#yarnlovechallenge

I'm a little late to the party. This was started on Ravelry at the beginning of February. If you are on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter you might see some of your friends participating and using #yarnlovechallenge in their posts.

1. Introduction
Most of you know about my store but if you don't here it is briefly. I learned to knit when I was 4. When I was 8 I decided that I was going to have a yarn store. We opened when I was 19 and are now in our 30th year. I still love getting up everyday and going to work.

3. Currently Making

5. Community
One of the highlights of our year is Knitting Camp. Some of our Campers have been with us for years. They live far and wide and we only meet up once a year. We love to have new Campers join us as well. The more the merrier - lots of people spending the weekend together bonding over knitting.

7. Stripes

Outline is blocked and now the ends need to be sewn in. I had many things to choose from for stripes - I like to knit with colour.

8. Where I craft

My table in the store with three projects and notes.

A newsletter went out yesterday morning and I've been receiving feedback that people didn't get it. If your email address ends in bell.net or sympatico.ca, can you let me know if you received it or not? 

You can download it here...

Here is the link to January's newsletter - a lot of people missed this one too...

Now it's time to get back to my knitting. We're going to watch a new show on the W Network called Imposters. 

Linen Stitch

With the threat of freezing rain this morning, I was in the store very early. There was time to sit down to finish and send out a newsletter.

I also had time to do some knitting.

The picture doesn't show it but I've made it to the spot where the colours are changing. The fun part. The grey background is fading into mauve. The peach stripes will start getting lighter in the next few rows.

Classic Elite has a new pattern - a Linen Stitch Scarf in Liberty Wool. You can download the pattern for free on Ravelry...

Linen stitch gives a woven look to this simple scarf with unfinished edges. By using two different striping colorways of Liberty Wool, each scarf will be unique, depending where in the stripe sequence you begin and how the printed colorways interact. Every few rows reveals a new surprising color combination! 

The scarf in the picture took 6 balls (3 balls each of 2 different colours).

Today's Tip:
When you are doing Linen Stitch the pattern says to slip one with yarn in back (or yarn in front). This does not mean right side or wrong side. It means towards you (front) or away from you (back).

We started watching 24 Legacy last night. We're two hours in and it's enjoyable. I can knit and watch so it meets the criteria of a good show :)

Unpacking

It's here. Mr. Canada Post brought in 3 big boxes this morning. The first two were from LITLG. The yarn is awesome.

Bog Myrtle

Garden Party

Meadow

Metanoia

Rain

I've been playing with colours. There could be another Find Your Fade in my future.

The third box was from Freia Fibers. We have new colours of Shawl Ball.

Pattern: Sonoma Wrap (purchased on Ravelry)
You need two balls of Shawl Ball and 3.75mm needles.

Pattern written for lace, used two shawl balls, alternating ever other row to extend the gradient and make a longer scarf.

After finishing Clue One on my Ambah MKAL last night I worked on Outline. It is finished! Here are preblocking pictures. It's laying out in the sewing room right now and it should be dry tomorrow.

Then I worked on the Medialuna Shawl. The pattern is now available to purchase on Ravelry.

Lucy and dad stopped by after a visit to the dog park.

Super Sunday

Lynda has been busy working a Linen Stitch Scarf for me. She's using Mechita from Malabrigo.

We decided on doing the scarf fringeless this time. We're also making it longer and wider.

When Diana was in the store yesterday I noticed an interesting scarf tucked inside her coat. She took it off so we could get a few pictures

Pattern: Uluru (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: one skein of tosh sock and one skein of Alegria

Uluru is a multi-gauge, multi-sized pattern designed to showcase hand dyed yarns. Got Lace, Pure or Twin, Blend or DK? There’s a size or shape of Uluru to match, diamond, triangular, or parallelogram, shawl or scarf. Pair up a multi and a semi solid or two elegant semi solids - the choices are endless and enticing

Uluru is modular, so you only work on a few stitches at a time, but there’s no sewing up or piecing together. Better yet, there aren’t hundreds of ends to weave in. And of course, you can customize, dig deep into your stash, get creative and most of all, have fun!

This would look awesome in remnants of sock yarn. I would pick a main colour (navy in the picture) to tie everything together.

A more colourful hand dyed (like Malabrigo Mechita) as the accent could be interesting - I think we'll have Diana knit us a sample for the store.

Nautilus

Freia Fingering is on sale (20% off) and would make an awesome accent colour.

The pattern includes
-written and charted instructions
-schematics
-multi gauge instructions for lace, sock, sport and dk yarns
-three shapes of shawl or scarf - diamond, triangle or parallelogram
-suggestions for customizing

Now I can't stop thinking of combinations. 

How about a gradient kit? Think Cheshire Cat kit from Frabjous Fibers. I'd do the outline in a solid colour. For the contrast I would work the gradient skeins in order from light to dark. The scarf will fade for you.

Life in the Long Grass Update

It looks like the yarn will be delivered tomorrow. The website is ready to go - once the yarn arrives I'll make the page go live.



I'm going to show my MKAL knitting so far. If you don't want to see then it's time to stop reading.

I'm enjoying the pattern so far. Ambah's patterns are easy to follow. I can't wait to see where we go next. Hurry up Thursday night - we should see the next clue around 8pm.

Assana Wrap Part Two

Diana was in this morning with another Assana Wrap. We had sun so I took my friend outside for pictures.

This time we used Tosh Sock - 1 skein each of aura, fog and first light.

Now I'm torn about which one to take. They are both beautiful.

Our super huge Tosh order is being dyed this week and we should have it by the end of the month. There will be 25 colours of sock in the boxes - almost all the out of stock colours are coming.

This morning I went into the sewing room to try the ball winder. Happy Dance. It worked. My last ball is wound and ready to go.

I'm working away on my Ambah MKAL and all is going well. I hope to have the first clue finished sometime tomorrow. I've already started that post in case I get caught up in my knitting and then the football game. I'll add a picture at the end of the post with Clue One finished - I'll let you know where to stop reading if you don't want the mystery revealed.

The LITLG has made it to Canada. It's in Customs and I hope we'll see it this week.

Artefact and Damask

Urban Flowers and Chrysalis

Storyteller and Rosehip

Mystery

My Building Blocks has been paired with the Library Vest in the store. I like the look. (It doesn't live here but it was way too cold to go outside. I moved my friend to a spot for a better picture)

The rest of my post is about Ambah's Mystery KAL. There aren't any spoiler pictures - just some hints that might help if you haven't started.

I started winding my balls after last night's post and got two wound before my electric ball winder died. There is no power :( I think we've hurt it over the years and it's time for a new one.

I'm using Skinny Singles from Hedgehog. I will be casting on with Glacier (the turquoise) and then going to Pistachio. My last colour will be Stone (a grey/beige mix).

The night didn't get any better. This had nothing to do with the pattern instructions. It had to do with the person reading the pattern. I didn't have much sleep the night before and should've worked on a different project.

The shawl starts with a new technique called the Turkish Cast On. I haven't done it before but Ambah has a tutorial and it is easy to follow. Here is a video that will help as well.



I got to about the forth row and thought I was wrong (it turns out I wasn't) so I pulled it out. You shouldn't do a new technique during The Big Bang Theory. I started again with no problems. Except I almost finished the first colour and was short of stitches.

P3, (k to m, sm, m1r) 6 times

This tripped me up. (Now I'm trying to knit during Top Chef) I forgot to increase after the last marker - not once but twice. For some reason I was only doing the increases within the markers. Yup. I'm starting again. I really know how to do the Turkish Cast On now. :)

I'm home from work and ready to get back to the shawl. The first colour is cast on and I'm through 10 rows. It's much better and I'm happy now. I knit a bit on the loose side and should probably be using a 3.5mm needle for the shawl but I like a large shawl so I'm using 3.75mm. For the cast on and first 6 rows I used a 3.25mm needle. It made the start look a lot neater.

Assana Wrap

We have a new store sample. I'm not sure how long it will be in the store before it moves into my scarf collection. I love it!

Pattern: Assana Wrap (purchased on Ravelry)
Yarn: 1 skein each of
Mrs Crosby Train Case Midnight Aubergine
Mrs Crosby Train Case Pansy
Lorna's Laces Solemate Glasgow (We sold out of Glasgow this afternoon but more is on the way)

Fun to knit and a timeless addition to your wardrobe, Assana provides a beautiful base for your favourite colour trio. Play two colours against each other in the stripes section: a gradient, speckled yarn, semi-solid hand dyes - anything goes here; then complement with a bold or subtle choice of colour for the zig-zag lace section.

Worked side ways, on the bias, Assana includes both written and charted instructions for the lace section.

 Yes, I'm a bit obsessed with Ambah O'Brien's shawls right now.

I was going to write more but the first clue came out for Ambah's MKAL and my skeins aren't wound yet.

Snoopy

I've been borrowing from instagram again. Here is another picture of a finished Medialuna Shawl. I showed Beth my problem this morning and she scolded me. "Why do you think you know better than the designer??" I get the picture. Follow the pattern :) I've ripped out my work, wound the balls and am ready to restart.

Mr. Canada Post brought in a box from Offhand Designs today. Meet Patty and Snoopy.

Kazul is now available with a few fresh changes... in a splendid array of treasured textiles inspired by the times and trends of the Californian Classic Charlie Brown. The bag features a front ZIPPER pocket for I-pad, magazine or pattern below! Kazul opens up wide with a stay-put 16" x 11" doctor's bag frame and another, deep pattern or I-pad pocket on the inside of the bag, as well as our traditional zipper pocket, pouches and pockets!  Rolled leather handles and a matching leather flap finish the look beautifully!

Lucy, Linus and Snoopy.

Capacious carry-all with 3 compartments and endless pockets, pouches and tool slots. Room for all of your electronics, books and the central compartment pops open and stays open with a practical hex-frame closure for knitting or just seeing deep into the corners. Versatile handles offer short handles and a luxurious adjustable shoulder strap which extends to wear cross body for heavy lifting.

Are you ready for Ambah's Mystery KAL?

 I'm still deciding on my colours.

When will the first Clue be available in my timezone?
This link shows the day/ time in different parts of the world for the first clue release.

This is awesome. We don't have to wait until Friday to start.

Did you know there are prizes?

5 Silver "ambah" shawl pins: 5 winners will be randomly drawn from the FO thread and announced March 22, 2017

We're picking my dad up at the airport tonight. He's been in Honduras for the past 10 days on his annual mission trip. He'll be tired and hungry and sore. He'll tell us it's his last trip. And then when they start talking about the next trip in a few months he'll be signing up again :)