Wild Mint

I can finally share the new Soak scent with you. I’m very excited about Wild Mint. We won’t have it in the store until September, probably late September, but I couldn’t keep the secret any longer.

If you are anything like me you have a bag or ten full of fingering weight scraps. I’m always cursing a designer for making a shawl that doesn’t use all the yarn. Stephen West has a new pattern for all those part balls. 

This garter stitch cardigan is designed to showcase all of your fingering weight yarn. Hold two strands together throughout the entire project for the ultimate stash buster. The top-down construction makes the cardigan easy to try on and customize the length as you knit. This pattern is very easy to knit with simple garter stitch and ribbed edges. Dive into your stash and paint with your yarns to create the coziest scrappy cardigan.

The pattern can be purchased on Stephen’s website. 

You are knitting with two strands of yarn at time on 4mm needles. Have fun playing with your stash.

Photos © Stephen West

I spent a lot of the day knitting on Elah. I’m getting closer to the depth where I can join the fronts to the back. I plan on knitting tonight and more tomorrow. Hopefully I’ll be joining soon.

Best Friends

Mr. UPS brought in two huge boxes from Madelinetosh this morning. 

There are new colours of Wool + Cotton. They will be added to the website tomorrow. I can see colours that would make a beautiful Douglas Cardi.

There was a restock of Tosh Merino Light including a new (to us) colour - meet Pop Rocks. Kits for Joji’s Frank Shawl are going out tomorrow.

Mr. Canpar came with three boxes from Soak.

We restocked these cute Soakboxes. These are perfect for yourself and for gift giving.

What is it: The perfect gift to give or to get. This gift set includes one bottle of Soak travel size stylishly matched to our Eco Wash Bag in the Slim - 16” circle format. 

The Eco Wash Bag is made from 100% RPET, post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, and each wash bag diverts 8+ plastic bottles from oceans and landfills. Soak has been bottled in 100% post-consumer resin bottles since 2012, saving 15.6 tons of C02 emissions per year.

How it works:

• Soak is the modern way to clean and refresh the laundry you love.
• The Eco Wash Bag is designed to keep all your Soakworthy items safe during machine washing. Protect your lingerie, swimwear, active wear, scarves, sports bras, baby socks, knitwear, and embellished garments.
• Place your favorite delicate items inside the Eco Wash Bag. Zip and secure zipper pull under tab. Wash in cool water on the delicate cycle with Soak. Lay knits and lingerie flat to dry. The Eco Wash Bag is ideal for top and front loading machines, including HE. Also dryer safe.
• Flight friendly.

Lynn and I sent out a lot of boxes today.

These are the SweetGeorgia Advent Kits. Canada Post delivered them at 10am and we got them in the post today.

Best friends.

There is a baseball game to watch. I am very close to joining the next colours on my shawl. I would like to think it will happen tonight but … 

Scooby

Laura Aylor has a new pattern called Scooby. What a great looking top. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

This breezy top is knit from the top down with the raglan bodice knit in the round and the stockinette skirt knit sideways and attached as you go. Optional decorative buttons top the back vent where it is sewed together. Choose the size closest to your high bust measurement.

Laura knit her top in a yarn from Primrose that is exactly the same as Spincycle Dyed in the Wool. Laura suggests tosh merino light as an alternative. I’m going to suggest Juniper Moon Pollock for a summery top. Another suggestion is Mrs. Crosby Hat Box - there are lots of great colours still available.

Photos © Laura Aylor

We are very low on Soak so I did an order this morning. Along with the Soak we have more Minnie Basins coming. My guess is we will see them on Monday or Tuesday.

What is it: This bright little helper likes to focus on the small stuff: masks, bras and swimsuits fit just right in her compact shape. Hand wash in style with this small but mighty Soak system. 

• fade resistant, frost resistant, UV resistant
• child-safe, food safe
• unique beveled edges for easy pouring

Minnie Basin 

Dimensions: 12” (30cm) wide x 4” (10cm) tall

Capacity: 5 Liters / 1.3 US Gallons

Full Size Soak

12oz / 375 mL, 75+ washes

How it works: Just Soak (scrub for masks!) and squeeze.

• Wash face masks in hot water and scrub for 20 seconds, squeeze and dry.

Between washes use your basin to store your face masks and other small items.

I keep mine under the kitchen sink and use it to wash our masks. Lynn uses hers to wash her socks.

It was a good day today. I have my car back and the tire is happy. The best news is that Beth and I were vaccinated. Happy dance!!! So far so good. I feel fine. I was feeling good enough to sit down and rip back the eight rows on my Nightshift. I’m going to knit a few rows tonight and get the shawl back on track.

ASAP

Kathy came to pick up needles today and brought her finished shawl to show off. Oh my gosh. It is gorgeous - Kathy did an amazing job. The pattern is Andrea Mowry’s Honey Moss. Kathy used Tosh Vintage. 

I wish I could have gotten closer.

We had a visit from Ms. UPS this morning. 

We ordered mixed boxes of Madelinetosh ASAP. 

Super bulky and super squishy - this is one single-ply yarn that certainly lives up to its name! You'll finish projects in no time with this luscious, 100% Merino Wool yarn. Choose from a variety of gorgeous, hand-dyed colorways. 

The yarn is online but I need to take a few pictures tomorrow. 

Here are some projects that I knit with ASAP. Leaf (a free pattern) takes 2 skeins.

The Big Hat is a free pattern - I used one skein of ASAP.

Winter Cove was a fun knit. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry - the shawl took 2 skeins. This is a super easy lace pattern - great for a beginner knitter.

I brought home a Soak Minnie Basin today and washed some masks. The basin looks so cute on the kitchen counter.

Yes, he is lying on the armrest of the couch.

Minnie

New Minnie Basins from Soak have arrived. I use a larger basin for my sweaters and this is perfect for your small items. It is so cute!

What is it: This bright little helper likes to focus on the small stuff: masks, bras and swimsuits fit just right in her compact shape. Hand wash in style with this small but mighty Soak system. This colour coordinated set includes a Minnie 5L basin and a full size bottle of Soak.

• fade resistant, frost resistant, UV resistant
• child-safe, food safe
• unique beveled edges for easy pouring

Minnie Basin 
Dimensions: 12” (30cm) wide x
4” (10cm) tall
Capacity: 5 Liters / 1.3 US Gallons

Full Size Soak
12oz / 375 mL, 75+ washes

How it works: Just Soak (scrub for masks!) and squeeze.
• Wash face masks in hot water and scrub for 20 seconds, squeeze and dry.
• Between washes use your basin to store your face masks and other small items.

Here is a link to Soak’s suggestions on how to wash your face masks. 

Pink - Celebration Soak

Blue - Scentless Soak

Green - Fig Soak

Purple - Lacey Soak

I am going to keep mine under the kitchen sink. 

Andrea does it again with another gorgeous sweater. 

A round yoke sweater worked from the top down, this pullover is the perfect blank canvas. Think of it as a template to mix up colors, yarn bases and your creativity! You could even knit it up in a solid color for a classic wardrobe staple. Be playful and have fun! This sweater is worked seamlessly. The sleeve sts are put on hold while the body is finished and then returned to the needle. This sweater includes instructions for a cropped or full length fit and different collar options.

For this sweater I used primarily a sport weight wool yarn in colors I loved together! To add interest and texture I also grabbed some lace weight suri alpaca/silk blend yarn that I held double. Below is just the skeins you would need if choosing to use only the sport weight yarn, but the pattern includes a break down of the yarn for both sweaters including the suri alpaca. My hope is that you will feel excited to dig into your stash or try out some new yarns and play with single or double strands to achieve the desired gauge!

You can purchase the pattern on Andrea’s website.

Photos © Andrea Mowry.

When I looked at the test knit sweaters on Ravelry, a lot of knitters were talking about the sweater being a great stash buster. 

I used a new Minnie and filled it with Le Petit Silk & Mohair. These colours would look amazing in Andrea’s new sweater. 

A box is coming from Malabrigo tomorrow. There will be a small restock of Rasta. 

New colours with their partner

I was going through my pictures and these jumped out at me. Sarah in her Love Note. It is a beautiful sweater. After Skylights and Spark and ..... I will get mine out and finish it. 😘

You can purchase the pattern from TinCanKnits.

This sweet little sweater knits up quickly from the top down. The combination of mohair lace and single-ply merino creates a fabric that is floaty, soft and sensual. With a high-low hemline and two length options, what’s not to love?

Sarah used Le Petit Lambswool and Le Petit Silk & Mohair.

Here are the new colours of Le Petit Silk & Mohair with their partner. Any of these would make a great Love Note.

• Light Pink
• Blue Grey
• Grey Beige
• Soft Orange Brown

Laura Aylor has a new pattern out knit in DK weight yarn.

A simple, body-skimming pullover knit seamlessly from the top down with yoke and then raglan increases. Knitted-on garter borders give texture and interest. Wear with 2-5” of ease. (Sample knit in gold-speckled yarn is an M2 worn with 5 inches of ease. Sample knit in blue-green yarn is an XS worn with 2 inches of ease.)

You can purchase the pattern for Sun Dogs on Ravelry.

Photos © Laura Aylor.

The back slits are really cute.

Customers are saying over and over again that Soak hand sanitizer looks better, smells better and feels better than other products available.

We use Soak Hand Sanitizer in the store all day long. I highly recommend it.