Surprise coming next week

I’m casting off. This is the Inclinations Shawl from Andrea Mowry. The yarn is Dream State and I’m rushing to finish it before all our Dream State is gone. My goal is to get it cast off tonight and then block it over the weekend. Dad, Beth and the dogs are heading to the cottage tomorrow and will be back on Sunday or Monday. I’ll be able to lie it out with no dogs around.

These are the colours I used. I will make up kits over the next few days and get them on the website. These will be one of a kind kits where you will receive the skeins that are pictured. I think I put together 7 combinations today and will get pictures tomorrow if I can. I would come in early but I have an emergency dentist appointment - I cracked a tooth. 😂

On Monday one of my suppliers will be unveiling a brand new yarn. That is all I can say for now but I know you’re going to love it. It will be online (the front page) at 12:01am and I will do a blog post during the day. Right now UPS says that the yarn will be arriving on Tuesday but it could be Wednesday.

Now back to my casting off. Then an early night. My dentist is 45 minutes away. I should move to someone closer but I like my dentist and his office so I’ll continue to make the drive.

Framed Sweater

We have new kit combinations for Andrea Mowry’s Framed (pattern purchased on Ravelry)

My Framed is almost finished. I need to sew in the sleeves (I knit mine from the bottom up) and finish the neck. I’ll get it finished before fall. I loved knitting it.

Our kits use Biches & Buches Le Lambswool with Dream State. You can see all the combinations here.

You can also use Malabrigo Rios with Dream State if you’d like to make your own combination.

This morning I was out and about with dad. We were near one of the job sites so of course we had to stop.

The building is brand new affordable housing - 8 floors. The elevators aren’t working yet so he has to do the stairs. Today he did 5 flights - yes he came home for a long nap. 

Fading Point

Stephen West has a new shawl pattern called Pierre Light. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

When you purchase Pierre Light, you will also receive the original DK Pierre Shawl pattern!

This lovely textured shawl is a fingering weight version of the original DK weight Pierre Shawl. Choose four colors of fingering weight yarn and enjoy easy breezy textures and simple stitch patterns like seed stitch, twisted rib, garter ridges, and triangles. I extended the shawl with a few extra sections for finer yarns and a lightweight fabric. Create a smooth gradient as you follow the step-by-step color guidance or customize the palette with as many colors as you like. A single color version in a radiant hand dyed semi-solid would look fab! Instructions include a video tutorial to help you cast on and begin the shawl, making the project suitable for adventurous beginners and beyond.

I haven’t shown pictures of my trip knitting. I’m making Joji Locatelli’s Fading Point (pattern purchased on Ravelry) with Hedgehog Sock. Now it’s being put away until my next trip. I want to get back to my Antipodes Sweater.

Dad and Beth are watching a movie and I’m going to work on the website. 

Step by Step Sweater

Diana stopped in this afternoon with a new store sample. Lynn ripped it out of Diana’s hands and put it on. She said it feels so soft and it’s very light.

This is the Step by Step Sweater by Florence Miller. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Our sweater is knit with Lang Cloud. Diana knit the 3rd size and used 3.5 balls.

See all the colours.

The Step By Step Sweater is a simple raglan sweater with no complicated techniques, perfect as your first garment knitting project. It has a relaxed fit and two options for the neckline. 
This sweater also has an associated video demonstrating all the tricky steps in the knitting process. 

Optional short row shaping is included.

I started my post in the store and then forgot to finish it. Have a good evening. I have lots more for tomorrow’s post.

Home Again

We had the most amazing time on our trip. The people of St. John’s were so friendly. Dad couldn’t get over how clean the city was. No garbage. The roads were in much better shape than the streets in Hamilton.

Yesterday we did lots of driving around. One of our stops was Petty Harbour. 

The ice cream was amazing!!!

I have so many more pictures to share but I’m exhausted. Beth picked dad and I up at the airport and I headed to the store. She forgot to water my plants while we were away. They are happy now and I picked quite a few orders. We’ll get those boxed up tomorrow.

Now it’s time for The Amazing Race. They are going on The Rocky Mountaineer. I can’t wait to see what they have to do.

St. John’s Day two

We had another great day. Too good. I’m exhausted and heading to bed soon. It’s 8:30 here and still light - I hope I make it until 9.

Another day, another whale watching trip. We only saw one whale and briefly. It was a Fin whale which are very rare here. The boat ride was great and we saw lots of the St. John’s landscape.

We had dinner at the Duke of Duckworth. Dad had fish and chips again (the second time this trip). He hasn’t eaten fish in 40 years but decided he was eating it when we got here. He has been raving about it and tomorrow’s dinner will be somewhere that serves them.

After dinner we drove by the Jellybean Row Houses. I was driving so no pictures but every house is a different colour and it is amazing! Bright yellows, reds, blues, greens, pinks and purples. Residents don’t have to worry about going to the wrong house.

I have many more pictures to share but those will have to wait until I get home. My bed is calling. We have a lot to fit in tomorrow.

Heidi Kirrmaier has a new pattern. You can purchase the pattern for Waterways on Ravelry.

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Design:
This tee is designed to be easy to wear, with its short dolman sleeves and straight neckline. The horizontal and vertical stripes created with knit and purl stitches give it a subtle sporty, nautical feel. 

How it’s knit:
It is knit seamlessly from the top down. The top sections are worked flat, with short row shaping for the shoulders, and decreases to shape the sleeves. Then it is joined at the underarms and the body is worked in the round. There are 2 options for finishing the neckline and sleeves: a simple knit option, or i-cord. 

Fit:
It is intended to fit with approximately 5-8 inches (12-20 cm) of ease around the body. The length of the body from the underarm is 12 inches (30 cm). If you wish to make it longer, you may need more yarn. 

Yarn: 
Any plant based DK yarn that works at the pattern gauge may be used. 

Plant based (or silk) fibres are recommended because they tend to be quite inelastic, so the front and back ribbing will lay fairly flat, rather than pulling in.

Whale Watching

 We’re here and having a great time.

Dad’s tucked in and I’m writing quickly before going to bed. Today has been long. We had breakfast and then started on our journey. We found a Starbucks so that I could get my mug. Then onto Bay Bulls to go whale watching. We were early so we continued south for sightseeing.

The views were amazing.

We had two humpback whales putting on a show for us.

I’m extremely lucky to have gone whale watching in Victoria in May and now in St. John’s. The two extremes of our country.

Then we saw Puffins. More on those tomorrow.

We had so much fun that we bought tickets and did the next whale watching tour. I didn’t take any pictures - I just took it all in. The staff was laughing at us. I don’t think anyone has done that before. I’ll talk more about the company tomorrow because they were amazing and I would highly recommend them. 

Dad is exhausted (no nap today) but I think he enjoyed the day. I’ll take it a bit easier on him tomorrow.

Now I need to lay down and sleep. It’s 10pm here and feels like 2 in the morning.