A day in Retiro

A many of you might know Madrid has a huge park in the center, kind of like Central Park in New York City. Javi and I do not go there often enough.  We went a week or so ago to try and catch the last vestige of the fall color.

I also wore the saddle-shoulder cabled cardigan I had made almost three years ago in hopes of getting better pictures of it. I am not sure that they are the best photos ever, but it was fun to play model in the park. The pattern I roughly followed is the Aran Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman, it is the January pattern in the knitters Almanac. I need to try putting in the zipper again, because it does not sit right. The sweater is a little large on me, but full of cabley goodness. For those of you with a Ravelry account my project notes are here. (Click to enlarge)

We decided we wanted to go to the Crystal Palace next to see what was exhibited there. There is always an exception, and they are always strange, and free. The Palacio Crystal is an elegant structure made out of glass. According to my quick internet search it was "It was built in 1887 to exhibit flora and fauna from the Philippines." It is an elegant piece coved with frescos.

And the pond it sits behind is always elegant, especially in the fall.

 The exhibit took us several minutes to figure it out, we finally had to go and get a pamphlet explaining the exhibit. The "piece" is the walk way shown below. The purpose was to elevator the walker to see a different view of the place that had never been seen before. It was great fun to hear the comments that people were making. Especially the older Spaniards.

Have you been to Retiro park in fall?

Plaza de Colón

Things have been so busy since moving and starting a new job that I forgot to post these pictures I took of Plaza de Colón on November 21st just before my Campaña de la Lana photos. I had always seen Colón out of the window of the bus, and I have even explored the other side once, but I had never been to this side.

This building represents what I love about Madrid. Old stately buildings right next to modern ones. This one can be found on Calle de Génova at the entrance to Plaza de Cólon.

On the West side of the plaza this lady is to be found. By Fernando Botero "A Woman with a Mirror".

(Which has been a subject of yarn bombing in the past:)

Photo found here.

 Then if you look above and beyond the woman you see the statue of Columbus, or Cólon in Spanish. Remember that Queen Isabella was the one that funded his fateful journey across the ocean. I believe that there is still debate about which country he is from, but I know that there is no debate in Spain. He is Spanish here.

To the right (or South) of the Cólon statue is the National library.

To the left (North) is one of the many angels that decorate the rooftops of Madrid.

To the West (and to one side of the Botero is again, that clash of old meeting new...

....and to the right of that is a small, cute, little, guardhouse?

The trees down the center of the Paseo de la Castellana were stately showing their fall glory...

while the buildings of the Salamanca barrio were harmonizing with the autumn colors.

End of fall and dying (wool)

It looks like fall here in Madrid is ending. Where the air was crisp, now it is biting. 

The trees in my park are showing their last burst of yellow.

While on the walk to my old apartment the red leaves are fading.

Today we finally officially move out of our old apartment. We have been living in the new apartment since November 2nd but as the leases over lapped during November and our landlady lives in Murcia we are only getting around to handing over the keys today. We are getting out just in time, the other place has a mold problem you would not believe.

Yesterday I started experimenting with acid dyes and wool top. I have a lot more to learn then I expect when I started. I need to use smaller amounts of fiber and start a dye notebook. Also I really need to find citric acid crystals here in Madrid. White wine vinegar smells horrible and the white vinegar that you get in the States doesn't exist here (it is made of corn, corn is not really grown here). 

I used 8 oz of Falkland wool. My theory is that if I do not end up felting this one (as Falkland is easy to felt) then I am golden, and I will not have to worry so much about felting in the future. Here is a photo of my ~50g fiber bundles in the pot already steamed and now cooling.

 I used two different ways of applying the dye and different lengths of color. I will spin this next to see just how compacted the fiber is and how the different lengths of the color look spun up. If it is felted I can always use it as core wool for needle-felting, I just have to wait until it is dry to know.

I used only three colors to start, turquoise, violet and grey. I learned from a master dyer once that if you use colors in the same quadrant of the color wheel you will not be taking any risks of clashing. 

Pictures of it drying on the terraza this morning: 

Fall in Parque de Calero

Another picture post. I am working hard on catching up on the other blog. I hope to have a post there soon, but life keeps getting in the way.

Anyway who knows me, knows that I love fall. Now that I am lucky enough to have a park on my doorstep I can not stop trying to capture what fall is like in Madrid.

And when you pair fall with that lovely pink light Madrid gets at sunset it is breathtaking.

Move

Hello everyone sorry for the radio silence, I finally have DSL again after moving apartments in Madrid. Which means that I finally have the ability to update my blog. So many things have happened that I want to write about. However I am going to first work on a post for my other blog for the Fiesta de Trashmancia that took place on Oct. 28th here in Madrid. Until then I have some photos of new new Barrio, Quintana:

I live directly across from a park now!

The view from my Terraza (balcony)

There are three markets within walking distance.
But Las Ventas is the biggest and closest.

Yes, this is the bull fighting arena, and I do not agree with bull fighting,
but the building is pretty.