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

Spectrum: Joji Locatelli

I am funny about spending money.  I don't hesitate to buy a skein of yarn that catches my eye, but I have had the same raincoat for over 20 years. I never liked wearing it.  It is a well built raincoat, timeless in its design and did an excellent job of keeping the rain off.  But the colour was not one I enjoyed wearing. Everytime I put it on, I groaned inwardly. But the practical side of me just couldn't see spending money on a new one.  

Well I am glad to say I finally bought myself a new raincoat that I love.  Once I bought it I knew, as any knitter would, that I just had to knit an accessory to go with it.  I chose Joji Locatelli's Spectrum, a two coloured garter stitch scarf that was perfect for my raincoat.  It is knit in Indigodragonfly Merino Nylon Sock in a beautiful navy called Tardis, combined with Malabrigo Yarn Sock in Light of Love I happily knit away and tah-dah here is the finished product:

In progress

Once I got the shawl off my needles I was worried about the size of it.  The pattern states that the finished shawl should by 72 x 23".  I expected mine to be smaller, as I had chosen to go down a needle size.   I used 3.75mm instead of the 4mm suggested.  I was worried when prior to blocking it only measured 44 x 17"...but thankfully it grew to 60 x 20".   I didn't expect it to grow quite as much as it did as I was not aggressive at all when pinning it out. But the size is perfect and the beauty of the shape of this shawl is that you can wear it several ways.

Now I had visions of modelling it for you in the rain, with an umbrella over my head but I don't know about where you live but we have had very little rain lately and there is none in the forecast.  So here it is pictured on a beautiful sunny day.  Bring on the rain!

Off the Needles

I really am in a purple state of mind...if you read my last couple of blogs ( here and here)I had recently purchased some purple yarn.  Well here is a shawl that I just finished that is purple too!  It is a new pattern by Hilary Smith Callis called Shadow and Glow.  I really like the way she wears the shawl in several different ways.  I always find that a bit of a challenge...figuring out how to wear a shawl comfortably.

It is a very relaxing knit using two colours of yarn.  I choose Malabrigo sock in violeta african and Madelinetosh Eyre Light in Jacaranda Bloom.  This was the first time I used Eyre Light, a merino, silk and alpaca blend and it was an absolute delight to work with.  Incredibly soft to touch.  Here are my notes about the pattern.