Socks

Freia Fibers introduced Solemates in early fall. We have a few kits left from our first order and more kits are on the way to us. We should see these on Friday. I have updated the website to show the colours that are coming.

About Solemates: The sock yarn of your dreams - this yarn is incredibly soft and sooo cozy! This set comprises two identical balls of Shaniko merino fingering, 228 yards each to make the perfect matched gradient socks. These are so scrumptious we bet you can't stop at one pair!

About the fiber: Our Shaniko superwash merino is grown in Oregon and milled in North Carolina. Shaniko wool is supplied under the Responsible Wool Standard, protecting animal welfare, social welfare and land health. Not only does the yarn feel good to the touch, it feels good to know we are supporting ethically grown wool and respectful farming practices.

The yarn is hand-dyed at our studio in North Adams with acid dyes using processes that are gentle to the environment. The superwash treatment allows your finished product to be washed in a washing machine, and dried on low in the dryer.

The superwash process in conjunction with our gradient dyeing methods creates a slightly speckled yarn, this is normal and gives the yarn an appealing gentle heathered look, this will be different from other yarns of ours that you may have used in the past. 

Photos © Andrea Mowry

I’m a little obsessed by Andrea Mowry’s Bear Paw Socks (pattern purchased on Ravelry). I think I might make it through a pair of DK weight socks. I wear work socks all winter long and love the look of these marled socks.

Take a look at some of the finished pairs on Instagram. You can also see finished socks on Ravelry.

Malabrigo Ultimate Sock is now hanging when you walk in the door. Okay, a lot of the colours are there. I need to do some work on the wall but it’s getting there. This really shows off the amazing colours of the yarn. I think my Bear Paw Socks might be two strands of the Ultimate Sock. 

Here are my colours. Gloria and Rosalinda. I came home and wound them and I might start during Survivor. Remember that socks don’t count as a project.

The new colour from Madelinetosh, Dancing on Ice, will be available online tomorrow.

Dad and Lucy just left. It was banana bread night. All I can smell is bananas. Survivor is taping and we will start in a few minutes. 

Ilya and Applejack

This is Caitlyn Hunter’s new pattern.

Ilya is a top-down raglan featuring colowork and a cozy cowl neckline. The stranded colorwork is done using only 2 colors per round, with short floats, making it approachable for those new to the technique. The body and sleeve lengths are easily adjustable to create a perfect fit. 

You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry. 

The sweater is knit in worsted weight yarn. We have lots of options.

Photo © Caitlin Hunter

Thea Colman has a new hat pattern. You can purchase the pattern for Applejack on Ravelry.

Photos © Thea Colman

Give me a skein of Nest Worsted and I’m powerless not to design something new. This was supposed to be a Michelada to replace the one I put through the dryer. 

BUT instead, it’s a fun and quick colorwork hat. Deep and squishy and geometric, with a lovely star at the crown. 

In addition to playing with my new skein, these hats allowed me to use up a half skein of Nest I had remaining from my French 75 and a half skein of Dream State from my Western Rose - because no gorgeous yarn should go to waste. 

The pattern was easily memorized and if you look at my 3rd hat (because I never can stop once I’m “in” a hat pattern), in the projects section, you’ll see that you can even stripe two accent colors in this pattern if you want to play with more yarn!

The hat is also knit in worsted weight yarn.

There is an order coming from Madelinetosh this week. We will have a new colour of Tosh Merino Light and Twist Light.

This is Dancing on Ice.

Inspired by vintage ice skating ads, our new Hue of the Moment, Dancing on Ice is a wintery sweetheart of a color, part peppermint, part frosty afternoons with a dash of nostalgia. 

Beth sent me this picture. She took it at 6:30 this morning. Jackson was confused because he couldn’t find me. I’ve been up that early for a week. Why wasn’t I out of bed today? Beth explained to him that I was sleeping in. All the way to 8am.

I did run into the store for about an hour today. More orders were packed but I didn’t have any time to straighten. That will be tomorrow mornings job.

Orders have been shipped

Thank you to everyone who shopped the last few days.

I spent yesterday watching football and tried not to think about the pile of boxes that needed to be labeled and shipped out today. Or the new orders that needed to be pulled, packed and shipped. I was in the store early this morning and a lot of boxes went out today. If you ordered before 2pm today then your box is on the way to you. Orders for pick up have been bagged and will be ready for pick up on Wednesday.

This is going to be me for the rest of the evening. I’m sleeping in tomorrow and have said that I’m not going to work. LOL. I’ll be there at some point because it looks like a tornado went through the store. 

I promise I’ll do better posts this week. 😀 It’s time to wind a few skeins of yarn and then watch Yellowstone.

Quick Check In

Ambah O’Brien has a new pattern.

Combine simple garter sections with a fun, fizzalicious stitch to create a gorgeous wrap. Designed to make the most of mini skeins, the Fizzalicious Wrap is also a perfect way to use up those lovely project leftovers you’ve been collecting in your stash. Choose between the fingering or DK weight options and embark on a more-ish knitting adventure that will have you reaching for the next colour before you know it. Shake things up and use a main colour for the garter sections and a different pop of colour for each fizzy section, Fizzalicious is a blank canvas for you to create your own colour fizz. 

Pattern includes a video tutorial for the Fizzy stitch.

Photos © Ambah O’Brien

Thank you to everyone who has shopped online and visited the store. We’ve had a few crazy days. I wasn’t going to write but Beth suggested that I quickly check in.

Canada Post picked up twice yesterday and these boxes are going out on Monday.

It’s time to put my feet up and knit. There hasn’t been much knitting the past few evening.

Stashbusting

Stephen West has a new scarf pattern.

This pattern is included in my online workshop called STASHBUSTING. Sign up for the workshop here to receive this pattern and learn how to combine yarns in your stash for this design!

Gather a colorful pile of DK weight yarns to knit this rectangular scarf. The main color in garter stitch frames the contrast color pops in smooth stockinette stitch. Slip stitches form the brick motif and you only have to work with one color at a time. Choose between the small and large size for a small standard scarf width or a large wide wrap. You can easily customize the length of the scarf by binding off early for a shorter scarf or knit more brick pattern repeats for a longer scarf. Dive into your DK weight yarn collection and paint with yarn to create your own Painting Bricks Scarf!

If you don’t want to purchase the workshop you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Photos © Stephen West

I was surprised to see a new pattern from Churchmouse Yarns on Ravelry this morning. This is the Double Split Color-Blocked Cowl. 

Reversible and seamless, this quick-to-knit color-blocked cowl is a double treat! Cleverly constructed with splits on opposing sides, you’ll see a little peek-a-boo of contrasting color when worn. With the brilliant paintbox of Madelinetosh, you’ll be sure to find a combination that works beautifully in your wardrobe. Which color will you show off today?

We don’t have much ASAP left but we have lots of Rasta which would also work for the pattern.

There will be colourful starbursts around the store on the sale yarns. I am going to write more tonight. I don’t know if I can make them all but I’ll try.

We took Jackson out last night and he jumped into the chair. He did not want to get off the porch. Our dogs like their comfort.

Dad and Lucy drove to Windsor this morning to look at a job. On their way back into town they brought me lunch.

Lucy loves resting her head on the console. Dad feeds her when she sits like this. Cookies. Sandwiches. Anything he is eating except grapes and brownies.

The Amazing Race is starting so it’s time to say goodnight.