A Look Back: 2017

Like so many of you, I have continued my obsession with knitting and yarn.  I think there has to be some kind of Ravelry record set this year for the number of patterns published.  It seemed like everyday new patterns were popping up on the Ravelry Pattern page.  It was hard to keep up.  I have enjoyed checking out all the new patterns and yarn throughout the year and the size of my queue is ridiculous.  There are just so many patterns I want to knit.  I think we can all agree that 2017 will be remembered as the Year of the Fade thanks to Andrea Mowry.

I present to you my annual round up of favourites for 2017.

Best Yarn Shop:  Haus of Yarn, Nashville, Tennessee
The variety of yarn, the size and warmth of the store, and quantity of knitted samples was impressive.  I would highly recommend this store to anyone visiting the Nashville area.  You can read about my visit here. 

Just a sample of what Haus of Yarn carries (Wool & Boon and Old Rusted Chair)

Feyre Shawl by Shannon Cook:  one of the many samples at the store

Best Sweater/Cardigan:  Camira by Carol Feller. 
I love this cardigan's unique construction and how well it fits.  It is a sweater I wear on a weekly basis, and I think it would look great knit in many different yarns.  

Camira by Carol Feller

Best Yarn Brand:  Woolfolk
I have knit a number of accessories in this yarn and love everything about it.  It is incredible to wear, and my dream would be to knit a cardigan in this yarn.  I would never take it off.

On the C Train knit in Woolfolk Fär

Best Yarn Colour:  Maize by Tanis Fiber Arts (Purple Label)
One of my favourite things to do is to photograph yarn.  When you have a colourway that looks like this, it is an absolute joy.  Tanis outdid herself when she created this colourway specifically for Knit City 2017.  

Tanis Fiber Arts Purple Label:  Maize colourway

Best Knitted Accessory:   Deep Woods Toque by Kiyomi Burgin. 
My favourite accessory was a hat I knit for my daughter, using Tanis Fiber Arts' Purple Label Yarn, combined with Sweet Fiber Yarns Super Sweet Sock.  I love everything about this hat.  The colour combination and finished product makes me so happy.

Deep Woods Toque

Yarn That Impressed Me:   Gauge Dyeworks Merino Twist Classic (colourway All Together Now) 
I knit Martina Behm's very popular Hitchhiker using this beautiful colourway.  I love how the yarn colour switches back and forth.  I think the dyer behind this yarn is super talented.  Just have a look at the shawl below to see what I mean.

Gauge Dyework Merino Twist Classic

Hitchhiker Shawl

Best Knitting Instagram Feed:  1. Clara Parkes (Instagram stories)
If you haven't checked out Clara Parkes Instagram stories you definitely should.  She is so witty and her stories always make me laugh.
2. Instagram Photos:   As for Instagram pictures this is an impossible choice.  The amount of talent on Instagram is incredible and inspiring (and a bit overwhelming trying to keep up to be completely honest).  Some of my favourites are:  espacetricot, quinceandco, boylandknitworks, happycactusdesigns, soveryshannon and mysocalledhandmadelife.

Best Knitting Magazine:  Laine Magazine
This Nordic knitwear magazine showcases impressive patterns by talented designers, as well as interesting articles.  It is an enjoyable read and totally worth every cent.  If you haven't had a chance to look at a copy yet, you can check out the patterns from the magazine on Ravelry.  

A few of my favourite publications

Best Knitting Vlog/Podcast:  Melissa and Lisa of Espace Tricot wins hands down for me this year. 
This definitely was the year of the podcast. There are so many talented vloggers out there, but the owners of Espace Tricot (a Montreal yarn store) are consistently enjoyable to watch.  Each time I watch their podcast I always learn something new, and end up adding patterns to my queue.  I find them so entertaining and talented.  

Favourite Designer:  Andrea Mowry  
I have yet to fade anything, but I admire Andrea's talent and prolific designing.  I have many of her patterns in my queue and will definitely knit a few of her designs in 2018.  Here is one of Andrea's patterns called Goldfinch that I knit this year.

Goldfinch by Andrea Mowry
knit in O-Wash O-Wool Sport

I am also super impressed with Caitlin Hunter and her unique designs.  I am excited to see her new designs in 2018.

Best Yarn Show:  Knit City in Vancouver
I have to be honest and admit that I only went to one show this year, but wow, it was a great one!  Everyone involved in Knit City was super friendly.  There was so many talented designers and dyers, as well as amazing classes by talented teachers. Vancouver is my favourite Canadian city to visit too. If you can only go to one show next year this is the show you need to get to.

Designs by Sylvia McFadden

I think it was a great year in the knitting world.  I am excited to see what new designers emerge in 2018 and what's hot.  What were some of your favourites?

Woolercoaster's Wonderful World of Wool: October 22-28

As usual it's been a busy time in the knitting world.  Check out a few things that caught my interest below:

Hot Patterns
1.  A very pretty triangular shawl named Wickerwork by Lori Versaci has been published featuring eyelets and a lace pattern.  I love the version knit in Woolfolk Tynd.

2.  If you are a fan of Tin Can Knits you probably are aware of their newest publication called Strange Brew.  This book contains a guideline on how to knit and design your own fair isle sweater.  One of the challenges when knitting in fair isle is to pick effective colours.  To help knitters understand colour the Tin Can knits blog published a series of articles on this topic.  Check them out here:  Monochrome Monday, Tonal Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Tricolour Thursday, and Fair Isle Friday

3.  Are you in the holiday mode yet?  Maybe Julgran, a Christmas sweater by Andi Satterlund will inspire you to get in the mood.

4.  Caitlin Hunter's Birkin sweater publihsed in Laine Magazine Volume 2 is gaining popularity. Mason Dixon wrote an interesting article about this beautiful sweater entitled The It Sweater:  Birkin.  Definitely worth a read.  I love this version knit in only two colours by dreamsbythesea (Clare) on Ravelry.

5. If you are looking for a gorgeous three coloured wrap then have a look at Electra by Libby Jonson (Truly Myrtle).  This fingering weight pattern uses a variety of stitches including honeycomb and lace. It looks like a fun knit.

Free Patterns
1.  Purl Soho is a great resource for free patterns.  Their newest publication is called the Mini Herringbone Scarf.  The pattern includes a video tutorial on how to do the herringbone stitch.  

©Purl Soho

2. How about a cozy, oversized bulky sweater?  Rug, a pattern by the Japanese Designer named Junko Okamoto, looks like the perfect thing to wear during those cold weather months.

Knit Alongs

1.  Karen Templer of Fringe Association is hosting a new knitalong, starting January, based on the log cabin technique which is a method of knitting.  She is encouraging knitters to join her and make anything they dream up using this technique.  Mason Dixon is joining along and wrote about the KAL here.  Karen's knitalongs are thoughtfully done and educational.  She invites other designers/knitters to join her knitalong and explain their thought process.  Leading up to the start of the KAL she will provide lots of information to help you select your log cabin project.  For example, have a look at this article called New Favorites:  Striped cabin based on a gorgeous blanket that could be modified to a log cabin style.  

2.  Pom Pom Quarterly is hosting a year long KAL for the new publication Knitting Outside the Box by Bristol Ivy.  Check out a great YouTube interview with Bristol discussing the book here.  The knit along starts November 30th.  Prizes include yarn from Julie Asselin, Sweet Fiber Yarns and Baa Ram Ewe.

YouTube Videos
There are so many videos about Rhinebeck for those of us who could not attend.
Check out these two:  Grocery Girls and Kristyglassknits interviewing the Grocery Girls and the Espace Tricot ladies.   Looks like they had fun!

Have a happy knitting week and please add anything that caught your interest below in the comments section.