Alpine Bloom

It’s been a year since Caitlin Hunter’s Alpine Bloom pattern came out. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Alpine Bloom is a light summer tee knit from the top down featuring a sweet lace neckline and sleeves and a Scandinavian-inspired floral colorwork yoke. Short rows are worked at the back neck for an improved fit. The sleeves are knitted separately and grafted on. Instructions are given for lengthening the body as desired and for simple ribbed sleeve cuffs if you’d prefer not to graft the sleeves on.

I finished my Alpine Bloom and wore it for LYS Day. I need to get pictures of me wearing the sweater so I’m showing some progress pictures. I love it and would definitely make it again. I made up a few more combinations yesterday. I want to make sure that the flowers really show so there is a contrast between the main colour and the flower colour. If you are going to put the effort in to do the colour work then I think it should pop.

There hasn’t been any knitting at my house for a week. We’re all trying to get into a routine and right now that is getting up early to get dad, Beth and the dogs off to work. Unfortunately waking up early means going to bed early.😢 Hopefully I will have some time over the weekend to pull my needles out.

Droplet

These top-down socks feature a fun droplet stitch technique, producing textured details along the leg and top foot of the sock. This technique is ideal for variegated yarns because it creates little bursts of color when you work the droplet stitch technique. Choose a fingering weight color pop for the cuff, heel, and toe to coordinate with your main color. This pattern is ideal for showcasing those colorful collectible single skeins of sock yarn. Cast on and let your yarn shine!

These are the Dancing Droplet Socks from Stephen West. You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry.

Photos © Stephen West

We have two new colours of Dyed in the Wool. Opia is above and below is Goldie.

I wasn’t sure that I would like Goldie but now that it’s here I do like it. 

I put this combination together for The Shift - Opia, Afternoon Delight and Goldie. I will get this online tomorrow - I need a better picture when the sun isn’t directly on the window.

If you missed our latest newsletter you can read it here. Tosh Merino Light is on clearance - the code is in the newsletter. Hurry because it is only good for a few more days. The code works for in store shopping as well.

I was in the store for a very long time today. Bell came to fix the phone line and it took hours. It seemed like days. It was worth the wait because the phone works again. 

The Big 82

Someone asked me about patterns for the Smalliday Set from Emma’s Yarns. Here are suggestions for the fingering weight set.

Don’t forget that more patterns will be debuting this November/December. Ambah should have another pattern or two.

Pelargonium from Hedgehog Fibres.

The Solstice Wrap by Ambah O’Brien

Adventurous Wrap by Ambah O’Brien

Wrap it Real Good by Ambah O’Brien

Adventurer Scarf & Wrap by Ambah O’Brien

Festive Wrap by Ambah O’Brien

You can also make Ambah O’Brien’s Solstice Wrap with the DK kit.

I knit Flora Daze by Laura Dobratz in the DK weight kit. The pattern is also written for the fingering weight kit.

Happy Birthday dad. He turns 82 today. They are fishing one last time before heading home. I’m reusing a picture but it’s a good one.

I’m really early today. We’re leaving before noon so that dad can do his zoom therapy call from home. I will be heading to the store to pack orders. Watch your inbox because a newsletter is coming soon.

Hello from the cottage

The family went fishing and I am doing chores around the cottage. We need to get our handyman John to come in because the dishwasher won’t drain so I washed all the dishes. I’ve done laundry and had a shower in the new shower. I’m the first. It was amazing!!

Then I got the wifi set up. I should have read the instructions before I came. It took forever to get the Nokia app but once I got it the set up took 2 minutes. We have something called a Nokia Gateway 3.2. Rogers gave it to Beth when she purchased her new iPhone. So far I have internet on my phone and iPad.

I had two lovely ladies in yesterday and one was wearing Sally Melville’s Memories Sweater (pattern purchased on Ravelry). I have forgotten the lady’s names - yesterday was one of those days. Jane (I gave her a name) was visiting from Nova Scotia. Her sweater was beautiful and I asked to share pictures. Jane and her friend combined all their left over fingering weight yarns and they each made the sweater.

From Sally Melville

When leaving for a trip, I needed something to knit that would take a longtime but not a lot of space. So I made a swatch, gathered leftover sock yarns, made a pile of 8yd butterflies, and proceeded. It did take a long time, but since every square was different, it was constantly and totally engaging. And little did I know it would become my favourite sweater--so much so that I immediately started another! 

I call it my Memories Sweater, because I can recall where I purchased each of the sock yarns used. So, besides being fashionable and comfortable and oft-admired (by knitters from three continents!), this garment has the preciousness of a quilt. It is truly irreplaceable and much treasured. I expect yours will be too! 

PS All of these squares are joined as you work, plus I tell you when to work in tails. There is very little sewing (or tails) in this garment. I also offer lots of photos to help you through this. It is not difficult, and it is great fun!

After I saw the sweater I thought it might be a great way to use up all my Spincycle Dyed in the Wool leftovers. I have a few. I almost drove back home after work to get some and bring them to the cottage to start. Almost. I didn’t but I will be looking when I get home tomorrow.

After dinner fishing. While they are on the lake I am going to try and finish a newsletter that will hopefully go out tomorrow. If you don’t receive the newsletter you can sign up on the website.

Happy Hour

This is the Sun Shower Happy Hour Shawl by Laura Dobratz (Emma’s Yarns mom). The pattern can be purchased on Ravelry.

Sun Shower Happy Hour is one great big beautiful wrap! It’s knit with three skeins of Practically Perfect Sock and a Practically Perfect Theme Pack

Our mom needed the perfect wrap to wear all summer long on breezy boat days and beyond! Sun Shower Happy Hour is the perfect size to wrap all the way up in, which is just what you need on those perfect summer days when you’re going from the beach to to the bar! 

Kits are available on the website to preorder. They will be in stock at the beginning of July.  

You can also put together your own combination. You need 3 skeins of Practically Perfect Sock and a Theme Pack. 

The second box from Hedgehog arrived late yesterday afternoon. All Hedgehog yarns are online.

I was up way too early this morning to get everything ready to head to the cottage.

Boscoe is waiting for dad and Beth to hurry so they could get on their way. 

We have been very lax about life jackets at the cottage but Beth has instituted a rule that everyone must wear one now. Even the dogs. Dad tried his on this morning. Then they loaded up the truck and went on their way. I’ll meet them after work.

We have something from Rogers that is supposed to get us internet at the cottage. That will be my job tomorrow. If it works I’ll be blogging. If not then I’ll write on Monday when I get home. Have a great weekend!