July Favourites

July flew by so quickly and here we are at the beginning of August.  I thought it would be fun to look back and pick out some of my favourites from the month:

Favourite Blog Post:   Karen Templer, author of the Fringe Association Blog is one of my favourite bloggers. If you haven't read her blog before I highly recommend it.  Karen is hosting a Top down Knitalong running from August 15- September 30. She is challenging knitters to knit a sweater without using a pattern.  Of course there will be lots of support from fellow knitters, tutorials, etc.  For example here is one of the blog entries where she guides KAL members.  Although I would love to join in, I know that I unfortunately do not have the time to commit to it.  However, I will enjoy reading up on all the participants' progress.  How fun!

Favourite Yarn Store Visit:  If you are a regular reader of my blog you know what I am going to write:  Tolt Yarn & Wool.  I think about this store often as it was such a lovely place to visit. The store had such a great variety of yarn, many of which I had never seen in person.  It was extremely well stocked and everything was so thoughtfully displayed.  Can you imagine having Tolt Yarn & Wool as your local yarn store?

Favourite Yarn:  To be honest there is too many to pick from!  However, Andrea Hungerer of Blueberry Hill Crafting, another favourite blogger of mine, gifted me a skein of Camellia Fiber Co. CFC Flax DK which was incredibly kind!  This yarn is a unique blend of 50% alpaca , 25% linen and 25% silk.  One skein is 270 yards (247m) so I am trying to decide which pattern I could use to help show off its beauty.  I love this kind of challenge : )

Camellia Fiber Co.

Favourite Unfinished Object
I started Joji Locatelli's Madewell cardigan at the beginning of July.  It was the perfect travel knitting project as it is a very basic cardigan. The yarn I chose to use is my long coveted Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label fingering yarn in the colourway Painted Jeans.  This colourway is an incredible mix of colours, from browns, greys, purples, blues...very challenging for me to photograph correctly. I think this pattern is a good match for variegated yarn as it's simplicity really lets the yarn colour be the focus. However, I forgot how long a fingering weight cardigan takes to knit!   I am almost finished the second sleeve and I hope to finish the whole cardigan this week and hopefully can show you it soon.

Favourite Finished Object
My favourite F.O. would have to be my Elder Tree Shawl by softsweater in the yarn by Clara Parkes called Clara Yarn CVM/Romeldale 2.0.  This was the first pattern I knit by softsweater (a fellow Canadian) and I thought the pattern was well written.   After knitting with this yarn I am really interested in trying more natural yarns.

The Elder Tree Shawl by softsweater

Patterns that I want to knit
There are so many gorgeous patterns out there that I want to knit immediately. I find it really difficult to narrow it down.  But after visiting 88 Stitches and seeing softsweater's collection of shawls I know that Lanterns is definitely high in my queue.  I think this pattern suits a  natural yarn and I want to make sure I pick the perfect one.

Lanterns by softsweater

But in the meantime, after knitting a fingering weight sweater for the last few weeks, I am in the mood to knit something with somewhat thicker yarn. Digging deep in my stash I found these beauties.  I am trying to figure out a perfect pattern that uses several colourways.  Although it is great that there are so many patterns to choose from on Ravelry sometimes it is overwhelming, isn't it?

Shalimar Yarns, Madelinetosh, Sweet Fiber Yarns, & Cephalopod Yarns

Favourite Video Blog:  Have you checked out Michele Wang's podcast?  As you all know she is a wonderful designer, creating patterns for Brooklyn Tweed, Woolfolk, and Manos del Uruguay to name a few.  Her blog is informative and offers good insight into the knitting world.

Favourite Yarn Related Instagram Photo:

Tolt Yarn and Wool

This is a display of Elemental Affects Shelter Fingering that I took at Tolt Yarn & Wool. What a perfect way to display the yarn.  Sigh.

Favourite Non-Yarn Related Instagram Post

I know, I know...who posts a picture of carrots?  Well I do!  I was so impressed with the way the fruit and vegetable stands at the Granville Market displayed their food.  It is one of my favourite places to visit in Vancouver.  I also find that now that I post on Instagram I am being more observant about what would make an interesting photo...and carrots won that day.  

Granville Market, Vancouver

That about sums it up for my top picks.  Happy August everyone!!