: US 6 – 4.0 mm / US 8 – 5.0 mm
Yarn: Wollmeise “Pure” 100% Merino Superwash, Natural
How much: 0.9 skeins = 473.2 meters (517.5 yards), 135 grams
It seems like a lifetime ago now but we recently visited Georgia for the first time. Georgia the country in Europe, not Georgia the state in America. It’s one of the Eurasian countries where Filipinos can travel without requiring a visa, that is if you have a valid residence visa in the UAE, which we have. Yay! We are allowed to visit visa-free for up to 90 days. We only needed a few days so that was great for us. In fact, there were quite a few Filipino holiday-makers in the same flight as ours. Why not take advantage of visa-free travel, yes?
Some trivia about the number 44:
Meanwhile, in the here and now, I turned 44 years old today, and my iPhone knows how to make my day!
I did receive private messages from my children, a hug from the husband and the youngest son, phone call from my parents and lots of messages from friends and family everywhere. Josica made a special tiramisu cake and brought me flowers. My colleagues made the day quite special. Thank you all.
Excuse the bingo wings!
The best part of my birthday card from work this year is this :
I did not expect that, which makes it even better! Thank you everyone for the well wishes, the emails, the PMs, the WhatsApp messages. I do not feel my age at all 🙂
My output rate in blogging is way behind than my output rate in taking photos and going on adventures. This was the main reason why I succumbed to the appeal of micro blogging on social media sites. But still I’m the one at fault – if I make time to write up a post to go with the photos without such a delay, I’d be up to date.
No matter, I still have a few favourites from our UK trip so let’s get started.
It’s no secret that I am a knitter and I love yarn. Â It gives me something productive to turn to when I’m not at my day job. Dyeing yarn is something I also do in the side but not on full-time basis just yet. The lovely Theresa of reMADE DXB approached me a while ago to ask if I was interested in doing a knitting workshop. I could hardly contain my excitement but had to play it cool, as you do.
I’m not a very good teacher, in my opinion, because I would expect you to follow my exact instructions and if a finger flicks the wrong way, I might start to get a twitch in my left eye.
Seriously though, I think it will be just fine. Theresa will be there to support me so I’m certain I won’t make such a mess of things.
Without further adieu, here are the details of the Knit Academy – Cable Workshop from reMADE DXB: clicky.
The workshop will be held on the 21st and 28th Nov from 11am at the reMADE studio in Al Barsha.
This is perfect for confident beginners and intermediate knitters who want to learn cables, seamless knitting in the round and other new techniques to add to their knitting arsenal. All materials will be provided, you just need to bring your knit game on!
The Sewing Parlour at reMADE DXB can be found at 1/F Objects & Elements, Opp Al Serkal Avenue, Street 8, Al Quoz 1, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
During our first visit to London, we were welcomed by the infamous British summer. Grey skies, cool breeze and rain. Not so much that we got soaking wet, but enough to cease any outdoor activity and seek shelter in the shops or the nearest tube station! I did buy an umbrella and brought along sweaters and scarves, but I underestimated the effect of the change from high 40s in Dubai to low 20s in London. That’s Celsius by the way. Â My body is clearly built and adjusted for warmer climes.
During one specially clear and sunshiny day, we trekked over to Marble Arch/Hyde Park for an adventure.
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