Nightshift Number ???

There hasn’t been much writing or knitting this week. We have been crazy busy in the store. I’m not complaining - it’s been great. But I am very tired at night so this is going to be quick. I wanted to let you know that we’re all good.

I will have more to write about next week because we have shipments arriving.

Trinigan is growing and I’m finished the first front. I know that I can’t match the colours for the second front but I would like the colours to be close. That means winding a few skeins to see how the colours are going to play out. Instead of playing with colours I brought home Ito to start a Nightshift. I am going to call it research. I’m knitting with the new Addi Ewenicorn needles. I like them. They slide nice and you don’t notice the spiral texture on the needles.

I didn’t realize I had the camera set to portrait. I was going to try and explain it but it was easier to paste Apple’s description.

With Portrait mode, the camera creates a depth-of-field effect. This lets you capture photos with a sharp focus on the subject and a blurred background.

The balls of yarn are fuzzy in my first picture and my knitting looks out of focus in the second picture. In your mind please cut and paste the best of each picture 😀

My tea is ready and I’m going to knit a few rows. Don’t forget that we are in the store from 11am-2pm tomorrow.

Snap

Cathy has been busy making Snap. I talked about the hat a few weeks. The pattern is from Tin Can Knits and you can purchase it on Ravelry. 

I can knit one in an evening. They are so fun to knit and I’m using up lots of leftover fingering weight yarn. Glad I saw the pattern on your blog. 

Beth and I were in the store early this morning to finish the last boxes and then get the store in order.

Mr. Canada Post and Mr. Canpar picked up over 60 boxes today. I have a few more to pack tomorrow and then everyone’s orders should be out the door.

There are lots of baskets around the store with yarn on sale. These are not available online - the yarn wasn’t on the website and I didn’t have time to add them.

The front table is covered in baskets.

Our hours for the rest of the week

Thursday 11am-4pm

Friday 11am-4pm

Saturday 11am-2pm

I haven’t touched my knitting since Saturday. I just made a cup of tea and am going to knit a few rows before bed.

Happy Boxing Day

This morning we sold out of the colour of Le Lambswool that Andrea Mowry used for her Zig sweater. I went to Biches & Buches website to order more but they are out. Hopefully it will be back soon. While I was there I saw that they just received Le Lambswool in Light Grey, Medium Grey, Dark Grey and Very Dark Grey. These have been ordered and will be here in a few weeks.

This is our backyard. We did not clear out a path - that is from the wind. The dogs loving running along the snow and then jumping down the bank.

I started my post this morning while we were waiting for dad and Lucy to come for breakfast. Since then I received an email from Biches & Buches and Le Lambswool in Dark Grey Brown (the colour that Andrea used for Zig) will be shipped to us very soon - maybe next week.

When I left for the store the dogs were very comfortable on the couch. I was very jealous. I spent about 4 hours packing orders. Thank you to everyone who ordered today. Don’t forget that the sale runs until Saturday. Now it’s time to put my feet up with a fresh cup of tea.

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Christmas Day. We had a small group for dinner - just 16 this year. We had a lot of laughs.

Last night dad, Beth and I made the second Christmas Day game. The box inside the box inside the box. Each boxed is wrapped with a ton of tape. It’s the same rules as the Saran Wrap game.

We did the Saran Wrap game before dinner.

It was a big hit. 

After dinner we did the present game.

I know that Christmas comes every year and I could have been thinking about this sooner but… Here is what we are doing for Boxing Week.

In the store and online 

Purchase over $100 and receive 10% off

OR

Purchase over $250 and receive 15% off

Purchase amount is before taxes and shipping.

The discount will be applied to regular priced items as well as sale items and will be applied automatically at the checkout.

The sale starts online at 8am tomorrow morning. The sale starts in the store Wednesday morning at 11am. The sale will end on Saturday December 31st at 4pm EST.

Tomorrow morning at 8am check out the heading on the website that says Boxing Week to see what is being marked down online. We have yarn on sale in the store that isn’t online - some of these will be marked down at a big discount.

It’s been a long day and I have to finish the website for tomorrow morning. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!!

Snow Day

I was up early and thought about getting to the store before the storm but Beth vetoed that and I’m glad she did. The snow has been blowing here all day.

Our Christmas planter doesn’t look happy.

Photos © Stephen West

Stephen West has a new sock pattern. These are the Painting Bricks Socks and you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Dive into your sock yarn stash and knit these painterly socks. One main color in garter stitch frames the contrast color pops with a simple slip stitch technique. The contrast colors are perfect for using leftover sock yarns and mini skeins. This pattern is knit top-down, so you can easily customize the length of the leg and foot while you knit. Be brave and have fun customizing the color story for your own unique pair of Painting Bricks Socks!

There is another option for purchasing the pattern. You can purchase the ebook on Ravelry.

Starting January 1, the e-book price is the regular €36 (excl. VAT), so sign up in December to get €6 off! The total value of this e-book is €78 including all 13 patterns! 

Enjoy a year filled with Westknits sock patterns with a brand new sock e-book! When you sign up by purchasing the e-book on Ravelry or westknits.com, you will immediately receive the Painting Bricks Sock pattern. Then, you will receive a new pattern update each month in 2023 with a new sock pattern for 13 total socks! The sock patterns are all suitable for beginner knitters and adventurous beginners with video tutorials linked in the patterns to help you cast on and work any special techniques. There will be a range of techniques from simple stripes and slipped stitches to fun textures like cables. Many of the patterns will coordinate with your favorite Westknits shawls and sweaters. Let’s knit along all year and fill our drawers with colorful socks!

#WestknitsYearofSocks2023

I will make every effort to get to the store tomorrow. Right now it looks like Beth will drive me but we’ll have to see how the weather is in the morning.

I’m not sure why I’m tired. All I did today was knit, nap and eat but I’m ready for bed. Stay safe and warm. 

Saran Wrap Ball

Diana stopped in this afternoon to pick up yarn for Yvonne MT (pattern purchased on Ravelry). I went with Dark Blue Black and Soft Gold. I dreamt of this combination last night so I didn’t even look at anything else.

From the designer Natasja Hornby

Each year I try to expand upon one of my favorite techniques, mosaic knitting, by designing what I call a ‘Grand Mosaic’ shawl. Yvonne MT, with its eye-catching diamonds and arrows, suits my grand criteria perfectly.  

This shawl is especially close to my heart, not only because I used a novel technique, but also because it was a joint venture with my mom, Yvonne Maria Theresia.  

The three colored version uses a technique I call ‘Intarsia light’, which is carefully explained in the pattern. If you prefer not to use the technique, the two colored shawl my mom created, proves that Yvonne MT doesn’t necessarily need that third color to stand out from the crowd. 

CONSTRUCTION 
Yvonne MT is a sideways constructed triangle. You will start with a few stitches, and work increases to shape the shawl. The three color version is worked using a technique I call ‘Intarsia light’. This technique is easy to work, and carefully explained in the pattern.

You can also choose to work the shawl in two colors, without introducing a third color for the inner triangle of the shawl. Please refer to the pictures for an example of the three- and the two-colored version.

Tonight we worked in the game for Christmas Day. I should have taken pictures before we started so you could see everything in the ball. We started with a stuffed animal (there is a 2 year old coming) to try and get a round ball and then we kept wrapping Saran Wrap around the ball. After a few wraps you cut the wrap and start again with more prizes. There are gift cards, golf balls, socks, chocolates, playing cards, loose change from dad’s pocket and lots of travel toothpaste mixed with other small items that Beth found around the house and at the dollar store. If you google Saran Wrap ball you will find lots of websites with videos and rules to the game.

It looks like the prizes are one wrap away but there are many layers to get through.

Oh, I forgot, we are making the person unwrapping wear oven mitts. Dad did a trial run - you think it’s going to be easy but it isn’t.

I left a note on the store door for tomorrow that we are closed due to the weather just in case it’s bad in the morning. I will be posting on Instagram and Facebook if we’re closed. Stay safe if you’re out and about tomorrow.

Linen

We just received a restock of Rowan Creative Linen. This sweater is called Chard and it is stunning. I have a few customers who have knit it and worn it into the store. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

With a crisp look but a soft feel, Creative Linen is a winner for spring and summer knits. Great stitch definition means that lace or texture patterns really shine in this yarn, which comes in a fresh colour palette of brights and tonals. With a mixture of 50% linen and 50% cotton, Creative Linen will wear and wash beautifully, making it an essential choice for warmer days.

This is a Martin Storey design called Kenmare (pattern purchased on Ravelry). The sweater can be knit in Creative Linen or Rowan Handknit Cotton.

The pattern for Macaroon can be purchased on Ravelry.

This beautiful shawl is called Rocket (pattern purchased on Ravelry).

The Long Line Cardigan.

Here is a link to many more Creative Linen patterns.  You will see Kim Hargreaves patterns designed with Creative Linen but you can’t buy the individual patterns on Ravelry. You need to purchase the book - we have quite a few in stock.

Thank you to all who visited today. It was crazy busy which makes the day go fast. My tea is made and I’m going to do a few rows on Trinigan.