Fall Knitting: Sweet Fiber Yarn, Baby Cocktails & Much More!

I just love this time of year.  Are you like me?  The days are becoming cooler and I start eyeing my hand knits, wanting to wear them once again.  There is the excitement of new patterns popping up on Ravelry, and ideas about what I want to knit this fall are swirling around in my head.  

One item I will definitely be knitting is socks, using the latest installment of Sweet Fiber Yarns Sock Club called Stepping Stones, which arrived in the mail this week. Isn't it lovely?  If you haven't knit with Sweet Fiber Yarns before here's your chance.  Melissa Thomson keeps hinting about an upcoming shop update selling Cashmerino DK...so stay tuned. If you look at her Instagram account you will see some of the photos of this most gorgeous yarn. And then to top it off Baby Cocktails has blogged about a pattern that she has designed using Sweet Fiber Yarns. (If you click on the link I provided to Baby Cocktail's blog you will see the orange knit..maybe Spiced Pumpkin?).  I confess that I am not good at waiting so I emailed Thea Colman of Baby Cocktails and asked what kind of pattern it was.  She told me it was a scarf using four skeins of Cashmerino DK. She is an amazing designer and the combination of Sweet Fiber Yarn and this pattern will be stunning.  Hopefully the pattern will be released soon.

Sweet Fiber Yarns Super Sweet Sock in 'Stepping Stones'

There are so many lovely pattern collections that have been released recently.  Have you had time to look them over? Here are a few that caught my interest:

Fall Back:  A Plucky Knitter Collection
Amirisu Issue 8-Fall 2015
Knitty Deep Fall 2015
Sweet Georgia Fall 2015

And then, of course, Brooklyn Tweed Fall 2015 is coming out on September 16th which is always gorgeous.

But before I start any new patterns I need to work on the Slade cardigan I am knitting for my son.  I wanted to show you the swatch I knit for it using Harrisville Watershed.  I love how the yarn bloomed after blocking and the specks of colour in the Granite colourway adds a lovely dimension. I can hardly wait to see what this pattern will look like knit in this yarn.  (For those of you interested in buying this yarn in Canada you can order it online from Urban Yarns in Vancouver).

Harrisville Watershed swatch

I am also slowly working on my Mailin knit in the lovely Plucky Knitter Scholar. This is a simple and relaxing knit, a perfect pattern for me  to work on when I am so busy at work.  I can easily pick it up and knit a couple rounds even when I am tired at night.

Mailin progress

And if I wasn't already in the mood for fall knitting I was lucky enough to attend the annual Knitter's Fair held in Kitchener/Waterloo. There were so many beautiful yarns, knitted samples and knitting bags.  Here are a few things that caught my attention starting with the big photo on the left and working clockwise:

1.  Dream In Colour Yarn Classy with Cashmere (Needle Emporium)
2.  Bare Naked Wools:  Better Breakfast (Shall We Knit)
3.  Magmatic Boom knit in Party of 5 Kit from Sweet Georgia (Needle Emporium)
4.  A gorgeous sock yarn blanket by Passion Knit
5. Madelinetosh Merino Light (Needle Emporium)

Sights at Knitter's Fair in Kitchener, Waterloo

And as for my purchases I could not resist String Theory Caper Sock in Kiwi, 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon blend from Shall We Knit. 

String Theory Caper Sock

I really seem to gravitate toward green. I have no idea what I am going to knit with it but I am looking forward to figuring it out.  So happy planning everyone...I look forward to seeing what you all create.

Kate Atherley: Custom Socks

Check this picture out:

Knitting two socks at the same time!!!

That's right my friends.  Your eyes are not deceiving you.  I am knitting two socks at the same time using two needles.  No double pointed needles are in sight. Think of how this new found skill will change my knitting life.  I could knit two sleeves at the same time or how about two pairs of mittens?  Think of the possibilities.  And how did this magic happen you may be asking yourself?  If you have read any of my blog entries lately you will know that I am totally a newbie sock knitter and have only knit two pairs of socks in my life. The person sharing this bit of knitting magic was the one and only Kate Atherley.

This weekend I had the opportunity to take my first class with Kate Atherley at Shall We Knit in Waterloo, one of my favourite yarn stores.  What a thrill!   Kate is a Canadian knitter, designer, lead technical editor at Knitty and author to name just a few of her many accomplishments. She has just come out with a new book entitled Custom Socks.  Kate explains in depth how to knit good fitting socks for all shapes and sizes of feet.  There is also a selection of lovely sock patterns to choose from.

Kate taught us how to knit two socks at the same time, perfect for those people who never get around to knitting that second sock.  This method is easy to learn once you have seen someone do it.  To begin you start by dividing your yarn into two separate balls.  Then cast on.

To start:  Cast on the number of stitches for each sock and divide in half between the two needles

Then:  Use the top cable to knit both top rows in each sock

You always knit from the needles that do not have the working yarn.  It is definitely worth searching a YouTube video on how to do it and it is a great option to use.  Once you see a demonstration it is easy to learn.

I received the latest installment of Sweet Fiber Yarns Sock Club yarn called Riverstone and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this beauty.  But once I took Kate Atherley's class I knew I that I had to practice my new found skill using this yarn before I forgot what to do.  Isn't this skein gorgeous? 

Sweet Fiber Yarn Super Sweet Sock in Riverstone

I love learning new techniques and I going to enjoy knitting these socks using my new found skill.  I will post my progress on Instagram  if you are interested. But first I must finish my Lake Effect cardigan.  Have you tried any new techniques lately?

Cladonia

Cladonia, by Kirstin Kapur, is a pattern that I have had in my queue for some time.  It is a lovely shawl knit in fingering weight yarn, with a pretty lace border. I was waiting to have the perfect colour combination before knitting this shawl, and after my trip to 88 Stitches, I knew I had finally found it.  Look at this colour of Sweet Fiber Yarn:

Sweet Fiber Yarns Super Sweet Sock

Just before adding the lace section

I combined Sweet Fiber Yarns Super Sweet Sock in Chartreuse with some yarn I had in my stash, String Theory Caper Sock in Java (a merino, cashmere and nylon blend) and knit the most beautiful Cladonia.

Ta-dah:

In person, Chartreuse is such a vibrant colour, it just seems to glow.  Even my husband, who rarely says anything about my yarn, commented on the beauty of that colour. Sweet Fiber Yarns' Melissa Thomson has a real gift when it comes to dyeing gorgeous yarn colours.  (If you want to try out her yarn she is beginning a new Sock Club starting in May...check it out).

String Theory's Caper Sock is another old favourite of mine.  The colourways are also very unique.  This yarn added a softness to this project creating a shawl I never want to take off. (I bought my String Theory as Shall We Knit in Waterloo. The owner is bringing some to the Toronto Knitter's Frolic in Toronto at the end of the month if anyone wants to check it out).

Cladonia is one of those patterns that is so relaxing to knit.  Everything went perfectly.  The last row of the lace border took the longest to do but was not difficult at all.  I can understand why almost 2000 people have made this pattern.  I don't usually make the same pattern twice but I could see myself making this shawl again.  This shawl was a little break from the cardigan I am knitting.  More on that later!  Have a good week : )

Toronto Knitter's Frolic 2014

I enjoyed my time at the Knitter's Frolic yesterday.  I arrived a half an hour before the doors opened and it's always entertaining to stand around and talk knitting while you wait.  Where else can you flash the knitted item you are wearing under your jacket, as one lady did standing near me, and get oohs and ahhhs from the crowd.  Most people standing there were wearing a hand knitted item and there were many beautiful pieces to admire.

Once the doors opened I quickly went by the Purple Purl's booth and got a look at the new yarn line by Tanis Fiber Arts called Amber Label.  I then headed quickly to the Sweet Fiber Yarns booth, which is quickly becoming one of my favourite Canadian yarn dyers.  I could have bought so much there, the colours were stunning and the softness of the yarn was incredible.  I ended up buying three skeins of Coastal, a new DK line being debuted at the show, a 50% Merino 50% Silk blend.  I had a tough time choosing but I decided to go for the colourway called Vintage Lace.  I can hardly wait to start knitting with it.  By the time I made my purchase the crowds started to form around this tiny booth and it stayed that way until I left a few hours later.

Sweet Fiber Yarns in Vintage Lace

The other booth that caught my eye was The Needle Emporium.  The owner was debuting a new yarn line called Mrs. Crosby.  The owner of this shop definitely gets the award for best looking booth as she had all the yarn displayed in different antique trunks and suitcases.

One of the many yarn filled trunks/suitcases

I was very impressed with this yarn line at first sight.  The colours were beautiful and the feel of the knitted items on display was lovely.

Groovy knitted in Mrs. Crosby

I also had a hard time deciding on which weight/colour of yarn to choose.  But I finally decided on the Carpet Bag 80% Superwash merino and 20% silk combination single ply yarn in a colourway entitled Sunset Regatta.  I have a soft spot for blues, especially turquoise, as you can see from my Ravelry project page.  I think this yarn will end up as a Groovy, which has been in my queue for a while, and there was a knitted sample that helped convince me that this yarn would be perfect for it.

Mrs. Crosby in Sunset Regatta

By the time I made this purchase the crowds and lines were very big and it was difficult to actually get into the booths.  Eweknit, a favourite Toronto yarn store of mine, was another stop where I squeezed my way in and bought a very cute project bag.

Project Bag from Eweknit

The last purchase I made was at Shall We Knit.  The owner had a fantastic selection of Koigu that I couldn't get close enough to see.  But I bought one of my long time favourite yarns called String Theory Caper Sock Yarn in Cobalt along with two skeins of yarn called Breathless by Shalimar Yarns, a 75% Cashmere 15% Cashmere and 10% Silk blend in Corfu and Ore.  I was thinking of knitting Ashburn with this combination.  There was a sample of this pattern on display that I found quite beautiful.

Yarn for Ashburn

Next year I might try going in the afternoon, as I found the crowds even bigger than last year and the lines to purchase items were very long.  But I definitely think it was worth going because the selection was so varied and there is nothing like seeing yarn you have admired on line, being able to touch it, and see the colour in person.  I came with a specific list in mind but my honestly I really didn't use it, it was just too busy.

 I find the marketing side of the yarn business so fascinating.  For example, the Needle Emporium's owner Julie was so smart as she built interest for weeks prior to the show about the new yarn line on her blog. She had so many samples of what the yarn looked like knitted up in her booth.  Tanis Fiber Arts couldn't make it to the show but she debuted her new yarn line and colours in the Purple Purl's Booth (which by the way I couldn't get close to when I tried to go back).  She also built a lot of interest on her blog.

Overall I had a great time and there is nothing like being around other people that are as obsessed about yarn as I am.

I want to thank my friends who gave me yarn money for my birthday way back in January...I saved it for the Knitter's Frolic and thoroughly enjoyed using it up!

Next time I am excited to show you, not one, but two finished items!  Have a good week.  : o)