Collar

I’m knitting back and forth to create the collar. 

There are short rows but these are easy when you are working in garter stitch. I’m very motivated to finish for a couple of reasons. Boy was it cold out today. I know it wasn’t really that cold but we aren’t used to this temperature. And it will be really cold soon. The other reason is that a brand new colour of Dream State is coming in a few weeks. I think I want to make the cardigan again.

This is Absolute Zero. Spincycle hasn’t photographed the yarn on Dream State yet, this is Dyed in the Wool but you can see that it is going to be a great colour.

The skeins could look like any of these. Yes we will be getting it on Dyed in the Wool sometime this fall.

Fiona Ellis has a new pattern that you can download for free on the Cascade website. The pattern is knit in Cascade 220 Superwash. We don’t carry the superwash but we carry Cascade 220 Superwash Merino.

We have Race Against the Tide taped and Beth has started to watch. I need to sign off and watch.

Sand scuptor teams Race Against the Tide to complete their works of art. As the Bay of Fundy tide comes in, judges decide the winning team moments before everything is washed away!

Finishing a project

I started this cardigan last September when we went to the cottage. 

The knitting has been finished for months and I decided today was the day to get it finished. I’m not sure why - maybe the rain and cold has me planning fall sweaters. The pattern is by Andrea Mowry. I combined her Spark and Spice cardigan patterns. The cardigan is knit in the round and then steeked (the front opening is cut). I decided to pick up the front bands and knit them before cutting. It sounded like a good idea in my head but it took a long time to pick up. I was in the store by myself today and it seemed like a good day to get to it. Sorry Lynn - I didn’t do any real work today.

Photos © Andrea Mowry

My cardigan will be like Spark (above) but with buttons like Spice (below). You can purchase the pattern/patterns on Andrea’s website.

This is the true colour of the cardigan not the top picture. For some reason the main colour doesn’t photograph well inside.

New shawl cuffs arrived today. I will get them online tomorrow. 

It is cold and rainy here. We turned the heaters on and it made being outside with the dogs bearable.

It’s an extremely busy TV night. Survivor and The Masked Singer are starting their seasons. I have all my stitches picked up and I’m knitting back and forth. Perfect TV knitting. I just need to remember that there are short rows for the collar.

See you on Saturday

It was a day of mixed emotions yesterday. The packing table is no longer by the cash desk. This 8’ long table has lived here for 18 months. We’ve danced around it and it’s been in the way but it was very handy. 

I forgot to take pictures before it came down but after much searching I found a picture of dad making boxes at the table.

There is so much room now - Lynn and I don’t know what to do. We have a very small table that we can clear to pack boxes.

We’ve been working on redressing the mannequins. 

For the past 18 months we ran as a warehouse, not a retail store.

To make packing orders easier we had Crazy in bags with the colour numbers displayed.

Snuggly lived on the shelves in bags. This was true for most of our yarns. This week our job is to open all the bags and make the yarn look pretty for Saturday. Sometimes shipments weren’t unpacked. We left the yarn in boxes in the middle of the floor. The yarn needs to be put away. It’s hard to move around the boxes.

There is a shipment coming next week from Madelinetosh with a restock of Tosh DK. We’ve been waiting a long time and are happy to have 16 colours coming. Some are new and some are colours that we are out of. I picked these 5 (Oak, Saffron, Winter Wheat, Dr. Zhivago and Whiskey Barrel) as a possibility for Andrea Mowry’s Douglas Cardi.

Photo © Andrea Mowry

We still have spots available for shopping on Saturday.

Jackson went to visit the vet for a check up yesterday. He is up to 27 lbs. He’s going to be the boss of Boscoe soon.

Yarn Mess

I finished my Shift this afternoon. Now it needs to be blocked and the ends sewn in. It took me just over a week to knit the cowl. 

Fantasy football was much better this week. Beth and I won our match. It was good to have Beth home so that she could be in charge of the converter. The bad part of Beth being home - Jackson was here and really liked getting into my knitting.

The Jade scarf was dragged across the room a few times today. You can see my ball of yarn is a mess. The Cocoknits Maker’s Board works really well for my pattern. If you are thinking about a board, don’t wait too long. Cocoknits is out of stock and we won’t have more until October or November.

Photos © Susan Ashcroft

I was looking on Ravelry and came across Susan Ashcroft’s Quaker Lines. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

I used the texture from Quaker Yarn Stretcher and the basic structure of a shape that seems to be popping up a lot on ravelry lately to create a fun knit that’s also easy to wear. 

The design plays with different edge treatments to create a nice curved topline that sits nicely around the neck, while also creating a looser edge which opens out at the point to really display the yarns. 

The original was made to show off some gorgeous handspun, but other yarns can be used.

Something self-striping will create extra impact without any joining of yarns.

The pattern is super easy to follow and looks great in self-striping yarns. Some knitters on Ravelry used Zauberball Crazy. A few used Dyed in the Wool. You can also use a thicker yarn. The pattern is easy to adjust.

Breakfast at dad’s.

Afternoon nap.

Dinner time. He’s either a maniac or he’s sleeping.

Coming Soon

The store is taking shape. I spent this morning hanging garments. I think we have more garments on display than ever before.  

I have used Noro Ito to make the Nightshift four times and will be knitting another one soon. There are 9 new colours coming in October.

It was an exciting day of emails announcing more new products coming later this falls.

There is a new set of interchangeable needles coming from Knitter’s Pride. They are a pastel version of the Dreamz needles.

October 29 is the day that we will be able to sell Veera Valimaki’s new book Stripes.

For years, Veera Välimäki has been fascinated by playing with colours and textures – and striping with them! In Stripes, she encourages you to start your own journey into the world of stripes. This collection features 20 knitting patterns, including sweaters, cardigans and shawls as well as a relaxed dress, a beanie and your new favourite pair of socks. Both the book and its knits are an ode to contemporary knitwear, exuding a sense of quiet, timeless confidence.

Veera Välimäki is one of the leading knitwear designers in the world. Her designs are known for their simple, clean lines with modern details. Veera lives and works in a small village in Southern Finland surrounded by forests, fields and lakes. Since 2014, Veera has worked on the popular book series, Interpretations, together with Joji Locatelli (published by Pom Pom Press). Stripes is her third hardback book.

Modern Daily Knitting’s Field Guide 19 will be available on October 1. We can’t share pictures yet but I’m excited. I like the designs.

October 1st is also the day for Rowan Tweed Haze.

There is nothing better than wrestling in the back yard. Especially if there is a large rope.