Soft and Squishy

Diana finished our Kallara and dropped it at the store this afternoon. It is so soft and squishy. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry. I will take it to work and get pictures on Thursday when the sun isn’t quite so bright.

Go subtle or go bold with this fun shawl. Opt for gentle stripes for a neutral shawl, perfect for any occasion, then knit another in your favourite brights, neons, gradient or speckled hues teamed with a strong solid for a show-stopping accessory.  

Kallara features a slightly asymmetrical, shallow triangular shape with long tapered ends. Sitting comfortably on the shoulders without too much bulk, it’s adaptable enough to be worn as a wrap, shawl, or scarf.

We used Dream in Color Smooshy Cashmere for our sample.

The shawl is very long - Diana knit until the skeins were almost finished. Ambah has great instructions in her pattern on how to do this. You can make the shawl as long or as short as you want. I know that some knitters want more of a scarf and that is totally possible.

Photo © Stephen West

What is she knitting next? I gave her yarn to make Stephen West’s Botanic Shawl in Zauberball Crazy and Le Petit Lambswool.  You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry or here. We are low on Zauberball right now (until a shipment arrives next week with a lot of colours) so we went with a colour where the balls are different lots. I don’t think it will matter in the finished shawl - we’ll find out.

We have the same problem with Tough Love Sock. I didn’t want to pick a colour and clear our stock so she is using very light green Le Petit Lambswool.

I promised to show a trick for the beginning of the Botanic Shawl. I didn’t totally forget in the store but I had a migraine this afternoon. I came home and napped, had dinner, cleaned the kitchen, watered the yard and now I’m trying to show you the trick. My yarn is too dark but here goes.

When I cast on the three stitches I put a locking stitch marker through my stitches.

Then you do an I-Cord.

Then you pick up along the edge of the I-Cord. This is the right side facing.

Stephen then asks you to turn and pick up three stitches along the cast on edge.

Now the wrong side is facing. I took the three stitches on the stitch marker and put them onto the needle - I counted this as my pick up but not my knit. I have to knit these 3 stitches and then continue the pattern.

I hope I didn’t make this more difficult that it really is.

I won’t be in the store packing orders and answering emails tomorrow. It is Canada Day and I might sleep in.

Parallelograms

Here is the third shawl that Stephen West just released. Meet Parallelolamb (pattern purchased on Ravelry).

Choose seven colors to knit this fingering weight shlanket (shawl + blanket). Each parallelogram is attached to the previous section so there is no seaming required. This modular design is knit from the center outward, so you can simply stop early for a smaller size. This pattern is also great for using leftover bits of yarn and single skeins. Use as many colors as you like for this graphic statement piece.

Photos © Stephen West

I spoke with my friends at Spincycle today and we have yarn coming really soon.

There are new colours coming along with favorites that we are out of. This is Midsommar which will be available in Dyed in the Wool and Dream State.

This is Lapis available in Dream State. Rumour has it that there will be a sweater coming out soon that uses this colour.

This is Ruination coming in Dream State.

Yesterday I mentioned that I was going to show how to start the Botanic Shawl. It was a little crazy at work today and I totally forgot. I promise will make every attempt to do it tomorrow.

I can’t believe it’s 9pm and I haven’t knit a stitch all day. Maybe a row or two before bed.

The Start

Boscoe was made for comfort - inside and outside. He loves sitting outside and having the wind blow through his hair.

Photos © Stephen West

I played with colours for Stephen West’s new Botanic Shawl. I knew that I was going to make it but what colour??

Above is Crazy Zauberball 2404 and below is 2389. The colours of Tough Love Sock are Lollipop, Pistachio and Glacier.

This is Crazy Zauberball 2136.

I paired Crazy 2092 with Slate and Blood Orange.

This is 1537 with Blood Orange.

And 1660 with Swampwater. There are so many possibilities that it was hard to choose.

Then I played with Dyed in the Wool. We have a winner. I started last night and I will say that the pattern is totally mindless. A beginner could definitely make this shawl. The only thing that might confuse a new knitter is how to start. Stephen loves an I-Cord edging and this stumped me for a minute. When I am at work tomorrow I will use some thick yarn and take pictures to show how to start the shawl.

I’d like to knit more rows but I have a lot of parcels to get out in the morning. It’s time for bed.

Scraps

Stephen has been busy.

Photos © Stephen West

This is his Scrap Happy Triangle (pattern purchased on Ravelry)

This top-down triangular shawl is an easy-to-knit project to play with colorful stripes. Large increases create holes in the center of the shawl. The pattern is written for nine shades of fingering weight yarn, but you can customize your colors to feature as many colors as you like. I-cord edges frame this playful striped shawl

This is Ambah O’Brien’s Bambara Wrap.

I have knit this shawl and would knit it again.

I made kits with Primrose Adelaide and they are a great price. I can’t make a kit that is the same as my sample but I know that all these combinations will create an amazing shawl.

I started a new project this afternoon but don’t have enough knit for a good picture. Tomorrow.

We’re going to start seeing colour in the garden soon.

Now a bit of knitting before bed. It is a really mindless pattern knit in fun yarn.