F.O. Timely by Libby Jonson

Primrose Yarn Adelaide

Hello everyone!  I hope you are all enjoying your summer.  I have been quiet here on the blog, but let me assure you, I have been busy knitting away.

My latest finished object is my Timely Cardigan.  At first I started knitting the shawl Assana with these two yarns, but although I loved the colour combination, I lost interest in knitting the pattern.

Primrose Yarns Adelaide & Hazel Knits Entice

First attempt:  Assana

I didn't want to waste this yarn, and so I looked at my very long Ravelry queue, and decided on the Timely cardigan.  It is a well written pattern and I am very happy with the result.

Pattern:  Timely

Designer:  Libby Jonson

Yarn:  Primrose Yarn Co. Adelaide (100% Merino)
Colourway:  In Between the Lines (2 skeins)

First skein of "In Between the Lines

Second skein of "In Between the Lines"

Yarn:  Hazel Knits Entice MCN (70% Merino 20% Cashmere 10% Nylon)
Colourway:  White Winged Dove (2 skeins)

Yarn:  Madelinetosh Merino Light (100% Merino)
Colourway: Antler (1 skein)
Needles:  2.75, 3, 3.25, 3.5mm

Ravelry:  See my notes here.

Added Notes:

1.  Have you ever knit a cardigan with a single ply before?  I have learnt over the years that single ply is not the best for cardigan knitting, as it pills a lot quicker than plied yarn.  However, I think pairing the single ply yarn (Primrose Yarn) with the plied yarn (Hazel Knits) will hopefully result in a cardigan that doesn't pill as much.

2.  There was a colour variation between skeins of both the Primrose Yarn, and to a slight extent, the Hazel Knits.  As a result I decided to alternate the four skeins for each row.  I am not going to lie...it was a pain.  Often the yarns would get tangled and with a single ply the yarn sticks more and needed to be pulled apart.  However, I kept telling myself that it would be worth it.  

3.  This is the first cardigan that I knit that I did not swatch for.  Since it is a top down cardigan I knew I could try it on as I went, and luckily it worked out well. I modified a few things...I decided I wanted a longer cardigan, so I knit about ten extra striped rows in the body, and I knit one less inch of the ribbing.  Also, I made full length sleeves as that is my preferred sleeve.  I also did the ribbing on the hem with Madelinetosh Merino Light in Antler, as I did not think I had enough of the Hazel Knits to complete the cardigan.  Surprisingly, I used almost the whole skein.  

4.  Knitting a fingering cardigan is a commitment.  It takes way longer to knit than any other weighted cardigan.  However, it is the most wearable of all the yarn weights as far as I am concerned.  I am super pleased it is done and love the result.  But I definitely need a break from fingering weight sweaters for a while.

If you like the look of the Timely Cardigan but don't want to invest the time knitting a fingering weight cardigan I heard that a DK version of the pattern will be released sometime around November.  How exciting!  It is the perfect stashbuster.

Happy knitting!

Fibre Space: Alexandria, Virginia

Fibre Space.  I have been a fan of this store's blog for some time, admiring all the yarn lines they carry and knitting ideas shared each week.  Imagine how happy I was when I figured out that Fibre Space, in Alexandria, Virginia was actually a few subway stops away from where I was staying in Washington, D.C. (Get off at the King Street/Old Town station).   Of course my trip would not have been complete without a visit to this store.

Fibre Space was incredible.  I liked everything about it.  In addition to all the varied yarn lines it is roomy enough to hold classes/knit nights.  It is so well stocked with knitting needles, yarns, fiber, patterns, and yarn bags.  Just about everything you can imagine.   The staff were sweet and so helpful.  But seriously, the yarn...

Highland Handmade Sugar Maple Sock

Jill Draper Makes Stuff

Everywhere I looked were more special skeins.

Shepherd's Wool

The Fibre Company Terra

Woolfolk

Hazel Kits, Crave Yarn & Hedgehog Fibres

Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio DK

Crave Yarn

Sweet Georgia

And then there was the most beautiful table of Hedgehog Fibres Merino DK

There were so many gorgeous knitted samples too.  Seriously, it was knitting heaven.

Knock Out Round Shawl (free pattern on their website):  Neighbourhood Fiber Co. Studio

Bonnie Banks Shawl in Dovestone DK

Braidsmaid (by Martina Behm) in Sweet Fiber Yarns DK

I was completely mesmerized by this store.  I just kept walking around the store looking at all the incredible yarn.  How I wish this yarn store was near my house. If it was I would just hang out there all the time.  I would volunteer to work there for free!  The really great thing was that Looped Yarn Works which I visited in Washington D.C. earlier in the week had a different variety of beautiful yarn....so between the two stores the choices are unbelieveable.

And right around the corner from this store was an antique store with the most incredible selection of vintage buttons (so many tubs of them). The owner told me that he gets so many knitters coming in.  It is definitely worth a visit too.

It was so hard to choose what to buy.  Here a few skeins I picked:

Crave Yarn Summit Fingering, Hazel Kits Entice Fingering & Hedgehog Fibres Sock Yarn

I loved every moment of my time in this store.  If you ever have the chance to Fibre Space I strongly urge you to go!  Can I come with you? ;o)