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?

Happy New Year!

Shelagh and I consider ourselves a very fortunate pair of sisters: not only have we found something we love doing—and love doing together!—we have been incredibly fortunate to be able to share our knitting stories with you through our blog. We had so much fun in 2015 and received great feedback on our posts, we are really looking forward to continuing in 2016.

So what can you expect in the upcoming year? Well, we will

• Post more consistently: look for our posts on Tuesday mornings.
• Continue to share stories about some of the items we are making.
• Add some new ideas into the mix: a little bit about colors and fashion—we are making accessories for stylish women, after all! Perhaps some information about yarn—there are so many options out there, but what does fiber content mean for a garment? And who knows what else may strike our fancy? Maybe some guest bloggers or Q and A posts from other yarn-ophiles.

As always, we look forward to hearing from you, dear reader. We love reading comments. But we'd love to hear if there is something you want to know. Or perhaps there is something you'd like us to knit up—or wonder why we don't knit particular things. Drop us a line!

And of course, knitting and making is very visual, so you can find us posting on Instagram and Pinterest. Just look for @threesistersknit in both platforms and follow us.

For now, Shelagh and I want to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016. Hold your family and friends close because they are what make this life wonderful.

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?