I LOVE CABLES

I am watching the Bachelor while writing my post.  I know-there has to be something a bit better on TV but it is like a train wreck that you can't stop watching.  The women get so upset that Brad is kissing them all. What did you expect when you came on the show??  Some of these women have a very big ego.  "I am beautiful and fun".  Really?  This week they are are in Vegas staying at Aria in a huge suite.  Totally jealous!!

It was seriously cold out today.  I know that for many of you this is your normal winter weather but I don't like it.  Right now it is snowing and blowing in Ancaster but this isn't the storm.  That is coming tomorrow.

Michelle posted pictures on her blog of an amazing cardigan she is knitting in Rowan Felted Tweed Aran.  I LOVE CABLES and these are outstanding.  It is so beautiful that I bought the pattern and will be asking someone to knit it as a store sample (Rhonda are you up for some cables?)  Come fall I will definitely be thinking about knitting one for myself.

As you know I can't do a post without pictures.  I don't have any pictures of my knitting (my chiropractor has limited my knitting time) so here are some of the garments from Classic Elite.  We will have the yarn and patterns next week.

We already have some colours of Firefly in the store (along with a scarf from last summer's book) and there are five new colours coming.

Firefly is a warm-weather yarn with a subtle sheen and wonderful hand. The juxtaposition of the linen with a light-catching sheen gives it a distinctly feminine look. Firefly drapes wonderfully at a wide range of gauges - knit loosely for elegant lace or more tightly for stockinette fabrics.

These patterns are from book 9136 Firefly.

Clover scarf

Meadowsweet

 Honeysuckle

Chicory Cowl

It is time to defy my chiropractor and do a few rows of knitting before bed.

Just in time for the rose ceremony.  :)  I love watching the tears.

Little Road Trip

My parents called during the week that they needed some things from their house in Ancaster-they are in Myrtle Beach.  Instead of sending them by courier I am taking them down on Saturday.  I leave Buffalo early Saturday morning and will land again in Buffalo late Monday night. Unfortunately there won't be any golfing this trip-my chiropractor wants me to wait a few more months before swinging my clubs.  My mom is excited because she can rest while dad drags me around doing errands.  This trip is going to be a first for me-no checked luggage.  I am taking carry on only.  The thought is scaring me.  :)  I can only have the pair of shoes on my feet.  Luckily there is a washing machine in their house. 

There are some more Rowan books expected any day including Purelife Classics.  The book is a collection of 12 designs from Martin Storey using Revive and Organic Cotton.

Repton

Wisley

Lambrook

Hestercombe

Rowan books are amazing-great garments in pretty pictures.

Another Scarf

Emma brought Calsada in earlier today.  The yarn is so soft!!  I'm thinking that this will definitely be MY scarf.

I switched it around and added a pin.  I love the colour but there isn't a colour from Prism that I don't like.

Beth and I went to Chapters when I got home from work.  Beth loves to read and once she starts a book she doesn't put it down until finished. Cathy gave her a book by Lee Child for Christmas and since then she has finished six of his books.  Tonight she bought three more.  While she was looking for books I spent my time in the magazine section going through knitting magazines.  Wow.  There were a lot of magazines available.  I bought knitscene-winter/spring 2011.  From their website

Simple-but-clever knitting can lead to really cool results. The newest issue of Knitscene exemplifies this philosophy with 26 projects that will entice crafters of all skill levels—from stockinette to basic Fair Isle to quick one-skeiners with sparkle. The silhouettes are interesting and modern. The yarns are on-trend and fun to work with. The style is free—because you’re a free spirit. 

I like the belvedere cardigan, paperboy cardigan, camellia shrug....

There were no books for me but I did download the newest Jilly Cooper book onto my iPad when I got home.  This will keep my occupied for some time.

No knitting was accomplished last night.  I was in bed by 9pm.  On a Friday night.  How pathetic!!!  I am going to pick up my needles now and watch a few episodes of Criminal Minds.

Finished projects x 3

Things got away from me yesterday and it was bed time before I realized that I forgot to post.  To make up for it I have lots of pictures today.

Emma posted this on Ravelry yesterday and gave me permission to show the picture

I finished blocking Calsada today. This is a really easy scarf pattern, you knit the edging first and then the short row body of the scarf. It is an interesting construction, although I found that I needed to go down two needle sizes as it was going to be massive. It took me a while to figure out how to block it, but it turned out nicely. Here is a pic of it blocking:

Calsada is a design from Katherine Matthews (Purl Diving).  I really wanted this scarf but knew that Emma would knit it faster (and do a better job) than I would do.  The yarn is Prism Saki in the Cabernet colourway.  It is funny that Emma is bringing the scarf in tomorrow-a box just arrived from Prism with 10 different Saki colourways.

A parcel arrived from Lynda this morning.

Pattern:  Valentine Cardi designed by Laura Chau. Pattern from Spud & Chloe
Yarn:  5 skeins Spud & Chloe Fine
Colour:  7819 Orangutan
Size:  Medium

I really wish I would remember to send buttons to my knitters.  I didn't have time to sew any on today so I have used a shawl pin from Romi.

Take a look at the scarf!!

It is finished (even the ends are sewn in)

Pattern:  Hitchhiker Scarf (you can purchase this pattern on Ravelry)

Yarn:  1.5 skeins of Prism Saki 

Colour:  Portofino

Needles:  3.25mm

And a close up.  I really like how the colours came out.

A finished project means that I can start something new!!  I am going to show some restraint though and try and get another project finished over the weekend-the tosh pashmina scarf I am knitting.

Blast from the past

There were lots of visitors in the store this afternoon.
Ms. Canada Post brought a huge box from madelinetosh-merino light and vintage
Mr. Canpar brought another huge box that was full of Katia Triana and Ondas
Mr. UPS came with two boxes from Rowan-Kim Hargreaves magazines and yarn for the shelves

Now I need to find out where I am going to put it.

For the past two weeks I have been saying that the Hitchhiker Scarf is almost done.  It is still almost done.  When I get home at night I think that there will be time to sit and knit.  Either work gets in the way or I am too tired to pick up the needles.  Maybe tomorrow??

I talked about sending parcels to Ann and Lynda.  Lynda will be knitting with Noro Taiyo in colour 18.  I have to think before I send out parcels to my knitters.  Ann can't have Noro.  It always takes at least an extra ball because she needs to match up the stripes.  Not me (and hopefully not Lynda).  I have no problem with fronts of a cardigan that don't match.

This cardigan is from Noro Flowers (last summers book from Jenny Watson).  A few customers have knit this (Karen, Kathy and Sandra) and it looks great so I am having it knit for the store.

Ann is going to knit with Berroco Origami.  Salvador is from the new book for spring (#305)

A gorgeously unique dolman sleeve cardigan, Salvador cinches closed with a simple twisted tie.

Dolman sleeves. Wow. A blast from the past.  Think about the sweaters you knit years ago and have stuck in the back of the closet.  Now you can bring them out and wear them.

Triana and Ondas??
In Triana we have
42 Harvest
50 Sea Green and Blue (the colour on the pattern)
45 Fuchsia
46 Violet
40 Cream

In Ondas we have
78 Black/Grey
70 Greys with brown and beige
76 Violet

I am going to try and get an hours worth of knitting in before bed.  :)

Shades of Summertime

I thought about going to bed at 8pm but then got working on my HST return.  All of a sudden it is 10pm and I still need to do a blog post. There isn't much news today.  The weather in Ancaster was much nicer. Right at freezing.  Beth and I went out for dinner (we cooked at home for 4 nights in a row and the dishwasher was asking for a break) and I had on a turtle neck and sweater shirt.  No ski jacket for me today!!

This afternoon Mr. UPS brought me two boxes yarn from Berroco including the new yarn Linsey

Available in solid colors as well as gently shifting multicolor shades, Linsey™ is an ultra soft yarn for summer. Cool, comfortable and colored in the sun-weathered shades of summertime, this yarn is eminently wearable.

64% cotton
36% linen
20 stitches = 4" on 4.5mm needles

Here are a few pictures from pattern book 307

Bayarri  

Striking in its simplicity, this cardigan is greater than the sum of its straightforward parts: two shades of a gorgeous self-striping yarn plus basic intarsia equal a dazzling kaleidoscopic swath of fabric.

Turia is a lightweight version of a winter classic. Instead of complicated color work, this pullover makes judicious use of the naturally occurring color changes at play.

Palau 

Summertime and the knitting is easy! This stripy vest is comprised of mostly rectangular pieces with a slim contrast color edging.

Multi-coloured yarn makes me very happy.  It keeps me interested while knitting with it.

Now I need to go and do my mailing for the morning.  Both Lynda and Ann have finished projects and I want them to get more yarn before the weekend.  Don't want them sitting around with idle hands.  :)

A bit of spring for a cold day

It is almost going home time and I am just starting my post.  Most of my day was spent working on the website.  I am on a mission to get it as current as possible.  Korey has a huge to-do list and hopefully will  get his work done this week.

I worked a bit on the Featured Patterns page. Korey and I keep playing with this trying to make it easy for you to navigate. There are still a few ideas that we are kicking around but everything can't happen overnight. We had a category called Blue Sky Alpacas and I have divided that into the different Blue Sky yarns that we carry. Same for Spud & Chloe, Noro and Sirdar.

Rowan 49 arrived today and I have it on the website.

I have it packed in my bag so that I can go through it thoroughly tonight with a cup of tea.

After work I visited my chiropractor and then came home to have my dinner-Beth had it ready for me.  :)

Here are a few more pictures of garments from the magazine

Ghost (the open texture swing) knit in Siena 4ply cotton.
I like the flare in bottom of the sweater and sleeves. There is a slight variation in the stitch pattern-no changing needle size or decreasing the number of stitches.

Pimpernel (the mesh hankerchief) from Martin Storey knit in Kidsilk Haze

Another small shipment of Triana arrived today-more of colour 46 Violet.  I have been told by my distributor that all the colours should be here within the next two weeks.

Beth and I are totally up to date with the Y&R right now. Sharon arrested for murdering Skye.  Beautiful.  We think that Jack and Adam are going to work together to get Victor. Will the Evil One finally get his?  It is time to move upstairs and watch today's episode and get some knitting done.

Noro Flowers 2

I am so excited about this new book from Jenny Watson.  Jenny has turned into one of my favourite designers.

We don't have a delivery date on this book yet.  Fingers crossed it is soon!!

Aya came out last year and there will be more colours coming for spring.

I think I want.

Are you looking for a fine/lightweight cardigan? Knit in Noro Sekku.

Furin

Silk Garden with beads

Taiyo

Kureyon Sock

Sekku

Furin

Silk Garden Sock

Taiyo

Kureyon Sock

Aya

Burrr

I know that I shouldn't complain because our winter in Ancaster hasn't been bad to this point but boy has it been cold the last few days.  It was -12 when I came to work this morning which might not have been that bad but I left my winter coat in the store last night.  I am ready to be done with the snow and slush so I can stop wearing my boots and start wearing my good shoes again.

As promised. Here is Hitchhiker before I left the store last night.  I was very motivated when I got home and did quite a bit of knitting while 'buying' cars.

I am hoping to get it finished tonight.

When I got home last night the sheep was still there.  I moved close and took another picture.  Beth and I agree that during the day it just looks like a blob of snow but when it gets dark you can definitely tell that it is a sheep sitting on the snow bank.  Irene suggested that we sell Hot Chocolate when the knitters make their pilgrimage.  Maybe a touch of Kahlua with that Irene??

Snow Sheep

I haven't talked about my knitting lately. There is a reason-there hasn't been any. My evenings have been spent working on the website, doing orders and mailing yarn. Last night I finished the first skein of yarn for my Hitchhiker Scarf. Beth and I decided that it really needed more scarf so I wound up ball #2.  I think one skein will work for a small person but I have large shoulders.  I promise pictures tomorrow.

I have been a bit occupied with TV watching as well.  This week is the Barrett-Jackson auction from Scottsdale, Arizona.  I can't get enough of watching the cars go across the stage.  My car obsession comes from my grandfather.  Not sure if I should be thanking him for that.

Last night Beth and I went out to get some yarn from my car so I could ship it out this morning and saw this.  The picture is fuzzy but it was the best I could do at 11pm.  It looks like a sheep is sitting on top of the snow bank.  The snow was still there this morning but in day light it doesn't look as much like a sheep.  Beth is afraid that knitters are going to be making pilgrimages to our neighbourhood to see the 'snow sheep'.

Yesterday I mentioned Mr. Canpar bringing me four boxes.  Lots and lots of yarn arrived from Sirdar.

Here is a sample of some of the patterns that were in the boxes.

Many people aren't ready to start on their spring/summer knitting yet so Sirdar brought out some new patterns for their fall yarns.

 Ponchos.  Is this a preview of what is coming for fall?

Squiggle and Indie each have two new colours.

Way too cute!  His hair is amazing!