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Ultra Soft and Silky

August 11, 2015, 8:31 pm
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Today the Prism Plume got straightened around and added to the website. I totally forgot to get a picture of the wall of Plume before I left work. Not too bright.
An incredibly soft, luxurious faux fur yarn, hand-dyed Plume is made even more wonderful through our special finishing process.
The yarn is incredibly soft. 

This is a free pattern from Prism Yarn...
The Plumette version...
Plume's little sister Plumette has all of the incredible silky softness of Plume, with a cropped length of fur. Reminiscent of sheared mink or panné velvet, Plumette offers a more tailored option. We love the two combined for a high/low effect. Perfect for accessories, shawls and even garments.

If you'd rather have a scarf, this one takes 2 skeins of Plume

I know that it's hard to think about knitting with faux fur right now in the middle of summer but the cold is coming. We can shake our heads and stamp our feet but in January you will be very happy to have something around your neck knit in Plume or Plumette.

I was just about to hit PUBLISH when I remembered that I had some pictures of Plume from TNNA.

Now it's bed time. The fall Rowan arrived very late this afternoon. Tomorrow we are trying to find spots to put it all.
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Eccentric Chevron

August 12, 2015, 5:39 pm
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Mr. Canada Post dropped off a box this morning from Lynda. The Eccentric Chevron Wrap is amazing! You are cutting the yarn each row and tying the ends together, creating fringe as you work. The striping pattern is up to you.
Designed to dip gracefully in the back, the Prism Eccentric Chevron Wrap sits comfortably on your shoulders. The graphic interest comes from unbalanced, or eccentric chevrons: one leg is much longer than the other, which skews the fabric off-center. By mirroring the stitches at center back, a dip is formed naturally.
It was hard to show how the pattern skews so I put the shawl on the fence. The part over the fence is the center fold - and it is straight.

The yarn is Merino Mia. From Laura Bryant (the designer of the wrap and dyer of the yarn)
A work horse yarn that is beautifully twisted, soft, easy to knit, has a lovely sheen and takes our vibrant, clear colors extremely well.
I totally forgot that Mr. UPS was coming by today. 2 boxes from Dream in Color.
Baby Tulip kits are back in stock. This cute cardigan is knit on circular needles from the top down. The kit goes up to 18 months.

And there was another surprise in the box. I knew that we were getting Jilly with Cashmere but I didn't know that we were getting new colours of Everlasting Sock.
With its distinctive multi-ply construction and smooth twist, this base provides the ideal canvas for our vibrant, subtly layered colors. A unique dyeing process was developed especially for the Everlasting bases, which gives Everlasting Sock its deep and lushly shaded tones. Knitted at a firmer gauge, this yarn forms a dense and hardwearing fabric that’s perfect for socks and cold weather accessories, while knitting at a looser gauge yields a fabric with sensational softness and drape.

100% superwash merino wool
100 g & 420 yds.
7.5 – 9 sts per inch
U.S. 0 to 2 needles
Dream On
Get Down Greeny
Hey Sunshine!
Hot Pants
Mod Squad
Slammin Lemon
Way Cool Cristal

It's time to sign off. A very busy TV evening. 4 shows are taping and the Blue Jay game is on. They are playing very exciting baseball right now.
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Four Weeks

August 13, 2015, 3:56 pm
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Lynn thought she was being funny today when she said 'It's only 5 weeks until Camp'. That means 4 weeks until the Knitters' Fair. Oh my goodness. I haven't even planned the booth yet. HELP!!!

Beth finished her Fernanda Circular Scarf and now it's my job to block it. The colours are so much fun. We decided that we aren't going to sew it into a cowl. Instead we are going to leave it as a scarf and add an amazing shawl pin.
I took the picture on our new deck. The base is finished, now we need railings. We have our patio furniture strategically placed so that the dogs don't jump off to visit the neighbours. The lawns have been sodded and people are out watering. Melo and Roko like to go visit.
Now it's time for The Amazing Race Canada and MasterChef. We didn't make it to them last night because I needed to be in bed somewhat early. I was in the store at 7:30 this morning to meet my dad and the plumber. There was a toilet issue but it's all fixed. I'm happy about that but it made for a long day. It's time to sit quietly with my yarn and needles and a cup of tea. There are only 5 weeks until Camp and I am supposed to have a sample knit for the fashion show.
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Way too cute!

August 14, 2015, 2:28 pm
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Fabulous kits from Blue Sky Alpacas have arrived and I am working on adding them to the website.
The Royal Petite Babies Series are treasures to create and collect. There are 6 beautifully packaged kits that contain all of the yarn and notions necessary to knit your royal court.
You have two options when knitting the animals - you can knit in the round on double pointed needles or knit flat and seam.
The yarn is Royal Petites
Ideal for small projects, these 100-yard balls of 100% fingering weight royal alpaca (the highest grade alpaca available) offer the same springy loft, fine gauge and vintage color palette as our full-size hanks of our luxurious Royal yarn.







 

Are you coming to Knitting Camp? Make sure you look at your In Box - you should have mail. Homework was sent out earlier today.
 
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New Colours

August 15, 2015, 4:21 pm
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We're getting ready for our next madelinetosh shipment. Hopefully it will be here by the end of the month - just in time for the Knitter's Fair. There will be 10 new colours.
 
Mill Pond
Flycatcher Blue
Neon Red
Penumbra
Spicewood
Dustweaver
Cloud Dweller
Court and Spark
Prairie Fire
Coal Seam

All these colours will be available in merino light.

There is also a new yarn coming for fall. Madelinetosh silk merino. 50% silk. 50% merino. 205 yards on a skein. Double knitting weight (22 stitches =4"). I don't have pictures yet but the yarn is beautiful. It will be available in
  • Prairie Fire
  • Neon Red
  • Flycatcher Blue
  • Dustweaver
  • Court and Spark
  • Tart
  • Spectrum
  • Whiskey Barrel
  • Silver Fox
  • Charcoal
  • Cove
This weekend is the air show in Hamilton.
This is from the front porch of our house.
 I had a show while I was barbecuing dinner. Tomorrow afternoon might be spent on the deck watching.
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Taking Pictures

August 17, 2015, 5:05 pm
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Two Harbors Poncho. We don't have copies of the pattern in the store yet but you can purchase it on Ravelry...
Easy does it. What’s not to love about this artful jacket alternative? Stitched sideways in two panels and seamed up the center, Two Harbors is fast and fun to knit, and truly flatters every figure. Knit in Extra, this light and lofty poncho will be your new absolute favorite.
• EXTRA from Blue Sky Alpacas (150g/218yds): 4 hanks MC,
1 hank CC  
• Size 10 (6mm) 24" circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge 
• Size 10 (6mm) 29" circular needle, or size needed to obtain gauge 
• Spare Size 10 (6mm) needle in any style or length (for Three-ndl BO) 
• Stitch holders or waste yarn 
• Stitch marker 
• Tapestry needle 
I'm seeing a lot of ponchos and poncho hybrids for fall. They are easy to wear. Most are easy to knit. Tension isn't as important as in a garment - if it turns out a touch bigger or smaller it won't really matter.


We received the map for the Knitters' Fair today. We will be in the same place this year - booths 9-11.

This year's speaker has been announced. I'm trying to figure out how I can sneak out of the booth to hear this.
This year we have Amy Singer joining us! Amy is the founder and editor of the wonderful online magazine Knitty.com, and is a knitting teacher, designer, and all-around lovely person. Read more about her on her website, amysinger.ca. 
Whether your camera is in your phone, a cute little point-and-shoot or something with a few more features, taking better digital pictures is not rocket science. There are simple, concrete things you can do to make the photos you take better right now. 
In this informative lecture, Amy will demystify the mechanics of photography. She'll tell you which are the most important settings to adjust on your point-and-shoot camera, and how to be the boss of your smartphone camera, too! She'll cover easy after-processing with iOS and Android apps (for smartphone pictures) and affordable alternatives to Photoshop for computer-based processing. And because good photography is not just about the equipment you use, she'll talk about how to take a good picture of your knitwear! We'll talk about models, locations, backgrounds, styling and more! 
You won't want to miss this helpful lecture! Bring a notebook and pen!

The store is closed on Mondays during the summer to give me some time to catch up on chores. I was up early so I thought about having an afternoon nap. No napping today. There is too much going on outside and it is really noisy here. My dad would be in his glory if he was here.
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You gotta love 12mm needles

August 18, 2015, 4:05 pm
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I finished my Debbie Bliss vest with not a lot of yarn to spare. The pattern called for 4 balls and I finished it in 3. I thought that I would have to sew up with something else (Charly from Filatura di Crosa) but there was just enough.

Yarn: Lara - new for fall
Pattern: from Debbie's Lara pattern book

The knitting was super easy on 12mm needles.

The vest looks great with one of Cathy's Technicolor Cowls.

Tomorrow we are starting to redress the mannequins in the store. Fall is coming and they should be dressed appropriately.

New kits arrived today from Katia.

Each kit contains a ball of yarn + pre-made cat or dog face and legs! Won't your kids or grand kids love these? The kits are $34.95 and we have all colours in stock.


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Crooked Road

August 19, 2015, 4:44 pm
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The Crooked Road Scarf pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry. It is knit using a Mountain Colors Twizzle Perspectives Kit.
This fun scarf is cast on “the long way” so you have a lot of stitches on each row but you are only knitting them for 6”. The increases and decreases are easy to remember and the color changes keep things interesting.
Twizzle is 85% Merino Wool and 15% Silk. Each mini skein is 45yards long and there are 5 skeins in a kit. I have knit with the yarn and really like it. The great thing about using a kit with mini skeins is that you are finished with a colour before you become bored with it.

There is a brand new yarn from Malabrigo arriving next week. Mechita.
We liked Mecha so much, we hit it with a shrink ray! Mechita is a fingering-weight version of our beautifully-dyed single-ply superwash yarn. Just as soft and rich as the original, but great for lighter projects!

Great for: Shawls, scarves, garments, accessories, baby and kids items, lace, cables, textured stitches.
Arco Iris
Arequita
Musas
Piedras

There should be 13 colours coming in the shipment. Malabrigo colours on a single ply yarn. How can this be bad? It is going to be hard choosing just one or two colours. They are all amazing. And only $21.95 a skein.
Weight: Fingering
Texture: singles
Yardage/Meters: 420 yards (384 meters)
Skein weight: 100 grams (3.53 ounces)
Gauge: 26.0 to 30.0 sts = 4 inches
Recommended needle size: US 1 - 2 or 2.25 - 2.75mm
Content: 100% Superwash Merino Wool.
Cares: Machine washable, gentle cycle, cold water, do not tumble
It's that busy TV night again and I'm working on a new project. Remember - it's only 5 weeks until Camp and I want some fabulous garments in the fashion show.
Pattern: Lanesboro Vest from Blue Sky Alpacas - you can purchase the pattern in the store or on Ravelry
Yarn: Blue Sky Bulky
Needles: 12mm (another quick project)
Feeling the need for speed?  
This is your go-to design. Cool, cropped and quick-to-knit in Bulky, Lanesboro layers on a bit of texture with chunky garter and rib stitches and simple-to-stitch, top-down raglan construction. Perfect for pairing with short sleeves or long.

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Happy Dance

August 20, 2015, 6:30 pm
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The madelinetosh shipment arrived at our storage unit today. We are inventorying the yarn and tomorrow afternoon the new colours will be in the store.
Coal Seam

My bulky vest is growing.
I thought I would be further but there was a storm here last night and we didn't get the thunder jacket on Melo soon enough. He sat at my feet and I had to pet him for hours. Thankfully he settled down at bed time. There should be some knitting tonight during Big Brother. I really hope that Johnny Mac doesn't go home.

P.S. The vest pattern is really easy. All you need to know is knit, purl, cast on, cast off and knit in the front and back of a stitch to increase.
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It's Here

August 21, 2015, 5:46 pm
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The new colours of madelinetosh are in the store.
This is just small amount of what came in today. Above is vintage and merino. Below is ASAP.

I started looking on Ravelry for things to knit in ASAP. I'm very attached to my large needles right now. Joji recently published a very cool sweater pattern in ASAP.

Holi Party takes 4-8 skeins and we received the colour Holi Festival in the shipment.

The Silk/Merino is amazing. Super soft with a beautiful sheen.

I did not take anything home with me. It was really hard. The colours are amazing. I'm going to finish my Blue Sky Bulky Vest and then I'll decide what is next. That could change tomorrow though when I get back to work. Holi Party is calling my name. Another sweater that would look great in the Camp Fashion Show.

I can't tell you anything about what is coming (yet) but we are participating in the 2015/2016 Dream Club from Dream in Color. The first pattern will be released on September 1. More details pretty soon because September is almost here.
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Big needles = Quick knit

August 22, 2015, 6:39 pm
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The vest is finished. All ends sewn in. Ready to head to Camp.

Pattern: Lanesboro Vest (patterns in the store or you can purchase on Ravelry)
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky
Needles: 12mm

Late this afternoon I received an email that shawl pins are on their way from the US.
The Shawl Pins are designed and handmade by Bonnie Bishoff and her husband J.M. Syron. They feature colorful inlays of polymer clay in white bronze and lead free pewter settings. Some of the polymer based pins encase metal armatures in their structures. The hooks are made in the USA, of nickel silver, exclusively for her designs.


Now it's time to sign off and get ready for the Jays game. And figure out what I'm going to knit on - start something new or work on an existing project??
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Holi Party

August 23, 2015, 9:06 am
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Last night I started to knit Holi Party (pattern purchased on Ravelry) in madelinetosh ASAP. You cast on with 8mm needles and work the neck band. Now you switch to 10mm needles and start the short row shaping. This is to make more rows in the back than in the front. If you aren't sure what I'm talking about, take a t-shirt out of your closet. Look at how the back neck is quite a bit higher than the front. If you don't do short rows on the sweater then the front neck will be up at your chin. All was going well. The pattern is very well written. Joji keeps giving you stitch counts so that you can make sure you are heading in the right direction. She forgot one important thing in the pattern - I told you to do it but did you make sure that you changed to the 10mm needles after the 4 rows of the neck band? The Jays were scoring many runs in one inning and I totally forgot to change needles. The short rows were done when I realized that my needles didn't feel big enough. All I could do was laugh. Today I'm taking it back to the neck band and having another go at it.

Melo was very happy this morning watching the golf on TV. His favourite part of watching TV is the commercials. He jumps up and runs closer.
The second chair for our living room arrived this week. Finally. We decided that the back of the couch looked very bare so we ordered a console table. I think the room is done now. Maybe. :)
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Dreaming

August 24, 2015, 5:00 pm
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More colours are coming from Dream in Color. The shipment is leaving Arizona at the end of the week and we should have it by the middle of next week. All these colours will be available in two different yarns - both with the blend of 70% superwash merino, 20% cashmere and 10% nylon. Both yarns come in 100gram skeins.

Classy with Cashmere
An exquisite blend of luxury fibers and a refined twist unite to make Classy with Cashmere an exceptional yarn indeed. 20% cashmere lends the yarn an irresistible softness, while 10% nylon and 70% superwash merino make Classy with Cashmere a superb choice for well-loved baby garments and special occasion accessories alike.
Jilly with Cashmere
Jilly with Cashmere is a single-ply fingering weight yarn from Dream in Color. The blend of merino wool and cashmere makes this yarn remarkably soft and the nylon adds additional strength. Dream in Color's dyeing technique results in a very artistic and unique look in each skein, with intense color variation and a shadow effect. 
Anything Goes
Cabaret
Carousel
Dream Girls
Flower Drum Song
Hello Dolly
A Little Night Music
Kiss Me Kate
My Fair Lady
Secret Garden
Singing in the Rain
South Pacific

The September Dream Club will be in the box as well. Watch for details next week.

My knitting is back on track. Except for the fact that you need to put stitches on waste yarn. I hate doing that because it isn't fun getting them back on the needle. I leave them on a separate circular. All fine and good except that I have too many stitches and they keep falling off the ends. POINT PROTECTORS??? I don't have any. And I was at the store today to water the plants and forgot them. I'll take some pictures tomorrow when I can show the sweater on a mannequin. ASAP from tosh is a dream to knit with.
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The Party is Growing

August 25, 2015, 4:56 pm
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My progress on Holi Party. I need to roll another ball and should finish the front tonight during America's Got Talent.

I finally remembered point protectors when I got to work this morning. This will make life easier.


For some people it is very important that both socks match. Exactly. Here is the newest sock yarn for you.
REGIA PAIRFECT – A new dimension in sock knitting! This innovation by Regia makes it incredibly easy to knit two identical socks from one skein. Thanks to "Easy Start" it is easy to find the beginning of each sock and to start knitting.

It’s very easy: The yellow starter thread marks the beginning of each sock. Simply cut off the yellow starter thread and begin knitting the first sock. After the first sock is completed, unwind the yarn to the next yellow starter thread and cut it off. Then simply knit the second sock.


It's almost Knitter's Fair time. Here are some of my tips if this is your first time heading to the show.

- trust me, there is lots of yarn. If you don't like lines or crowds, wait until noon to come. There will still be lots for you to see. If booths sell out of something, most are more than willing to ship it to you after the show
- bring lunch with you. Then you don't have to stand in line.
- wear something that you have knit. It's always fun to see completed projects.
- if you see something you like, mark down the booth you saw it in. I can't tell you how many times we get frantic people at the end of the day because they forgot where they saw something
- go through your Ravelry library and make notes of yarn that you are interested in. If there is a certain pattern, print that pattern and bring it with you. Also bring information on the yarn. What it's made of. Tension. Yardage. That will make it easier for me and other booths to help you substitute. When you come in the store I can do it on the computer but we have limited Internet access at the show.
- please have patience.
- the Fair isn't just for knitters. It is put on by a knitting guild - hence the name. Crocheters please come to the show. There is lots of fabulous yarns that you and your hooks will have fun working with.


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Sock yarn and more sock yarn

August 26, 2015, 5:08 pm
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Twizzlefoot - a new sock yarn from Mountain Colors arrived today.
53% Superwash Merino, 17% Domestic Wool, 17% Silk, 13% Nylon - hand dyed in Montana

410m / 450 yards on a skein

$37.75 a skein
I took this picture of the Twizzlefoot knit up when I was at TNNA in June. The ply of the yarn gives a great tweed effect. Something a bit different.

Pattern: Celo (free on Ravelry)
One skein of Twizzlefoot

Later in the day, Mr. Canpar brought in a box of Malabrigo Mechita. Oh my goodness. I want it all.
Diana
Mandragora
Ninfas
Unicornio
Pegaso

These swatches do no justice to the yarn. It is beautiful.

It's almost home time and we managed to get the Mechita on the shelf.

What can you knit with either yarn?
Ley Lines (pattern purchased on Ravlery) would look amazing. The pattern is easy to follow and fun to knit.

It's TV knitting time. Between the Jays and the four shows we have taped, Beth is going to be busy with the converter while I work on Holi Party.
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The party is getting bigger

August 27, 2015, 5:17 pm
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The front is finished and the back is almost done.

There will be buttons on the side of the sweater. You don't make button holes - the buttons are sewn to both flaps to hold them together.

We received more sock yarn today. This is self-striping in great colours.
100 gram balls
75% superwash wool
25% polyamide
A touch of Aloe for softness

$18 a ball
Featured Speaker for 2015: AMY SINGER! Her talk will be “Digital Camera Secrets for Knitters” and it takes place at 1 PM in the Speaker’s Area.
Amy is the founder and editor of the wonderful online magazine Knitty.com, and is a knitting teacher, designer, and all-around lovely person. Read more about her on her website, amysinger.ca.

Whether your camera is in your phone, a cute little point-and-shoot or something with a few more features, taking better digital pictures is not rocket science. There are simple, concrete things you can do to make the photos you take better right now.

In this informative lecture, Amy will demystify the mechanics of photography. She’ll tell you which are the most important settings to adjust on your point-and-shoot camera, and how to be the boss of your smartphone camera, too! She’ll cover easy after-processing with iOS and Android apps (for smartphone pictures) and affordable alternatives to Photoshop for computer-based processing. And because good photography is not just about the equipment you use, she’ll talk about how to take a good picture of your knitwear! We’ll talk about models, locations, backgrounds, styling and more!

You won’t want to miss this helpful lecture! Bring a notebook and pen!
I really wish that I could hear Amy's talk. Maybe another time. It's Party Time. My goal is to have it finished by tomorrow evening. Then I get to start a new project over the weekend :)
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Fave Sock

August 28, 2015, 5:45 pm
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We have yarn coming from the US late next week. Fave Sock from Fiberstory. I'm not sure what grabbed me first in Sarah's booth. It could have been the colours of her sock yarn which are amazing.
A 100% SUPERWASH merino, springy 2 ply with a tight twist and the look of a cabled yarn.
366m / 400 yards
100 gram skein
$35.
Daybreak
Fallen
Meadow
Milo
Terrain
Thaw
Vague


This is just a small sample of the great colours that are coming.

Or it could have been the gradient kits.

7 skeins of fingering weight (100% superwash merino) for a total of 510m (560 yards).
$54




The back and one sleeve is finished on Holi Party. I was tired after work so I didn't even bring it home. I'll try and finish it tomorrow.
It's going to be an early evening. Living in a construction zone takes a toll on you. The noise starts at 7am sharp. You're awake even if you want to sleep longer.
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Jetsetter

August 29, 2015, 5:37 pm
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I cast on a new cowl project last night. I had two rows of the moss stitch finished when I went to bed. The plan was to work on it at work today.
Pattern: Jetsetter (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: 1 ball of Freia Bulky
Needles: 12mm, 60cm circular

It was a very good plan until I forgot it this morning. What was I going to do in the store? I was tempted to wind a skein of yarn and start something else but instead I finished Holi Party.
Finished. All ends sewn in. We just need to add the buttons. Then Beth went to the golf course (passing by the store) so she dropped off the cowl and I'm about half way finished.

The pattern for Holi Party is very well written and easy to follow. There are some wrap and turns but they are not difficult and I think that if you watch a how to video you can master them pretty easily.

Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with bulky yarns right now. That is going to change this week. I'm going to be choosing between Mechita, Jilly with Cashmere and Fiberstory Fave Sock for my next project. Talk about going from one extreme to the other.
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Lazy Sunday

August 30, 2015, 4:24 pm
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Jetsetter is finished. I'll get pictures on a mannequin on Tuesday when I'm back in the store - lying on the counter doesn't do it justice. I was going to block it (today was blocking day) but I had it on and like how it fits and lies and decided to leave it.
Magmatic Boom is drying. The Sweetgeorgia Party of 5 kits should be leaving Vancouver on Monday or Tuesday so I'd say we should have them the beginning of next week.
It was a lazy day at our house. Melo snuggled in on the couch for a while. Our dogs are all about comfort.

Now it's time to get to my Camp knitting. Beth and I are teaching a class and I need to get my sample finished. Who am I kidding? It's not going to be finished but I need to get more knit than I have now. Big Brother tonight. Who is going to win HOH???
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Fiberstory Gradient

August 31, 2015, 3:56 pm
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I've been updating the status on our shipment from Fiberstory and it has crossed the border. I'm being very optimistic thinking it might arrive tomorrow. My best guess is Wednesday.

Many have asked about the pattern for this cowl. Sarah from Fiberstory emailed me and the pattern is called the Crosshatch Cowl (a free pattern) from The Purl Bee.

Sarah made the following modifications to the pattern to work with the gradient kits.
In order to use the gradient kit most effectively, I used the following modifications: 
Cast on 372 sts with darkest color in gradient. (would obviously work starting with the lightest color, as well! 
color 1: Work 5 rounds in pattern 
colors 2-6: Work 6 rounds. 
color 7: Work 5 rounds. 
Bind off in pattern. 
The cast on and bind off rows are counted as the 6th round for the lightest and darkest colors, making each band of color approximately 6 rows wide. 
Sarah used an 8mm needle.

This is going to be a short post. Tonight is our draft for fantasy football. I haven't even looked at it yet. Normally it's like being back in school - studying and making notes. I should take a look at a few websites for a bit of information before we start.
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