The Wedding

I know that I had said earlier that I had finished my shawl in time for the wedding. Here's the proof!

First I have to thank everyone who came and celebrated with us for making the wedding really fun. Just about every photo has someone laughing in it. We were lucky to have a wonderful photographer, Gabriel Harber, join us to capture all the laughter. (All photos in this post are by him.) Thanks again to Lorraine Helf, who put together all the flowers and table decorations. Thank-you Christopher (my brother) who played the guitar for the ceremony. Thanks, Mum, for keeping us all going and for bringing along Aragorn. And a big thanks to my Dad, who kept everyone functional and funded. (There were many, many other contributors. I appreciate everyone for helping.)

There were vague Lord of the Ring references throughout the wedding. It started as a joke after I used the Hobbit Door picture for our wedding invitations. But everyone ended up contributing. For example, our cake had a hobbit door on it. I had nothing to do with the cake.... 

Also, all the tables got named after places in the Lord of the Rings. (The parents were put at "Grey Havens." Haha. The wedding party was at "Rivendell" since that is where the Fellowship was forged. The cake could be found on "The Shire" table.)

I still kind of can't believe that such a lovely wedding was planned and executed in two months.

But I know it happened. We have a jumping photo to prove it!

On a slight aside, it was really hard finding green ties. I told Connor that the next time we get married, we'll do blue ties instead.

Hobbiton

Seeing how we were in Middle Earth, we stopped by the last remaining set from Lord of the Rings: Hobbiton. All the other sets have been pulled down. Although as we saw in Rivendell, there were a few signs explaining the area. Our guide in Hobbiton, Steve, was excellent. 

Some of the hobbit holes are made much smaller to enhance the illusion of Gandalf being much larger than everyone.

We also learned that in order to age the fences, this lichen isn't actually lichen. It is paint and bits of wood, and other things that were added to look like lichen. I think it's quite convincing.

As we walked up the hill in Hobbiton, we were given a peek of some future hobbit holes not yet seen in the future Hobbit movies.

I think I would make an excellent hobbit. I've already claimed my hobbit hole.

At the top of the hill sits the most famous hobbit hole of them all: Bag End. If the Baggins family were to ever move out, I think I might choose this hobbit hole instead.

The view from Bag End is quite good. You can even see across the pond to the Green Dragon. 

 

Although the inside of Green Dragon was built and filmed in Wellington, they later chose to build an interior in the one in Hobbiton. It's actually the second Green Dragon. The first one was burned for a scene in the Lord of the Rings and had to be rebuilt for The Hobbit.

I had the pleasure of enjoying a drink at the Green Dragon with Miss Pickles, the resident moggy (cat). She looked like the happiest creature ever, sitting on her chair next to the fire.

After the drink, we had to say goodbye to Hobbiton. Although before we left I snapped a quick picture of the Party Tree. I only wish we could see everything lit up at night like it was in the movie.

Smells Like An Orc In Here

I spent the last week watching the extended versions of Lord of the Rings. Every once in a while I get the urge. And I can't just watch one, I have to watch all of them. Anyways, during one of the riders of Rohan bits in the Return of the King, I started to notice that it smelled a bit like the riders were in my room. Possibly napping right next to me.

He even looks like an orc sometimes. A cute orc.

So Scooter got a bath. He was starting to smell less like a rider of Rohan and more like an Orc. Now he smells a bit more like Arwen.

In other news, watching all of the Lord of the Rings makes me want to knit up Lord of the Rings themed socks. I'm stuck between making Aragorn by Janneke Maat or Rivendell by Janel Laidman. (I'll probably make both if I'm going to be honest about this) There are only two things keeping me from making either. The first is that my sock needles are currently occupied by a sock design. But it's knitting up pretty quick. (To be honest again, I'll probably buy myself another set of sock needles on Sunday, when I'm working at the yarn shop)

Images belong to Janneke Maat and Janel Laidman respectively

The second problem is a bit bigger. No matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to get gauge. I never thought I was a loose knitter, but I've never been able to get 8sts/in, and I'm knitting on size 0 needles. The closest I've gotten is 7.5sts/in. I've tried different yarn. I've tried knitting tighter. I'm ok with altering a design a bit, but it's still a bummer. Especially because I want to make a pair of Druid mittens. I bought the yarn in New Zealand last year. I tracked down the magazine. Turns out the pattern is now available on ravelry, but it wasn't when I started this whole thing. The gauge is, you guessed it, 8sts/in. (On size 3 needles no less. Jared Flood must be a crazy tight knitter) Luckily there is some room to subtract some stitches. But still.

Exhibit A. I know that it is important to knit out a large swatch. But lets face it. This will never be the 1 inch it should be. The minute I block it, it will probably grow to be 2 inches.