The Calm before the Storm

We haven't had much snow in Southern Ontario this winter but it looks like we might be seeing some tomorrow afternoon. It's super windy out right now (I took a friend outside to get pictures and it was hard keeping a scarf on her) and they are saying 15-30cm of snow tomorrow. YUCK!

The 3-Color Cashmere Cowl is finished. Almost. I cast off last night and need to block and sew in the ends.

ZickZack came out to play. I'm a the halfway point. Lynda is knitting another one for the store and she is casting on less stitches for a narrower, longer scarf.

We have new colours of Noro Tokonatsu.

40% cotton
30% silk
30% viscose

125 m on a 50gram ball

Patterns are available in the book Jewels by Claudia Wersing.

The plan was to have my post finished earlier in the evening but I have been knitting on ZickZack. I forgot how addictive it is. You need to keep going to see what colour is coming next. Sure you can pull some yarn out of the ball but it isn't the same as seeing it knit. And the pattern is easy to memorize. If you can count to five then you can make the scarf.

Come Frolic with Us

Lynn started asking about the Frolic yesterday. What are we taking??? I told her it was only February and we have lots of time but Tuesday is March 1 and we don't have that much time. I started looking through pictures of our past few shows to get display ideas.

The gang should be back together for the Frolic but what are they going to wear? We need to start thinking about that too.

We're busy knitting samples and placing orders. I'm excited about the plan for the booth so far. Of course that can change many times between now and April 30.

This picture is just a teaser for some products that should be in the store by the middle of March. I'll have more details later in the week.

There wasn't much knitting today. I did finish the 3 Color Cashmere Cowl and I've picked up ZickZack. Pictures tomorrow.

Joji

Joji Locatelli is one of my favourite designers on Ravelry. Her patterns are very well written and easy to follow.

This is how she describes herself

I am just an Argentine girl who really likes to knit.

Joji has a new design - an easy to wear turtleneck that you can knit in worsted weight or fingering weight.

Pattern: Minimal Pullover (right now the pattern is only available for purchase on madelinetosh's website)
Yarn: tosh vintage or tosh merino light

Pattern By Joji Locatelli (For Madelinetosh)

WORSTED VERSION

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL, 4XL).  Shown in size L.

Bust circumference: 30¾ (34¾, 38¾, 42¾, 46¾, 50¾, 54¾, 58¾) inches; 77.5 (87, 97, 107, 117, 127, 137, 147) cm.  It is recommended to choose a size with no ease or a small amount of positive ease (2-3”).

Materials:

Yarn: 5 (6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 9) skeins of Vintage by Madelinetosh (100% Merino, 100g/200y/183m).  Approx. 1000 (1080, 1180, 1250, 1350, 1500, 1650, 1750) yards [920 (990, 1100, 1150, 1235, 1380, 1500, 1600) m].  The sample was knit in size L using color Moonglow.

Needles: US 8 (5 mm) circular needles.

Other notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders.

Gauge: Stockinette stitch: 17½ st and 28 rows to 4” (10 cm) on US 8 (5 mm) after blocking.

FINGERING VERSION

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL, 4XL).  Shown in size S.

Bust circumference: 30¾ (34¾, 38¾, 42¾, 46¾, 50¾, 54¾, 58¾) inches; 77.5 (87, 97, 107, 117, 127, 137, 147) cm.  It is recommended to choose a size with no ease or a small amount of positive ease (2-3”).

Materials:

Yarn: 4 (4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 6, 6) skeins of Tosh Merino Light by Madelinetosh (100% Merino, 100g/400y/365m).  Approx. 1400 (1480, 1550, 1680, 1800, 1950, 2100, 2300) yards [1270 (1350, 1410, 1530, 1630, 1780, 1900, 2100) m].  The sample was knit in size S using color Kitten.

Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm) circular needles.

Other notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders.

Gauge: Stockinette stitch: 24½ st and 36 rows to 4” (10 cm) on US 3 (3.25 mm) after blocking.

Right now I'm working on her 3-Color Cashmere Cowl. I took it outside for pictures but it is really windy out there.

I've also knit her pattern Ley Lines. I liked it so much that I did it twice.

You can see all of Joji's patterns here...

As I was scrolling through the list I found another one that I have knit.

Holi Party in tosh ASAP

This is Imagine When.

If you have a chance to make one of her patterns, I recommend that you do. You won't be disappointed.

Fortuna

A new yarn will be arriving next week from Classic Elite.

Summery shades with a tone-on-tone dye effect. The same wonderful drape and fabulous fiber combination as self-striping Bella Lino.

58% Linen, 26% Viscose, 16% Cotton
20-22 stitches = 4"
50garm ball
150m (164 yards)

There will be a patterns available for the yarn and you can purchase them individually on Ravelry. This is the first to be released and the rest will be there next week.

This pattern is called Francine.

A simple top worked in four rectangles of bias garter stitch.

Last summer many customers knit Among the Wildflowers, a kerchief in Bella Lino. Now you can make it again in new colours.

This cowl is a great summer accessory for when you want to wear something knitted, but it is just too hot! It looks like a kerchief, but because of the round construction, you won’t spend extra time adjusting it, or taking it off and on because it adds too many layers.

Some of you aren't quite ready yet for spring. We are marking down our stock of chunky yarns from Misti Alpaca. We have hand-painted (regular $31.99 a skein) and solid colours (regular $21.99 a skein). 30% off while supplies last.

100% Baby Alpaca
100m (109 yards), 100 gram hank, 2 Ply Chunky Weight, 3 1/2 sts per inch, needle 6mm (US#10)

Misti Hand Paint Chunky is crafted in our own "dyed to the stitch" technique using 100's of colors in each colorway. The end result is a beautiful painted "canvas" of knit art.

Beth has knit quite a few cowls with the chunky. Here is one that uses a hand paint and solid.

Pattern: Autumn Basket (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: 2 skeins of Misti Chunky - 1 solid and 1 hand-paint

I'm home and getting ready to hit Publish so that I can get to my 3-Color Cashmere Cowl. I'm on the last section. It should be finished by the end of the weekend.

Way, way too cute scarves

My blog post for today was written but it's been set aside for another day.

Kit includes yarn and pattern, as well as pre-made bear arms, legs, and face--just knit the scarf, sew on and wear!

I don't think these scarves could be any cuter. The kits are $45 and we have them in the store.

 

Each ball includes a blanket pattern, and a stuffed animal head to sew on.

These kits are $30 and we have them in the store.

 

Buttons arrived today as well.

These are 24mm and we have 7 colours.

 

These are 12mm - great for baby garments. 8 different colours came in the box.

 

The flowers are 30mm and we have 6 colours.

Now I want to knit something summery so that I can use some of the new buttons.

It feels more like winter today in Ancaster. The temperature isn't cold but it's been snowing all day.

We haven't seen much snow this winter and it's very pretty outside today.

Socks

Customers are always asking me if I knit my socks toe up or top down. Magic Loop? Double pointed needles? I don't normally knit socks. I can (top down on double pointed needles) but I wear shoes that won't show off my socks. And I'm in a sweater or shawl every day in the store so I need to spend my time knitting those. But I love sock yarn. The colours are amazing. I haven't met many sock yarns that I didn't like :)

There will be a new Opal sock yarn coming in March.

This collection offers a variety of choices for each and every sweet fanatic. Sweet fruit nougat, sour fruit gums or spicy black cumin, these eight breathtaking colors, there is no way you could miss a flavor.

If I was going to knit socks that self pattern I would definitely choose Opal to knit with. Their colours are amazing. And they are the original printed sock yarn. Beth has many pairs of socks knit in Opal and she throws them in the washing machine and dryer. You don't need to look after these socks.

As I was writing an email came through from Sarah at Fiberstory. She should be sending us yarn next week (Fave Sock and Gradient kits) and it should be here the second week of March.

Meadow

A 100% SUPERWASH merino, springy 2 ply with a tight twist and the look of a cabled yarn.

366m / 400 yards
100 gram skein

Sweetly

Daybreak

Winterberry (this is shown on a different yarn base but I wanted to share the awesome colour)

This pattern is called the Crosshatch Cowl (a free pattern) from The Purl Bee.

Sarah made the following modifications to the pattern to work with the gradient kits.

In order to use the gradient kit most effectively, I used the following modifications:
Cast on 372 sts with darkest color in gradient. (would obviously work starting with the lightest color, as well!
color 1: Work 5 rounds in pattern
colors 2-6: Work 6 rounds.
color 7: Work 5 rounds.
Bind off in pattern.
The cast on and bind off rows are counted as the 6th round for the lightest and darkest colors, making each band of color approximately 6 rows wide.

Sarah used an 8mm needle.

It's almost home time and I will be knitting with sock yarn tonight. Shepherd Sock from Lorna's Laces. This is a great yarn to knit with. I'm past the half way point on my 3-Color Cashmere Cowl and my goal is to be finished by the weekend. Then I'm going to pull out my half finished shawl in Fave sock so it can be hanging in the store when the yarn arrives.