F.O. Goldfinch and Some Works in Progress

Until recently I was probably the only knitter who hadn't knit one of Andrea Mowry's patterns. Happily I can say that I just finished a pattern of hers called the Goldfinch Shawl.  This well written pattern was so much fun to knit. The shawl was knit in three colours of sport weight yarn, and I enjoyed every second of it.  I definitely see another Andrea Mowry pattern in my future.  Do you have any favourites?

Pattern:  Goldfinch
Designer:  Andrea Mowry

Yarn:  O-Wool O-Wash Sport (100% certified organic merino)

Colourway: Coral Reef, Porcupine, Wood Dove

O-Wool O-Wash Sport yarn

Needles: 4.0 m

Ravelry: my notes

Notes:  This was my first time working with O-Wool and I have to say that I was impressed.  I saw this yarn for the first time at Rhinebeck last year and loved it immediately. This yarn is so squishy, it comes in some gorgeous colours, and after being blocked is super soft.  A sweater knit in this yarn would be heavenly.  

I am one of those knitters who absolutely loves blocking my F.Os.  Here is the before and after of my Goldfinch Shawl.  Can you see how the lace just opened up after blocking?  It's like magic.  The shawl grew a bit and is now the perfect size, about 70 inches across.

Before blocking

After blocking

Now that I am done the shawl I am focusing on completing two spring cardigans.  The first one is the Goode Sweater by Julie Hoover knit in Purl Soho's Linen Quill, in the Oatmeal Grey colourway.  This yarn has such an interesting combination of fibers... 50% wool, 35% alpaca and 15%  linen/flax. I am so excited to see how this knits up and blocks.

Linen Quill by Purl Soho

The second cardigan I started is from Hannah Fettig's new book called Texture.  There are so many delicious sweaters in this book.  I predict that I will be knitting more than one pattern from this collection.  I chose the Eventide Cardi, a simple cardigan with a seed stitch stripe.  I thought that this subtle pattern would be the perfect choice for yarn I have had in my stash for some time.  The yarn I chose was String Theory's Caper Sock.  This yarn line was one of the first yarns I bought years ago when I got back to knitting.  The colourways are so pretty and it was hard to choose just one colour.  The colour I picked was Kiwi, the most gorgeous tonal green.  Knitting with it brings me joy.  This yarn is 80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon, a supersoft combination.

So I am going to try to focus on these two fingering weight cardigans for the next while and not get distracted by the many beautiful patterns that get published each week on Ravelry.  Wish me luck!  Happy knitting everyone!  Thanks for stopping by.

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.

FO: Japan Sleeves

Japan Sleeves, my spring sweater, is complete.  I thought I had cleverly planned this sweater to be finished just in time for the springy weather that comes in April.  But just like last year, when I completed my Folded Poncho, the snow came and the photos were done with snow flying in my face.

However, I know it can't snow forever and I will be all ready with this lovely sweater.  As mentioned in a previous post, I thoroughly enjoyed the construction of this sweater written by Joji Locatelli.  The pattern was written so cleverly and clearly, beginning with the lace panels and then the top down construction, that it really kept my interest.  When I got to the body, knit in the round, it was a bit monotonous, but made for good t.v. knitting.  I would really like to make this pattern again, or at least its' sister pattern, Old Romance.  If I were to do it again I think I would like to use yarn with a bit of cashmere in it.  I was pleased with the combination of the Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light colours I used (Teddy Bear and Molly Ringwald) and I was impressed with how far one skein of yarn goes.  For the medium sized sweater I only used about 1.4 skeins of the pink colour and 2.5 skeins of the light brown.

I am really enjoying the colours I chose for the pattern Cladonia by Kristin Kapur.  I am just finishing the main body of the shawl and then I will move on to knitted the lace section.  Look at this colour combination:

What do you think?  Wouldn't it make a great fall Japan Sleeves?  The yarn I used was String Theory Caper Sock Yarn (containing 10% cashmere) in Java combined with Sweet Fiber Yarn Super Sweet Sock in Chartreuse.  Ahhhh, the possibilities.

Knitter's Fair 2013

This weekend I went to the Knitter's Fair in Waterloo.  This is a one day yarn shopping bonanaza where various vendors bring their yarn to one location so that shoppers like me can spend way too much money and buy more yarn than they need.  I was so excited. Every year I go I bring a list of the kind of yarn I am looking for to keep me focused.  This year I wanted to find some sport weight yarn to make some of the fabulous cardigans I see cropping up on Ravelry.  Do I stick to my list?  You can guess the answer to that.
Well I did buy a sweater's worth of sport weight Madelinetosh Pashmina in baroque violet.

This is the first time I have ever bought Pashmina and I have to say it is incredibly soft and will make a stunning cardigan.

I also bought Madelinetosh DK in copper penny.  Although it is not sport weight it was such a beautiful fall colour I couldn't resist.

I also couldn't resist two skeins of String Theory Caper Sock in Skye and Avalon.  If you have not yet tried this yarn I highly recommend it.  Soft, beautifully dyed...it is a real treat to work with.

My last purchase were three skeins of Classic Elite Yarns Liberty Wool to make an Inspira Cowl.  It is a free pattern on Ravelry and I thought it would be fun to knit with such colourful yarn.

I was really missing the Tanis Fiber Arts booth as they did not come to this show.  It is one of my favourite Canadian yarn lines but Tanis had a baby in the spring and chose not to come this time. Hopefully she will come back next year.  Next time I will show you what I have been having fun knitting.