Last new colour of the month!

This month my creative juices sure have been flowing! I've added a fourth new colour to my repertoire, introducing Sand:

I had been asked by a customer to develop a natural, beige sort of colour. My first reaction was to think that it would be boring, but after thinking about it for a second or two, I realized that the yarn that I've used probably more than any other is Patons Classic Wool in the "Natural Mix" colourway, it's so versatile and always produces lovely classic results. It's a colour I've used often, who was I to be hypocritical and call it boring!? So I made it my starting point and worked from there!

Above we have my Sand colourway next to it's inspiration, Natural Mix. I took stock of all the things I've knit using either natural mix or something similar, many of my favorite things are this beige/sand colour

I can't wait to knit more favorite things with my very own version of a neutral base. I've been wanting to knit my dad a sweater vest. He'll deny it, but he LOVES sweater vests, drop by my parents house any night of the week and I can almost guarantee you'll see him in one of his many vests. Not only did I want to knit him a sweater vest, but I wanted to knit it out of my yarn and now I've got the perfect backdrop colour for a lovely striped vest sort of like this one. Dad will look great in it! I'm going to put it on the list for next Christmas, or maybe even father's day if things go well.

Chris took this picture of Stella the other day. It was around 1pm, and it was the first really sunny day we have had in a while. You see, Stella's a whippet, she's very adorable, but also very skinny, so she's always looking for warmth, usually she gets it by snuggling, which is amazing, but when the sun comes out she follows the beams around my apartment and lies wherever she has to in order to bask in the most sunlight. At 2pm she can often be found leaning awkwardly up against the bathroom door because there's a ray of sunlight shining on it. I've even come home to find her standing on the tiny little table I have next to the front door where I drop mail and keys. Anyways, all that to say, she's a heat seeker, and on this particular day, she found the sun on the coffee table, where I had left a bunch of knitting projects, so she just curled up among them and enjoyed the rays. 

She looks like she needs sunglasses, the sun was indeed quite bright that day!

Buttons

Today I went on a little button shopping expedition. I went to Rix Rax, a lovely store in the Plateau with buttons in boxes stacked from floor to ceiling, just walking in made me happy. The one problem with that shop is that there are just too many options! There must be thousands of buttons to chose from, so trying to narrow down your options and pick the right ones is pretty near impossible. I did my best. I bought blue buttons for my Lagoon Loppem, and I bought lime green buttons for my Mallard Lady Sweater, but I made the horrible mistake of not bringing my knitting with me, so when I got home, I realized that I wasn't super confident about my choices.

So, there you have the blue buttons, the lime green buttons, and their respective sweaters, and to be honest, I kind of think that the blue's go better with the green sweater and the lime green button's really pop against the blue sweater! My goal with the kind of fluorescent green was to highlight the lime green in the Mallard colourway, but when you put them together, they kind of just look like they don't "go". But against the bright blue, I thought it was a really neat, unexpected pop of fun colour. So I did the switch up, and voila!

Now I have one extra lime green button and two extra blue buttons, I'm sure I'll find a use for them somewhere. I got a turtleneck for Christmas that has a random button sewn on the bottom right hem, it's a neat added detail, I may bejewel an existing sweater with a random green button at some point. 

Remember how Stella ate my awesome purple wood buttons from my Drops jacket? I finally replaced them as well, and though they're not that flashy, they're lovely none the less.

Simple copper metal buttons. Now I can finally wear that sweater again! I'm still missing buttons for my Mallard Lady Sweater, but 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

2 new sweaters, 2 more new yarns

I'm super excited! I've taken the plunge and have registered to go to my first Knitters Fair as a vendor. I'm going to the Toronto Knitters Frolic on Saturday, April 25. I'm going to have my own booth and just can't wait to have the whole thing set up. I'll take tons of pictures. So, between now and then, I'm probably going to knit exclusively Tanis Fiber Arts projects so I have lots of samples to display. I'm currently working on my February Lady Sweater in Green Label Mallard Colourway. It seems to be quite a trend to knit this sweater in green, and I've always liked this colourway, and people tell me that because of my dark hair I look good in green... so put all those factors together and the decision was made! I feel like this sweater would look good in any colour though. I may make more then one. So far I've got this:

Just a note, I took these pictures yesterday and it was pretty grey and not ideal lighting for a photo shoot, my apologies for so-so pictures and un-accurate colour depiction...

I also finished knitting this sweet little cardigan. It's Loppem from Norah Gaughan Vol.3 knit in Lagoon. It only took 2.5 skeins of yarn and was finished in 4 days. It's missing buttons, and the colour in the photo is not accurate, but hopefully you can gather a little bit of it's cuteness. I was really happy with the way the colour in the yarn behaved while knitting this project. I didn't alternate balls of yarn every other row, I just knit one ball and then joined the next and continued and there is no sign of pooling or weird colour changes or anything! It looks like it was knit from one continuous skein, and isn't that always the goal! I'm very pleased and comforted that my yarn behaves as I planned. 

Next I'm going to share a couple new colurs I've been working on. last week I shared Blueberry (though it wasn't named yet.) Now the parade continues. I've had a request for a deep dark olive colourway, so here's the result of my experiments:

It's darker and browner, less blue then moss, I was skeptical at first because I worried that I had two colourways (moss and this new olive) that looked too much alike, but it's really growing on me.

Next, a very feminine, rich, deep and dark colourway: Plum. It's the kind of colour that I always immediately love, somewhere in between burgundy and grape, it's jewel toned and really quite lovely if I do say so myself. I'm getting in some new yarn bases soon, and I can't wait to try these new colours in them! Check my Shop for more photo's and to purchase these fun new colours.

Stella's on cloud nine

I'm venturing into new dyeing ground. I'm very excited about it. One of my goal's for 2009 is to learn how to spin. I've tried my hand at a drop spindle, and it was fun, but I'm really dying to go all the way and spin on a wheel. I love the idea of spinning, and even more the idea of spinning from roving that I dyed myself! So, step one is to try the dyeing. I tried, and it was beautiful. It was so much fun to see the roving go from dry and fluffy and beautiful, to wet and limp and honestly looking like kind of a disaster, and then dried and fluffy and colourful and gorgeous again! I braided it and had it all ready for a photo shoot, then I went off to work and left Stella home alone with it, and this is what happened:

She had a field day! She was very severely punished for doing this, but I have to admit she was adorable lying on the bed covered in this cloud of turquoise fluff! She knows not to dare going near the yarn, hopefully now she's learn not to go near the roving either!

ps: Don't worry, this big pile of shredded fluff won't go to wast. I plan on using what I can to make a great pair or TFA thrummed mittens.

A collection of projects and plans

There's been lots and lots of dyeing going on around here lately. I dyed 100 skeins on Friday, it was a big day for me! That's one reason why blogging has been a little slow. To make up for it, this post is going to be pretty random, like the title suggests, I'm just going to blab about what I've been working on and what I'm planning on working on next. So, first things first, I've got this FO to share, I've finished knitting my Assemblage cardigan and I'm pleased to announce that it's a success!

I've been wearing it around the house, mostly in the mornings over my pj's or in the evenings before I go to bed, that's why I don't have a photo of me modeling it, I'm not prepared to put a picture of me first thing in the morning on the internet. I'll plan a proper photo shoot one of these days. Trust me when I say that it fits me just like it fits the model in the booklet. It's slouchy and comfy and cozy, just what I wanted. And the yarn was a great fit for the pattern. All in all I'm very please.

Next up, here's a photo of a new colour I dyed a little while ago, I'm going to finish my Malabrigo socks today and then immediately cast on for my next pair with this. I think that I can safely say that this is my new favorite colour of all time! I'm working on a couple more new colours that will be added to my permanent collection within the next couple of weeks.

Laura Aylor, the genius behind the Lizard Ridge Afghan (see mine here) did me the great honor of designing a new afghan using my Green Label yarn. It's called the Merrywood Throw and it's gorgeous. She's got the pattern for sale on Ravelry and I'm so excited to see more completed versions.

Now that I've finished my Assemblage, I'm ready to start a string of new sweater projects that I'll knit with my Green label yarn, the first is from the same booklet as the Assemblage, it's the Loppem Cardigan, and I'll be knitting it in Lagoon.

I've always really liked this colour, but haven't knit anything out of it yet. It's a bright ultramarine blue, and I think it's just the thing for this cute little cardigan. This should be a quick knit. Also in the queue are the February lady sweater and the Shalom Cardigan. It'll be so fun to be able to walk around wearing sweaters made out of my own yarn! Stella gets too, it's only fair that I do too!

Namaste

I've been sick over the past couple of days, at first I didn't even knit, I just lay on the couch with Stella and watched General Hospital and napped. Did I mention that Dr. Patrick Drake (aka: Jason Thompson) came into my restaurant last week! I freaked out, he was very gracious. Anyways, when I was feeling better I finished a little Baby Surprise Jacket that I had started right before I got sick. The blue is my own fingering weight yarn in Tidal, and the multi is Blue Moon Fiber Arts in the Lucy colourway. To tell you the truth, I had high hopes for this little sweater. I thought that it would be a great way to use up leftover sock yarn (which it definitely is) and I also thought that because it was so little and cute and because I was combining a solid and a multi that the result would somehow be a little more subtle then what I actually got. The multi is screaming at me! I think I've learnt my lesson, next time I'll definitely do more solid, and just have the multi as an occasional stripy accent. Also, I knit these on 3.75mm needles, the last one I knit I 3.25mm's and though it did fit the baby for a good 8 weeks, it was teeny-tiny, but I think that next time I'll use 3.5mm's. I've learnt a lot from this wee sweater. 

The last thing I learnt is that though the pattern says to cast off in purl on the right side, so that you end up with what looks like a garter stitch cast off, I much prefer the look of the wrong side! That super neat little cable running along the edge really finishes it off. Next time I'll cast off in purl on the wrong side, or in knit on the right side? 

Super close up of cute little cast off edge.

I guess that the theme of today's post is learning, because other then all the things I learnt about making a BSJ, I also took the time to learn how to darn socks today! I quick little You Tube video and I'm officially a pro, I darned two socks very successfully! The third I gave up on because the hole was bigger then my fist... The light bulb isn't random in that picture, apparently you're supposed to use a "darning mushroom" when you darn, but light bulbs work just as well.

And lastly, today I delivered an order to a LYS, and though I'm usually very good about just walking in and out and not looking too much at the yarn so as to not let myself be tempted, today I couldn't resist. I picked up this gorgeous Namaste bag, and it's fantastic! So many useful pockets and clever design tricks. I love my Namaste. And since I was paying for it, I decided to throw in a couple skeins of Malabrigo sock yarn while I was at it. I'm considering it research, I'm studying the dye. 

Even though I had kind of become opposed to knitting socks with no nylon content, I may have changed my mind now that I know how to darn, especially since I've just darned 2 pairs of socks that actually have nylon! And even though I already have a pretty nice pair of socks on the needles, and a super nice cardigan that only needs a right front, a collar and a button band to be complete, I'm 95% sure I'm going to cast on for a pair of luscious Malabrigo socks before this day is over. I've got a pattern in mind, and it's taking all my strength to try and convince myself that I should finish what I'm working on before I start something new... but this yarn is like butter! 

Mitered Square blanket

I'm not sure where it came from, but I was struck by an intense urge to work on my Mitered Square Blanket yesterday. I've sort of been viewing it in terms of groups of three. This is my third time posting about it, I seem to post every time I've completed three more blocks, that means that hopefully the next time I post about this blanket it will be done! So, here's where we're at so far.

I've completed to red-orange-yellow-green and blue sections, next I've just got the purple-pink section and then the rainbow will be complete! I love it more every time I complete a new square. I'm really seeing it come together and the colour progression is working just as I had hoped. I'll talk more about my process and colour choices in my final post about this project. For now, here are close ups of the latest three blocks, only one is sewn together, I was running out of light and had to take the shots before I could finish the sewing. 

I think I'm going to take a little break from this again, I want to finish my Assemblage sweater before winter is over! But I'm so tempted to just get this project over with because I can't wait to have access to all the leftovers that are going to result from the completion of this project! I've got visions of colourful mittens and hats and probably even a yoked sweater... it's going to be so much fun!

Thermis

I never thought that I was a cowl person, but when I saw this cowl I decided to give it a try. It's simple, it's effective, and it's the perfect opportunity to use a pair of fantastic buttons that I bought at the Purple Purl. 

Here's a close up of the buttons, I wish I had a never ending supply of them!

I bought a skein of Malabrigo to knit this pattern in, it's a beautiful wine shade, and though I love it, I decided to knit it with yarn I already had in my stash, it's Elann Peruvian Highland wool , it's certainly not as soft as Malabrigo, but it matches my hat and mitts and ties the whole look together and makes me actually match! I'm not really a stickler for matching winter accessories, but I do feel more put together when I wear this combo. It's almost as if I planned it!

I miss my buttons

Voila! A finished object that I've been planning to blog about for over a month now! I'm on a role! So, here we have the drops jacket, knit in Elann Peruvian Sierra Aran in the Atlantis colourway. I knit this in just under two weeks in December, a really fast and fun project. I got a lot of wear out of it around the holidays, it's just the thing you want to throw on with a pair of jeans. The colour is rich and jewel toned, the yarn is soft and warm with just enough wooly/alpaca fuzziness, and the shape is flattering yet casual. A real hit!

I'm not sure how exactly the collar is supposed to fit, mine kind of just sits there, but I like it. I found the nicest purple wood buttons at the Purple purl when I was in Toronto last weekend (such a great store by the way! And they carry my yarn too, which makes them the best!) I had different buttons on this sweater before, it was such a fast knit that I was done and eager to wear it, so just sewed on some buttons that I had even though they were only going to be temporary. I love how these wooden buttons finished off the sweater. They're special, but simple and rustic/casual too, a perfect fit for this sweater. I thought the colour of the wood really complimented the colour of the yarn... but alas, I only got to wear my perfect finished sweater long enough to take the FO photo's before I had to rush off to work, in my haste I left my beloved sweater with perfect buttons on the couch, and when I came home from work the buttons had all mysteriously been chewed off. Stella really got an ear-full from me! At least she was smart enough not to harm any of the knitting, just just neatly chewed off the buttons and then left the sweater as is. So, I guess that my hunt for more perfect buttons continues... Buttons really can make or break a project. I think I may be developing a need/desire for a button stash.

This photo doesn't really do the late purple buttons justice, just trust me, they were breathtaking in real life.

Enough about buttons, now on to socks. I seem to have inadvertently started a tradition where I knit Chris a pair of socks over the Christmas holidays. There's always so much going on during the holidays and I need a small, easy, portable project to work on while I'm enjoying time with friends and family, socks are just the thing! And since Chris's birthday is on January 4th, knitting him socks over the holidays usually results in a birthday present done just on time! Here is this year's Christmas/birthday socks.

They're knit with On Line supersocke in colour 1060, it's not really my colours, all that mustard and orange, but Chris thinks they're just great, so everyone's happy!

My pretty grey sweater

For Christmas, my mom gave me Norah Gaughan Vol.3. I knew I was getting it, because I was with my mom when she bought it! There are a couple patterns that I like in it, but the reason I really had to have it was for Assemblage. The cable pattern is just so pretty I can't stand it! I was so excited to cast on I ordered the yarn from Webs before Christmas hoping that it would arrive shortly after Christmas so I could cast on immediately. And it did! So, I've been working on it on and off all month (it's been a busy month) and I've got a back and one and a half sleeves. By the end of this weekend I hope to have the second sleeve finished and a good start on the front.

I'm knitting it using Valley Yarns Northfield in the Haze colourway, and I love it! It was a bit of a gamble because I'd never used it before, and considering the fiber content (70% merino, 20% baby alpaca, 10% silk) I thought that it was a really affordable, maybe too affordable. But so far I think it's a great match for the pattern. It has really nice stitch definition, unblocked the cable pattern already looks amazing, and the colour is really nice and soft. I think this is going to be a hit. Here's a close up of the sleeve cuff's, so pretty!

I went on a weekend trip to Toronto, and since I needed something really portable and easy to pick up and put down I cast on for a new sock. In the ball, I thought that I would love this yarn knitted up, but so far I'm not crazy about the way the colours are stripping. The yarn is Regia Canyon colour #2804. I don't like how the stripes are so regular, the colours are pretty, but it's just kind of boring. I prefer random stripes, they just appeal to me more, less perfect. Maybe they'll grow on me. Or maybe they'll end up gifted.

Orange Blossom Monkeys

I actually have been wearing this FO for a couple of months already... for me it seems that knitting the project isn't the hard part, it's the photographing, editing and then posting about it that gets me all backed up! I cast on for these lovely orange monkeys immediately after I finished my first monkeys back in October. I really liked the pattern, but didn't find that the yarn used for monkeys #1 really showed it off properly, I thought that this yarn would be a much better match. It's Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label in Orange Blossom. 

I think that these socks rock. It really goes to show what a difference yarn selection makes in the final result of a project.

On a whim the other day I decided to pull out my sewing machine and some scraps of fabric and literally whip up a small project that I've been contemplating making for a while. It's a sweet little pin cushion.

It's cheery and festive, and since I didn't have one, I figured I should make one. It's so exciting when you can take some scraps that you've got leftover from a more "important" project that merited actually buying fabric for, and put them together to make something so sweet and uplifting. (Is it weird that I find pin cushions uplifting?) Anyways, I love it and can't wait to have a studio with a sewing table to sit it on one day!

Gifts and fun

Christmas has come and gone already, it's always a bit shocking. This year it was just the family for Christmas, often we've had rather large elaborate Christmas's with extended family either home or out of town, and they've always been great, but this year it was just us, and it was really, really lovely. I did a ton of Christmas knitting this year, in fact I knit almost all of my gifts, or at least part of them. I've already shared a lot of what I knit here. For my cousin Lesley it was the snowflake mittens and the little Inga hat, for my sister it was the Noro shawl, my dad got socks, my mom got socks, my friend Jo got socks and a scarf, my brothers got hats (they haven't been photographed yet) I did a lot of knitting... I'm sure I'm missing some.

Mom got the swallowtail shawl, knit in Tanis Fiber Arts yarn in an early variation of my Royal Flush colourway.

She unwrapped it on Christmas morning, tied it around her neck, and hasn't taken it off since! Honestly, she got up before I did, and when I'd come down for coffee in the morning, she'd already be wearing it! I'm thrilled, I think that means she likes it! 

Chris and I attempted to take a holiday photo of our little family... it's tough making a dog look cute when she's all legs! (Note: I'm wearing a new sweater! The Drops Jacket that I started in December got a lot of wear over the holidays, I'll post more about it soon.)

A last little update, my mom loves my colourwheel quilt so much, and is really on a big sewing kick these days, so I bought her the kit, we had tons of fun laying out all the colours and studying the fabrics. it's so neat because though some fabrics I can honestly say I would never have picked myself, they all come together the look really awesome. And it's a totally different bundle from the quilt I made, so we'll have lots of fabric scarps to play with when she's all done, and that's almost half the fun!