Rowan Brushed Fleece

A collection of beautifully soft and featherweight Autumn/Winter knits for both men and women, all knitted in Rowan's new yarn Brushed Fleece. These knits are extremely light and cosy to wear. Outdoor trend-knits that are essential cover ups for cooler days spent walking along the beach in winter. This 16 piece collection features cocooning wraps and shrugs, voluminous capes, sweater dresses, classic long and cropped cardigans, soft cables all in richly-coloured, dark winter palette.

Ann has the yarn and is making Skomer right now.

Brushed Fleece will be a new yarn arriving in about 3 weeks from Rowan.

105m on a 50 gram ball

65% wool

30% alpaca

5% nylon

I have the yarn for this set aside. It will be going out to one of my knitters so that I can have this for fall. It looks great in the picture but when you see it in real life it is truly awesome.

It's an early post today. We're hoping to go golfing this afternoon. To quote my dad "I hope the rain keeps up" (then it can't come down-silly I know but he's been saying it for years!)

More Shawls

Heather finished her Auburn Wave

I absolutely love this pattern it's so versatile to wear. And the yarn was a dream to work with - tosh sock in 'crumble'. Choose which pics you want to use -- don't feel you have to use them all:)) I only had it on for a few minutes as it was way too hot to keep on longer -- but I could do many different things with it, I like that! The colour reflects the soccer team I'm cheering on -- Go Netherlands!!

Jill finished hers as well.

Just finished it an hour ago. It's not blocked yet and you won't get a picture of me wearing it because I'm painting. And my husband refuses to model it, the rat. 

If you missed it, the next KAL will be Itineris. This will run for July and August to give everyone lots of time to finish the knitting. Blocking not required to be entered into the draw. There will be prizes (I will announce those later) and the prizes are for residents of Canada. Sorry but shipping costs are too expensive to ship out of the country.

The pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry. (You'd think by now my computer would know that Ravelry is a real word - it keeps telling me that I've spelt a word wrong)

Itineris (Latin for voyage) is a modern triangular wrap with a unique construction. The shawl is made up of three sections: a large triangle, a rectangular extension, and a smaller triangle to finish. The knitting will take you different routes while a graphic stripe sequence forms intersecting pathways along the side. Knit all in Garter Stitch with patterns and shaping that are easy to memorize, Itineris is a fun knit that results in a striking finished piece.
Specific yarn requirements:
700 yds/ 640 m of fingering weight yarn: 445 yds/ 407 m of MC and 255 yds/ 233 m of CC 

From reading about the finished projects, you need the full 445 yards of the main colour.

If you've finished Auburn Wave and need knitting for tonight, please go ahead and start Itineris. I don't want you to sit with nothing to do tonight while you're watching Big Brother :)

Demolition

The fence is gone. Dad showed up today with his sledgehammer and had fun. Nothing makes him happier than knocking things down.

There was no knitting today. I thought it might be slow in the store today because everyone would be getting ready for the long weekend. Or everyone had already left for the cottage. Surprisingly it was busy today - thanks to all who stopped by - but knitting didn't make it out of the bag. That's for tonight.

If you receive our email newsletters, two went out this week. I'm sorry for that. The first was information on the Tent Sale. The second was because there are new laws in Canada regarding sending out email newsletters. If you would like to keep receiving the newsletter, please click and confirm that you want it. This is what the email looks like

Mr. Melo is upset already. The fireworks haven't started yet but somehow he knows that they will be starting soon. He's getting medication to try and calm him down. Wish us luck tonight.

Very busy knitters

Cathy has started a new project. 4 balls of Bella Lino from Classic Elite in 4 different colours. And the pattern is free...

Something else for me to steal :)

Here are three more Auburn Waves to share with you. They all look awesome!!

From Susan

I finally finished...work tends to interrupt the flow of knitting.
This is made from stashed yarn purchased about 6 years ago: Lucy Neatby's Cat's Pajamas, 3 ply fingering. Shell pink is the colour (though why I would even have bought pink is beyond me. Maybe that's why it was still in the stash).  80% merino, 10% cashmere and 10% nylon.
I haven't blocked this, it is fresh off the needles.
Okay, on to your next KAL!  this was fun...even though I should be sorting and packing...

And Pat's shawl knit out of tosh merino light in spectrum. Spectrum is our best selling colour of tosh. It goes with everything.

From another Susan

Love it! Was knit for my Mom's birthday, but might just keep it. Done in Malabrigo Sock on 3.75mm needles.

Here is my next Auburn Wave so far

I'm very excited that so many of you took part in the KAL.  Thanks for participating and sharing your pictures. I can't wait to see the colour combinations that everyone comes up with for the next shawl.

After meeting the second set of 8 people on Big Brother last night I think I still want Donny to win. Don't you love the girl who thinks she's the best looking in the house?

Landscaping

Last fall the neighbours cut down a tree that fell onto our bushes. The bushes have died. The fence has died. We need to do something. My landscape 'guy', Austin, has made up a plan and should be starting in a week or so. I can't wait. New trees. Long grasses. Pretty plants. No fence.

Cathy dropped by today with her Auburn Wave. She was so relieved when I said that it didn't have to be blocked. We're working out a deal right now. I block for her and she irons for me. She's thinking it over and getting back to me.

Another one that I want to steal. I love this colour - Courbet's Green.

There is another shipment on the way from Mrs. Crosby that should be here the end of next week.

There are 9 new multi-colours. This shipment will include Train Case (fingering weight), Carpet Bag (DK weight) and Steamer Trunk (worsted weight). 

I thought that I had my colours picked for Itineris. Not now. I think I'm going to use Train Case - one new multi and a semi-solid.

We sent out a newsletter today and there were many bounces. If you normally receive the newsletter but didn't get it today, you can see it here...

I totally forgot about Big Brother last night until Beth said that it was taping. A two evening introduction to everyone is interesting. So far I haven't really met anyone that I want to win. Maybe Donny. He is so out of his element. My guess is that everyone is going to try and make an alliance with him because no one will expect it. :)

I thought my post was done and then Mr. Canpar came through the door. We have brand new colours of Malabrigo Rasta in stock.

Super Bulky, 100% merino wool 90 yards per skein 150 grams per skein. Single. Slightly felted Be sure to get enough yarn to complete your project since each bag is a different dye lot, and skeins may vary from bag to bag. Needles US 15 - US19 or 10mm - 15mm. Gauge 8.0 to 10.0 sts = 4 inches Hand wash, dry flat

I haven't picked up my needles today so I'm going to sign off and knit until it's time to go home. Last night I finished the first set of eyelet rows on Auburn Wave. Maybe I'll get through the second set tonight.

More finished shawls

My inbox was full of pictures today. I want you all to stop. :)  Every time I see another one in a yarn that I didn't use, I want it in that yarn.

Two more Auburn Waves and they are awesome. Karen and Kathy both used tosh pashmina in the colour whiskers on 4.5mm needles. I hope one or both wear them into the store so I can steal it. I love pashmina and I love whiskers.

Candice finished her shawl as well. She used tosh merino light in wellwater. 

All Done. . . And it is a beauty. It drapes so well and . . .is much larger than I thought it would be. Tip to tip span is wider than my arms stretched east west.  Now to get it back from Bun.

Thank you to our special model.

If you are working on the shawl and trying to finish by the deadline, please don't worry about blocking it in time. Just get the knitting finished and I will classify it as done.

I had lots of fun with this KAL and I hope you did too. We're going to do another one. This one will run for July and August. Some of you might have vacation plans. Or you are busy with the kids on summer vacation so there could be a bit less time for you to knit. The pattern??

Itineris (Latin for voyage) is a modern triangular wrap with a unique construction. The shawl is made up of three sections: a large triangle, a rectangular extension, and a smaller triangle to finish. The knitting will take you different routes while a graphic stripe sequence forms intersecting pathways along the side. Knit all in Garter Stitch with patterns and shaping that are easy to memorize, Itineris is a fun knit that results in a striking finished piece.

The shawl is knit in fingering weight yarn. You need 445 yards of the main colour and 255 yards of the contrast. When I read comments on Ravelry you will need the full 445 yards so please don't try to cut it short.

We have a limited number of printed copies in the store or you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Now to choose my yarn and colours!

Started another one

It's done and it's huge and I love it. And it will be even bigger after I block it.

Pattern: Auburn Wave
Yarn: 3 skeins of madelinetosh dandelion
Needles: 4mm

Kim loves her Auburn Wave so much that she started another one on the weekend.

Yarn: Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 in botanical

She keeps raving about how soft the yarn is.

Here is the start of my next Auburn Wave.

Yarn: Zen Yarn Garden Serenity Silk Single
Colour: Botanical - I picked it before Kim - and sound like a little kid saying it :)
Needles: 4mm

If you want something easy to work on this summer, please take a look at the pattern. Sitting in a car, by the pool, at a soccer match...  It's easy to memorize and very forgiving. It says 40 rows of garter stitch but if you do 38 or 42 no one will know. And the best part is you can work with a fun, fingering weight yarn. There are so many amazing hand dyed yarns that the choices are endless.

Golf Day

I have been trying to do a bit more golfing this summer. Unfortunately it hasn't worked out so far but Beth and I made a tee time for this afternoon.

It was bright and sunny until we started the 10th hole. Then it started to lightly rain. We decided to call it a day. We could have kept going but what if it really started raining when we were the farthest point from the clubhouse? Also, if we didn't play the 10th then they would only charge me for 9 holes.

Thank goodness. This is the rain just after we got home. And not the worst of the rain. We would have been wet. Very, very wet!

Why is my post so late? I did it. Auburn Wave is done. Not blocked - tomorrow night - but the knitting is finished.

I'm so tired (and a bit sore) that I literally threw it on the floor for the picture. Better ones tomorrow in day light.