And Something We Don't Make!

For the last couple of weeks, I told you about some other things I like to make. But this week I want to tell you about some things I discovered I don't like to make. I'm talking about knitting socks.

Have you ever tried knitting a pair of socks? Many of the women at our Knit Night knit sock: lacy socks, striped socks, cabled socks. They are amazing--both the knitters and the socks, that is!

No heel. No toe. Button added to tell top from bottom.

So Margaret and I decided to give sock knitting a try. We figured the most difficult part of the sock would be turning the heel followed by creating a nice--and comfy!--toe. So we started with yoga socks because they don't require either a toe or a heel. I know, I know: that's the easy way out.

We used DPNs (double pointed needles) because we haven't learned how to use the "magic loop" method. Neither of us mind working with DPNs, but Margaret really doesn't like working with needles smaller than 4mm / US 6. And socks use sock yarn, which is usually 3.25 mm / US 3.

We made them! Check out Margaret's take after finishing them. You can read about it here, but she found it too fiddly. And for such small pieces they seemed to take forever--which is the source of her animosity toward small needles. Plus, when you finally get one sock done, there's one more!

However, we decided to give sock-making another try. This time it was pedicure socks: still no toe, but the chance to create a heel. We followed the Mary Maxim pattern, each of us with the correct yarn: mine in pink and Margaret's in blue. I even took mine on a family vacation to Florida. I managed to get my first sock done before Margaret, so we Skyped and I talked her through turning the heel.

Margaret modelling her pedi socks with matching polish. Note heels not showing!

Neither of us were happy with how our heels turned out. And using DPNs showed a little "laddering" effect in the body of the sock. We have heard this will be reduced in the wash. I guess we'll find out for sure because we decided to keep these socks for ourselves.

What's really great is the Knit Night ladies have different options for heels! Who knew there were choices!?!

But, the combination of time, small needles, DPN "laddering" and multiple heel options has meant we probably won't be making socks any time soon.

What are we missing? Do you think learning Magic Loop would help? We'll have to think about learning it! Maybe that will make a difference!

Happy Birthday to You Sale!

Psst! Today is Shelagh's birthday and I got so excited trying to find the perfect gift for her that I got carried away and I decided to offer you a present! How about Free Shipping on every purchase?

Sshhh! It's a surprise even Shelagh doesn't know about! 

Just head on over to our Etsy shop (click the Etsy icon on the right to connect directly) and peruse to your heart's content. Pick something for yourself or a gift--or something for you and a friend!--then head to the check out. Use code BIRTHDAYSHIP to get free shipping.

Woot! Woot!

That's right! We'll ship your items FOR FREE via standard mail!

But act fast! The sale lasts until Saturday midnight Eastern Time.

What Else I Make 2

Last week I told you about the baby blankets I've been making for over thirty years. Something I've been making for about five years is a bit unusual: wedding garters!

It was really a bit of a fluke: a girl I was working with was looking for something very specific for her wedding garter. She wanted her garter to be camouflage and lace. I found some pink camouflage fabric and I crocheted the lace edging. Then I personalized it even more by attaching a dog charm and a pink Swarovski crystal heart. She loved it and her husband was surprised when he went to remove the garter during the reception. He loved it! I just wish I'd thought to take a picture of it.

A pink and a blue garter: as individual as the brides they are for.

When two of my sons got married a few years ago, I made each of their brides her own keepsake garter and a throwaway one for the reception. I put so much work into each garter, I thought it would be nice to make two.

Since then, I've made several for friends and others. They are a fun little project to do.

We currently don't offer wedding garters in our Etsy shop, but contact me (Shelagh) if you would like one or a pair for your special day. I will work with you to match to your wedding colors. Contact me at threesistersknit@gmail.com or DM me through the Three Sisters Knit Facebook page.

What Else I Make

I enjoy knitting or crocheting things for our shop, but I make many other things that don't make it there! Like Margaret mentioned in her post a few weeks ago, creativity is in our DNA.

Something I love making are baby blankets and I've been making them for well over 30 years. I started out making them for friends when they were expecting their babies and continued making them for new friends, co-workers and their family members. I still think they are so much fun to make.

For baby blankets, I like to use a washable yarn: we know that "things" can happen with little ones, so washable is necessary. But so is soft and comfortable for baby's skin.

Soft and squishy Bernat Baby Blanket.

Lately, one of my favourite yarns to use is Bernat Baby Blanket. It is so thick, soft and squishy. It knits or crochets up so quickly I can usually have a blanket done in a couple of days depending on the pattern.

The most-recent blanket I made was for one of my son's friends. He and his wife were expecting their first baby so I made a Hudson's Bay inspired blanket using Caron Simply Soft. Because it was all garter stitch (knit every row), it knit up fairly quickly. I loved it when it was done, but more importantly the new parents loved it! It was a perfect gift for them as they waited until the birth of their child to learn the gender.

How special for a new mother to receive a handmade baby blanket. From being swaddled in it as a newborn to dragging it with them everywhere as a toddler to swaddling their own newborns in it, a handmade blanket is a beautiful gift.

My own three boys each have their own special blankets that their Nannie (our mother) made for them. They are all put away for now, ready for them to use with their own little ones!

We don't offer baby blankets in our shop but if you are interested in one, contact me (Shelagh) at threesistersknit@gmail.com or DM her through the Three Sisters Knit Facebook page. I will work with you to find the ideal pattern and yarn for the new baby.

Baby Hudson's Bay-style blanket: ready to finish the ends.

Creativity, Passion and A Project

I heart everything about this lilac cable and eyelet hat I'm working on right now!

This month we are blogging about love and creativity. At the beginning of February we wrote that creativity is sparked by passion and, like love, can lead to both frustration and boundless joy. Last week, we wrote that creativity is hardwired into our DNA, kind of a family affair. So today, the day after the world's celebration of love, we offer you some insight into one piece we are creating because sharing* our creations with the world is part of the fun for us! 

I am knitting up a gorgeous cable and eyelet hat—we call it a toque in Canada, but I think our American friends call it a beanie. Last Fall (2015) Shelagh and I ordered yarn from artisan yarn dyer Carla Pelzer of Georgian Bay Fibre Co. What I love about Carla's work is that her colours are inspired by the area she lives, a part of Ontario around Georgian Bay that I'm only familiar with through her yarns. This yarn color, Wakefield Lilac, is based on a tall hedge of lilacs on Wakefield Street in Parry Sound. As Carla describes it, the scent of those lilacs in bloom is a reminder of that summer is on its way.

An old Instagram-filtered photo of our lilac hedge.

As I write this, I look out my office window and see our own barren lilac hedge. It's mid-February and the branches are bare. The wind-chill numbers are in the minus digits. But just looking at the yarn in my hands, with its few specks of white and fewer specks of dark purple, I can recall that scent, those colours, that glorious time in Spring when flowers bring delight and set your heart to burst. And I fall in love with the classic of a cable—like the classic lilac hedge in many Ontario gardens—but enlivened by this non-traditional color.

Honestly, I absolutely LOVE this hat I'm making! As I'm knitting along, I feel my heart bursting open like the lilacs the color is named for. It will look so amazing on someone this spring and I can even picture the woman who will wear it: smart and lively, she loves to wear classics with a twist. And she loves to celebrate spring.

*At least once a month, we'll share stories about a project: it may be something that is in our Etsy shop already, or maybe it is something on our needles now. It may be about the yarn, the yarn artisan, or the pattern.

Mid-Winter Sale - January 22 - 24

Enjoy 25% off during our Winter Sale January 22 - 24.

Shelagh and I have spent these last few weeks indoors, hibernating from the now-chilly Canadian winter. Actually, winter hasn't been all that bad in our part of the world this year, thanks to El Niňo. But we have seen some crazy weather all over the world right now!

Are you someone who loves a typical wintry weather? Or do you love El Niňo (yeah, we know it's bad, but . . . ) and a green winter? Either way, we've got you covered—literally! We're putting our gorgeous and stylish hand-knits in our Etsy Shop on sale for 25% off.

It's cold. It's dreary. Valentine's Day is just a few weeks away. So if you are in the mood for something new or want a gift for someone you love, check out our store starting Friday, January 22 and until Sunday, January 24 at midnight.

From our FaceBook page, click on the Shop Now button beside the “Liked” button at the top of the page. Or, go directly to our Etsy shop at www.threesistersknit.etsy.com. Once there, use the code WINTER25 at the checkout and your 25% will be automatically deducted from your total!

Beating Blue Monday

Colouring or anything creative this time of year will help beat the blues.

Have you heard about Blue Monday? Well a few years ago some group used an algorithm to identify the saddest day of the year for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. And this year, that day is January 18. It is the confluence of cold weather, time between holidays, lack of daylight, and influx of bills.

But Three Sisters Knit is all about the happy! So what are we doing to maintain our happiness levels? Well, I think we spend a lot of time with one another. Although we work from our own homes, we chat online constantly. Occasionally we FaceTime, especially when we want to show each other a yarn or an almost-completed project. I think Shelagh even mentioned the time we video chatted online while she was in Florida so she could show me how to turn a heel on a sock! We are the greatest supporters, sounding boards, and cheerleaders of one another. And fortunately, on the odd occasion we do feel blue, it's at different times.

Of course, we focus on doing what we love—knitting! So we look at patterns, check our stash of gorgeous yarns, and plan what we'll work on next. This year we are working at being focused and organized about implementing out ideas. Oddly, this doesn't take the fun out of our projects: it leaves me really excited to think about all the beautiful things we're about to make. It's as though the passion Shelagh and I—and before that, our mother and Irene—share for our craft burns brighter and stronger. Being focused on our plans actually allows time for our creativity to flourish.

And I think the final activity we do to maintain happiness levels is practising gratitude. This one is actually something I am working on strengthening in my life. I was doing really well there for a while in 2015, but then I kind of got out of the habit of being thankful and I need to get back into the habit. Shelagh and I are following a suggestion from author Elizabeth Gilbert: at the beginning of each year, she—and now we—find a big, empty jar and label it our HAPPINESS JAR. Here's some of what Ms. Gilbert wrote:

Every day, at the end of the day, I write down the happiest moment of my day, and I put it in the jar. . . . There is no simpler or less-demanding spiritual practice in my life than this one—when I literally take note of my gratitude for a moment in my day when things felt good, or I felt lucky, or I merely remembered that I was alive.

It has been almost two weeks and it's amazing how wonderful it is to see all those little pieces of paper filling up our jars! I keep my Mason jar on my desk, so when I'm working online I can look up at my jar and instantly feel thankful—and a little better too.

So what do you do to tackle the January blues?

Two Sisters, One Knitting Technique: Lace Work

This is my Rebel Scarf: an infinity scarf of my own design.
While it is a bit lacey, it is funky rather than precious. 

Last week Shelagh wrote about Fair Isle knitting and how she isn't fond of doing it but appreciates the look of it. So I thought I would share my thoughts about Lace Work.

Funnily enough, my feelings about working on lacey projects are pretty much like Shelagh's about Fair Isle! I love the look of it but I'm not keen on that knitting technique. But I had seen Shelagh working on a lot of different shawl patterns. She enjoyed making them and that joy is infectious. So I tried a few patterns that are considered lacey--you've seen them if you've been following our blog posts. Do you recall my Rebel Scarf--which was my own design? Or how about the Colorflo Shawl I made for myself?

Here's a close up of the lace pattern along the bottom edge of my small Colorflo scarf/shawl.
It's pretty and not as complicated as some lace patterns. 

But I still hadn't fallen in love with lace knitting the way Shelagh had. So when I saw the Sunray Shawl with its much simpler "lace effect" using strategically placed yarn-overs and knit-togethers, I thought I'd give lace knitting one more go. Besides, I had this cake of beautiful green merino yarn from artisan dyer Georgian Bay Fibre Co. and I knew the shawl would show that yarn to perfection.

Want a better view of the "rays" pattern? Check out our earlier post for some great photos!
Better yet, check out our Etsy shop for photos and info. 

I love the simplicity of the Sunray Shawl pattern, both in the work and the finished piece. And, as you can tell, lace patterns can range from delicate to funky. I'm glad Shelagh's passion pushed me to try lace knitting. But I don't think I have her patience to do that work often. I will stick to simpler pieces, I think.

The Commuter's Wife

We are really excited to share some news: we have several of our hand-knit hats available for sale at a retail store in Uxbridge!

That's right! We were invited to sell our hats at The Commuter's Wife on Brock Street in Uxbridge. This is a bricks-and-mortar store owned by Kristy Burgess and it's a lovely little shop that reminds us of a small "One of a Kind Show." Kristy has a great eye and has found some amazing items from artisans in Canada, and especially local artists. Shelagh and I are proud to have our hats among the beautiful items available from other artisans.

Shelagh and I work hard to capture the feeling of our knit pieces for our Etsy shop, photographing and describing items to show how they truly are and how they would work in your life. But really, a big part of the experience of knitwear is missing from the online shop: the tactile experience of picking up the piece, trying it on, feeling it against your skin.

So, now that we have a few pieces available in a bricks-and-mortar store, you can get the full experience of our knitted accessories. And better than that, you can find them nestled among some truly lovely pieces in the very welcoming shop called The Coummuter's Wife in Uxbridge.

Kristy has also begun using her shop as an artisan space for her customers. That is, she brings in local artists to teach their craft to customers. Doesn't that sound cool?

I'd say it's definitely worth the drive to check out Kristy's shop and all it has to offer!

Two Sisters, One Knitting Technique: Fair Isle

Robert's wee pullover and matching toque.

 One of the wonderful pleasures of we two sisters working together is we really balance each other. And this goes for knitting too! I love knitting lace patterns, especially in shawls: it is a challenge that I enjoy. I love seeing how all the yarn overs and knit together's create the lacey design. I enjoy concentrating and focusing just that and blocking out the world to create something beautiful.

But colour work—that's definitely not for me! The most I will do is creating something with stripes. Colour work is knitting with two or more colours to create a pattern. It's called Fair Isle knitting and it's a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colours. It is named after Fair Isle, a tiny island in the north of Scotland, that forms part of the Shetland islands. I love the results, but to be honest, I haven't knit with multiple colours because it looks too finicky to me.

However, Margaret enjoys colour work. I remember she made me, my husband, and my son matching Fair Isle sweaters and a hat for my son. This was in the late 1980s from one of those Mary Maxim patterns. I was thrilled even then because I wouldn't ever consider making something like that.

Robert wearing the toque his Auntie Margaret made for him.

I see some Fair Isle work and I am in awe over it! I might try some simple colour work but no more than two colours to create the design or pattern. Maybe a hat. I have seen some great patterns with simple designs.

It's funny, though, Margaret hasn't made anything using the Fair Isle technique in years! I wonder if she has lost interest after making those three sweaters for us all those years ago?! 

I guess it is my own self-confidence holding me back. I am sure I can do it. But sometimes I wonder if I want to do it and put it out there.

Why Hand Made Matters

The blanket my Gran made for me in the 1970s.

When it comes to gift-giving, it's easier and often less expensive to buy something from a retail store when we head out shopping with a checklist. But I've been thinking a lot lately about the beauty of giving--and receiving--hand-made gifts. I've been thinking about why hand made matters. 

Links to our Past

Do you remember your parents or grandparents making something for you? Perhaps your grandmother crocheted or your mother sewed. Or maybe your father did wood carving and your grandfather painted in oils. Think of the time someone spent on what they loved to do, especially if they made something specifically for you. These are part of your family story.

For Shelagh and me, our love of giving something special, something hand made, comes from our mother and her mother. Gran was amazingly talented: she sewed, crocheted, and knit. When I was a teenager, she sent me a beautiful crocheted afghan that she and her sisters (I think) made. Gran mailed it from Scotland, where our parents were from originally. Although I loved it, I know my teenage self didn't completely appreciate it. But I still have it and every time I look at it, I think of my grandmother.

Supports Creativity

Face it, most of our days are spent on the "have to" activities: grocery shopping, children's events, house cleaning, even exercising. But creativity should be part of our lives, whether through our own pursuits or appreciating other people's. I read a great quote from Elizabeth Gilbert that I think sums up why creativity is good for our mental health: "If I am not actively creating something, then chances are I am probably actively destroying something--myself, a relationship, or my own peace of mind."

The beauty of creativity is that it looks different for each of us. And often we appreciate that "thing" we cannot do: painting, knitting, jewellery-making, writing. Pursuing those creative activities is a wonderful outlet. Purchasing an artisan's creations might fire up your own creativity.

"Slow Living"

The growth of mindfulness has occurred as people becoming tired of a hectic, hyper-connected, over-marketed lifestyle. Living mindfully means slowing things down, choosing simplicity over excess, being present and aware of what we have, and practising gratitude.

Making something by hand means having the chance to be active creatively and mindfully. Buying something hand made means choosing creativity, simplicity, and a story over speed, excess, and a checklist.

These are just some of the benefits I see for why hand made matters. What do you think? What do you see as the benefits of choosing hand made over store bought?

Fashion Friday - Three Ways to Wear a Skinny Scarf

A skinny scarf is perfect for transitioning from summer to Fall. It's not too bulky and it stylishly provides a layer of warmth as the temperature drops. The scarf we're showing here is a Merino / Bamboo blend, so it's light but warm and breathable. And it's blue, which provides a great pop of colour to a wardrobe of neutrals / classics. Here's how to wear it now.

First, at work: I mean, what a great way to add some interest to a plain white shirt and black skirt. The tie-blouse became popular last year and we still see it on runways and in stores. But for that classic shirt you already have, why not add a skinny scarf instead of a necklace? It looks great and keeps you warm if you have to go to a meeting in a chilly conference room!

A skinny scarf is a great way to change up a traditional office look. 

Next, picking up / dropping off the kids for after school activities. Skinny jeans and rubber boots, a bulky pullover and a yellow mac: the style quotient for this look is amped up by wrapping a skinny scarf around your neck multiple times. The only other accessories you will need is coffee and a wallet.

Doesn't the blue pair well with a yellow mac?

Finally, let the skinny scarf release your inner rock star! Think Steven Tyler as you dress for a fun night out. Skinny jeans, a white T-shirt, high-heeled booties, and a rockin' belt all topped with a sequin-laden jacket and your skinny scarf wrapped once and draping down. 

How would you rock a skinny scarf?

Margaret's Green Sunray Shawl

It's finished! You may recall I started working on this project back in April. Yikes! Back then I named it the "Spring Greens" shawl because it seemed so timely. Now that I've completed this project, though, it's simply a green Sunray Shawl. No matter the name, I'm delighted with how it turned out.

While working on this project I came across this excerpt from "Answer to a Child's Question" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

But green leaves, and blossoms, and sunny warm weather,
And singing, and loving -- all come back together.
But the lark is so brimful of gladness and love,
The green fields below him, the blue sky above,
That he sings, and he sings; and for ever sings he--
"I love my Love, and my Love loves me!"

These few words really resonated with me because of knitting this shawl in April and seeing everything "green up" throughout the month. And the sentiment of this piece is just so . . . perfect. This shawl is exactly like Spring: green and bright and warming, both physically and to the heart. 

No matter the season, green is such an inviting and calm colour. It's great to surround yourself with green, sitting in the garden or wrapped in a shawl. Green allows you to be "brimful of gladness and love."

 

 

Fashion Friday - How to Wear an Orange Cowl

 
Welcome to a new feature of our blog! In Fashion Friday posts, we'll take one item from our shop and show how you can wear it in a couple of different ways. We'll use items from our own closets because we think we have pieces most women would have.

For our first post, we'll show you how to wear the "Mean Tangerine" cowl. We know orange isn't a colour for everyone. But this time of year—Autumn in southern Ontario—we are seeing a lot of it in nature: leaves are changing; mums are in bloom; and pumpkins are everywhere. And this year orange is being seen in fashion magazines as a hot colour trend. So why not add a touch to your wardrobe? Here's how:

First, how about wearing this for a night out with the girls? We've paired this bright cowl with a couple this Fall's trends: an animal print topped with a black leather jacket. Accessories include black pumps and a black clutch. Sure, you will be seen. But an orange cowl will ensure you'll be noticed. 

Here's a completely different look with the exact same cowl. 

Our other look is much more casual, kind of a meeting-friends-for-coffee-after-running-errands look. Jeans, a long-sleeved gray T-shirt, and a gray boyfriend cardigan accessorized by a brown fringe bag and hiking boots. The orange cowl adds a pop of colour to a neutral wardrobe and is just the right size to keep you warm without getting too hot. Perfect! 

FO Friday—Summer Scarves: Two Blue for You

I was going to write the post about how much I loved making my Lace Bias Scarf (which I did love making) and how much I loved working with this new yarn (I did). This summer scarf was, in fact, as fun and easy to knit up as I'd hoped. And I definitely love the finished scarf, it's really pretty and a perfect accessory for summer fun. See the photo at the bottom of this post.

But a bit of serendipity occurred as finished and took the scarf to Shelagh's to block: She finished up a pretty little summery scarf in shades of blue as well! So both blue scarves were laid out on her ping pong table simultaneously! Funny! 

You remember that Shelagh had about 65 g left of her Baby Boo Lace by Turtlepurl Yarns after making the Jamie Crescent Shawl. We found the “Here Be Water Dragons” pattern by Quinton Lime (akqguy on Ravelry) and she decided to try it. That's it blocking (above) and on our mannequin (below). They are both so lovely and soft and perfect accessories. Now that is a happy coincidence!

WIP Wednesday—Well, Sort of. . . .

I don't actually have a new project on the go at the moment--the Spring Greens Shawl is still on my needles, patiently waiting for me. However, what I have is a couple of skeins of amazing yarn I've been itching to get my hands on!

Back in April, Shelagh and I a a few of the Knit Night Ladies went into Toronto for the Knitters' Frolic. It was heaven for anyone who loves working with fibre, including us. It was there I purchased some beautiful yarn from Fleece Artist, a lovely blend of superwash Merino wool and Tencel, which she refers to as "tree wool." It is a pretty blend of matte and shiny, with the shininess coming from the tencel. I've never worked with that fibre before, and Fleece Artist's spun and dyed yarn really caught my attention because of the sheen, the softness, and the name: Beach House. Isn't that perfect?

So, for World-wide Knit in Public Day this past Saturday, I thought I'd do a little test swatch to check what it's like to work with and, more importantly, how many stitches and rows per inch I will get from the yarn. 

I do have a project in mind, but it is from a magazine so uses a more standard yarn. You can see what I've completed of my swatch so far, but I wait to share the pattern until I know for sure it is the right one for this yarn.

What's on your needles?

WIP Wednesday - I Have a Bias for the Sea

You may recall I was working with a gorgeous cotton/rayon blend yarn from Blue Heron Yarns back in April. At the time, I was struggling to find a pattern and had tried making something on my own. I had a vision of a summer wrap, but it just wasn't working.

Then, one of the Knit Night ladies from our LYS commented on my post: she thought she had just the pattern for the yarn. Suzanne lent me her Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Vogue Knitting that showed a couple of gorgeous skinny summer scarves. I picked the one called "Bias Lace Scarf" and began knitting. . . and promptly fell in love with it! The cast on edge is a pretty lacy pattern--my one adjustment was to cast on with a larger needle size than the pattern called for. Then, as you can see in the photo above, it's mostly stockinette with a little garter and yo, ssk thrown in to break it up.

Currently I'm about 75% complete. And I'm really looking forward to the cast off because the pattern calls for a picot edge, something I've never done before. I love that each edge will be different. So cool!

Oh and the name I came up with for this scarf? "I Have a Bias for the Sea"? A big part of the pattern is the decreases on one side and increases on the other to create the bias look. Matched with the yarn name, Deep Blue Sea, I think it is the perfect name! 

FO Jamie Crescent Shawlette Finished!!!

Well when I left off with this shawlette last November, I had only the first few rows started on it. When I finally got back to it I couldn't figure out which row I was on even though I had tried to keep track. So I frogged it and cast on all 243 stitches again. I know this sounds frustrating and like a lot of work, but it actually worked out to my benefit. When I finished the first few rows again I realized the new work looked nothing like what I had frogged!

I really like knitting lace, although I have to pay close attention to my stitch count and all the repeats. That can be difficult when you are trying to get even one row done and people keep talking to you . . . even when they see you intently talking to yourself, knitting and continually glancing back at the pattern. My husband is the main culprit in my house. I actually had to tell him to not talk to me if he saw me knitting with the blue yarn I was using.

 Even though the lace pattern was only 14 rows done twice for the edging, it was time consuming while working it. But one of the great things about this pattern is that I learned short rows while knitting the main body of the shawlette. I didn't think it would be difficult, especially since the short-row sections were small. So it was probably one of the easier short row patterns to learn on.

It is now finally done, washed and blocked. I look forward to my next project.  I do have just over 65gm out of the 100gm  I started with. So what next for this lovely Baby Boo Lace? I may just have an idea or two!

WIP Wednesday - Spring Greens Shawl

Confession: Although I purchased a fair bit of yarn at the Toronto Knitters' Frolic on April 25, I had already purchased lots of yarn on April 1. No joke!

I couldn't help myself--about one week prior to April Fool's Day, one of my favourite indie dyers announced a sale. So on the morning of April 1, I signed in to the Georgian Bay Fibre Co. site and bought some yarn. Those four skeins at the top of the page are what I was able to get . . . man, they moved fast!

As soon as I received the package, I knew I wanted to start making something with these gorgeous yarns! I talked to Shelagh about a shawl--something I don't have a lot of experience with but she does--and she showed me a bunch of patterns she had. And when I saw the Sunray Shawl from Ravelry, I knew this would be it!

So, I picked the green yarn--a lovely blend of BFL and silk-- and I started on the shawl. I've renamed mine "Spring Greens Shawl" because of the lovely soft shades of green in the yarn: it really looks like fresh shoots of green seen everywhere in the Spring. And the light airiness of this wool makes me think of Spring and Summer.

Starting with a garter tab cast on, the eyelet details in this shawl lead out in a "ray" pattern.

Manic Monday - Knitters' Frolic

Clockwise from top left: two skeins of MerGoat Sock yarn from Indigo Dragonfly; horn and seed pod buttons; two skeins of Tree Wool yarn from Fleece Artist; one skein of Special Edition Merino sock yarn (Pinot Butter) from Indigo Dragonfly; one skein of Athena Sock from Luna Grey Fiber Arts out of Colorado; and one skein of "Copper & Zinc" from Riverside Studio.

Toronto Knitters' Guild organizes a Knitters' Frolic held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre. This year was the 18th year and the first year that Shelagh and I went along. We decided to go because the Knit Night ladies from our LYS went last year and raved about it!

We marked our calendars a year ago--and we were not disappointed!

The colours . . . the textures . . . so much fibre-y goodness!

Five of us travelled with Shelagh in the "party" van (and by party, I mean knitting) and, after figuring out the detours with road closures, we arrived ready to search and shop! (FYI: Toronto has two seasons: winter and construction.)

Shelagh had printed off the floor plan and she and I had already decided we would spend our time looking at hard-to-find yarn, particularly those from indie dyers we had heard about. The photo above is my haul (Shelagh purchased some, but I went crazy). I was thrilled with my purchases: I've been wanting to find yarn from Indigo Dragonfly for a while, and the yarn did not disappoint. I've seen yarn from Fleece Artist--and Shelagh loved making a shawl from some of their yarn--so I wanted to try some myself.

As for Riverside Studio, I hadn't heard of her before but I immediately fell for her colours. It was hard to settle on one, but that Copper & Zinc really spoke to me!

All these new skeins are added to some new yarns I ordered from Georgian Bay Fibre Co. earlier in April. So, now my only problem is: what will I work on first!?!