My yarn is ready to go

I don’t know how much time I will have to blog while dad and I are away. We have to be out of our room before 7am and then we could be 12 hours on the train each day. Then get to the hotel, check in, have dinner and relax for a bit before an early bed time. I have some posts scheduled for while we’re away. If I have time to write then there will be bonus posts. I have a feeling there will be a lot of pictures.

The first four skeins of my Inclinations Shawl are done. I’ve knit too far to take it away with us so new skeins have been wound.

Our dining room table is covered with clothes, snacks, prescriptions and anything else I think we’ll need. The dogs are starting to get a bit antsy wondering what’s going on.

Beth is getting excited about her time alone. No worrying about dinner for everyone - she can eat whatever she wants. She can watch whatever she wants. She can be as loud as she wants. She’s going to have a great week.

Lynn the model

Here is Lynn in her King Salmon sweater. It fits her perfectly.

Lynn came to work wearing her Skylights Tee. She used 3 balls of Noro Silk Garden Sock. Next Saturday the yarn will be on sale for 10% off. Lynn used colour 1 which we are out of but we have other colours that would look great.

You can purchase the pattern for the Skylights Tee on Ravelry.

The pattern calls for fingering weight - Tanis is wearing the sweater knit in sock yarn. You have many many yarn options if you choose this route.

A classic raglan tee, but make it elegant. With a pretty eyelet detail at the shoulders and a statement panel down the front that features both lace and cables, this tee is anything but basic. I chose to knit mine to a slightly cropped length, a style that I find I’m reaching for more and more these days. Knit in my favourite fingering weight yarn, this tee is my new summer staple.

The store is ready for next Saturday. Signs have been hung and Lynn has the shelves straightened. We will be open again at 11am on Saturday April 25th. 

Honey Petal

Andrea Mowry has a new cardigan pattern.

As we move into the warmer months, the air conditioning has me wishing I had a little cardigan to toss on whenever I need it all year round. With a gentle v-neck and a fun play on stripes, this cardigan can be worked up in a cotton/linen/silk blend yarn, as I have done, for those warmer months of the year, or pick out a nice squishy wool yarn for added warmth during the colder seasons!

This raglan cardigan is knit from the top down (meaning you can try it on as you go and add length to suit your own personal style!), seamlessly, beginning with the yoke. Once the yoke is completed, the sleeves are placed on hold while the body is knit. The sleeves are then returned to the needle and knit down from the body. The button band is picked up around the front opening and knit out.

You can purchase the pattern for Honey Petal on Ravelry.

Photos © Andrea Mowry

We don’t have that yarn that Andrea used but we do have lots of sportweight yarns that would work.

It’s laundry time. I hope everyone had a good day. It was beautiful in Ancaster. 

Arne & Carlos Sock Yarn

We have a new sock yarn. 

We’re kicking off spring in style with six, brand new, vibrant colourways from the duo who continue to set the standard in sock‑knitting trends. Smart gradients and self‑patterning colours do the work for you creating striking designs as you knit.

Easy Care Socks: Machine wash at 40°C & tumble dry 

The yarn is available online and in the store.

Arne & Carlos are back – with 65 brand-new festive decorations to knit, inspired by the magic of a Norwegian winter!

Best-selling and globally beloved knitters Arne & Carlos have created 65 charming new knitted designs so that you can bring a touch of a Scandinavian winter into your own home this festive season. Each of the seasonal balls is adorned with stylish, colorful motifs to make your tree sparkle with festive cheer. 

65 New Christmas Balls to Knit features:

• Advice on selecting tools and materials, including yarns, fillings and additional sparkly embellishments
• Photographic step-by-step advice on all the key techniques required, including casting on, increasing, decreasing, working stranded colourwork and making a hanging loop
• The basic pattern to get you started, which is the basis of all 65 knitted balls
• Themed collections for the 65 decorations, such as Let It Snow, featuring fir trees and snowflakes; Flora and Fauna, including holly and reindeer; and Traditional, which harks back to ski jumper design motifs and red, white and green colorways. Each of the patterns is explained by a chart; there are no complicated instructions to follow; so once you’ve mastered the basic pattern you can create any of the designs simply and easily
• 7 delicious Christmas cookie recipes inspired by the designs, for a true taste of a Scandinavian Christmas.

Enjoy the festive magic, God Jul*, and happy knitting!

The book is in stock and available online and in the store.

It’s amazing how much you can get knocked off the ‘to do list’ when you get out of bed at the crack of dawn. Dad had an appointment with his Urologist this morning. Everything is great - all his numbers are good and he doesn’t visit again for another year. Beth took him down to St. Joe’s and I stayed at home with the dogs. I washed floors and cleaned the kitchen. I added the Arne & Carlos sock to the website. Then I started LYS Day printing. I want everything finished by tomorrow. Lynn is working with me on Saturday and when the store closes we are going to get the store set up for LYS Day. I’m going to hit the wall this afternoon but I’m on a roll this morning.

Lykke needle restock

Mr. UPS came in early this morning with a box of Lykke needles. This is a brand new case colour - Black Denim Effect. 

The website has been updated.

It’s been ‘get the store in order’ day. I spent a few hours this morning redoing the wall of Emma’s Practically Perfect Sock to make sure all the colours are on the wall. Then I went through our bags of extra stock and got them somewhat in order.

Just before I was leaving Canpar Nick stopped by with a box. I’ll share the contents tomorrow.

My other job this afternoon was to continue working on LYS Day.

Coming to the store to shop? Bring cash - weather permitting we will set up a table outside with select pattern books. These will be priced at $10 each (a great deal). Cash only. All money collected will be donated to CityKidz. 

My pile of books is getting larger and larger. I’ve added books from

• Rowan
• Noro
• Modern Daily Knitting
• Pom

You won’t be disappointed. 

Casapinka LYS Day pattern 2026 - Colossal Fluff Up

I’m working on LYS Day prep. This is a sneak peek at Casapinka’s pattern for 2026. You will need 2 skeins of fingering weight for the shawl. Kits will be available online at 12:01am on Saturday April 25th. They will be available in the store when we open at 11am. If you purchase a kit or decide to choose your own colours and purchase 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn (on April 25th) we will give you the code to download the pattern for free.

Please remember that the pattern must be downloaded by sometime on Sunday April 26th. Casapinka hasn’t told us the time yet. If you don’t download the pattern it will be come a paid pattern.

If you order the kit to be shipped we will email you the code.

You will be able to find the kits on the front page of the website when they go live. Here is a little peek. I used Emma’s Practically Perfect Sock, Malabrigo Sock and Malabrigo Ultimate Sock for the kits.

I didn’t make it to the store today. The day was spent running around getting everything ready for next week. This time next Monday Dad and I will be landing in Calgary. A car will be meeting us and driving us to Banff. Tuesday we are spending the day in Banff and Beth has booked us a tour for the afternoon. Wednesday morning we get on the train bright and early. Dad and I have been practicing our morning routine. He likes to say ‘just 5 more minutes’ when you wake him up. He doesn’t have that luxury next week. We need to be in the hotel lobby at 7am.

Now back to the paperwork (tax return) that I didn’t get finished earlier today.

Espe

We have a new shawl in the store. Diana finished it during the week. This is one of my favourite shawl patterns - it is called Espe and you can purchase it on Ravelry.

We used 2 skeins of Emma’s Practically Perfect Sock in the colour Sprout. You can also use Emma’s Super Silky, Malabrigo Sock, Malabrigo Ultimate Sock, Hedgehog Oh So Fine and SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock.

The shawl is knit on 5mm needles so it is very airy.

Inspired by the spectacular colors of the Colorado aspen groves in autumn, this wrap uses lace leaf motifs that let the beautiful colors of the gradient yarn take center stage (CHART ONLY).

The shawl is worked in one piece, side-to-side, from a tiny six-stitch cast on, and it increases along one edge forming a practical, elongated triangle. A simple yarn over edging is worked along the two longer sides; this can be used for finishing since the blocking wires can be easily threaded through the yarn overs.

This is the Espe that I knit years ago. It’s packed away in a box from the move - I should dig it out.

Yarn: 3 skeins of Arranmore Light
Needles: 5.5mm

The pattern is easy to follow and repeats throughout the shawl. You can make the shawl as big or small as you want.

I’m almost finished the first two balls - just a couple rows to go. Then I’m going back to my Happy Camp sweater.

Tonight’s dinner is ham. We didn’t have it on Easter weekend and it’s an easy meal while we’re watching golf. Sunday night is usually steaks but I didn’t want to be stuck outside and missing the action.

Have a good evening. Hope you’re playing with yarn.