Laura Chau Designs

random things

My knitting is really fighting back lately! I forgot my sock project at a friend’s last week just as he was going out of town so I couldn’t work on that. I keep having to re-do the math on a compound raglan and ripping out what I’ve knit.

Then today my Honeybee cardi was fighting me too – I knit a whole hem (around the body) and found out that it didn’t really work. So that was a day’s work ripped, and I ended the day right where I started. Booo.

Hopefully I can get my knitting back on track and get some new projects on the needles too. I’m going to be traveling in July so I need knitting I can count on! My parents and sisters and I are taking a vacation to Hawaii!

We’ll be staying in Waikiki, and on Kauai and the big island. I don’t intend to spend all my time with them, so I’d like to do some exploring on my own too. Does anyone have recommendations for things to do, places to see, eat, or shop? I love unique sorta boutique-y shops for clothes (I’m especially fond of dresses and skirts from local designers) but I’m having a hard time coming up with particular places.

And so this isn’t a photoless post, how about some eye candy?

a HUGE skein of laceweight

Megan brought me back this gorgeous, huge skein of laceweight from Squam – it’s merino from the Woolen Rabbit. Beautiful!

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21 responses to “random things”

  1. Bonnie Avatar
    Bonnie

    If you’re up for it you can hike to the top of some of the volcanos. It is amazing.

    Reply
  2. Liz Flores Avatar
    Liz Flores

    On Maui you can get a ride to the top of the volcano to watch the sun rise, then ride a bike down (it’s about 35 miles but you coast a lot!)

    Reply
  3. jaya Avatar
    jaya

    I’ve never been to Hawaii, so I have no suggestions. I hope you have a good trip.

    And that yarn is gorgeous!

    Reply
  4. Farrah Avatar
    Farrah

    Take the time while on Waikiki to drive to the North Shore and spend a day at some of the beaches up there! It’s fun to sit in the sand at Pipeline beach and watch surfers.

    Reply
  5. sil Avatar
    sil

    Uh, don’t know about boutiques and such, it’s a pretty expensive place, so I don’t usually shop. My fave is having chocolate martinis at the bar of the Halekulani Hotel on Waikiki. It’s the most beautiful hotel.

    Reply
  6. Mary Avatar
    Mary

    I lived on the Big Island for a couple of years. Downtown Hilo, on the East side, is super cute and has lots of little shops…I don’t know about clothes though…Your best bet for local is the Farmer’s Market…also downtown across from the big park.

    If you like the flower prints on the fabrics you see? The best place I found for that was a fabric store at the mall (I know! But it’s true…unless they’ve opened something downtown.)

    If you’ll be on Kona side, much more touristy, but I know there were little shops along the main drag sorta hidden behind the trinket shops.

    I’m feeling a little nostalgic now…

    Reply
  7. Angie Avatar
    Angie

    Definitely go to at least one luau, and take a hula lesson! I think the only yarn shop on the islands is in Maui, though (and it was actually more of a quilting shop), so you’ll have to enjoy other shopping. Pearls? :)

    Reply
  8. Judith Foldi Avatar
    Judith Foldi

    Take the time to go to the cultural center for the dance demonstrations from all the Polynesian Islands. I would take that long long trip yet again just for that. It’s one of the most amazing things I saw during my 4 week trip to the Islands (about 10 years ago). This is on the big island.

    Have a wonderful time!
    Judy

    Reply
  9. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    Heading to Kauai myself in three days and the biggest decision has been what knitting project to take along! Never been so have no ideas of what to do except enjoy the ocean.

    Reply
  10. Bloo Avatar
    Bloo

    I was in Kona last fall for the Ironman (cheering, not competing!) and one of the best things we did was a snorkel cruise. Expensive, but worth it! The fish were amazing. If I could do it again I would go for a full day, not the half day (which is what we did).

    We also went to the National Volcano park and that was great – again, if I could do it again I would go prepared to do a day hike across a crater – it’s pretty neat. We did some of the shorter walks.

    Kona Bay Fabrics doesn’t sell retail, but I would look for a quilt store there and see if they carry the fabrics.

    Wow – i hope you have fun! (and i love that yarn!)

    Reply
  11. Lauren Avatar
    Lauren

    I highly recommend the Revealed series of books on Hawaii. There’s one for each island, called something like “Kauai revealed” -they’re blue. Anyhow they have great advice for off the beaten path activities and they’ve made our trips really special. Also, I’d skip the luau.

    Reply
  12. Stardust B Avatar
    Stardust B

    That laceweight pic just made me groan outloud.

    Reply
  13. Seanna Lea Avatar
    Seanna Lea

    Such pretty lace weight. Enjoy your trip in July! Gosh, that is right around the corner. (Time is a speedy devil)

    Reply
  14. darlene Avatar
    darlene

    We went to Kauai a year and a half ago! It was a great spot to holiday. Up north in Princeville you have some cute shops and a great health food store. In Popui there is great snorkelling (at least in Feb) but it is really busy. The highlight is Waimea canyon, it would be almost tragic not to see it. On the way to it, the Kauai Coffee Plantation is definately worth the stop for refreshment. Amazing fraps! The best I have ever tasted!

    Reply
  15. Lauren Avatar
    Lauren

    I hate having to rip out all of my stitches and start over again…ugh! Have fun on your travels!! :)

    Reply
  16. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    If you’re on Oahu for any time, be sure and meet up with the Aloha Knitters group. We meet Monday eves, and Thursday eves at Mocha Java Cafe, in Ward Center (a bit west of Waikiki)

    Folks start showing up around 6:30pm, and stay, knitting til around 9pm when the cafe closes up.

    Reply
  17. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    Forgot to add, the Ward area also has lots of cute little shops, and boutiques!

    Aloha Knitters has a ravelry site and a Yahoo! group. You should feel free to post questions on those sites, and folks will help you out.

    Reply
  18. m.k. Avatar
    m.k.

    There is a cute little boutique just around the corner from the cafe the Aloha Knitters meet in, and there are a few more in the general area – I recommend checking out the Hapa Hale blog (http://www.hapahale.com/hapa_hale/) for specific shops.

    Reply
  19. WithaQ Avatar
    WithaQ

    I would recommend the Bishops Museum (http://www.bishopmuseum.org/index.html) but note that it is closed on Tuesdays. They have lots of quilting related items, but also a lot of other general crafts. I was there a long time ago, but recall getting a bus from the city.

    Reply
  20. becca Avatar
    becca

    i recommend visiting the botanical gardens and walking around. it is unbelievable and inexplicably off the beaten path. it is part of a very nice day trip driving the circumference of the island.

    Reply
  21. Alice Avatar
    Alice

    hey, welcome to Hawaii. I am an oddity here. Have cotton growing in my back yard and my husband made me a drop spindle to try to spin it into yarn. Got your just enough ruffles pattern, but haven’t made it to one of the few yarn stores on the windward side of Oahu. Just came back from Maui, which is beautiful. Enjoy!

    Reply

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