Rainbows

Yesterday afternoon on my way home from errands I had a small problem. The tire light came on in my car and within 200m it was flat.

This morning our neighbour changed the tire for me and then I was off to the dealership to buy new tires.

It's later in the day and I'm finally home to put my feet up. I think I might knit before dinner. I had a long list of to-dos today which didn't get done. I guess I'll do them tomorrow.

Or not. There is at least one box coming tomorrow morning from Hedgehog Fibres. One shipment is Sock. 220 skeins including 4 potluck colours. The other shipment is 158 skeins of Skinny Singles (including 4 potluck) and 32 skeins of Twist Sock. I'm not sure what boxes are arriving tomorrow, the others are caught in customs.

The Issa Cowl has been blocked and looks great. I'd sew the ends in but I can't find a sewing needle at home. (a good excuse - I didn't look very hard)

More colours of Dyed in the Wool should be here by the middle of the month.

We had crazy rain that brought out a very intense rainbow.

Peggy lives down the street and sent me a text with this picture.

I think the Pot of Gold was in your backyard!

Darn - I didn't find it.

Back on Track

I did a bit of blocking this afternoon. The Issa Cowl is lying out and Free Your Fade had a nice long bath.

The first half of Starting Point is finished.

This amazing wrap is worked from both ends towards the centre with a super fun chevron construction, and joined as you work (no seaming or kitchener required!).  

We have had the best time putting together tons of color combinations, and we have determined that there is not a single bad combo ;) Even the monochromatic versions look stunning!

The second half is back on track. I took out six rows and now my stitch count is correct. You increase every right side row to 171 stitches. I was merrily knitting away and kept increasing. I had a few too many stitches. For a lot of patterns I could have just kept going and my shawl would end up a bit wider. That wouldn't work here - the two halves of the shawl would be different sizes.

Now that the stitch count is correct, it's time to knit.

Delphinia Shawl

I'm not sure Ambah sleeps. She has another new pattern out.

Grab two skeins of gorgeous yarn from your stash and settle in for some fun, easy-breezy knitting. Delphinia is a simple top-down triangular shawl with clean lines and familiar stitches that make it the perfect medium to showcase your favourite fingering weight yarn.  

Garter sections combine with an easy lace to make an airy, light piece that is as effortless to knit as it is to wear. Choose a combination as soothing or as wild as you wish - use that tempting speckle or gradient-dyed yarn or go with a classic solid colour scheme.

Pattern Delphinia (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: fingering weight.

Ambah suggests 400 yards of each colour.

Take a look at the finished projects on Ravelry to get some colour ideas... When you see Ambah's shawl you think that the main colour needs to be light but there is a stunning shawl with gold as the main colour.

These pretty skeins are sitting on my kitchen counter. More on them tomorrow :)

Another Pattern Sale

2 for 1!! Add any 2 Westknits patterns or e-books into your Ravelry shopping cart and get one of them free by entering coupon code "westknitsarethebestknits" until the end of July. 

This 2 for 1 promo applies to e-books as well so you can fill your world with Westknits!! 

Check out all my designs here to choose your favorites...

I thoroughly enjoy knitting Stephen West's patterns. They are very well written. Here are three of his Mystery Knit A Longs that I participated in. The patterns are part of Stephen's sale.

Building Blocks knit in tosh merino light

Exploration Station knit in tosh merino light

The Doodler knit in tosh merino light. Tosh merino light appears to be a favourite of mine :)

Speaking of merino light. I've been up for a while and working with my shipper and broker to get our boxes of tosh from Texas. We should see them by the end of next week. There are new colours of merino light including

Joshua tree

mockingjay

translation

gosia

conference call

dirty harry

memory

arch

I can't wait to play with them.

Now it's time to get ready and head out. There are errands to run before opening the store at noon. It's only 9am and it feels like I've put in a full days work already.

New Samples

Diana finished this pretty shawl earlier in the week. I'm really liking the yellow.

Pattern: Good Vibes (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: Adelaide - 2 colours, one skein each. We used Lemongrass and Sour Patch Kids

A box came from Lynda this morning with 2 projects. I need to do some rearranging of garments!

Now that I'm looking at this picture, the outfit is a bit grey. I should have put a pretty scarf on my friend. Imagine some purple or teal at the neck. If I knew how to do it I would have photoshopped in a scarf but that is way beyond my capabilities.

Pattern: Janesville Jacket (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: Woolstok
We used 6 skeins of 1304 Grey Harbor and 3 skeins of 1300 Cast Iron.

Woolstok is a great yarn.

Rich in character with excellent stitch definition and easy to work with, this yarn is available in lots of colors. You’ll quickly cozy up to it, no doubt.

I have a huge scarf in it (that Diana knit) and I'm working on one myself. I need to pull it out and finish for the fall - since I'm in finishing mode this week.

Pattern: Clementine (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: Dyed in the Wool - 2 colours, one skein each. We used Melancholia and Robin's Egg.

I love this!! The yarn is very soft and cozy around your neck.

I have to work two more rows in orange and then there are 24 rows of purple to finish clue 4. I know why I put it away for a while - I need to take out six rows on the other half. Then I can finish clue 3 and 4.

I mentioned that I'm in finishing mode this week. That could (who am I joking - will) change next week. There are 3 boxes on the way from Hedgehog. There are 7 boxes that weigh 333 lbs coming from madelinetosh. There is a box of Rockshelter Sock coming. Of course I'm going to start something new :)

Pattern Sale

Andrea Mowry (Dreareneeknits) posted this on Instagram.

Who is Andrea Mowry? You've seen quite a few of her patterns knit up on the blog.

I am a work-at-home mama and knitwear designer who has a hard time ever putting down the needles. I love all this amazing craft has to offer- from needles, fibers and patterns to the amazing community that holds it so dear. I am always looking to meet others who share a love for knitting and crafting so please feel free to drop by and join my group DreaReneeKnits or message me! 

I would love to see your finished projects here and on Instagram! You can share them in my Dreareneeknits Ravelry Group! 

And hashtag them #dreareneeknits !!

Pattern: So Faded
Yarn: kit from Prism Yarns - we received more kits of this colour yesterday.

Pattern: Find Your Fade
Yarn: Rockshelter Sock above and Hedgehog Sock below.

Pattern: Free Your Fade
Yarn: Adelaide from Primrose Yarn Co.

Andrea's patterns are well written and easy to follow.

See all her patterns...

A shipment arrived yesterday afternoon from Prism Yarns. There were 6 Merino Mia Gradient kits in the box. This is a new colourway - Teal. There are three more new colourways that I'll try and get pictures of tomorrow. This kit will also work for So Faded. The total yardage is 1390m (1520 yards). There is enough in the kit to make the cropped version with elbow length sleeves in all sizes. You can make the full length sweater with full length sleeves up to a finished bust size of 42".

Big Brother has taped and it's time to knit. I've been working on Starting Point. Now that I'm back at it, it is growing quickly. I'm working through clue 4 on the first half. I'll get pictures tomorrow.

Noro

This post was written for last night. Then I received Isabelle's pictures. Her shawl is so beautiful that I had to show them.

We should receive a shipment tomorrow received a shipment today that has two colours of Noro Silk Garden Sock. 2 balls will make the Crazy Magic Boomerang (pattern purchased on Ravelry). Our sample was knit with colour 411 on a 4.5mm needle.

Fun stitch in a boomerang shape - easy to knit and easy to wear. You can work from written instructions or a chart - whichever you prefer. 

The original ripple stitch has been adapted to make this an intuitive knit.

It is so much fun to knit with Noro yarns. Before you know it the colour has changed. The bad thing - it is way past your bed time :)

40% Wool/25% Silk/25% Nylon/10% Kid Mohair 

300m (325 yards) in a 100gram ball

fingering/sport weight

And a brand new colour. 457. There is something about yellows and golds that are grabbing my attention lately.

This is Cathy's Log Cabin Afghan. I have a bunch of squares knit for my second one but not enough. I decided that we are going to bring in a selection of colours of Noro Kureyon so that I can finish my blanket and for those who also want to make this fabulous project.

The pattern calls for 20 squares. Cathy did 25 and I think I'll be making mine larger too.

We have some colours in the store and these four colours will be in the shipment on Tuesday were in today's shipment. The new colours are on the website and I'm counting existing stock to get it added.

378

389

392

408

Every time I order Lykke needles I will be adding a few more colours.

Our July newsletter went out this morning yesterday. If you didn't receive it, here is the link.