Enamel Pins

Joji has a new shawl. This is Ziggy - pattern purchased on Ravelry.

Photos ©Joji Locatelli

I love designing with multiple colors… but sometimes all I want is a classic triangular shawl in one beautiful color. This one is extremely simple to make, alternating bands of garter stitch and zigzagging lace. Ziggy is the perfect 2 skein shawl.

Launch day Promotion! Get Ziggy shawl 20% off until June 2! No code needed.

The shawl is beautiful. Now the question. A simple colour like Joji used or something wild?

Hedgehog's new Kelp would be fantastic.

Ushitita Mooi would be stunning.

LITLG Soulskin is another contender.

This morning Mr. Canada Post delivered a box from Twill & Print. Enamel shawl pins are back in stock.

Friday around our house is referred to as Pizza Friday. We buy ready made pizza shells and make pizza at home. Lynn joined us tonight. It was the least I could do after taking the day off to golf. We had a great day on the course. Golf wasn't very good but the weather was beautiful. I am exhausted and my whole body hurts. It's been a really long time since I've played 18 holes.

Surprise

Mr. Canada Post delivered a large box from Life in the Long Grass this morning. Oh my goodness. The colours are amazing. We had no idea it had been shipped. I thought middle of June. What a surprise.

We received Singles, Fine Sock and DK Twist. We've been adding colours to the website and will add the rest when the next box arrives.

The new website has been a bit of a learning curve. Many of the yarns we need to photograph ourselves. I think that I have finally figured out what works the best. Unfortunately it comes after we have photographed a lot of yarn. This was LITLG Singles before new pictures.

Now all the colours have been photographed with the skeins facing in the same direction. There are no labels in the way of the colours.

This has opened a whole can of worms. Now we need to photograph a lot of yarn.

This is Alex's latest project.

Meet Tegna knit out of Uschitita.

Tegna is knitted seamlessly from the bottom up, starting with the slightly flared lace hem, then working up to the armholes, where you separate your work and work the front and back flat.  

Knit in fingering weight yarn, this design works equally well in wool, a wool/mohair blend or linen. Instructions are given to customize the body and sleeve lengths to your preference.

These could be the colours that I use for Joji's Washed Out (see yesterday's post). I will make the final decision after the second box comes but I really like these three together.

It's 8pm and almost time for bed. I stayed up and watched the hockey game last night which meant not a full nights sleep. Tomorrow morning I am golfing in a tournament with Beth. We need to be there at 8am. I don't think I should say that I'm tired in the morning - she won't be happy with me😘

Alex's new sweater

Alex finished Sturgill. It is beautiful!

Sturgill is a top-down yoke sweater knit seamlessly in the round with an optional matching cowl for a removable turtleneck. I personally love turtlenecks, but find them too warm most of the time, so rarely wear them although I love the way they look. This design solves that “problem” by featuring a removeable matching cowl that can be worn as needed, or left off entirely. 

The cowl pattern is available in a separate PDF (find it HERE)- you can get the pattern free with the purchase of the sweater (no code needed), or you may purchase the cowl separately if sweaters just aren’t your thing! ;) 

This design features short row shaping at the back neck, stranded colorwork and bobbles. Please note that there are several rounds that require 3 colors of yarn to be worked at once. I try to limit the number of these rounds, so just know that there won’t be too many of them and the 3 color effect will be worth those challenging rounds! I love adding little challenges into my patterns while still keeping the design approachable for adventurous beginners. 

Alex used tosh dk for the body and Hedgehog Merino DK for the contrasting colours.

Alex carries her Backpack every day to work. It is a great match for her sweater.

A customer came in today to purchase yarn for Joji's Washed Out (pattern purchased on Ravelry).
Pictures ©Joji Locatelli

I forgot about this shawl when I was picking my project. I love it.

Washed out is a stunning asymmetrical triangle shawl with faded stripes and lace.I chose a faded progression of colors for my sample, but we tried it in different combinations, and we decided that any order and combination looks great! Wheter it’s a fade or not.  

The stripes in this pattern will make your colors melt together as you make your way to the final and most stunning part of this project: The lace edging.

I think I might cast it on when I am finished Slow Curves.

I'm fading in the third colour.

Last week I showed the new Donegal Cottage Tweed Sock that is coming soon from Meadowcroft Dyeworks. I also ordered a few colours of DK.

The superwash merino wool is invitingly soft and luxuriously squishy, and the Donegal neps add flecks in neutral hues.

I'm knitting while flipping between the hockey and baseball games. Having to stop to change channels really cuts down on knitting time.

Style Your Knits

I was looking for something on Ravelry and came across these beautiful patterns from Jenny Watson for Noro Mirai.

The yarn is a blend of cotton/silk/viscose/polyamide and drapes beautifully.

Our Shawl Cuffs arrived this afternoon. There was a special one in the box for me but I might need one or two more.😘

We have started adding them to the website. This takes a bit of time because every cuff is different.

Upstyled leather cuffs for styling your knits.

Now back to the website. Or not. Maybe some knitting.

Inspiring

I'm exhausted but I didn't do anything today. Well except sitting at Suds.

I was there at 10am with the Edge. Washing the car went quickly but I needed the inside cleaned as well. That took an hour but I had to do it. The Edge was going back today and I would have been embarrassed to take it back the way it was. No, I didn't have knitting with me. I wasn't very smart.

Beth picked me up and brought me home after I delivered the Edge. It was such a nice day that I got in the Mustang and went for lunch. The Mustang was a disgrace as well. Yup. Off to Suds again.

This time I paid for the better wash which gets the great coloured soap. I wish I could dye yarn because these colours are very inspiring.

Another hour lost but my car looks great inside and out.

I did make a few updates to the website and finished a newsletter so the day wasn't totally lost. Watch your inbox tomorrow. Beth is going to proofread the newsletter in the morning and then it should go out.

The new Laine Magazine (#8) will be available in the store on Friday. Honeydew is one of the great patterns from the magazine.

Luxury meets casual meets versatility. The rich, golden hues drip like honey from an intricately patterned hive, while the luscious combination of merino, cashmere, silk and mohair lend a dewy sheen which makes this oversized pullover equally at home atop jeans or a skirt. 

The Honeydew sweater is worked seamlessly from the bottom up. The entire body is worked in the textured pattern based on simple twists. Front and back are divided at armholes, shaped separately and then joined at the shoulders using a centered double decrease. Stitches are picked up around the neck which is then finished with a ribbed cowl neck using increasingly larger needles. Finally, the stockinette sleeves with ribbed cuffs are worked in the round. 

I knit a few rows while watching the first period of the Stanley Cup. Now it's bed time. Like I said, I'm exhausted.

Flutter

Kim Hargreaves has a new pattern book that should be arriving on Tuesday.

A collection with an air of femininity and bohemian ease. The designs pretty, the shades ethereal, combined they create a harmonious mix to recharge and calm. Contains 12 designs for women.

It was Lucy and I today. Dad and Beth went for a drive to Niagara to meet with a dog breeder. Our name is in for a Golden Doodle. We might get him/her in July. If not from that litter it will be October. We are very excited. The house is quiet without a dog.

I did a bit of knitting today. Dad and Lucy just left so I'm going to get a few more rows knit. I might be able to join the third colour tonight.

It's bed time and I didn't quite make it to the third colour. I think I have four more rows. I need to be up early and get my Edge cleaned. My lease is up and it goes back to the dealership tomorrow. Unfortunately Ford didn't get my new Edge made yet. It will be coming in about a month.