Oh no, knit again

It's hard to cultivate thoughts of summer and sunshine when this is what greets you every single day. Apparently, this is what passes for summer in this little corner of the world. 

If cold can make things shrink, then the temperature of 12℃ over the past few days has definitely reduced the square footage in my brain that's reserved for swimsuits, sandals, strawberry smoothies and other summery delights. Instead, all I can think of is staying warm.

I seem to have knits on the brain lately. Case in point: I'm currently lusting for a Missoni scarf. I saw my first one in De Bijenkorf (the Rustan's or Takashimaya of Amsterdam) today and fell in love. A few seconds later my eyes drifted over to another one, and now my heart is torn.

Soft and feminine, or bold and striking?

Unfortunately, it comes with a price tag befitting a Missoni, so this love will have to remain unrequited... at least until I can figure out a way to drum up a regular income.

Also in the realm of knits: a few days ago, Audrey of Googooandgaga tweeted me a link to Zilalila's hand-knitted jumbo Nest cushions.

It was another case of love at first sight.

It just so happens that Marlon has always, always wanted a beanbag. I'm not wild about shiny, shapeless pleather, so I've flexed my wifely veto muscles to keep them out of our home. But when I showed the Nest to Marlon, we instantly felt that another miraculous matrimonial compromise was in the offing... in the form of a beanbag both of us could love.

So, braving the rain and cold, we embarked on a Sunday afternoon mission to Sukha, a wonderfully curated home and lifestyle store on the Haarlemmerstraat, which itself turned out to be a lovely street dotted with interesting little stores and cafes. When we got there and sank into the Nest, our worst fears were confirmed.

The Nest indeed feels as enveloping, comfortable and warm as it looks in photos. Therefore, we simply had to have it. 

Good for the home, bad for the bank account... but wait! It turned out to be half the price that it was on the website. That was a big relief... as big a relief as this big cozy knitted beanbag will be in the winter. Or, come to think of it, in the summer.

Knit wit

I just came from a wonderfully long lunch with some new friends from my Amsterdam Girls meetup group. Having realized the fundamental importance of girl friends in one's life (this would have made a huge difference back when we were still living in Singapore), I've been making more of an effort to meet more girls. And it's days like this when I feel like my efforts are paying off. With eight women from different countries and diverse backgrounds at one table, lunch stretched into a four-hour affair with lots of animated conversation.

It was also great to meet women who, like me, "gave up" a life or career back home to follow a boyfriend, partner or husband whose career leads to foreign shores. It reassures me that my choice hasn't been completely insane. That's the great thing about traveling and meeting people from all over the world—you get to see that there are so many ways to live, not just the way you're used to... or are expected to.

Anyway, the conversation turned to knitting when several of my lunchmates admitted to being enthusiastic knitters. This is something that I've noticed since moving here: women will get together, sit in a cafe in a group with their yarn and needles, and knit. And talk, of course. But mostly, just... knit. I've even seen get-togethers for knitting groups advertised online. It baffles me.

Then I realized of course we don't sit around and knit in cozy cafes because it's just not a tropical thing. Because really, what the heck will you do with all the woolly scarves, blankets, cardigans, hats and sweaters you've produced in the Philippines' sweltering heat? Aside from be hot, sweaty, itchy and bordering on the pretentious, of course. Like Singaporeans and their leather jackets.

Hmmm. Maybe there's a knitting culture in Baguio?

After lunch, we meandered around the Jordaan for a while, and happened upon a yarn store. When I stepped in and saw all these gorgeous colors, I thought: hey, maybe these girls are on to something here. So much eye candy, and so soft too! I never realized you could knit with so many different types of yarn, depending on the season: cotton, silk, various blends, even cashmere. It seems like a whole new world, one that all the pretty colors are calling to me to enter. So who knows? I may just take up knitting soon!