Pretty tins for knitting notions // Liberty sewing kit

While my socks make for a lovely souvenir, they're not the only thing I brought back from Paris and London.

Like I mentioned earlier, I promised myself I would start using nice tools dedicated only to knitting. I made good on that promise by picking up a sewing kit that includes pretty scissors at famed department store Liberty, in one of their adorable signature prints. There were several options, but I liked this peacock pattern most.

I am slightly addicted to tea, especially any variety of mint, and when I saw this tin I had to have it. Lots of tea and a pretty box in which to store my knitting tools? Sold. I also stumbled upon some of my favorite candies, Les Anis de Flavigny, at a drugstore, and the tin will be perfect for little things like stitch markers and tapestry needles.

Finished socks // snow day

When I left for spring break, I had big plans to start and finish a pair of socks while in transit to/from Europe. I have to admit, I cheated a little...I knit the entire foot of the first sock the night before I left. But the rest of the pair was knit exclusively in planes, trains and automobiles (and hotel rooms)! They'll be a cute reminder of a very lovely trip, but more importantly, they're my favorite pair of socks that I've ever knitted.

They're nothing special really, just a very plain pair with a ribbed leg adapted from this universal pattern by Amy Swenson. When I was first knitting them up, I was worried that I wouldn't have enough yarn to finish so I stopped a little short on the foot, and I'm very glad I did. They are perfectly snug. I have heard many other knitters say that they make sure to size down their socks, and I finally see why — they feel comfy, warm and like they'll stay in place rather than slipping around like some of my other hand-knit pairs do.

Still, there are always some improvements that can be made! If I had had enough yarn, I would've made these a few inches longer...I think next time I make socks I might do knee-highs, even. Also, I don't love that the ribbing starts so far down on the foot, so I'd like to try adding a few rounds of stockinette after the heel turn on my next attempt.

In other news, it's still winter here in Georgetown. As much as I'm dying for spring and it's hard to come back to the cold after such nice weather in Paris and London, I took a walk this morning to get breakfast and it was absolutely gorgeous. There are few things prettier than my neighborhood in the snow!

A visit to Moët & Chandon

Being a maker of things, I love learning about how stuff is made. Something that I find very fascinating and mysterious is alcohol, wine and champagne most of all, so I was incredibly excited to take a day trip from Paris to the Champagne region to do a tour of the Moët & Chandon cellars. After six months of studying in France last year, I had still never done a real wine tour in country, and I have to say I had been missing out!

The company has miles and miles of strangely beautiful caves where champagne is stored during all parts of the process, and we learned a ton. Did you know that regular bottles of Moët never have a year on them? It's because almost every bottle has a mix of juices blended together from the current harvest and past years' reserves to create the perfect taste — the only bottles that have years on them are vintages, from years when the harvest yields such a perfectly balanced flavor that it doesn't need to be blended. Dom Perignon, which is widely considered to be the most exclusive champagne in the world, is actually so exclusive because it is only released as a vintage, so it's not even consistently available!

Much like knitting, bookbinding, and every other craft that I know anything about, creating the perfect champagne isn’t a science, it’s an art. It’s inexact at times, and everything ultimately depends on the instinct of the maker. 

The building is also gorgeously outfitted with decor that speaks of old world luxury. The most opulent piece? This chandelier made entirely of 18th-century Baccarat flutes.

Of course, the tour wouldn't have been complete without a tasting — we had one glass each of a blond demi-sec and a rosé. Both were delicious, but the blond was the uncontested favorite.

Overall, it was a wonderful day and so nice to see more of my beautiful adopted country. There's so much to do in the city, but to stop rushing from site to site and soak up an authentic part of French industry and culture can be even more valuable. If you ever have the opportunity to go, jump on it!

Have needles, will travel // the last spring break

I can't believe that today marks the beginning of my last spring break, ever. I've been lucky enough to have spent my last three breaks in NYC, road tripping through Ireland, and traveling from Prague to Vienna to Budapest. This time, I'm off to Paris and London for 10 days full of great food, good fun and wonderful friends. I can't wait to make memories with some of my favorite ladies before we graduate from college and life isn't one big sleepover anymore.

Since I have two long flights and a trip on the Eurostar to look forward to, a portable knitting project is necessary. Socks seem like the best way to go, even though I just finished a pair — there will be no pattern to consult and everything will fit nicely in my carry on. For yarn, I'm going with this grey and white sport weight skein (I can't remember who makes it, but it's from Michael's) and then I'll use up what's left of the Blue Sky Alpaca Silk (from Lauren's socks) held doubled for the cuff. At any rate, they should be done by the time I'm back, making for a quick and satisfying project. The results, along with probably 1001 pictures from the trip, will be up when I get back!!