Looking For Leprechauns

Pattern:  Piper's Journey, by Paula Emons-Fuessle

Yarn:  Berroco Folio, Bells of Ireland colorway

Needles:  size 6

For most of my life I've wanted to go places and see sights that I knew about only from books and movies and television. But life has its own plans and that never happened like I had imagined when I was in college. No regrets, but that little dream never completely faded away. So when I was presented with the opportunity to combine my knitting hobby (that I dearly love) with a trip to Ireland, with a group of knitters, I said, "Put my name down." At that point the list was for those interested in getting more information. I'm not sure I actually thought I'd go on this trip.

But my bag is packed and in a few days I'll head off, across the sea, on an adventure of a lifetime. It's a small group of knitters, some whom are world travelers and others like me who have stayed closer to home. We will see the sights, of course, including some of particular interest to lovers of yarn. And we will knit. Yes. There is a knitting retreat at the end of the trip, complete with a pattern designed especially for this group by Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade. Helen will be with us for those days. And the pattern will be knitted with yarn custom dyed especially for this pattern by an Irish indie-dyer. 

So there will be no more blog posts until I return. My away time will be a little longer than the knitting trip because it all runs together with a piano recital, high school graduation and a dance recital. But this traveling grandmother will be back here in about a month. 

Say a prayer that we will have a safe trip. And say a prayer for healing for Paula, of Knitting Pipeline, who planned this trip many months ago. But instead of leading us on this adventure as she intended to do, she will be at home recovering from surgery. The surgery is part of her treatment for ovarian cancer. We knitters will miss her terribly because she is our friend, teacher, mentor, tour guide and den mother all rolled into one. 

The shawl, pictured above, is one of Paula's designs. In her honor, the knitting travelers have each knitted this pattern to wear on this trip. Wearing her design will be like having her with us in spirit.

PS...Baby Girl asked me to look for leprechauns while I'm there. "But DON"T BLINK, Mimi! DON'T BLINK!!!"  "If you see one and you blink they will scoot away."  "Oh, and would you take a picture of one for me? You know you'll need to be quick, don't you?"