Caterpillargreen Yarns

Sometimes when I get new yarn, it stops me in my tracks and I leave it on my desk where I can admire it.  This is the yarn that I am currently enjoying:

Of course, it didn't arrive in that state.  It arrived like this, hiding it's inner beauty:

 But then when it was opened up this gorgeous rainbow of colour appeared.

This beauty, my friends, is Caterpillargreen Yarns created on Vancouver Island located in British Columbia.  I was lucky to grab a skein during an online sale in order to make the Playground Shawl by Justyna Lorkowska, a free pattern available on Ravelry.  It is MCN Fingering yarn in the colourway Concrete & Tulips, a 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere and 10% nylon blend.  So soft!  If you have never seen the Caterpillargreen Yarns website, I highly recommend you check it out.  The yarn sold on this website is self-striping and comes in many gorgeous colourways.  They are not made available very often so you have to be quick.  However, you're in luck if you live in Vancouver or nearby. Caterpillargreen Yarns will have a booth at Knit City October 2-4. 

As for me this yarn will stay on my desk for some time where I can admire it.  

#yarnlover

That's all I have to say : )

Fall Knitting: Sweet Fiber Yarn, Baby Cocktails & Much More!

I just love this time of year.  Are you like me?  The days are becoming cooler and I start eyeing my hand knits, wanting to wear them once again.  There is the excitement of new patterns popping up on Ravelry, and ideas about what I want to knit this fall are swirling around in my head.  

One item I will definitely be knitting is socks, using the latest installment of Sweet Fiber Yarns Sock Club called Stepping Stones, which arrived in the mail this week. Isn't it lovely?  If you haven't knit with Sweet Fiber Yarns before here's your chance.  Melissa Thomson keeps hinting about an upcoming shop update selling Cashmerino DK...so stay tuned. If you look at her Instagram account you will see some of the photos of this most gorgeous yarn. And then to top it off Baby Cocktails has blogged about a pattern that she has designed using Sweet Fiber Yarns. (If you click on the link I provided to Baby Cocktail's blog you will see the orange knit..maybe Spiced Pumpkin?).  I confess that I am not good at waiting so I emailed Thea Colman of Baby Cocktails and asked what kind of pattern it was.  She told me it was a scarf using four skeins of Cashmerino DK. She is an amazing designer and the combination of Sweet Fiber Yarn and this pattern will be stunning.  Hopefully the pattern will be released soon.

Sweet Fiber Yarns Super Sweet Sock in 'Stepping Stones'

There are so many lovely pattern collections that have been released recently.  Have you had time to look them over? Here are a few that caught my interest:

Fall Back:  A Plucky Knitter Collection
Amirisu Issue 8-Fall 2015
Knitty Deep Fall 2015
Sweet Georgia Fall 2015

And then, of course, Brooklyn Tweed Fall 2015 is coming out on September 16th which is always gorgeous.

But before I start any new patterns I need to work on the Slade cardigan I am knitting for my son.  I wanted to show you the swatch I knit for it using Harrisville Watershed.  I love how the yarn bloomed after blocking and the specks of colour in the Granite colourway adds a lovely dimension. I can hardly wait to see what this pattern will look like knit in this yarn.  (For those of you interested in buying this yarn in Canada you can order it online from Urban Yarns in Vancouver).

Harrisville Watershed swatch

I am also slowly working on my Mailin knit in the lovely Plucky Knitter Scholar. This is a simple and relaxing knit, a perfect pattern for me  to work on when I am so busy at work.  I can easily pick it up and knit a couple rounds even when I am tired at night.

Mailin progress

And if I wasn't already in the mood for fall knitting I was lucky enough to attend the annual Knitter's Fair held in Kitchener/Waterloo. There were so many beautiful yarns, knitted samples and knitting bags.  Here are a few things that caught my attention starting with the big photo on the left and working clockwise:

1.  Dream In Colour Yarn Classy with Cashmere (Needle Emporium)
2.  Bare Naked Wools:  Better Breakfast (Shall We Knit)
3.  Magmatic Boom knit in Party of 5 Kit from Sweet Georgia (Needle Emporium)
4.  A gorgeous sock yarn blanket by Passion Knit
5. Madelinetosh Merino Light (Needle Emporium)

Sights at Knitter's Fair in Kitchener, Waterloo

And as for my purchases I could not resist String Theory Caper Sock in Kiwi, 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon blend from Shall We Knit. 

String Theory Caper Sock

I really seem to gravitate toward green. I have no idea what I am going to knit with it but I am looking forward to figuring it out.  So happy planning everyone...I look forward to seeing what you all create.

F.O. Lake Effect

Have you ever looked at a pattern for the first time and knew you had to knit it? That's what happened to me as soon as I saw Lake Effect by Amy Miller.  

Sweet Fiber Super Sweet Sock in Chartreuse

I knew exactly what colour I wanted: Sweet Fiber Yarns Super Sweet Sock in Chartreuse. I fell in love with this colour after I knit my Cladonia.  It is a hard colour to capture on camera but, trust me when I say, it is gorgeous.   

Cladonia

I joined the the Very Shannon Summer Sweater Knit Along and got knitting. This KAL began at the end of July and ran until Labour Day Weekend.  I love this annual KAL as there are many enthusiastic participants and it is very motivating for me.

The pattern was easy to follow. Knit from the bottom up, using a 3.5mm needle, I used markers in between lace repeats which helped me spot my errors easily. 

When knitting the sleeves I went up a sleeve size as I always knit so much tighter when using dpns.  Unfortunately my first sleeve still came out tighter than I would have liked.  My friend Judy suggested I try knitting the second sleeve in the round.  That triggered an idea.  Instead of trying Magic Loop I decided to put the second sleeve on two circular needles....half the stitches on one circular needle and the other half on another.  Then taking a third circular needle I started knitting the sleeve.  Not only was I able to knit faster using this technique, but when I measured the width compared to the first sleeve, the second sleeve was turning out wider.  I switched back to dpns at this point as I didn't want to have two different sized sleeves.  However, this was a lightbulb moment for me as I realized that I would definitely use three circular needles for sleeves in the future as it would prevent me from having tightly knit sleeves and would speed up my knitting. So thank you Judy! 

One sleeve to go!

I love the comparison of the photo above pre-blocking and then the photo below after blocking.  Do you see how the lace just opened up?  Blocking is the best part of the knitting process for me.

All blocked

Now the weather just needs to cool off so I can wear it!  I hope you all are having a wonderful long weekend and are getting excited about the fall knitting ahead.