Trot, trot to Boston
Mr. Garter and I zipped off to Boston over the weekend for the wedding of two good friends. Naturally, this entailed a lot of last-minute scurrying around, taking our wedding finery to the drycleaners and scheduling haircuts and lining up neighbors to feed the cat and printing driving directions and — most importantly — figuring out what to knit on the plane. Hence, the blog post I started to draft never quite got off the ground, and then I didn’t touch a computer for four whole days. This may be a record for the year, which alarms me just a little, but I’m happy to report I didn’t feel any symptoms of withdrawal. I did, however, feel guilty about not having fed the blog before I went away. Do forgive the hiatus.
So what was I knitting on the plane? I had started a little lace project earlier in the week. The wedding was to be “daytime formal”, and here at Blue Garter we don’t stock a lot of haute couture. My best dress is inherited from Mr. G’s Fashion-Plate Beverly Hills Grandmother, may she rest in peace. It’s lovely, but I feel certain that at one time it had some sort of belt or sash or something in the middle. It needs it. So naturally, I thought I’d knit one to match my shoes. I was in possession of a skein of Habu cashmere laceweight (nabbed on sale) in a complimentary shade. Why is it that it seems like such a brilliant idea to just whip up a little something in yarn the weight of spider silk on size 2 needles when you know the thing needs to be blocked and buttoned in five days’ time? I know I’ve had these impulses before, and I know I cursed myself for giving in to them, and yet it seems I haven’t learned a thing from the experience. At any rate, I pulled it off this time.
I’ll admit to getting certain kicks out of setting foot on a hallowed Ivy League campus. The brick, the lawns, the art museum… you can practically smell the bookish geekdom. Of course there was an entirely different scene kittycorner across the Yard. It was Octoberfest in Harvard Square.
This piratey stilt-clown guy snuck up on me. I totally didn’t know he was there in this picture, except that my camera man was grinning suspiciously.
That other plum-colored bit of knitting I’m wearing isn’t my own work. It’s the Shibui Lace Shrug, and it’s really lovely, and it matched my shoes perfectly.
The wedding (at Memorial Church; we didn’t get all dolled up and go to Harvard just to be quirky) was joyous, and it was a delight to catch up with friends I haven’t seen in five years. This is a crowd I know from the time I spent teaching school in the Bahamas, and they’re top-notch people. You know you’re among top-notch people when, during the wedding supper, everyone around you is suddenly wearing a ridiculous wig. At first it’s your goofy friends, and it’s just good nostalgic fun because the wigs (along with hula hoops) were a favorite party accessory for nights on the dock drinking Kalik beer. But pretty soon the wee flower girls are decked out as Elvis and Little Orphan Annie, and the bride’s father is cutting up the dance floor in a fluorescent pink bob. The wedding pictures are going to be tough to explain, I’m afraid. We had to leave the festivities all too early in order to snatch a few hours’ sleep before the morning flight home.
As it turned out, we missed our connection at Newark and were left with eight hours to wait until the next plane. I was in no mood to spend that much time in my second-least-favorite airport, even after the customer service counter attendant pointed out that there was a “meditation room” available. So we caught the train into the city and enjoyed a quick visit with my brother and his fiancée and a few other good friends. We could hardly keep our eyes open, but it was worth it.
And fortunately, I didn’t have to knit little scraps of lace on the way home. I’d brought my two sweaters to work on, and some lazy hours with my pal Mia and the fabulous entertainment of the Planet Earth DVDs gave me ample knitting time: there’s a veritable sea of blue ribbing in my tote bag just now. More on that next time. Just now I need to get some sleep. Mr. G caught a cold on the way home and I’ve no wish to contract it!
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 2:56 am
Stunning, you look absolutely stunning!
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 4:02 am
Love the dress and the belt was the perfect addition. How gorgeous you look, and glamorous! And to hear that you were in the city and we couldn’t see you breaks my heart! Glad to hear you were able to make the most out of your trip east though.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 4:49 am
Very elegant! Sounds like a fine weekend, cold and plane delays aside.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 5:10 am
oh my gosh, sarah, you looked sooooo elegant and lovely. the shrug went perfectly with that dress. . .
what’s your least favorite airport then? curious. . .
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 6:24 am
you look gorgeous! That dress is perfect for you as is the little lace belt.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 6:25 am
when I first read that you were planning to knit a belt of lace cashmere, I was skeptical about how that could work with a dressy dress without looking a bit too home-crafty, but it’s perfect. A really effective accent with just the right amount of restraint and flair balanced. And I love that shrug.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 6:42 am
Beautiful dress! The belt and shrug look perfect with it. Glad to hear you enjoyed the weekend. I’m a native New Yorker but left for Boston in 1999 and stayed permanently 🙂 My husband and I now live in a house in the suburbs of Boston and sometimes we really miss those city living days!
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 6:54 am
Stunning, stunning dress! You look fantastic, and that sash is perfect! It’s wonderful that the dress fits you so well, too. One of my grandmothers was the same size as me in most respects, but the fact that I’m 9 inches taller than she was puts a crimp in wearing the lovely and sentimental clothing I inherited.
Most impressive use of crafty skill! Congratulations on finishing in time.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 8:06 am
I love Harvard Square. It’s always a treat to walk through Harvard Yard and pick up a little something at Schoenhof’s or Out of Town news. I’m glad you had fun!
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 11:35 am
What a beautiful dress! It’s perfect for you, as are the knitterly additions. It sounds like the wedding party and guests really know how to have fun. I’d love to see that pink bob wig! Hope the kitty managed in your absence, and Mr. G feels better soon.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Love the dress, love the shoes, love the sash, love the srug, love the pirate!!!!!!
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
oh, you look so beautiful! that sounds like a fabulous wedding, though all those wigs sound expensive…
blech – eight hours in newark? i think leaving that heckhole for the city was a great idea.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
Oh my goodness, the whole outfit looks fantastic on you. Well done on making the sash in time, it was worth it. Great that you made the most of the horribly unexpected layover.
Posted: October 11th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Sarah, you look beautiful in your inherited dress. And that you pulled off the plum shoes/belt/shrug… I’m a little jealous.
Posted: October 12th, 2007 at 6:58 am
you look stunning Sarah!!!!
Posted: October 12th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
You look beautiful! That dress was made for you (even though it wasn’t!) The look is perfect with your knits.
Posted: October 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
I love that vintage dress with your own additions; absolutely fabulous. You wear it well. I’ll email soon about coming to pdx… 🙂
Posted: October 14th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Pretty pretty! You look all put together and like your stepping out of a movie.
Where is your red carpet?
Posted: October 15th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I love your knitting – but the dress…AMAZING! It looks like it was made for you.