To shorten the time of separation I am getting ready to visit Abu Dhabi once more. Packing has been going on for a few days – quite unusual for me – but since I will travel with a big suitcase there is space to  move some of my clothes, yarns, fibres and one spinning wheel abroad. Plus, My husband already misses some of our North American “easy” foods like KD and Quaker instant oats. He found them at Geant supermarket at an outrageous price of 6$ for KD and 9$ for the oats. The other interesting fact is that he is currently not permitted to buy alcohol in a liquor store. For that a resident of the UAE needs a licence which one can only apply for once the resident visa stamp is in the passport which will take another week or so. Luckily, I am still allowed to bring wine and beer. 
 
The most important preparation for every trip I take is the planning of knitting projects. Usually, I take a fair bit and more than needed, but after weighing my to-be-checked-luggage and weighing in at 52 pounds -2 pounds over the limit – items from the suitcase had to move into my hand luggage and taking away precious yarn and fibre space. So, my Louet Victoria spinning wheel’s carry bag was stuffed with fibre, yarn for knitting, some knitting needles and in the end even some clothes. Even with all that stuffing it weighed in under 18 pounds or less than 9 kg. 

 
 
For knitting I brought a pair of socks I started the day before and some yarn to knit a few more of my mini bowls/coasters. Just some easy, straight forward entertainment while on the plane and while waiting in the airports. 

The week before departure was a busy one with work and a fabulous spin class with Diana Twiss at Fibreswest. Even though I had taken classes before to learn how to spin a yarn I had not really sat down to see how different amount of twist in either the singles or while plying make a difference in the final yarn. I had been under the impression that all my yarns needed to be completely balanced after plying which then meant if I did not spin my singles with high twist my final yarn ended up with a low twist in the final yarn. Low twist can be an issue when knitting with it as it sometimes removes a little of the twist making the yarn look like two separate strands rather than one. We created a reference card for the different amount of twists and I have another card at home I can fill with the different drafting methods and their impact on the yarn structure. Something to do once the move has happened.

As for projects I managed to finish: the “Kunterbunt” scrap yarn hat turned out well. I sewed in the threads between colours to avoid the dreaded hiding of all the 22 yarn ends – 2 for each colour- in the end. The pompom added a little fun and helps the slouchy look when worn higher up.

More about my Easter in Abu Dhabi next week. 

The reality of our move to the UAE is sinking in and eliciting various feelings: from excited most of the time to doubtful that all organization can be done in the time left. This made me look back into my last big move 20 years ago and wondering if I had those emotions before. I can remember the excitement, but not the worries so much. Most likely because I was moving towards a future with my husband in a city I fell in love with and a plan to resume work in my profession. This move we will be delving into the unknown:  a very different country and culture (even though not so visible during a short visit) and no decisive plans for my work future. Not setting out with a definite plan is new to me and an interesting experience. Let’s see where it will take me.

While the temperatures in Abu Dhabi are rising towards 30C Vancouver is still relatively cool which does not stop our spring flowers from sprouting everywhere. I love this time of year when the cherry blossoms are out and the first magnolia trees are starting to bloom.

The sun today was so deceptive: luring many people to shed their coats to walk in short-sleeves and shorts: in 5-10 C! I am quite happy about this as I can continue to use my warm hand-knit sweaters and cardigans a little longer before they will all go into storage.

Knitting continues to keep my mind focussed and in the moment when too many things are going through my head at once. The mystery KAL-shawl for my friend Uta has been finished and looks beautiful. The mohair-merino lace yarn knit up into a lightweight and airy piece of art that adds a little warmth to the shoulders. It currently measures about 60 cm by 120 cm and I plan to block it to 60 cm x 140 cm to open up the patterns. Pictures will be posted later in the year once the KAL is underway.

The small cowl, named “Stacks“, I started to practice my more efficient knitting has been finished as well and I just treated myself to cast on for the “Kunterbunt” striped scrap-yarn hat today. Knowing that I will take a day-long (yarn-) spinning class at Fibreswest in Cloverdale this weekend I did not feel like sitting down at my Majacraft wheel and started to spin with my little Louet Victoria travel wheel instead. What a difference! The small travel wheel is much lighter and feels more wobbly when I spin on it.  The brake, controlling the uptake, is difficult to adjust in very small increments and takes me a while to fiddle with before I can spin a continuous and even thread. May be, I need to change the thread on the knob that sets the tension on the break or replace the entire knob as it does not stay well in its chosen position. Still, I started with my azure blue pulled sari silk fibre. What a great colour! And best of all: no more reds, purples or pinks.

 

Next week will see me travelling with my Louet spinning wheel and I hope I can still bring it on the plane as a carry-on. It is small enough to fit hand-luggage sizing – sort of – and I really don’t entrust it to the baggage handlers. The plan is to have it with me to spin some yarn while my husband is at work. It could work in an air-conditioned room. Another novelty will be writing my blog on a tablet instead of my home computer. I am curious to see if I can do it while on the road.

Cheers, Maike.