F.O. Hyak Socks by Kim Swingle

Pattern:  Hyak

Designer: Kim Swingle

Yarn:  Cestari Traditional Collection, 2 Ply (aran weight) 100% Targhee-Columbia

Cestari Traditional Collection, 2 ply

Colourway:  Natural White &  Light Grey Medium Grey Tweed

Needles:   3.5mm and 3.75mm

Ravelry:  notes here

Hyak socks

Added Notes:  

1.  Last summer I visited Tolt Yarn and Wool, fulfilling one of my yarn dreams. Read all about it here and here. I bought the Hyak sock pattern and the Cestari yarn there.  Everytime I wear these socks I will think of my trip.

2.  Tolt Yarn and Wool sells some wonderful yarn and their website is definitely worth a visit.  I really love the variety of yarn they sell and many of the brands they carry are hard to find elsewhere. Recently I had to order an additional skein of yarn for a project I was working on.  Tolt Yarn and Wool was the only place I could find it. I thought the shipping cost to Canada was quite reasonable compared to other U.S. online stores I have ordered from.  If you order yarn costing under $100 the shipping is a flat rate of $15.  The order arrived at my doorstep very quickly too, which was a bonus.

3.  I loved knitting with this yarn and I would highly recommend it.  I am someone that often has cold feet.  I was wearing these socks around the house and even though they are knit with aran weight yarn they kept my feet the perfect temperature.  Although this yarn is quite rustic after a good soak and blocking it softened up quite nicely.  I found the socks did not itch my feet at all.

4.  Just as an aside note I love blogging and I am trying very hard to blog twice a week.  But I have a father with Alzheimers and at times, his health needs take up a lot of my time so finding the time to blog can be quite challenging.  So please bear with me.  Thank you for continuing to visit my blog...I really appreciate it. 

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. 

FIbres West 2017

What a happy surprise for me to find out that my trip recently to Vancouver coincided with the Fibres West Yarn show.  I have a supportive yarn husband who didn't mind making a slight detour in our plans to check this festival out. This annual fibre show held in Surrey turned out to be a forty minute subway ride, followed by a fifteen minute taxi drive from downtown Vancouver.  It is a two day event that focuses on fiber and yarn and is held at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Grounds.

There was a good combination of fibre, yarn and spinning supplies and equipment from different artisans.  Here are just a few of my pictures to give you an idea of what was available.

Twisted Fae Fibreworks

West Coast Colour

Chaotic Fibres

Fleece Artist Halo Bundles from Wool Is Not Enough

Big Blue Moma baskets a fair trade company working with artisans in Ghana

Shibui Yarn from Valley Yarn

Sweet Georgia display

Sweet Georgia Silk Mist

Penelope Fibre Arts

nan.c fibre art studio

I thought that this event was held in the perfect venue allowing vendors and shoppers plenty of space to shop.  I love going to yarn shows and I am glad I had the chance to go to this one.  If you have ever have the chance to visit this event I would highly recommend it.  Here are a couple of my purchases that I couldn't resist:

Handmaiden Halo bundle:  one skein of a mohair blend and another skein of fingering single ply yarn

Flock Fibre Studio:  Take a Hike Sock

And as for knitting, I finally got through second sock syndrome and finished my Hermiones's Everyday Socks.  

Pattern:  Hermione's Everyday Socks  

Designer:  Erica Lueder

Yarn:  Gale's Art Wonder Sock (75% bluefaced leicester 25% nylon)

Colourway:  Skittles

I love the result and only wish I had finished them much more quickly.  I am slowly trying to get some works in progress off the needles before I cast on any new sweaters.  Happy spring knitting everyone!