shop sale

There's a sale this week in my shop! Just enter coupon code BLACKCYBER15 and receive 20% off your order.

post fest

This past weekend was a whirlwind made up of lots of sheep, alpacas, and every fibrey-related product and person I know. The Fibre Fest was a lot of fun and I got to talk to so many wonderful people about the sweaters they were wearing and what they love about fibre. I'm already looking forward to next year.

I just listed a whole pile of stuff in the shop! There's lots of fibre (all superwash, due to my 'sock' theme recently) and tons of yarn, including some double-stranded sock blanks.

Winter's coming! (northern hemisphere, anyway) You need wool to keep you warm!

fest of fibre round two

I've spent part of this summer doing lots and lots of dyeing for an upcoming fibre fest. It's my second time as a vendor there and this year is bigger and better than ever. I'm really looking forward to it.

Last year I took a variety of my yarn and fibre bases, but this year I decided to focus on SOCKS. I'm really excited about several new things I've been dyeing up, especially because all but one of my bases are now sourced in Canada, and I'm really happy to be supporting domestic mills.

So, in addition to my 80% superwash merino/20% nylon 'Sock' base...

and the matching spinning fibre with the same sw merino/nylon composition...

I also have a new 80% superwash bfl/20% nylon sock yarn

and matching spinning fibre

 I love how the bfl takes up the dye so differently from the merino; it blends much more quickly and  has a more subtle tone overall.

I've also been experimenting with double-stranded sock blanks.

They're great for knitting perfectly matching two-at-a-time socks like these

Yay for socks! Of course, these are all great for shawls, sweaters, etc. as well. I also think knitting the blanks double-stranded for a dk weight accessory would be great. So many possibilities. 

shop sale

Sale! To celebrate the great weather and longer days of June, I'm having a sale in my shop. Get 30% off until June 15th with coupon code JUNEISAWESOME.

Shop here!

goals

I haven't blogged a lot in the last year or so and I've noticed a general downturn in the frequency of the knitting blogposts I read, too. It might be my natural introvert tendencies creeping in, but I also just haven't been doing as many fibre-related things to talk about. My goals over this past winter actually had nothing to do with knitting and everything to do with achieving things I've wanted to do for a long time - learning to play the violin and running a half marathon.

So I've spent a lot of time training for both lately. The violin-playing skill is ongoing (note: having played piano as a child I can attest that learning an instrument as an adult is much, much harder, despite already knowing how to read music)...but I did complete my first half marathon last weekend. I currently have zero desire to ever run a full marathon, but getting faster at the half and shorter distances is my new goal. So these pursuits are competing with knitting for my free time, but I did manage to finish a project this week.

Pattern: Ravello by Isabell Kraemer
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay 'Alegria' in 402 A (navy-purple) and Tanis Fibre Arts Blue Label Fingering Weight in 'Plum' (lighter purple)

This was a pretty quick knit - lots of stockinette in the round. Knit in fingering weight at an extra loose gauge (24 sts/4") it's really drapey and lovely. It used two full skeins of the Alegria and a full skein of the Tanis. I was happy I didn't need to break into any extra skeins, but I love that I got a decently sized sweater using only 3.

I switched up the pattern by doing a contrast colour at the neck and then eliminating the third colur striping in the pattern. My Alegria skeins were quite different, so I just striped between them instead for a more subtle effect. I wasn't paying attention when I blocked it and it's bigger than it should be, but it's super comfy.

Our spring weather has been warmish-to-chillyish, so it's been a great sweater to have on hand. Hoping it gets warm enough to plant my garden soon.

shawls-r-us

I've been a bit obsessed with shawls. Three finished in the past month. When I bound off the third I immediately cast on 3 new sweaters, so I seem to be working in trilogies.

The first:

Pattern: 'Nefertem' by Kirstin Kapur

Yarn: Bare Naked Wools Better Breakfast Fingering in 'Americano'

I've been wanting to try this yarn for a long time, and it was really nice to work with. Minimally processed with a nice tooth. Not the sort of yarn I usually prefer for lace, but I loved how it worked up on this great pattern. I may make this again some time and make it a bit bigger, though this shawlette size is sweet.

The 2nd:

Pattern: 'Stones and Tides' by yellowcosmo

Yarn: Skein Merino Cashmere Fingering in 'Static' (blue) and Doodles in String MCN Fingering in 'Sandbox' (yellow)

I've gushed about Connie's patterns here before and I'm sure I will again, but I truly loved making this shawl. It has brilliant short rows and pebbly yarnovers and stripey colour changes and I love the linearity and width of it. And I was so happy she used my yarn.

The 3rd:

Pattern: 'Sick Day Shawl' by Kate Atherley

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Charcoal #6289

This one I actually started last fall when I came down with a tremendous flu-turned sinus infection that stayed around for 6 weeks. It got put down for a few months but a few weeks ago I decided I really wanted to wear it so I finished it off. I can finally check (half) Pi shawl off my to-do list. Great pattern and this yarn was absolutely perfect.

I might have shawls out of my system for a while. (Probably not).

catch up

Here is a quick overview of all the stuff I've been knitting the past few weeks, then failed to blog about and only managed to keep a mediocre record of. It was a whirlwind.

I went into accessories overdrive and sought out fun projects I could work up fast.

Pattern: Let's Go for a Walk by yellowcosmo

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool (discontinued)

(I think I've mentioned my weakness for cabled hats. Or anything designed by Connie).

 

Pattern: Branchy by Odessa Reichel

Yarn: various worsted wts, held double

Made 4 of these for my friends at work. I have now made this pattern a total of 6 times. Yup. Might even make it again.

Socks #1 (blue): Pattern: Veil of Rosebuds by Anne Hansen

Yarn: Brooks Farm Yarn Acero

Yarn was given to me by my friend Liz. So beautiful.

Socks #2 (stripey): Pattern: none

Yarn: Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label Fingering Wt. in 'Lilac' and 'Jewel'

For my daughter's best friend because she asked me so sweetly if I could knit her socks for her birthday.

Socks #3 (purple): Pattern: none

Yarn: Wolseley Wool Secret Stash in 'Raspberry Ribbon' 

Handdyed by Samantha who works there. So pretty! 

I also made a quick pair of socks for my dad but had to send them off before taking a photo

Pattern: Heritage Mittens by Odessa Reichel

Yarn: Briggs & Little Country Roving

Very warm & fun to knit!

Pattern: my own. based on Kurt Cobain's sweater as above, as requested by my sweetie.

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed

Pattern: Wandering in the Souk by yellowcosmo
Yarn: Aslan Trends Royal Alpaca in 'Palm'

I testknit this for Connie a few months ago and I love it. I had this alpaca in my stash for forever, so I was happy to finally use it. Very soft.

Hope your holidays were happy!