The last of the hand knit items for transport is done. The Baby Wallaby:
I always advise beginning knitters NOT to point out the shortcomings in their projects. But just know that if anyone should ever come up to Izzy and ask her, “What a charming handknitted sweater. May I look at the underarm seam?”, Baby Isobel will be instructed to answer, “My Nana says, ‘NO!'” Just thought you ought to know. And yes, I do know that it will not fit her for quite a long time, but in case they are still in England then, I don’t want to have to pay to ship it.
I put all of Izzy’s hand made things on the bed and took a picture – will post when I get back because some of it is a surprise. But suffice it to say that with what I’m taking and what other people have given us to take, this kid needs her own suitcase on this trip! I either need to do a lot of souvenir buying over there or we’ll be coming back with one empty suitcase! If anyone knows of a good yarn shop within public transportation distance of St. Alban’s, let me know. I didn’t have much luck last time.
And here is an example of why I like living in the Pacific Northwest:
Rhododendrons as big as a house! The shrub on the left is a rhody, but hasn’t bloomed yet. Strange, since they usually bloom together. Before I moved out here I thought rhododendrons were these shrimpy little shrubs. I have seen some here that are bigger than my house!
Must go and pack! Was it the Yarn Harlot who said that you know you’re a knitter when it takes longer to decide what knitting to pack than clothes? That’s me! Heaven forbid I should be stranded in an airport or on the plane without something to take my mind off the insanity of hurtling through the air at hundreds of miles an hour in a skinny metal tube. I WILL NOT think about it. Valium anyone?
missouristar 
The Wonderful Wallaby is adorable. Grafting the underarms sometimes is tricky. I just finished one (picture posted on my blog), and I had one underarm grafting that turned out better than the other. But I was lazy and decided not to re-do it. Izzy will love her Wallaby. All my nieces and nephews always ask for a Wallaby. I think I’ve knitted 15 of them in my knitting lifetime. Do you use the Kitchener stitch for grafting the underarms? The last one I made, I didn’t knit a hood, just made a collar.
Izzy IS beautiful, although we may have to duke it out about who is more beautiful, Izzy or my new grandbaby, Grace! I made Grace’s two year old brother a Wallaby and it’s his favorite outdoor sweater! And it’s well used, which I love! (I know what you mean about the underarm seams, too!) I told him that every time he wears it, it’s a hug from Grandma. I also knit him a hat and told him every time he wears that, it’s a kiss from Grandma! Isn’t it wonderful being a grandma?? My grandbabies are nearer you in Portland, but at least not overseas like you said Izzy is! That’s the hard part about being a grandma.