F.O. Miromesnil by Cléonis

Pattern:  Miromesnil

Designer:  Cléonis

Yarn:  Shibui Silk Cloud (60%% Mohair, 40% silk) 2 skeins

Colourway:  Shore

Yarn:  Tanis Fiber Arts Pink Label Lace Weight (100% Merino) 2 skeins

Colourway: OOAK (it was super close to the colourway Midnight)

Needles: 4.5mm and 5mm
Size:   M1

Ravelry:  see notes

Added Notes:  
1.  This is the second time I have made Miromensil, and once again I enjoyed every minute of knitting it.  I dug deep in my stash for the two skeins of TFA Pink Label Lace Weight yarn, pairing two strands of the lace weight yarn with one strand of Shibui Silk Cloud.  I am a big fan of both yarns and the combination is heavenly. Silk Cloud is super soft, feels so luxurious, and is not itchy at all.  The skeins of lace weight contained 914 m which was was not enough yarn for long sleeves.  I decided to make a short sleeve version and it's perfect for spring weather. 

Love the halo

2. The designer gives you many options to choose from when knitting this top down sweater.  Here is the first Miromesnil I made with a front pleat and long sleeves. 

Miromesnil #1

This time I chose to make the the cropped version and knit until the body was 12.5 inches, finishing with a flat ribbing for 12 rounds.  I feel like you really get your money's worth because of how many pattern options the designer gives you.

As you can tell I am super pleased with this sweater and I know it will get a lot of wear.  I am currently knitting another sweater paired with Shibui Silk Cloud.  I can't seem to get enough of this yarn.  Anyone else obsessed with Shibui Silk Cloud?

F.O. Miromesnil by Cléonis

Pattern:  Miromesnil

Designer: Cléonis

Yarn:  Shibui Silk Cloud (ivory) 60% silk 40% mohair 3.25 skeins
Colourway:  Ivory

The perfect combination:
 Shibui Silk Cloud & Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal

Yarn:  Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal (bronze) 
95% wool 5% cashmere 3.5 skeins
Colourway:  Bronze

Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal

Needles: 4.5mm & 5mm

Ravelry: see notes

Added Notes:

1.  After seeing Melissa, of Espace Tricot, wear her Miromesnil, I knew without a doubt, that I had to knit one of my own. Although the pattern calls for a worsted weight yarn, I followed Melissa's lead and used a lace and fingering weight yarn together and was able to get gauge with 5mm needles.  I had some Shibui Silk Cloud in Ivory stored safely in my stash already, and was able to pick up Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal, when I recently had the opportunity to visit Espace Tricot in Montreal.  As soon as I got home from Montreal I eagerly cast on.  Have you ever knit something that is a joy from the first stitch to the last?  Miromesnil was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable projects I have knit in a long time.  I felt like the pattern and yarn were a perfect match. I enjoyed each stitch and I was sad to see it come to an end.  Shibui Silk Cloud, a silk and mohair mix, is a dream to knit with and definitely worth the splurge.  When combined with Debbie Bliss Fine Donegal it creates the most beautiful fabric with the perfect halo. 

Check out the halo

The sweater is light weight and incredibly soft, and once you put it on you don't want to take off. 

2.  Miromesnil is a simple top down sweater pattern, that when knit with the perfect yarn, creates a gorgeous statement piece.  This is the first pattern I knit by Cléonis and I was impressed.  There are many options to choose from within the pattern which I appreciate.  For example, you can make the sweater long or short, fitted or oversized, pleated at the front/back with fitted or bishop sleeves, which can either be long or 3/4 in length.  The hem can have a flat or tighter finishing rib.  You  really get your money's worth with so many options.  I chose to knit a mid-length sweater with a subtle pleat in the front with a 3/4 bishop sleeve. I knit a flat 1/1 ribbing for the hem and it lays beautifully.  I knit an 11" sleeve and the body was 12" underarm preblocking.  I love the fit of this sweater and I will definitely knit another version. 

3.  I chose to knit a medium sized sweater with large sleeves.  I can't remember my reasoning for that combination, and if I had to knit the sleeves again I would knit a medium.  I might rip them back a bit as I wanted 3/4 sleeves and after blocking they are slightly too long.  It is my first time knitting bishop sleeves and I really like them.

4.  Hopefully I have convinced you to have a second look at this pattern...I promise you won't be sorry.  If you make one, be sure to tag me on Instagram... you can find me at woolercoaster...I would love to see your version.

Looped Yarn Works: Washington D.C.

During my recent holiday I spent a few days in Washington D.C. and managed to visit two yarn stores which is one of my favourite things to do when travelling.  Today I am going to share with you my visit to Looped Yarn Works which I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in the area. The website for this store is not extensive so I was not sure how good it would be.  But I was not disappointed in the least.

Set up on the second floor this yarn store was wonderful for many reasons.  First, the variety of yarns it carried was excellent.  If you are a Canadian there are many American yarns that are hard to find in Canada, without ordering online.  So as an avid knitter and yarn lover I always read about these yarns but never get to see them in person, let alone buy any (without paying a hefty customs duty, exchange rate and shipping cost).  So it was with great delight that I could browse around this store and see yarns I have only read about.  For example Looped Yarn Works carried a variety of Quince & Co. which I was delighted to see in person.  Big Bad Wool, Harrisville Designs, Shibui and String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn were just a few of the other yarn lines they carried.

Quince & Co. Finch

Quince & Co. Owl

Quince & Co. Sparrow

The Copper Corgi Mini Skein Set

Freia Fine Handpaints

Malabrigo & Big Bad Wool

The light in the store was wonderful.  Set up on the second floor there was both a front window and back window.  When deciding on a particular colourway it is a great advantage to see the yarn in natural light, as it often looks quite different.

Harrisville Shetland

Another great thing about this store were that the staff were very welcoming and helpful but not pushy in any way.  There were a number of customers in the store when I was there and I felt very comfortable just wandering around at a leisurely pace.

An added bonus was that there were also a lot of knitted samples around the store which is really helpful when making a yarn purchase.

Shibui Rain

I had such a hard time deciding what to buy....there were so many great yarns.  I knew going in that I really wanted to buy Quince & Co. yarn as I had in my Ravelry queue several sweaters that I admired knit in this yarn.  After much debating I took the plunge and bought a sweater quantity of Owl, a 50% mohair and 50% wool blend in the colourway Bubo, an undyed yarn.

Quince & Co. Owl

And as for Washington D.C. we really enjoyed seeing the sights.  We had so much fun.  One thing we loved was The Renwick Gallery Wonder Exhibit which had the most amazing installations.

One display was Plexus made up of thousands of embroidery threads.

Then there was a room full of insects called In the Midnight Garden.

A 150 year old hemlock tree was replicated (made up of strips of reclaimed wood).   The age of this tree is the same age as the Renwick Gallery.

And another favourite was the Shindig installation.

Of course I was too early for the cherry blossoms but I did get to see the magnolias in full bloom.

And with the upcoming election evidence of politics were everywhere.  My husband, who is a political junkie, loved every moment of it.

 A Trump hotel being built in downtown Washington...a sign of things to come?

Our trip was shortly after our Prime Minister visited the White House

If you have never had the chance to visit Washington D.C. I really recommend it.  All the museums (and there are many of them) are free which is a bonus.  There is so much to see and do.

Next time I will review the second yarn shop I visited which I absolutely loved.