Woolercoaster's Wonderful World of Wool: September 18-24

I love this time of year. Although it is still hot where I live, I know sweater weather is around the corner.  There are so many beautiful new patterns and yarns cropping up on Ravelry each day.  Here's my picks for the highlights of the week:

Hot Patterns:
1.  If you are looking for a shawl that uses up some smaller quantities of yarn check out Melanie Berg's new pattern called True Colors.

2.  Thea Colman has come out with a new cabled cardigan pattern called Nor'easter.

3.  Josie Paquin and Heidi Kirrmaier have teamed up to create the Strong and Free collection which consists of 3 cardigans, 3 pullovers and 4 accessories all knit (or dyed) in Canadian yarn. I really like the Mount Pearl hat pattern.

4.  And if you are in the market for a baby cardigan pattern here's a cute one:  Aimee's Rainbow unisex cardigan by Nadia Crétin-Léchenne


Free Patterns:  
1.  Knitty Deep Fall 2017, 12 free patterns from designers such as Laura Nelkin, Julie Crawford, Carol Feller, and Amy Christoffers.  Check out Julie Crawford's cowl pattern below.

Alicorn by Julie Crawford
©Knitty Deep Fall 2017 

2.  The East Coaster Cozy is a free pattern until the end of September.  This cup cozy looks like a perfect gift.

3.  The Espace Tricot ladies have done it again.  Using the leaf pattern from the sweet cardigan Norwegian Fir they have created a baby blanket called Petits Pins.  It is so pretty, isn't it?

Clubs:If you are a fan of Julie Hoover's designs then you may be interested in her Sweater Club 2017 which was introduced this week.  By joining this club you will get two exclusive sweater patterns (one cardigan and one pullover) featuring a Woolfolk yarn in the quantity you need.

Yarn Festivals:

Gauge Dyeworks (available at Knit City)

One of my favourite things to do is to go to a yarn festival.  There is nothing like being around other knitters who are as passionate as I am about all things knitting.  I love having the opportunity to touch and feel yarn that I have only seen on the internet. For example, new colourways by Gauge DyeWorks will be available for purchase, such as the gorgeous colourway above. I am excited to be going to Knit City for the first time this year and I will be sure to write a blog on the event.  The Canadian west coast yarn festival, an annual event held in Vancouver September 30-October 1st.  Besides the amazing yarn market there are so many designers, classes, speakers and vendors. I can hardly wait. 

YouTube Videos:
If you are looking for some company while knitting check out Andrea Mowry at the Yarn Pimp's store.  Interview here.

That's just a tiny drop in the bucket of what is new in the knitting world.  Please feel free to add your own favourites in the comment section below.  Happy knitting!

Work In Progress: Hitchhiker by Martina Behm

Sometimes when I look at a skein of yarn I know immediately what I want to knit with it.  Check out this gorgeous skein of Gauge Dye Works Merino Twist Fingering  (80% merino 20% nylon) in the colourway All Together Now.

Gauge Dye Works Merino Twist Fingering

When I set eyes on Gauge Dye Works newest colourway I loved it.  I knew that I wanted to knit a pair of vanilla socks to showcase the yarn. 

Colourway:  All Together Now

I cast on 56 stitches and started knitting the socks top down.  However, once I got a few inches into the sock pattern, I realized that the stripes were rather larger than I had anticipated, and I was not happy with how they were turning out. I decided that I was going to do something else with this yarn, as it was too pretty not to choose a pattern that I loved. 

After searching through Ravelry I decided on the most basic of patterns, a Hitchhiker by Martina Behm, which an astounding 27 960 people have knit. This shawl is so popular for a number of reasons.  The pattern is an easy to knit garter stitch shawl, works beautifully with any yarn, and creates the perfect shaped shawl.  The pattern allows you to use every last bit of yarn so none is wasted.  This is my mindless knit that I can't wait to finish. I am so happy with how it is turning out.

Loving my Lykke needles

The dyeing in this yarn is fantastic.  How the dyer goes back and forth from colour to colour so seamlessly fascinates me.

If you are interested in ordering your own skein of this beautiful yarn you will find it at Knit City in Vancouver next week.  Otherwise sign up for Gauge Dye Work's newsletter so you can find out when their next Etsy sale is.  Now back to my knitting : )

Happy knitting everyone!

F.O. Hyak Socks by Kim Swingle

Pattern:  Hyak

Designer: Kim Swingle

Yarn:  Cestari Traditional Collection, 2 Ply (aran weight) 100% Targhee-Columbia

Cestari Traditional Collection, 2 ply

Colourway:  Natural White &  Light Grey Medium Grey Tweed

Needles:   3.5mm and 3.75mm

Ravelry:  notes here

Hyak socks

Added Notes:  

1.  Last summer I visited Tolt Yarn and Wool, fulfilling one of my yarn dreams. Read all about it here and here. I bought the Hyak sock pattern and the Cestari yarn there.  Everytime I wear these socks I will think of my trip.

2.  Tolt Yarn and Wool sells some wonderful yarn and their website is definitely worth a visit.  I really love the variety of yarn they sell and many of the brands they carry are hard to find elsewhere. Recently I had to order an additional skein of yarn for a project I was working on.  Tolt Yarn and Wool was the only place I could find it. I thought the shipping cost to Canada was quite reasonable compared to other U.S. online stores I have ordered from.  If you order yarn costing under $100 the shipping is a flat rate of $15.  The order arrived at my doorstep very quickly too, which was a bonus.

3.  I loved knitting with this yarn and I would highly recommend it.  I am someone that often has cold feet.  I was wearing these socks around the house and even though they are knit with aran weight yarn they kept my feet the perfect temperature.  Although this yarn is quite rustic after a good soak and blocking it softened up quite nicely.  I found the socks did not itch my feet at all.

4.  Just as an aside note I love blogging and I am trying very hard to blog twice a week.  But I have a father with Alzheimers and at times, his health needs take up a lot of my time so finding the time to blog can be quite challenging.  So please bear with me.  Thank you for continuing to visit my blog...I really appreciate it. 

Woolercoaster's Wonderful World of Knitting August 26-September 1

As we head into the Labor Day long weekend, I hope you are able to set aside some time to put your feet up and knit. I intend to spend time knitting my Burr Cardigan by Veronik Avery.  My daughter is heading back to university this weekend for her final year, so I am sure to get some knitting time in the car as we drive her back.

Burr by Veronik Avery

Green Mountain Spinnery Mewesic

Back complete, ready to block

This week there were some great free patterns being offered on Ravelry as well as patterns by Stephen West and Ysolda Teague.

Pattern Deals:

Here are four free patterns that you won't want to miss:

1.  Designer Laura Aylor is offering a free pattern on Ravelry called Touchstone,  a DK weight shawl, combining garter stitch and eyelet.  But hurry it won't be free indefinitely.

2.  Love this free fingering weight shawl by Rita Taylor called Balvraid.  

3.  If you like super bulky shawls then you might enjoy this new one called Medhel an Gwyns by Kalurah Hudson.  Using only 340 yards you could knit this shawl up in no time.

4.  If you enjoy lace shawls how about this pretty one called Bowerbird by Cath Ward.

Hot Patterns:

If you are a Stephen West fan then his announcement about his Speckle & Pop! Westknits Mystery Shawl KAL 2017 must have made you very happy.  The first clue goes out Friday, September 29th.

Knitworthy 4 by Ysolda Teague is now available.  This is a fun collection of eight patterns, perfect for gift giving.  A pattern is published every two weeks and with such a talented designer you can't go wrong.  Check out the first pattern, Elska, released on August 28th, a beautiful colour-worked hat.

I hope you all have a great weekend and if you want to add to my list please write in the Comments section below.