Knitting in paradise is something we all dream of.
When we think of “paradise” our thoughts usually turn to golden sandy beaches, glistening azure seas, and glorious sun-drenched skies.
Recently I was lucky enough to be in this type of paradise. For our honeymoon, my husband treated me to a fabulous week in an over-water villa in The Maldives.
Obviously I couldn’t resist taking some yarn and needles with me, and sitting outside on the balcony. Under blue sun-drenched skies, and watching and the azure blue sea and the fish that swim merrily past.
I chose to take some Artist’s Palette Yarns Damsel lace with me, and a fairly simple pattern from Victorian Lace Knitting: Large Rectangle in Spider Net.
You may be asking why I chose to take lace with me. Well, I discovered my flights allowed me to knit on the plane. So I took my knitting on the plane. 10 hour flights either way gave me a great chance to get a lot done!
Sadly I didn’t do any knitting on the plane on the way out. You see the pattern called for a lace cast on. When all the cabin lights were turned off I was left with just my own personal little tiny light, far above me. And the stranger who sat on my left hand side in economy class, was a little large. All these things combined, caused a slight issue.
After a few days in the resort I snuck a few minutes in, to cast on and get a few rows done.
Sitting outside on the balcony with my knitting was beautiful. Incredibly, even more relaxing than knitting usually makes me feel.
Although, there was one slight draw back. I couldn’t sit outside for too long in the mornings. The sun was in-front and overhead of us, and therefore created a high-risk of sunburn. I managed to snatch a few minutes here are there though.
And two, the salty sea air occasionally made my fingers feel sticky. Which made the lace knitting go even slower.
Oh wait, that’s two draw backs! Other than this, it really was paradise.
Over the rest of the holiday, I managed a total of six chart repeats. This was enough for me to have memorised the full central pattern of the project. Only 51 more repeats to go! And the knitted-on border.
On the flight back home, I did manage some knitting. We even had an empty seat to spread out into! Another ten hour flight, and I was a further 25 repeats in to the pattern. Memorising it really sped things up!
Now I’m home and, to be honest, I think I’ve managed only one further repeat.
Being on that balcony was amazingly beautiful. And the entire place was zen. I was more relaxed than I have ever been. And that was when I wasn’t knitting! But I had to be careful with the strength of the sun.
Chances in life are likely that I will never be there again. But paradise doesn’t have to be golden sandy beaches, glistening azure seas, and glorious sun-drenched skies.
I’m looking forward to getting the yarn and needles out and knitting in my back garden this coming Summer. With the birds fluttering around, the flowers showering the place in colour, and that same beautiful sun high up in the sky.
Where is your knitting paradise?
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