I am Definitely a Copycat (So What?)

I have a friend who makes the most beautiful things. Every time she pulls her latest finished project out of her bag I think to myself "She's done it again! It's perfect!"

One project that stands out in particular is her version of Beth Kling's "Henslowe". Her version was done in a delicately soft shade of pink Swan's Island fingering, and as soon as our latest shipment of this yarn arrived at the shop, I had my skein wound and ready to go.

Life being how it is, I didn't get a chance to cast on until just last week. But let me tell you!!! Once I had my head wrapped around the elegant, yet simple patterning, there was just no turning back.

In only a couple of days I was cast off, blocked and ready to show and tell to you.

Admittedly, I would have liked this shawlette to be just a little bit bigger. But it's manageable.

Lucky for me, this was an absolute pleasure to knit (both the yarn AND the pattern), so the thought of re-knitting this is truly no big deal.

Lilacs and lace

At the risk of making a few enemies here, I must confess that I am not the world's biggest fan of lace knitting. I mean... I love knitting lace, but I just don't wear it all that much. Yeh know?

But THIS, I will wear.

Even if it is a touch too tiny.

Info for those of you interested in also copying my buddy Tara

Pattern- Henslowe by Beth Kling
Yarn- Swan's Island Fingering weight, 1 skein in shade 'Beetroot' (we have this at the shop!)
Needles- 4mm 80cm Addi Turbo

See? Small, but sweet.

And so my friends, I will leave you with a pointer in regards to making this shawl bigger, should you find the urge to do so.

It's a fabulously written pattern, and one that is SUPER easy to adjust the size on.

So if you're anything like me and hate reading ahead in patterns because you're just too keen to get cracking, I assure you that there is no tricky math involved in making this piece larger. So just do it. You can skip all the crazy math equations that are usually required to adjust the size of a project.

If math equations were involved, do you seriously think that I would be interested in making this any bigger!?!?!?

Pfft.

So my friends, life is pretty good. Not only do I now have a little shawl that I enjoyed the heck out of making...

The first peony showed her pretty face in the garden this week.

I'll cheers to that!

Eventually, We All Turn Into Our Mothers

As difficult as it is for some of us to admit, eventually, we all turn into our mothers.

Hear me out on this one. Back in March, my mom and I hopped on a plane to attend the Yarn Market News Conference in Baltimore. As we were settling into our seats, we each pulled out a ball of sock yarn that was intended to keep our hands busy throughout all of the lectures we had signed up for. Eager to show one another what we had each chosen out of our entire little shop of wonders (I mean... yarn), it turns out that we had both brought along with us the exact same yarn, just different colours.

Opal's new collection 'Sweet and Spicy' is what we had both independently landed on. However not to be completely identical (a relief for both of us- I'm sure), she ended up with something 'sweet' and myself, some 'spicy'. (Note- if you are someone who happens to know us both, I would appreciate if you would refrain from commenting on that point.)

Momma on the left, Lynn on the right

My husband points out regularly that I am just like my mother. Not a completely bad thing, especially when he likes my mom as much as he does. Often my rants, my obsessions and my interests tend to mirror that of my mom's. I spent much of my teenage-hood fighting this, but I have bigger battles to deal with these days. Besides, this is hardly one worth fighting anymore. Now that my teenage angst is far behind me (HALLELUJAH!), I realize that she is actually a pretty great gal.

If anyone could have predicted that we would end up as alike as we are today when I was 15, no one, and I mean NO ONE would have believed them. (Am I right Mom?)

To be fair, I do spend an unusual amount of time with my mother for a girl my age. And I do believe that if I spent that much time with anyone out there, they would eventually rub off of me, and vice versa. 

But the simple fact that we also happen to share the same DNA probably doesn't hurt.

Left- Opal shade 6756 "Plum", Right- Opal shade 6755 "Spice"

So while I am a little late here on this post (what else is new!?!?!) I would like to take this opportunity to thank my mom for rubbing off on me.

And I would also like you to please note that my tardiness is a not a trait inherited from her, but actually her father.

If it weren't for her... heaven only knows what kind of socks I'd be wearing.

At the shop on my wedding day

Happy Belated Mother's Day.

Lilacs outside the shop this week

May the lilacs in your garden continue to bloom year after year after year...

And your feet always have a pair of hand knit socks to keep them warm.

♥

November Is Sweet, Indeed

Sometimes a particular knitting pattern sweeps across the shop. The staff are knitting it, the customers are knitting it... and in no time, I'm usually knitting it too.

As was the case with this one.

This pattern is titled 'Sweet November', named after a movie starring Charlize Theron in which she wears a shawl similar to this one throughout the entirety of the movie. While I have never seen said movie, I must confess that I was somewhat drawn to the name of this pattern.

"Oh, but why?" you ask. "It's far too beautiful out there finally to be thinking of disgusting November!"

Well... November is when my birthday falls, and while it's generally a pretty terrible month (weather-wise I mean), I do look forward to it. No matter how old we grow, deep down we all enjoy being in the birthday spot-light juuuuuust a little bit. Come on now- admit it! It's true.

Not only does my birthday fall in November, but so does my husband's as well as my brother in law's. And as it turns out, so does our wedding anniversary AND my parent's wedding anniversary.

It's a busy month in our household in which lots of cake is consumed, making November oh-so-sweet, indeed.

The extra 'sweet' bit about this scarf/shawl is that I happened to hear through the rumor mill that Charlize Theron's mom is the one who made the crocheted version(s) that actually appear in the film. You can even get your hands on one for a pretty $298.00 if you so desire.

Lucky for me, I saved a bit of coin by casting this on myself.

Who doesn't love to feel like they've walked away with a deal!?!?!?

I do love me some fringe!

If you can believe it... I might even have enough cash left over to splurge on the DVD.

I would be most glad to pass it your way when I'm through with it.

Cotton/Acrylic blend- perfect for Spring!

Details For All of You Charlize-Wanna-Be's Out There (Don't you worry- I totally fall under this category too)

Pattern- Sweet November Knit Shawl by Caryl Pierre (available for free!)
Yarn- Four balls of SMC Solavita in shade 2101 (close to one entire ball for the fringe)
Needle- 6mm Addi Lace (but I should have listened to the pattern and used a 6.5mm)

So while I would like to argue that November is indeed a very sweet month...

Cherry Blossoms in High Park last weekend

For now... I think I'll stick with May.

♥

Honeymoon (Part Two) Hat

When we were initially planning our honeymoon, I was quite insistent that we take two weeks and go somewhere. It's been a few years since I have been away for more than a week, and I thought that we were both due for a real escape. A road trip seemed like a good idea. Two weeks, on the road, with no real plans. How blissful. Especially when you're married to a guy who loves to drive, and you don't get motion sickness while knitting in the car.

Win. Win.
Am I right?

Things of course, did not turn out this way. I can't really complain, because a week in St. Lucia certainly wasn't a hardship, but since I was feeling a touch bratty about not getting the two weeks I had begged and pleaded for, I was feeling rather sorry for myself.

Queue- our good friends whose family happen to have a condo on St. Pete's Beach, Florida.

So last week, that's where we went.

It's a trip that I like to think of as 'Honeymoon, Part II'.

Unlike most honeymoons however, we weren't flying solo. We were with a pretty amazing couple who we naturally had a ball with. The boys would talk motorcycles, and us girls would talk knitting, sewing, shopping and dance moves.

Good deal, right?

And through all of this, I found myself with a knitted toque.

Perfect for the +30c weather we enjoying while down there.

The curious thing about knitting in the hot, hot heat however? A usually tight knitter (such as myself) ends up with a nice and relaxed gauge. Perfect for the gorgeous Merino/Alpaca blend that I was working with. Had I thought to bring down more of that yarn with me, I would have gotten started on a MASSIVE scarf out of the stuff.

Absolutely.

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L.

 

No word of a lie.

And I want it wrapped around and around and around my body, no matter what the temperature is outside.

My recommendation? Show a little self-love, book a ticket to FLA and cast on some of this yarn- for you.

You deserve it.

It's been a loooong winter.

 

Pattern- Watch Cap by Michele Rose Orne
Yarn- Swan's Island Pure Blends Worsted, 1 skein (we have  HUGE shipment of this stuff expected at the shop any day now!)
Needles- 4.5mm 40cm and 4.5mm DPN (which were splintered and I had to keep filing down with a nail file. BOO!)

So while I feel as though I cannot let the opportunity pass me by to say something along the lines of "So I guess this means that the honeymoon really IS over".

 

The fact of the matter is...

 I have a hunch that this couldn't be further from the truth.

♥

One Little, Two Little, Three Little Baskets

A while back, my mom planted the seed in my head that we needed to do a yellow themed display at the shop in order to reassure people that Spring was most definitely on the docket. While a late Spring may be good for sales in the yarn industry, anyone who doesn't dream of Spring in this country must have some sort of a screw loose. Even if their livelihood does depend on it.

So last weekend (that would be Easter weekend), with Spring on my mind, I wound up a skein of Butterfly Super 10 in the brightest yellow that we had, and I got hooking.

It seemed crazy to start making baskets on Easter weekend... but I never was one to plan too far in advance.

So by the end of the weekend, I had not one, not two, but THREE little baskets in a row.

 

I also had the feeling that I would never be able to fully uncurl my fingers out to high five anyone ever again.

As it turns out, crocheting that yarn on a 3mm hook will do that to a girl. 

Besides, no one wants a basket with 'drape'. Let's leave that to the cowls, shall we? We want a basket that has no problem standing at attention!

Sorry. Fake flowers are sort of against my religion... but this is what our late Spring has brought me to!

The end result however, was most definitely worth it.

One look at those baskets and OH yes, Spring has sprung.

As is often the case with me and crochet, I totally binged on these baskets. One just wasn't enough. I had to keep going and going and going... until I hit a wall. That's how I roll with this craft. I skip out on sleep so that I can finish up just one more inch, or one one more ball of yarn and then BOOF.

I'm over it.

I feel good though. Like my hunger has been satisfied.

That crocheting beast within has been tamed- for the time being. Time for her to kick it into hibernation mode for a while.

I assure you however, that when she's ready for another round, you will hear her roar- loud and clear.

Crocheter's Details

Pattern- Churchmouse Crocheted Baskets
Yarn- Butterfly Super 10. Two skeins of yellow did the whole set, and the contrast colours were just bits and pieces that I found throughout my home. (You heard me- throughout my home).
Hook- 3mm (the pattern calls for 3.5mm, but I found that to be too floppy for this yarn and my tension).

And should you need just one more indication that Spring has sprung, I urge you to look closely at this photo.

Yellow crocus at the shop

So leave that Wiarton Willie alone- will you???

He was just saying what he thought you all wanted to hear.

Murray Had A Little Lamb

Spring has sprung!

And lambing season has begun.

 

Here's a small clip for you to enjoy from our visit with the lambs last week.

Happy Friday!

♥

Lost In Translation

Recently, I have made a string of poorly chosen pattern purchases on Ravelry. I see something I like, get overly excited, type in my PayPal password (they make it WAY too easy to buy things online), and BOOF! There is a fresh new pattern waiting for me.

The trouble is however, I should really learn to read the fine print first. 

On one occasion, I paid for a pattern and as soon as it was ready I hit 'print', only to discover that the pattern was 52 pages long. 

Buh-bye ink cartridge.

Shortly after that incident, I bought another pattern, opened it up on my iPad (I had no more ink, so what other choice did I have???), only to discover that it was only available in French.

Buh-Bye $6.00.

My grade 9 French mark is a sure indication that since I can't even speak in simple past tense 'en Francais', I certainly can't knit in French either. And believe it or not... Google Translate isn't so sure what to do with knitting abbreviations.

Low and behold however... that pattern showed up in my inbox a few short weeks later- IN ENGLISH.

Hallejulah.

I felt as though Karma was coming for me- in a good way. I am doing my very best to support all of those independent online designers, and here I am with no ink left, and a pattern in another language.

So in celebration of my victory, I cast on pronto.

And this is what I ended up with.

Why hello little sailor collared/ kangaroo pocketed pullover for a two year old!

I love you.

I must confess that the pattern was still a little wacky, even in my native tongue... but that's OK. It wasn't anything that a decent knitter couldn't figure out.

Besides, who am I to judge? I can't read a pattern in French, why should I expect someone else to be able to translate it from French to English FOR PETE'S SAKE!

They done good.

I'm not entirely sure who will wear this little sweater someday. Maybe our beautiful nephew, maybe someone else...

But for the time being, it's going to hang up at Mary's Yarns as a daily reminder to me to always read the fine print first.

Baby Sweater Details

Pattern- Pull Gaspard by Christine Rouvillé in size 2
Yarn- Four balls of SMC Universa in shade 197, 45% acrylic, 55% merino- love this stuff
Needles- 4mm Addi Turbos (still the best needles EVER)

Breathe deep knitters.

Spring is just about to show her pretty face.

Je vous promets.

♥