Knitting Stars

Have you ever met a celebrity, or even watched an interview with a star that you've been admiring for years, only to be entirely disappointed? You discover that maybe they're entirely full of themselves? Or they refuse to give you the time of day? Or you realize that they forgot their manners at the back door?

This past weekend my darling mother and I trekked down to TNNA, (The bi-annual trade show that we attend to pick up fabulous ideas, and products to bring back to YOU!) in Columbis, Ohio. The show floor was crawling with yarn shop owners from across the continent, suppliers, manufacturers and of course- knitting stars.

What I'm happy to report in regards to the stars that were there is that each and every one that we spoke to was an absolute delight. What a treat it was to talk to them all!

Two that stand out however? Read on dear knitter, read on.

First up- Cirilia Rose, creative director at Skacel, and designer of the ever popular patter 'Aidez' (a shop fave).

Not only does this girl know a thing or two about knitting, she was the first to speak to me... and the topic?!?!?!?

NAIL POLISH. This girl could have been smacking gum in my ear and picking her nose while talking to me and I still would have loved her (this of course was not the case- she was clearly raised to be polite to strangers). Anyone who opens a conversation about nail polish with me- it's love all over.

It doesn't hurt that her knitting and designing skills are top notch.

Next fave knitting celeb? The ever-so-gentlemanly Martin Storey. He signed a copy of his latest book for me and he was nothing but lovely. Really, really lovely. We all talked London, knitting and pattern writing- if only he had brought up nail polish, it would have been the definition of a perfect conversation.

This time, I'll cut the guy some slack.

Myself, Martin and Mom

So the trip was a success. Lots of yarn was bought for all of our favorite customers, and lots of catching up with old and new friends took place.

And after a busy weekend away, full of fun and fibre, we came home to this.

Ain't life grand?

Bride Brain

I swore that it wouldn't happen to me. I swore that I wouldn't let a wedding take over my life, but it seems to have somehow done just that. I realize that most brides make a little personal promise to themselves that they won't let things get out of control, but they always do.

As much as I am enjoying the process (I do love to plan a good party!), I am a touch grumpy about how much time it is taking away from my knitting. Not only that, but also the brain power. I am having troubles stringing together a proper sentence it would seem, let alone knit anything beyond the basics.

I guess I could also blame the heat, but let's be real... it's the wedding. Not the flaming hot, hot heat that has recently ensconced the Greater Toronto Area. Because if it was the heat... I wouldn't be knitting what I am knitting at the moment.

Which leads me to my current project.

 

Garter stitch.

Miles and miles of beautiful alpaca garter stitch.

I cast on this garter stitch about two weeks ago as a solution to my bride brain problem. I wanted something that I could pick up and put down easily without much mental effort.  I can surf the web, read papers and chat on the phone, all whist clicking away.

My thoughts on this garter stitch project at about the halfway point however?

It's humbling.

Really humbling.

Because despite casting on what I considered to be one of the easiest projects on the planet, it's not perfect. It's really far from perfect in fact.

And something tells me it's not the bride brain that's causing this.

It's just the nature of the garter stitch beast.

So a big thumbs up to all you beginner knitters out there working on your first garter stitch project.

I have nothing but mad respect for you.

I promise you that stocking stitch is a heck of a lot more forgiving.

No word of a lie.

Spontaneous Projects Are Best

My mom and I have the same discussion every time one of us goes on a vacation. It goes a little something like this.

Mom-"Isn't it funny how as soon as you know that you're heading off on a trip, you obsess over what knitting projects you're bringing with you???"

Me- "Tell me about it. Who cares about what bathing suit I'll be wearing on the beach, I just want to know what I'll be knitting on the beach!" (I only have one bathing suit, so I guess that helps a little).

Mom- "What's weird though, is that it's the project you grab last minute as you're running out the door that you end up working on the whole trip- and loving!"

She's right... remember that acrylic baby sweater that I knit last summer while camping? I can't say it was a project that I had been dreaming of... I just wanted to knit with the confetti style yarn at the very last minute- so I did!

While I haven't been on vacation in the very recent past, when I have a day off without any commitments, I look forward to that day (full of knitting, of course!) as though it is a tropical week away.

This project, is a result of one of those days.

I was sitting in my recently assembled Ikea Poang chair, surrounded by yarn galore. In the midst of all the chaos, this one little ball spoke to me from the deep, dark depths of my stash. It's not a yarn that I had been thinking about, it's not even a project that I had been thinking about... But it spoke to me that day and I powered through this project like a house on fire.

It just goes to show you that often spontaneous knitting is the best kind of knitting. (It also goes to show you that yarn hoarding isn't such a bad thing- you just never know what wool will speak to you).

I bought two balls of this yarn many moons ago, and knit the first ball for my Mom for Christmas 2010. I decided to knit the second ball up for myself this time around. (I'm really just trying to freak out my siblings who are all dumb founded that I am slowing morphing in my mother- RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES!!! But let's be honest... who isn't!?!?!?)

So you ask, did I love this yarn any less the second time around?

Oh no... not at all. My ultimate #1 fave kind of yarn to knit with is...(are you ready for this?) scratchy, scratchy 100% wool.

You can keep your cashmere and baby alpaca. I want my wool that smells like it`s fresh off a sheep. (Uhm... this doesn`t mean I'd turn away any cashmere that you`re willing to offer up).

I'm just saying that if I was told I had to pick only one kind of yarn to knit with from now until the end of the world, scratchy wool would be it.

And you know what's so magical about scratchy wool like this??? A little bath in Eucalan and it transforms into the most beautiful fabric ever. Scratchy wool is beautiful to knit with, but not always so beautiful snuggled up against your neck. That of course, depends on the person however.

This scarf/shawl is exceptionally difficult to photograph I have found

Yarn-150 grams of Kauni Effektgarn
Pattern- Hitchhiker by Martina Behm (available for download for $3.80)
Needles- 3.25mm Addi Turbo
Mods- The pattern says to knit until 42 'peaks' have been completed. I just knit until I had used up every last inch of that 150 gram ball. I have yet to count the peaks I ended up with...

So, since the weather outside is far too beautiful to be enjoying my new scarf, I am taking some time to enjoy the peonies instead.

The shop is surrounded by them... and I just can't seem to stop snapping pictures- kind of like I'm on vacation!

I hope you had the good sense to plunk a peony plant in your garden at some point... and if not- get on it! It's too late for blooms this year I suspect, but you'll thank me next year.

Promise.

Because It's Never Too Early For Wool

This past weekend, Mother Mary and I made the trip up to Ottawa to take part in a shower to celebrate my sister's upcoming nupitals. (She is engaged to a darling man who reigns from our country's beautiful capital- just in case you wondered what the heck we were doing throwing a shower for her all the way up there).

It was a quick trip- up Sunday and back Monday. While seeing my dear sister being showered with love was more than worth the miles travelled, it didn't hurt that we managed to end our trip with a quick (way too quick, if you ask  me) pit-stop here.

Now, how badly do you want that sign for your front lawn!?!?!

My mom had been here before several years ago and picked up some beautiful sheep skins for all of us for Christmas that year. Mine lies next to my bed and is the first thing I wiggle my toes into each morning.

Nothing like starting your day off with a full dose of wool...

Now that's what I call a delivery of wool!

Which is exactly what we did.

We felt riiiiiight at home.

Bales and bales of wool

Mary is a 'get up and go' kinda girl, so we found ourselves on the road rather early. Too early to browse the retail yarn and wool goods shop. Lucky for us however, this operation is host to more than just one store... They also sell sheep/wool faming supplies! 

For those of you who weren't aware, farm supply stores open really early. Like... early enough so that nuts like us who want to shop before 9am still can. I guess they think that only farmers get up early... and knitters don't? (This is the real reason why Mary opened her own shop you know- she wanted to go yarn shopping at 6 am and had a hard time finding a shop that could accomodate that).

So, we went shopping really early in the morning for wool farming supplies (heaven only knows that we don't need more yarn!)- and fortunately, we were able to get our hands on another sheepskin for a darling new baby that we know and love.

Nestled among the sheepskins were other neat things such as sheep shearing posters.

And tags for sheep. 

Sheep earrings

Everything sheep-y you could possibly ever need or use, if trying to raise your own wool.

I'm thinking that perhaps Mary's Yarns should consider expansion? Mary could work the early morning shift.

And I could drive a truck like this.

Beautiful clematis at the TBG

Happy knitting, knitters!

A Warm Thank You

I just wanted to check in quickly to extend a heartfelt thank you to you all for your kind words regarding my news last week.

Slow and Steady

You commented on the blog, emailed me directly, mentioned it on Ravelry, called the shop, and some of you even visited the shop- thank you for being such supportive people. It means the world to me, and my man.

The peony tree at the shop- Drop. Dead. GORGEOUS!

While it is indeed a pretty exciting time, less than two weeks into this process I am seeing how this whole wedding planning business is going to cut into my knitting time significantly. Oh the horror! I see why some knitters elope.

Price tag? 35 cents.

Us seasoned knitters know however that there is always time for socks- no matter what this wedding prep demands of us.


Are you feeling some wedding socks the way I'm feeling some wedding socks?

No one wants cold feet on their wedding day.

Can I Register For A Black Cat?

As I've mentioned here before, I'm rather superstitious.

Try as I might, walking under ladders, black cats crossing my path, and shoes on the table always leave me feeling a little on the uneasy side.

If you'll recall however, one superstition that I was able to move past (albeit much pep-talking was needed on my part) was the dreaded sweater curse. This was one myth that I found myself willing to battle head on last July, when I cast on a sweater for my dear man's 30th birthday.

You could say that I turned my nose up in the face of that curse and proudly gifted a lovingly knit sweater to my man- all whilst being without 'the ring'. I wanted something extra super special to commemorate his big day and that sweater was not so much the only way, but the best way this knitterly girl knew how. I weighed out my options and decided that I was willing to take my chances.

Besides, I could always ask for it back if things didn't work out- right??? (I conveniently have a brother who is of a similar size).

Now let's fast forward to this past Sunday- May 13th.

At the end of a beautiful hike through the Hockley Valley, just before heading down to his parent's place for some Mother's Day celebrations, my dear man showed that sweater curse who's boss and popped the question.

Let me do a quick recap here my fellow knitters- I knit the sweater, and then I got the ring, on May 13th no less!

Expected date to wed?

Sometime in the Winter of 2013.

Would you look how far I have come!?!?!?

Seemingly, when I go swimming, I emerge from the water with the
same hair-do as my man. Totally a sign that we were meant to be...

Stuff it sweater curse.

I win.

Love The One You're With

I was listening to Brenda Dayne's podcast 'Cast On' last week, and she was conducting an interview with a yarn shop owner in the States. At one point in the interview she asked the shop owner 'So, what's your favorite yarn?' (SUCH a good question!) to which the shop owner replied 'Whatever yarn I'm working with'.

Well, you know what knitters? I get it.

I totally and completely get this lady. And not just because we both have a key to a yarn shop on our keyrings, but because as I was knitting away on my boring-plain-old black socks while listening to that podcast, I found myself thinking  'Holy smokes. This is absolutely my favorite yarn in the world to knit with ever'.

My current love- Waikiwi by Natually Yarns

Last week, my favorite yarn was a variagated cotton.

Next week it's going to be a teal green worsted weight wool.

I feel like I'm a kid again, when my 'best friend' changed more often than I changed my underpants.

Pincushion Proteas Please

Opportunities to knit seem fleeting in this short lifetime my friends, so be sure that whatever yarn you have on those needles of yours- it's love.

Two Hoots For Handmade

As soon as a knitter (or 'maker' of any kind) hears the good news that a new baby is brewing, we start churning out baby stuff pronto. Well at least I do. In this particular case especially. I didn't waste one precious minute. It took me a good number of knitted baby projects before I felt I had landed on the right one. My sewing plans however made up for my knitting indecisiveness. This baby is a pretty special person, and only the best will do.
I have had this fabric in my stash for about three years now. I picked it up at the Creative Festival and despite the price tag, 25 year old me said to myself  "I'm sure I'll meet a baby worthy of this adorable fabric someday". 

Quilt tied with Sheldrige Farms Merino Sock Yarn

Fast forward a few years and sure enough, I was right. Not only am I about to meet a very worthy baby... but when something sits around in your stash long enough, you begin to forget that you ever paid for it, and it feels FREE! (Having said that however, I am pretty sure that you can't put a price on a handmade baby gift.)
So, I got to work piecing, stitching, tying and binding.

I like little sets of things. Or gifts that tell a story. And I wanted to make a whole little ensemble to go with this quilt. I made one attempt at this, but it was a sad lesson in "Lynn, no matter what you think, you don't remember the colours exactly so just bring in the darned fabric already!"

The tiger stripe sweater was originally intended for this babe. When paired with this blanket however, it looked absolutely vile. 'Vile' just won't do for this little person.

When I finally got over my stubborn self, I brought in the quilt top to the yarn shop and VOILA! A match in baby sweater/quilt set heaven was made.

Details for you and your favourite little person
Pattern- Striped Cardigan by Debbie Bliss, found in Baby Cashmerino Book 2
Yarn- Debbie Bliss Eco Baby (a 100% organic, fair trade cotton) 2 balls each in shade 14 and 26
Needles- 3.25mm and 3.5mm

All good stories need a good introduction- something to grab the reader. So because I tend to do things a little backwards around here, I'm going to show you how this little baby-gift-story-line of mine began.

The Village Grocer wins major points in the wrapping paper department

Hey Baby! We love you!
Hoot!

Be Still My Beating Heart

There are few things that I love as much as yarn. Er... let me rephrase that. There are few things that I love almost as much as yarn.

But peonies are certainly up there.

I flippin' adore them.

I walked into my local florist yesterday to see what she had in that flower filled fridge of hers. I literally gasped out loud to the point that the poor merchant of blooms felt compelled to ask me (in all seriousness) if I was ok.

Of course, I'm totally ok.

In fact, I've never been better.

Could Baby Knitting Be My New Sock Knitting?

I have knit another baby sweater. And not anything especially new or exciting... just another version of one I've already knit.

Pattern- Churchmouse Yarns and Teas 'Easy Peasy Baby Jacket'
Size 6-12 months

I love it. Like... I love it a lot.
And I realized while knitting it, that I also love knitting baby things.

Yarn- Cascade Luna Paints in Shade 9833
2 skeins

It satisfies that piece of my knitterly pie that socks satisfy. I can see progress quickly, I know it will get put to good use, and it's portable- easy to pick up and put down, then come back to.

Hers and His

As I was clicking away on this project however, I began to reflect on when exactly my last pair of socks came off the needles.The answer? Too long ago (aka just over two months ago).

I got worried that maybe my sock knitting had been replaced. It left me hoping and praying that maybe once the darling babe that I'm so anxiously waiting for arrives, my sock knitting will resume. (I've got some sets of feet to keep warm already!)

Earlier in the week however I had an invite to a friend's place. Knowing there would be some sitting around and chatting involved, I grabbed the nearest ball of sock yarn I could find (one needn't look too far in my place). I ran out the door and cast on.

And do you know what I discovered?

Much to my relief, my love of socks has most certainly not been replaced.

Why... Hello socks!

I've missed you terribly.

Feeling A Bit Wooly Headed?

Something nasty has been circulating as of late.



I hope your medicine cabinet is stocked!

It's A Frosty Day For the Circus

My mother has made many comments in the past in regards to her four children and their very different personalities. If there are four seasons, four elements, four humours and four temperaments, my parents managed to make four babies that fell into each ones of those four 'whatevers'.
One might argue that I am the loudest of the bunch. (This shocks you, doesn't it?) I tend to be pretty loud with my voice, pretty loud with my colour selections and pretty loud with my... well, you get it.

My sister Heather (pictured below) tends towards the slightly more quiet side of the spectrum.

These cowls- case and point.

Please note that I am wearing my Dad's shoes in this picture.
My feet are not actually longer than my legs.

A while back, we decided to cast on this project together. I had picked up a ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe at Liberty while visiting my other sister in London last November (my single, solitary yarn souvenir of that trip) and Heather was gifted this ball from someone special.

I'd like you to take a moment to notice the mega contrast in colour choices. While I know that this yarn only has five colourways in the range, I'm pretty sure that we both landed the two most opposite colourways of the lot.

The name of Heather's colourway is 'Frost'.

The name of my colourway is 'Circus'.

And I'm pretty sure that my parents (or anyone that knows the two of us for that matter) will acknowledge that the names of these colourways are entirely appropriate to the knitter.

We were just waving to our Aunt who had popped her head up in the window.
But let's pretend that we're waving at you- shall we?

This isn't to say that Heather has a frosty personality of course. That's not the case at all. It's more that her personality, wardrobe and living space have a certain calmness about them, much like that of a quiet and frosty winter morning.

My personality, wardrobe and living space however.... yeah.

You get it.

Right?

Once a bossy older sister, always a bossy older sister

Now despite deciding on the same knitting project together, this certainly does not mean that we chose to go about making these cowls in the exact same manner. We're not twins afterall.

Heather knit her cowl using the entire ball of yarn.

I followed the pattern and knit to the length as indicated- a mere 42".

While Heather had the patience to knit her way through every last inch of yarn, I had to get back to my three ring circus ASAP (and now have a weird little ball of yarn leftover that will languish in my stash for years and years and years until I have another flood and am forced to throw it out).

Huh?

Did someone say circus?

Sisterly Details

Pattern- Churchmouse Yarns and Teas Mohair Bias Loop
Yarn- On Heather- Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe in shade 203 'Frost'
On me- Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe in shade 205 'Circus'
(Good news is that you don't have to go to London to get this yarn- we have all the colours in stock at the shop!)
Needles- 6.5mm

And for those of you wondering how the wee chicks are making out.

Well... you might say that Mother Nature isn't very kind to any little creature out there while they're going through puberty. 

So don't feel too badly about those pictures you have kicking around the house from your 'ugly ducking' phase.

We've all got them- even these guys.

It's A Love/Hate Thing

I have a fondness for things that are love/hate. You know? Anything where people rarely go 'Yeah... I could go either way on that', the debating is just too fun!

Things like... Olives.

And Birkenstocks. 

And Camaros. 

All things that I love dearly, but make many people feel woozy with dislike.

Two more things that make my heart sing (and others hurl) are granny squares and day glow colours. So when I saw this cowl on Purl Bee, I thought to myself  'LYNN! DON'T PUT THAT CROCHET HOOK AWAY JUST YET!'

And I got right to work.



It helped that I had some retina searing hot pink languishing in my stash, which made me feel a little less silly about 100% stealing Purl Bee's colour scheme- it was just too hard to resist! It was time to put that hot pink yarn to good use, and away I went, off and running, clearly still in the thick of some kind of crochet-binge.

All hail the hot pink and the granny square.

Or should I say in this case, 'granny cowl'?

Info For All You 'Lovers' Out There

Pattern- Two Color Cowl by Purl Bee
Yarn- 1.5 skeins of Van der Rock Yarns (no colour number on label- also looks like this company is no longer) and 1.5 skeins of Shibui Sock in shade 402 'Sand'
Hook- 3 mm

It's a granny square, but it's a tube! HELLO FUN TIMES!

OH! I just thought of another real love/hate thing with people!

Day glow nail polish.

China Glaze 'Pink Voltage'

And I'm pretty sure you know where I stand on that one.

Cherry Blossoms in High Park on Sunday afternoon

Happy cherry blossom season everyone!