Calypso Worsted

Lynn came in and helped me today. Here is her Calypso Worsted so far. The colours are amazing! The body is at the correct length and Lynn is about to start the ribbing on the body. She is using Le Lambswool in Light Grey and Dream State in On The Low. I showed a picture of Opia yesterday and that would look great in the colourwork.

Yesterday I showed Isabell Kraemer’s new shawl. Here is her new sweater (pattern can be purchased on Ravelry).

Mia Cara is worked seamlessly from the top down. The back is worked in plain Stockinette stitch while the front features a texture pattern panel in the center. Knitting starts with the cast-on of the shoulders for the back. Once the short row shaped shoulder slope is done, the back is worked flat to underarm. Shoulder stitches are picked up to work the front to the same length. At underarm front and back are joined to work the body top down in rounds to the hem. Sleeve stitches are picked up around the arm openings to work the sleeves top down in rounds. Neck finishing is worked last.

The slightly higher tension of the slip stitch pattern results in a slightly raised, curved front edge. If you don’t like the cute hi-lo effect, you can straighten the hemline by blocking the center front a little more.

Lynn had all the new Opal on the shelf before I got to work this morning. Funny Fruits

Showbiz

Beauty Balance

Alex came in this afternoon as well. Lynn and Alex have been straightening and now they are going through Rowan Felted Tweed. The shelves are a mess and colours are missing. When they are done I will place an order to make sure we have lots. I am asked all the time what our best selling yarn is. Rowan Felted Tweed is that yarn. Since it debuted many years ago it has been very popular.

I’m very early today - there was time to write in the store. Have a happy Friday afternoon.

Dark Side

Isabell Kraemer has a new shawl pattern that you can purchase on Ravelry.

Via con me is a symmetrical triangular shawl, worked back and forth from the top down with the yarn held double throughout. Starting with a garter tab cast on, stitches are increased every RS row at both edges and at the center of the shawl. Instructions for the lace pattern are written out (line by line) and charted. The combination of the cute and easy lace pattern and the wide textured border give this shawl a sophisticated yet casual look.

Isabell held two strands of lace weight together for shawl but she says that you can use one strand of fingering/sport. The shawl is knit on a 4mm needle.

Blogger was being fussy earlier today when I started my post. It wouldn’t let me add pictures on my iPad. I tricked it though - I logged in on my phone and now we have pretty pictures.

I’m home now and Blogger decided to cooperate. Here is a brand new colours of Dyed in the Wool - Dark Side. Yes I have a skein wound to see how it knits up 😀

And we have two brand new colours of Dream State - Opia is above and Holy Toledo is below.

Big Delivery Day

Mr. UPS brought in a huge box from Emma’s.

The May Crazy Beautiful Color is beautiful.

We have 4 new colours of Practically Perfect Sock.

Down the Rabbit Hole

Disco

Julep

Something Blue

I have updated the website with everything we received from Emma’s.

Mr. Canada Post brought in two boxes of Opal Sock. These are all available online and in the store.

Then Mr. Canpar brought a box with some Lang and BC Garn. These aren’t online yet. It’s a big TV night and I have some chores to do before Beth gets home.

I have a funny dad story to share. My dad wears Skechers and has for years. He wouldn’t have shoes with laces. I bought him a brand new pair to wear in the hospital - his favourite pair were covered in paint and concrete. He was having a hard time getting his feet in - I think it was coordination at the beginning. I bought him running shoes so we could undo the laces and hopefully he could get his feet in easier. For the past week he has been taking them off with the laces done up and then pushing his feet back in. Yesterday morning the laces were undone. He put his feet in and I tied the laces. This morning he put his feet in and then bent over and tied the laces. I texted Beth right away. Neither of us knew that dad could tie his own laces. I don’t remember my dad ever having shoes with laces. 🤷‍♀️

May Hours

The May Crazy Beautiful Color from Emma’s will be arriving tomorrow. We will also have a restock of Practically Perfect Sock, Practically Perfect Smalls and Theme Packs.

I just looked back at my posts and saw that I forgot to talk about our hours for May. 

We are going to open an hour later from Wednesday - Friday (now noon). This will give me time to visit dad before opening the store. I have to fit my visits in between his appointments. This morning he had his shower at 7:30. Then at 10 he had speech therapy. I arrived just as they were finishing. This afternoon he had occupational therapy at 2. They are keeping him busy.

The dogs are all asleep while I’m writing. Fred slept on my bed for part of last night. He isn’t good at sharing. You can push him and kick him but he won’t move. We’ll see if he joins me again tonight.

This or That

It’s almost time for Ambah’s annual MKAL. This sounds like fun.

Join us in June 2024 for Ambah’s annual June Solstice Knit-along (KAL). 

A “choose your own” Mystery Knit along (MKAL).  

This or That begins with a choice between your preferred shape, Shawl or Wrap, followed by clues presented weekly over four weeks. Both the Shawl and Wrap will follow the same design/stitch patterns; only the shape will differ. Each of the clues will offer a choice between Path A or Path B. Follow Path A or Path B for a standalone design with each clue flowing into the next. Or mix it up as each choice is presented to you; start with Path A or B, then work Path B or A and so on. Some clues will provide two choices along the way, a total of six “A or B” decisions to make. With This or That, the adventure is all yours. 

Pattern will go on sale June 1, 2024. A placeholder page will be sent out initially with weekly updates as follows:

Placeholder/planning page: June 1, 2024 
CLUE 1: June 14, 2024. 
CLUE 2: June 21, 2024. 
CLUE 3: June 28, 2024. 
CLUE 4: July 5, 2024. 
FO Thread Prize Draw: July 31, 2024.

There are two different pages on Ravelry.

Shawl

Wrap 

Ambah showed a few colourways to help you start planning.

When we get closer to the date I will start putting together some colour suggestions.

Happy Sunday

Lesley Anne Robinson (Knit Graffiti) has a new shawl pattern called Reydiant that you can purchase on Ravelry.

May the Fourth Be With You!! Introducing my Women of Star Wars shawl for 2024!!!

Reydiant : The Force awakens with this semi-circle two-color brioche shawl, inspired by Rey Skywalker, her iconic hairdo and the dichotomy she faces in her trials. Will you choose the Light Side or the Dark Side? 

Yarn Notes:

Grab 4 skeins of fingering / sock yarn in 2 colors for this brioche shawl pattern! I highly recommend high contrast for the pattern to really pop, using the lightest color as your Main Color. Semi-solid or tonal yarns are perfect for this, maybe with a bit of speckles.

I was scared of Brioche before I tried it. Now that I’ve done it I love it. There are great videos online from Very Pink Knits, Stephen West and Andrea Mowry that show you how to Brioche.

Dad had a visitor yesterday afternoon. Boscoe stayed in the truck while Beth went upstairs to get dad. It was dad’s first venture outside and he enjoyed seeing the sun and Boscoe.

Stashbusting

This is the Sea Glass Cowl from Wool & Pine. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Unleash your yarn stash on Sea Glass Cowl, a playful exploration of color and fiber. This easy pattern is delightfully flexible, designed to accommodate 5 different gauges so you can mix and match yarns to your heart’s content. Whether you choose DK yarn as your main color with fingering yarn held double for contrast, or throw in all your fingering weight scraps for a truly eclectic look, each combination will blend uniquely, transforming your collection of yarn scraps into a striking, one-of-a-kind textile. Embrace the unexpected and let your creativity flow! 

Knit in the Round with a Seamless Finish

Start with a provisional cast-on and begin knitting the 1x1 colorwork that forms the body of Sea Glass Cowl. In this technique, you knit one stitch with one color, then switch to another color for the next stitch, continuing to alternate colors like this throughout the round. On the next round, change one or both colors. This creates a dynamic, multi-colored effect. Our method ensures that yarn ends are cleverly concealed within the fabric of the cowl, leaving a clean, invisible finish. When it’s time to close Sea Glass Cowl, the Kitchener stitch provides a seamless join that beautifully complements the pattern’s continuous flow. 

A Gauge for Every Stash

With stitch counts adjusted for five different gauges, Sea Glass Cowl is a perfect project for using up various yarns from your collection. We’ve included a range of techniques to manage yarn ends, ensuring they’re tucked away neatly before you seam everything together—no ends in sight! 

When knitting with different fiber scraps for Sea Glass Cowl, first swatch the yarns to check they knit well together and choose the stitch count that matches your gauge. Different fibers like wool, cotton, and silk behave differently, so swatching helps you adjust your needle size accordingly to achieve the desired fabric. Don’t skip wet blocking your cowl, this helps the fibers settle together, ensuring your cowl has a great texture and drape. 

Video Tutorials for Every Step

Included video tutorials guide you through each step, highlighting the joys of using up even the smallest scraps of yarn. With tips on selecting colors and combining different yarn weights, these tutorials help you navigate through your stash with confidence. Create a color palette that truly reflects your style and knit Sea Glass Cowl into a unique wearable piece of art that celebrates your creative vision.

What a great way to use up some of your ends that are hanging around. This would be a fun project if you have lots of mini skeins or an Advent kit. Choose a main colour for the background and then knit your minis for the contrast. I’m on the phone on hold while I’m writing and thought of another idea. You could use a solid colour for the main and a self-striping yarn for the contrast. You won’t have as many yarn changes but lots of colour change. Crazy Zauberball would be a great option. Or Freia Minikins.

We received new colours of Dyed in the Wool before LYS Day and I just got them on the website. I’d like to introduce Inkling (above) and Silver Lining (below). 

This is Strawflower Dream State.

Next week we will have a few more new colours of Dream State

Opia

Holy Toledo

Dark Side Dyed in the Wool. Yes I will be taking 3 skeins home for a Traveler Cowl. 

Beth is off to see dad and I’m dog sitting. Right now they are being nice and quiet for me. This will last about 1/2 hour and then Fred will become a terror. It happens every evening for a few hours and then he becomes an angel again.