F.O. Old Romance by Joji Locatelli

Pattern:  Old Romance

Old Romance

Designer:  Joji Locatelli

Yarn:  Sweet Fiber Yarns Cashmerino 20 (70% merino, 20% cashmere 10% nylon)

Colourway:  Verve

Sweet Fiber Yarns Cashmerino 20

Yarn:  Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light  (100% merino)

Colourway:  Cathedral

Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light

Needles:  3.5mm and 3.0mm

Ravelry:  my notes

Added Notes:

1. I enjoyed the unique construction of knitting Japan Sleeves by Joji Locatelli three years ago, and I decided I wanted to repeat the fun, and knit the cardigan version of the pattern.  I finally got around to it, and started the lace inserts on January 1, 2018.  I don't usually take four months to complete a sweater, but this is one of those patterns that I would pick up and add a few rows now and again, while I worked on other projects.  The first step for this pattern is to knit the lace for the sleeves and this took me quite a bit of time.  After construction of the lace strips Joji has you cleverly join both to create the sleeves. 

Construction of the sleeves

However, that's where the fun ended for me.  After the sleeves were constructed the remainder of the sweater is knit in stockinette and I felt that it went on forever.  My only modification was to knit the body two inches shorter than suggested in the pattern.  With blocking the cardigan grew a couple inches so the length ended up perfect for me.

2.  I was lucky to get Sweet Fiber's Verve colourway during one of the shop updates.  I first spotted this colourway on a trip to Victoria to the Beehive Wool Shop and saw a shop sample of Viajante by Martina Behm knit in this gorgeous shade of purple.  Unfortunately, it is no longer listed as one of the colourways that Sweet Fiber dyes.

3.  I usually stay away from variegated yarn when knitting lace but I am pleased with the result.  However, I find that the Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light pills quite a bit and my lace inserts are no exception.  I have knit a few sweaters with this yarn and they all pill. And for that reason, I have learned that I prefer to knit sweaters with plied yarn, not single ply.

4.  The boredom I experienced while knitting the body was forgotten when I tried on the sweater.  This is an open cardigan that will be perfect to slip on top of whatever I am wearing.  The cashmere content in the Sweet Fiber Yarns makes a super soft fabric and since it is a fingering weight it will be worn year round. My conclusion is that it was definitely worth it!

WIPs: Hamble, Stronachlachar, and Old Romance

Every now and then I go through my large Ravelry queue, and try to reduce the number of patterns in it.  I find this quite challenging as there are so many amazing patterns which have stood the test of time.  Of course, I am also tempted by new designs that crop up daily, and so my queue just grows and grows.  Does anyone else have this problem?  Recently I seem to be obsessed with knitting sweaters.  Instead of casting on just one sweater, I have cast on three!  Two are newly published, and the third has been in my queue for a long time.  And the best thing...all are knit from stash yarn.

1.  Hamble:  I am a long time fan of Isabell Kraemer and have found that her patterns fit me well, and tend to get worn quite a bit (see Aibrean, Mailin, and Seashore).  I could not resist Hamble, Isabell Kraemer's newest pattern knit in Rosy Green Wool Cheeky Merino Joy, a sport weight yarn.  I had the perfect yarn in my stash.  On my trip to Nashville in the fall, I picked up three different coloured skeins of Rosy Green Wool from Haus of Yarn, to knit a shawl.  Only one skein was needed for the top of the Hamble body so I used one of the colourways I had called Edelweiss. In my stash I also had some O-Wool O-Wash Sport yarn.  These two yarns work perfectly together.  Although I love both yarns, I found that Rosy Wool is one of those yarns that I kept squishing as I knit.  Rosy Green Wool definitely lives up to the hype.   (I found out that O-Wool carries Rosy Green Wool if you are interested in trying a skein).  Here's my progress so far: 

Rosy Green Wool Cheeky Merino Joy in Edelweiss
O-Wash O-Wool Sport in Cuckoo Flower

Pigeonroof Yarns Silky High Twist Sock in Railroad Stake

2.  Another new pattern that I cast on as soon as it was published is Stronachlar, part of the West Highland Way collection, by Kate Davies.    If you haven't had the chance to look at this collection of patterns I highly recommend it.  I had the perfect yarn in my stash for this pattern, about 900m of a DK weight wool called West Yorkshire Spinners Blue Faced Leicester DK.  I love the look of the simple cables and, if I can finish Stronachlachar soon, it will be the perfect spring sweater to throw on top of a blouse.  

West Yorkshire Spinners Bue Faced Leicester DK

3.  Since the beginning of the year I have been slowly working on Old Romance, a fingering weight cardigan, by Joji Locatelli that was published four years ago.  The pattern starts with two identical lace strips that become part of the sleeves.  I decided to knit both lace inserts at the same time.  Each day I slowly added a few rows until I knit the 27.5" required and then the fun began. This cardigan has a similar construction to Joji's Japan Sleeves, as the lace panels are knit first, and once done provide the foundation for the sleeves.  The interesting construction keeps me entertained, but as it is a fingering weight sweater it will take me some time to complete.  See my Ravelry notes here.

The pattern begins by knitting two lace panels
knit in Madelinetosh Light in the colourway Cathedral

The next step is to join the pieces and create the two arms and neck
Sweet Fiber Yarns Cashmerino 20 in colourway Verve

If only there were more hours in a day!  The trouble with knitting three sweaters at the same time is that it never looks like I have made much progress.  However I will remain hopeful that I will have three new sweaters to wear this spring.  Wish me luck!

Woolercoaster's Wonderful World of Wool: August 5-11

Today I am trying something new on my blog which I hope you enjoy.  I have highlighted a few patterns, KALs and yarn that have caught my attention this week in the knitting world.   

Week of August 6-12

1. Thea Colman (Baby Cocktails) came out with a new hat pattern called the Boston Flip.  This hat was designed as a gift to her daughter, and her daughter's best friend, as they go off to college this fall.  The explanation for the hat's design was incredibly sweet.  Read all about it on her blog. 

2.  Joji Locatelli has come out with two new patterns this week:  the Longline Cardigan and the Bobble Cowl.  Both patterns are knit in Malabrigo Mechita which is a fingering weight yarn.  She is offering 20% off all her patterns from August 10-20 using the code jojifallkal.   This sale is in anticipation of her Knit Along starting September 1 running until December 10th.  More information can be found here.

3.  Carol Feller, another prolific designer, has come out on Instagram and on her website with a new sweater design called the Camira Cardigan which will go on pre-sale on August 19th.  The first clue will be released October 7th. This is one KAL I am considering participating in.  I think this pattern will be very interesting to knit.  I participated in a previous Carol Feller KAL and knit a sweater called Capall Dubh which I absolutely love.  More information is to follow.

4.  Another sweater pattern that caught my attention was Fresh by Josée Paquin. This sweater would be a great stashbuster and would be a fun knit.   Josée uses Julie Asselin Fino fingering yarn combined with a Julie Asselin's Leizu Fingering Gradient Set.  Love it.

5.  A new publication entitled Plum Dandi Knits:  Simple Designs for Luxury Yarns by Melissa Schaschwary and Alicia Plummer is available for preorder on Amazon.  It is being published November 30, 2017 by Interweave and I am sure it will have many beautiful designs.

6.  And finally, I know I don't have to tell you about Andrea Mowry's newest pattern and Mystery Knit Fade Along called What the Fade?! starting August 31st.  However, what you might not know is Hedgehog Fibres is having another Colour Sets sale on August 12th where you can purchase a six skein set directly from the extremely popular dyer to use for this pattern.   (One can dream.)

That's my round-up for today.  I had fun compiling it and please feel free to add any other items that you are excited about in the Comments section below.

Now I can't leave you without any yarn pictures.  How about a few shots of some of my recent purchases?  Although I will not be joining in the Mystery Knit Fade Along I do enjoy a skein of speckled yarn.  There are so many beautiful ones to choose from...it's mind boggling.   Here are a few of my faves:

Primrose Yarn Adelaide:  In Between the Lines

Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles:  Bubble & Bounce

  

Life in the Long Grass (LITLG) Fine Sock:  Shack

Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles:  Poppy

What am I going to do with these skeins you ask?  I am not sure, but with these colourways I am going to have fun figuring it out.  

Happy weekend everyone!

F.O. Ekua by Kirsten Kapur

Pattern:  Ekua aka TTL Mystery Sock 2017

Designer:  Kirsten Kapur

Yarn: Madelintosh Tosh Sock (100% merino)

Colourway:Button Jar Blue
Yarn: Sweet Georgia Yarns Tough Love Sock (80% merino 20% nylon)

Colourway:  Silver

Needles:  2.5mm

Ekua by Kirsten Kapur

Added Notes:  These socks were part of a mystery knit along where participants received different parts of the pattern weekly for a month.  I signed up for this KAL, not knowing what the sock pattern was going to look like.  I ended up spending many precious knitting hours on a pair of socks that I wasn't really enjoying knitting.  I am not a big fan of knitting cables, especially with fingering weight yarn.  Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful and fit me well, but I learned through this process that I enjoy knitting a simpler (and quicker) pair of socks, and that I don't really enjoy a mystery KAL.  I need to know what I am knitting.   How do you feel about complicated socks and MKALs?  

No sooner had I decided to stay away from MKALs then the amazing designer Joji Locatelli came out with her Mystery Wrap KAL.  Joji is one of my favourite designers so joining is very tempting.  However, the wrap requires five skeins of fingering weight yarn, which means it is a huge project.  Reluctantly, I have decided not to participate as I want to stay focused on knitting sweaters.  I am currently participating in the very popular Tops, Tanks and Tees Knitalong hosted by Very Shannon which runs from April 10 to May 8.  From Hannah Fettig's new book Texture I am knitting the Eventide Cardi. This cardigan is knit in pieces, and I think seaming is going to be easy, as the rows of seed stitch on the separate pieces will line up perfectly. 

Eventide Cardi by Hannah Fettig

I am really trying to stay focused on my sweater knitting goal. 
However, I find it very challenging given the number of new patterns that keep cropping up on Ravelry each week.  So many temptations!  Well I better get back to my Eventide Cardi...I only have about a week left. 

F.O. The Grocery Girl

Pattern:  The Girl from the Grocery Store

Voolenvine Wolke:  Faerie Hair

The Girl in the Grocery Store

Designer:  Joji Locatelli

Yarn:  Voolenvine Yarns Wolke (80% merino 10% nylon 10% cashmere)

Colourway: Faerie Hair

Yarn:  Julie Asselin Fino (75% merino 15% cashmere 10% silk)

Colourway:  Meet Me By the River

Julie Asselin Fino:  Meet Me By the River (on top) & Voolenvine Yarn Wolke (bottom)

Needles:   4.0mm

Ravelry:  Link 

Added Notes:  
1.  Both these yarns are lovely and hard to photograph.  I don't think my photos are doing them justice.  I know very little about yarn dyeing but, I have knit enough with various hand dyed yarn, to realize that some really stand out from the rest.  Julie Asselin and Voolenvine Yarns are dyed to perfection and will knit up beautifully guaranteed.  I have other yarn by both these dyers and each skein is simply gorgeous. 

2.  This shawl is a simple pattern, perfect for beginners.  Although there is a bit of lace, it is easy to follow and the result is the perfect sized shawl.

Simple lace edging

3.  What better way to combine a couple skeins of yarn than in a pattern like this.  The possibilities are endless.

I am swatching away here trying to decide which sweater to knit next. Decisions decisions.  In the meantime I am trying to get some projects off the needles. What's next in your queue?

The Fibre Co. Mewesic (left) and Sweet Fiber Yarns Merino Twist DK with CFC Flax DK

A Look Back: 2016

2016 was a great year for knitters. People were blogging, instagramming and podcasting about knitting and yarn more than ever before.  Everyday there seemed to be either a new pattern, yarn or Knit-a-long.  In honour of all things knitting I present my third annual list of Knitting Favourites of 2016. (You can check out my previous picks here:  2014 and 2015).  I have provided links if you wish to read more about any of my favourites.  

Best Yarn Shop:  I had the pleasure of visiting several amazing knitting stores this year.  Although I loved Fibre Space in Virginia I would have to say Tolt Yarn and Wool in Carnation, Washington is my absolute favourite yarn store. I loved everything about this store.  The staff were friendly, the variety and quantity of yarns were amazing, and the size and layout of the store was perfect. I admit it was quite a drive from Seattle, but I would do it all over again if I had the chance.  I had heard the hype about this store and after going there I truly get it.  It's that good. 

Tolt Yarn and Wool

Best Sweater/Cardigan:  This was a hard choice for me to make as I knit four cardigans and three sweaters, all of which I love.  I am improving on knitting the appropriate size for myself and picking the right yarn.  I decided to pick two favourites, the one I wear the most and then the one that I enjoyed knitting the most.  The one I wear the most is Madewell by Joji Locatelli knit in Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label (Painted Jeans colourway).  I love the multiple colours in this yarn and the style of this sweater.  It goes with everything.

Madewell by Joji Locatelli

My favourite sweater to make was the Clarke Sweater, by Jane Richmond, in Malabrigo Rios (Piedras colourway). I really love how this sweater showcases the yarn.  Although each skein appeared to be similar at first glance, once I started knitting I noticed how much each skein varied. I decided to alternate three skeins of Piedras and that seemed to help. Despite having to alternate skeins I loved knitting this pattern.  I am a big Jane Richmond fan as her patterns are gorgeous and well written.  I suspect I will knit another Clarke Sweater one day.

Clarke Sweater by Jane Richmond

Malabrigo Rios:  Piedras colourway

Best Knitted Accessory:  My Antiquity Mitts by Alicia Plummer are my favourite accessory this year.  This pattern was the perfect fit with Camellia Fiber Company CFC Flax DK yarn (a combination of Alpaca, Linen and Silk).  I was amazed at how this yarn feels as it is so different from other yarns I have knit with.  I definitely would love to knit with this yarn again.

Camellia Fiber Company CFC Flax DK

Best Yarn Brand:  This year I really became interested in yarn that was not overly processed.  Although I have a lot of superwash yarn in my stash I have enjoyed trying yarn like Targhee-Columbia, Bluefaced Leicester and CVM/Romeldale  yarn.  I hope to continue trying other natural yarns in 2017. One of the coziest sweaters I knit this year is Georgetown by Hannah Fettig knit in West Yorkshire Spinners Fleece Bluefaced Leicester DK yarn.  This yarn is a work horse of a yarn and is the coziest sweater I have ever knit. I would love to try knitting cables with this yarn.

Georgetown by Hannah Fettig

Best Yarn Colour: There are so many pretty yarn colourways.  However, one really stood out for me this year.  When attending Indie Untangled in Rhinebeck I was able to see Voolenvine Yarns in person this year.  Now I see what the fuss is all about.  The colourways are stunning.  Look at this one in Kristen's Wolke base:

Voolenvine Yarns:  Faeirie Hair

Best Knitting Book:  I bought several knitting books this year but my favourite is Take Heart by Fiona Alice. This book was published by the same women who publish PomPom Quarterly and I think they did a wonderful job.  The patterns and photography are beautiful.

Best Knitting Instagram Feed:  There are so many amazing Instagrammers that I follow.  One of my favourites is The Plucky Knitter.  They are always posting inspiring photos of the most beautiful yarns and the patterns that I would love to knit.

Best Knitting Magazine:  I am a big fan of Pom Pom Quarterly.  There are several patterns I find I want to knit from each issue.  I finally got to knitting Vitsippa by Joji Locatelli from Issue 12 and was so pleased with the result.

Vitsippa by Joji Locatelli

Other honourable mentions go to two new magazines:  Making by Carrie Bostick Hoge and By Hand by Andrea Hungerford.  I really enjoyed reading them this year.

Best Knitting Blog: And speaking of Andrea Hungerford, my favourite knitting blog of the year is her Blueberry Hill Crafting blog.  Andrea is a prolific knitter and crafter and is always knitting items that I have in my queue.  She knits with the most amazing yarns, ones that I also have on my wishlist. She is honest in her analysis of her F.O.'s which I find extremely helpful.  You should check her out. 

Best Knitting Vlog/Podcast:  2016 was the year I got into the Grocery Girls podcast, knitting obsessed Canadian sisters living in Edmonton, Alberta.  They are so much fun to watch.  Even Joji Locatelli is a fan of theirs, naming her latest shawl The Girl From the Grocery Store, in honour of them.  I am definitely casting on this shawl in the New Year.

Best Knitting Accessory:  I am still smitten with these lovely screen printed bags created by Jenna Rose, an artisan from Ontario, Canada.  I love giving them as gifts.

Jenna Rose bag

Well that's it for another year.  Thank you for reading through my list of favourites.  I appreciate everyone who drops by my blog and especially those who take the time to add a comment. I look forward to seeing what everyone makes in 2017.   Happy New Year!!!  All the best in the coming year.

#bestnine2016

#bestnine2016

I am probably the last to know about this, but if you have an Instagram account you can use this handy link, and your best nine Instagram photos of the year are automatically generated.  It is no surprise to me that most of my best photos from 2016  are about knitting.  Not only did I post pictures of these items on my Instagram account I also wrote about them on my blog.   The sweaters above are the items I am most proud of knitting this year.  

If you missed reading about any of these items I have included the links below, starting with the green sweater in upper left corner and working clockwise:

Aibrean by Isabell Kraemer
My trip to Seattle (part of Knitted Bliss' #CraftyBlissChallenge)
Vitsippa by Joji Locatelli
The Girl In Me from the O-Wool booth at Rhinebeck
Clarke Pullover by Jane Richmond
Madewell by Joji Locatelli
Clarke Pullover in progress
Looking up at Rhinebeck (part of Knitted Bliss' #CraftyBlissChallenge)

I am furiously knitting away on Thunderstorm by Alicia Plummer in the most gorgeous yarn: Sweet Georgia's Cashluxe Spark in the Shoreline Colourway. This yarn consists of 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere and 10% silver stellina. 

I was worried that the stellina would make the yarn feel scratchy but it is incredibly soft and I highly recommend it.  I would love to have this sparkly shawl finished by Christmas but I know that it is not possible.  However, I will enjoy knitting on it through the holidays and hopefully finish it by New Year's.

Imagine this shawl with a lot of sparkle...I wish I could capture it properly

And, finally, if you would like something to watch while you steal away some knitting time, I found an enjoyable new podcast.  The owners of Espace Tricot, a Montreal based yarn shop have started their own podcast.  I love how the friendship between these two women is so evident.  On the podcast they share such an interesting story about how they got started in this industry.  There are two episodes available so far.  Espace Tricot is a yarn store that I have had on my list to visit for so long.  Maybe 2017 will be the year!  I recommend taking a knitting break and watching this podcast, while sipping on a hot beverage. You won't be sorry.

Espace Tricot Podcast