New Akari

I was out of the store yesterday and Lynn filled in for me. Mr FedEx brought a box from Noro. Here are the three brand new colours of Akari.

42

38

43

"Akari" is a soft, worsted weight multi fiber blend that features organic silk and cotton. 

Translated to "light" or "glimmer" in English, the silk adds a beautiful sheen to this yarn. It is a delightful choice for knitting and crocheting multi-season garments. 

SKEIN WEIGHT 200g

YARDAGE 482m/528 yards

GAUGE 4-5 sts. = 1" / Worsted weight

COMPOSITION 26% Silk, 21% Cotton, 15% Viscose, 14% Mohair, 12% Wool, 12% Polyamide

We knit this Nightshift with Akari and it was one of the most popular samples in the store. One of the colours has been discontinued but I think this combination with be close

This is 17 and 38.

While Lynn was working I was at my dad’s with our friend/handyman Chris. Chris’ wife works with Beth and he did most of the work on our bathroom at the cottage. Chris and I changed almost every lightbulb at my dad’s and cleaned every light fixture. His condo has never been as bright as it is now. Then he did small chores of things that needed to be done but dad can’t do anymore. Tuesday the movers are coming to take out some furniture. Thursday the stager is coming to set up the condo and pictures should be taken on Friday. Then Beth and I need to hurry up at our house.

Don’t forget that the store will be closed on Wednesday. Nothing house related. I have a few doctor’s appointments and when they give you a day you take it. 

It’s a good thing he is cute

Wool & Pine has a new pattern. This is the Sea Glass Cardigan and you can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Every stashbuster’s dream! This seamless raglan cardigan is knit from the top down, allowing you to play with virtually any yarn combo. For our sample, we used Charlotte DK yarn by Sugarplum Circus in Celery (green sample), Sea Glass (blue sample), and Twig (brown sample) for the main color, paired with DK, worsted, and fingering weight yarn held double for the contrast colors. It’s perfect for using up those tiny scraps in your stash!

No Weaving in Ends
Our innovative i-cord solution means you can knit with ease, leaving the hassle of weaving in ends behind.

No Purling Colorwork
Enjoy seamless knitting with our unique, top-down, steekless raglan design – only knit on the right side!

Effortless Finishing
Create a secure and smooth edge for your buttonband or shawl collar with no steeking, cutting or sewing required.

Our video tutorials will show you how!

Design Details

This V-neck raglan cardigan is knit from the top down, allowing you to focus on the fun part—playing with colors and yarns! With flattering V-neck shaping, you’ll get a great fit, and the only purl stitches are in the ribbing for the shawl collar (or buttonband), hem, and cuffs.

Our video tutorials reveal a game-changing solution for handling yarn ends. Our easy steekless i-cord technique eliminates the need to weave in ends and ensures you knit only on the right side of the fabric—no purling colorwork! This method also creates a secure and smooth selvedge for your cardigan without the need to steek, cut, or sew your knitting.

Speaking of colorwork, the entire cardigan is knit using a basic stranded colorwork technique called 1x1. This means you alternate between the main color and the contrast color every stitch, creating a beautifully blended effect.

We’re also offering two collar options to complete your raglan cardigan: the cozy shawl collar as shown on our green and blue samples and a classic V-neck buttonband style as shown on the brown sample. Whether you opt for toggle buttons or traditional ones - or none at all, the possibilities for closures are endless. We can’t wait to see how you make this cardigan uniquely yours!

Construction Details

Sea Glass Cardigan is knit from the top down using a faux “in-the-round” technique with raglan increases. This method involves sliding the stitches back to the beginning of the row after each round, eliminating the need for wrong side colorwork.

After splitting for the body and sleeves, the body is continued in the same faux “in-the-round” construction, finishing with 2x2 ribbing.

Before working the sleeves, the ends are secured using our innovative i-cord technique, detailed in the pattern with video and photo tutorials. This eliminates the need to weave in ends. The sleeves are then worked in the round and finished with 2x2 ribbing. Finally, you pick up stitches for either a button band or shawl collar, giving you flexibility in the final look.

Another order is on the way from Emma’s and it should be here at the beginning of July. There will be 6 brand new Theme Packs. All colours are coming in Practically Perfect Sock and Super Silky. Minis would be a great addition to your stash for the Sea Glass Cardigan.

We can’t tell you what our colorways look like (although you know we are DYEING to), but if you have a customer blindly looking for a coordinating color, “After Dark” and “Grayscale” are both safe bets this year! This years colors are very different than years past, so there should be no concern over getting the same sort of colors again.

The last day to order the Smalliday 2024 sets has been extended. You still have time to preorder your kit.

Fred has a hot spot so now he’s wearing a cone. Beth bought the blow up kind which took all of us to blow up. No one was paying attention and Fred has already chewed the strap that holds it together. It’s a good thing he is cute.

Kaleidoscope

Tin Can Knits has a new pattern that you can purchase on Ravelry. Meet Kaleidoscope.

Assemble scraps! This simple stripey blanket is all about playing with colour. Try new combinations, throw caution to the wind, and ENJOY!

Sizing
Sizes: Stroller (Crib, Small Throw, Large Throw) sizes. 

Stroller: 27” wide, 31” long 
Crib: 35” wide, 41” long 
Small Throw: 46” wide, 51” long 
Large Throw: 52” wide, 61” long

Sample shown is Large Throw sized. 

Yarn
800 (1400, 2200, 2800) yards total, in yarns that may vary from DK to Aran. 

You can also use sock yarn held doubled, but will need double the yardage. 

This sample is made in a wide range of odds and ends, ranging from sock yarn held doubled, through sport, DK, worsted, and Aran weights. 

Needles
US #7 / 4.5mm 
(or as required to meet gauge)

The Kaleidoscope pattern is also available in the Tin Can Knits app! 

Click here to download the app, or to learn more. 

• only see the size instructions you need 
• tick through the pattern and make notes 
• support is just a tap away 
• adjust the settings to suit you!

This afternoon dad decided that we needed to clean the vent hood on the bbq. At first he was just reaching then he went in the house and grabbed the ladder. YIKES. Most of the time I was standing behind him just in case. After he finished the vent hood was shining. 

New Colours are Coming

We have three brand new colours of Noro Akari coming next week.

Lynn knit Andrea Mowry’s Travelers Cowl (pattern purchased on Ravelry) with one ball of Akari and had yarn left over.

I have been slacking on my blog posts for the past few weeks and I’m sorry for this. Everything is good at home but we’re crazy busy. We put in an offer (that was accepted last night) on a new house. There is a large in-law suite for dad and it isn’t in the basement which is hard to find. Dad is doing well and is continuing to improve. I will have a bit longer drive to work and Beth’s drive will be shorter. Now we need to sell our houses. 

Here is the start of my This or That MKAL. I am starting with path B. Cleaning, purging, packing and arranging for odd jobs to be done has really cut into my knitting time.

If you are making the wrap there is an update to the pattern.

That’s my shoe!!!

Color Popportunity Socks

Stephen West has more information for his Surprise Sock Along 2024. You can purchase for the Color Popportunity Socks on Ravelry.

Sign up for the Sock Along by purchasing the Color Popportunity Socks. You will immediately receive an introductory PDF followed by a set of instructions (Clue) each Tuesday in July starting July 9! 

SCHEDULE
Clue 1 - July 9 
Clue 2 - July 16 
Clue 3 - July 23 
Clue 4 - July 30

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5) 

Finished Measurements: 6.5 (7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5)″ / 17 (19, 22, 24, 27)cm leg and foot circumference. Measurements taken after blocking. These are the measurements of the sock. 

Socks are designed to fit an actual foot circumference of 7.5 (8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5)″ / 19 (22, 24, 27, 29)cm. The socks are designed to fit with negative ease. Choose a size with a finished foot circumference measurement that is approximately 1″ / 2.5cm smaller than your actual foot circumference. Measure your foot around the center part of your foot. For example, if your actual foot circumference is 9.5″ / 24cm, then knit Size 3 of the sock. The sock should fit nice and snug on your foot with negative ease. 

The length of the foot is easily customizable. 

How do I make sure my socks fit?
Watch my video and learn how to measure your foot to select your size here. 

Yarn: Fingering weight

Yardage: MC - 437yds / 400m (1 skein 100g) 
CC1 - 92yds / 84m (1 mini skein 20g) 
CC2 - 92yds / 84m (1 mini skein 20g) 
CC3 - 92yds / 84m (1 mini skein 20g) 

You will have leftovers of each color. These yarn amounts will produce a complete pair of socks, the right sock and the left sock. 

This design will also look amazing with 1 self-striping yarn instead of the 3 CC’s. If you use a yarn like Schoppel Wolle Zauberball Crazy, then you can use one ball (100g) for all of the instructions that use a CC (CC1, CC2, & CC3). You will need about 279yds / 255m total for the CC. Get creative with color and customize your Color Popportunity Socks!

Wow is it hot here this evening. This is great weather for sitting inside and working with yarn 😉. I was worried about my gardens but we had crazy rain this afternoon. I think they’ll be okay for a few days. 

Long Distance Father’s Day

Dad, Beth and the dogs are at the cottage and I stayed home for the weekend.

Beth made pancakes for breakfast. They looked really good and I was very jealous. What did dad get for Father’s Day? A new wallet because his little friend Fred chewed on his old one.

This is Stephen West’s Mossy Marled Raglan (pattern purchased on Ravelry).

Choose two colors of fingering weight yarn and hold them together throughout this marled sweater project. The top-down pullover begins with a folded hem in twisted rib. Then moss stitch is worked in the round as you increase with raglan shaping. I used two colors of West Wool Bicycle, a non-superwash merino wool. This soft and lofty fiber produces a super squishy and cozy fabric. The simple stitches and straight forward instructions make this sweater ideal for beginner sweater knitters. Enjoy mixing your yarns together as you knit this comfy sweater.

Le Petit Lambswool from Biches & Buches would be a great option if you want a commercial dyed yarn. 

Photos © Stephen West

There are a few rows knit on my This or That MKAL but I won’t share yet in case you haven’t started yours. I have some laundry to do and then I’m going to knit a few rows before bed.

This or That MKAL

The first clue for Ambah’s This or That MKAL came last night. I forgot that June 14th in Australia happens before June 14th in Ancaster. I cast on last night and that’s as far as I made it.

Once I read the clue I decided on my colour order.

A - Grape to Meet You

B - Fish Bowl (turquoise mix)

C - Be Hoppy

Dad was very proud of the bass he caught before dinner. Boscoe and Fred are looking on intently - they want the fish. Jackson couldn’t care less about fish.

Now I’m moving to my knitting chair. 

Just a reminder.

Stripes and Slip Stitches

Diana has been ready for a new project for weeks now. Today Stephen West brought out a new shawl pattern and this is Diana’s next undertaking.

Select one solid or semi-solid main color and one self-striping contrast color to knit this sideways triangle shawl. Begin at the small tip of the shawl and work increases toward the border as you only work with one color at a time. Stripes and slip stitches form the woven checks motif, creating the illusion of the self-striping yarn weaving in and out of the garter ridges. I-cord edges frame the large shawl shape. You can easily customize the size by knitting more pattern repeats for a large shawl or simply bind off early for a smaller shawl size. This pattern includes videos linked throughout the instructions to help you cast on and bind off, making this project ideal for beginner shawl knitting.

The pattern is called Woven Checks Shawl and you can purchase it on Ravelry. 

Stephen used two skeins of a solid fingering weight yarn with two balls of Crazy Zauberball.

Photos © Stephen West

What colour are we going to make the shawl in? I’ve narrowed it down to three options. Diana is coming tomorrow afternoon so I have some time to stare at the colours.

Dusk til Dawn with 2546

Mom Jeans with 1699

Tealicious with 2528

It hit me this morning that today is June 13th. The first clue for Ambah’s This or That MKAL comes out tomorrow. I better figure out my colours and get the yarn wound tonight.

Fred decided that the skein of Dyed in the Wool that was in my bedroom would be great to chew on (he didn’t damage the yarn). I think it’s the first time he has touched yarn.

Dad was sitting at the kitchen table when I left for work. The dogs were keeping him company.

Dad, Beth and the dogs left for the cottage this afternoon. I’m staying home for a bit of quiet time. I will be using the time to go through my sewing room and clean out yarn that I won’t be using. There are boxes of pretty yarn that someone should be working with.