Kits

We’re busy in the store making kits. We find that customers love to come in and have colour combinations laid out. These kits are for The Velvet Mirror Cowl. I enjoyed knitting the cowl and would definitely make it again. The colours above are calling my name. 

Rowan introduced Tweed Haze last winter.

This unique blend of specially selected fibres includes soft mohair from South Africa, super-fine alpaca, and a cotton core that gives structure to the chainette construction. A refined, romantic halo is the most noticeable quality of Tweed Haze, which is punctuated with colorful flecks of accent colours which combine to create a rich, luxurious texture. Quick to knit, this yarn is perfectly soft against the skin and is wonderfully warm. The palette combines lovely neutrals with trending brights.

This is a new magazine with great designs for Tweed Haze.

Tweed Haze goes urban with designer Georgia Farrell. These six easy to wear garments have a modern and fresh city feel with clean lines, colour blocking and simple stitch patterns.

Mr. Canada Post didn’t have my Atenti bags on his truck this morning. Hopefully tomorrow. 

It is going to be a busy week of shipments. New colours of Lang Jawoll sock yarn are coming tomorrow. New colours of Malabrigo Ultimate Sock are coming on Thursday.

Have a great evening. It’s time for The Amazing Race Canada.

Finished Cowls

Alex stopped this afternoon for a quick visit and dropped off some of my knitting. I knit and Alex blocks, sews in ends and sews my seams. It’s the perfect arrangement - at least for me.

This is Andrea Mowry’s Velvet Mirror Cowl. You can purchase the pattern on Andrea’s website.

This cowl gets started with a provisional cast on and then is knit sideways as a tube. A half twist and some kitchener stitch to finish it off and you have an easy to wear, cozy-to-the-max cowl to pair with all of your cool weather outfits!

I used Rowan Kidsilk Haze (double stranded) and Spincycle Dyed in the Wool. Kits are available on the website. I really enjoyed making this cowl and would highly recommend it.

I need to be careful with this cowl - Lynn wants it. I’m going to be checking her bag when she leaves every evening 😘.

Alex also blocked my Shift. I used Dyed in the Wool Absolute Zero, Dead Reckoning and Cold Comfort. I have a new mauve jean jacket and this will be perfect.

I’m going to continue with the cowl theme when I sit down to knit and watch Top Chef. The rows on my Inclinations Cowl are getting shorter so it feels like I’m knitting faster.

Cables

I love knitting cables and I love cabled sweaters. This is a new pattern from Thea Colman. 

Photos © Thea Colman

Vesper with a Twist is a simple pullover with a not-as-simple cable. The gorgeous twists and turns in this motif are both geometric and delicate. The panel transitions beautifully from the hem and has gentle curves that make a stunning edge on each side. (And I promise, these cables aren’t complicated to work, they just look like it when combined together as they are!) 

To keep the focus on that panel, the rest of the sweater is incredibly simple. Stockinette stitch on sleeves and back and a deep, cozy cowl are just perfect and make for easy knitting.

You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry. 

The sweater body is knit upwards from hem to armholes in the round. The body is then separated into front/back at armholes, and pieces are worked flat to shoulders. Once shoulders are seamed, cowl is added and sleeve stitches are picked up and knit in the round to end. It can easily be worked with a crew or turtleneck instead of the cowl shown, and notes are in the pattern for doing so. 

Cable instructions are both charted and written out. 

Make sure you check your in box. A newsletter just went out. I’m going to sign off in a minute and knit. I remembered a crochet hook but 8pm isn’t the time to start on the crochet reinforcement on my Spark/Spice cardigan. I’m going to work on my Velvet Mirror Cowl for a few relaxing rows of knitting.

The line where the pattern switched is very obvious now. I’m almost 3/4 of the way finished.

If you really need Andrea’s new pattern now she tweeted out a link to it earlier today. If you receive Andrea’s email newsletter then I suggest you wait until tomorrow. She will email you a discount code.

Photo © Andrea Mowry

Snow Day?

My Velvet Mirror Cowl is growing. You can start to see where the colours switched. 

Svetlana Gordon has a new shawl pattern. It is knit with two colours of fingering weight. For both shawls she used a colour of Opal Memories. The other colour is a solid fingering weight.

You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Yesterday I mentioned using a Party of Five kit for Stephen West’s Stitch By Numbers. We have more kits coming at the end of the month including two brand new kits.

When looking at the yardage I will need two Party of Five kits and two skeins of a solid colour. 

The snow didn’t start here until after 8. The dogs had fun running around. We couldn’t get them in the house.

Tomorrow could be a snow day. It will depend on how much snow we get and if I can get out of our driveway.

It’s bedtime because I had really stupid dreams last night. In one of them Beth and I flew to Hawaii. When we landed we couldn’t find our carry on bags. We searched the plane but they weren’t there. Everyone was off the plane and they were starting to board the next flight. Flight attendants were yelling at us. Then people from the airline came onboard and were screaming at us. Seriously - how do you lose carryon bags??

Football Sunday

It’s half time of the football game so this is going to be quick. 

I worked on Velvet Mirror this afternoon until I reached the halfway point. Now the chart changes and the main colour becomes the contrast and the contrast becomes the main. The pattern calls for two skeins of Dyed in the Wool. I’ve decided to join the second ball now. No two balls are alike - even when we try to match skeins they will be different. This way each half is from it’s own ball.

The second half just started. 

Here are some dog pictures. Lucy is doing really good but has been having some problems with the leg that had the latest ACL surgery. They are doing surgery on Tuesday to take the metal plate out.

Jackson and Boscoe love their toys. The toys are put in the toy box in the morning and by dinner they are all over the house.

My cowl yesterday. Boscoe is lying on the pouf at my feet.

It’s the second half of the football game and time for the second half of the Velvet Mirror Cowl.

Blush

We received a restock of Sirdar Cotton DK today.

A fabulous cotton double knitting yarn for hand knit and crochet projects. The yarn is made using mercerised cotton to create a subtle sheen and incredible stitch definition so it’s the perfect yarn for lace knitting, cables and crochet work. With a wide range of flattering inspired by summer holidays, you'll find the perfect shade for any sunny project. Cotton DK is a classic double knitting yarn that will knit to all Sirdar’s DK designs and is machine washable.

If you are looking for summer patterns, we have some for the Cotton DK available online. There is a chart with the number of balls you need on each pattern page. 

You can purchase patterns on Ravelry as well.

We also had a small restock of Lykke needles. Blush double pointed needles have arrived. These are in the Fuchsia Denim Effect Case. The Basketweave Case will be coming later this spring.

There hasn’t been much knitting on my cowl. Maybe a few rows tonight.