Pic N Mix cowl

I very rarely knit from kits anymore because I enjoy the pleasure of finding just the perfect pattern for a special skein of yarn, or vice versa. This kit, however, delighted me from start to finish.

The start was when Lily and I popped into Beautiful Knitters in London, England last year at this time. It’s a welcoming shop, crammed with gorgeous yarns, many of which are sourced right in the UK. I had already picked out the yarns for this shawl, when a charming display of mini balls from Wee County Yarns caught my eye. Holy smokes, are they cute! Turns out, it was the last Pic N Mix kit available, but the accompanying pattern pages were nowhere to be found. This was not a problem since A/ the pattern was available free (at the link) and B/ I was already enchanted. Nevertheless, the shop owner insisted on printing the pattern out on her colour printer while I wanted and offered me a 10% discount for the inconvenience. Twist my arm! So, a great experience turned into an even better one.

I started knitting the cowl last fall while at my mom’s place deep in the Ottawa Valley woods and jumped in and out of it over the next several months between other projects. I preferred to work on it by daylight as I was choosing colours as I went. I couldn’t give myself up to an entirely random colour selection, but I did make sure that every pattern repeat was a distinctive combo. Some of the match-ups are more successful than others, but this was very much part of the fun. I also enjoyed the construction: knit in the round like a long tube and then the two open ends joined.

One learning I want to remember for the next time I do a provisional cast on would be to use a very thick wool or leave the loops on a circular needle. I think I used a fingering weight yarn, and while it held well and did the job, it was a giant PITA getting the loops back on to a needle for finishing. So, live and learn!

See how skinny that red yarn is? Thicker would have been better. But LOOK at those two cute cute cute lil fox stitch markers. Also purchased from Beautiful Knitters because how could I not.

Anyway, I finished just as it’s too warm for a pure wool, double weight cowl. So now it awaits the turning of the season. Maybe it will be a nice bright spot for me as the days get shorter and darker. Yikes. Chill, Frances. It’s way too early Spring to be dreading next winter already… But hey, at least I’ve got the perfect accessory.

Riptide sweater

Ugh, this sweater. Sooo much work for such disappointing results.

The timeline

I started this sweater last year in March and completed it in August, with at least a half dozen smaller projects in between to give me breaks. The pattern required concentration, and sometimes I just needed something simpler for more meditative knitting. So while it did take a big ol chunk of time, it wasn’t 6 months non-stop for sure. And yes, I did complete this sweater and take photos more than half a year ago. What can I say? It hurt my feelings, and I needed some time to get past it.

The yarn and pattern

Both yarn and pattern are from Expression Fiber Arts, which has long been a favourite source for absolutely gorgeous yarn. In this instance, the yarn is Seacoast Fingering (83% Pima Cotton, 12% Baby Alpaca, 5% Polyamide) in a colour called Palegic, and it’s lovely. Quite nice to work with, it has an interesting kinky/wavy texture that is much softer than I expected from looking at it.

The pattern is called Riptide and it’s currently priced at $7USD. Not sure if I paid for it, or if it was a free download at the time. The bright side is that the pattern has a wide range of sizes. The downside is that I feel like the pattern was designed for one of the smaller sizes and then just sized up mathematically. Like, for a 25% larger bust, just the other proportions up by 25% as well. Unfortunately, human bodies don’t work that way…

Or maybe it was properly sized up and thoroughly tested, and I just messed mine up that badly. Also possible! The pattern is designed (allegedly) for 6–10 inches of positive ease, so I opted for a size that should provide about 8 inches of positive ease. I also knit a gauge swatch, so I thought I’d be okay. Important to note that the pattern says, “For this yarn, the as knit length is approximately 80% of the finished blocked length.” 

So, I knit to 80% of my desired finished length, which meant I added about 4 inches in length to the solid pattern because I’m a tall girl and wanted closer to a tunic length. But, I mean, look at how it turned out. It’s very wiiiiiiide and short.

There is lots of horizontal stretch to the pattern and not so much vertical. Blocking widened the pattern sections substantially, but try as I might, I couldn’t get that much additional length. The lacey pattern goes far too low in the front to be worn without a tank or camisole underneath. And imagine if I knit it to the specified length. It would be a crop top. The neck is also waaaaay wide, which is what makes me think it was proportionally sized up. (Like, a gal’s shoulders do not widen out to football player with pads on size just cause she has larger boobs or a belly.)

Anyway, it’s a bummer all around. I’ve worn it once, but it’s just not good. I’ve thought about maybe stitching the neck closed a little further up the shoulders, but I just don’t know what else to do. Suggestions welcome.

More socks for meeee

Can’t stop, won’t stop. I just find hand-knit socks to be sooo comfortable. Warm, but not too warm. And they don’t make my feet feel sweaty like store-bought socks often do.

The pair above used the Basic Toe-up Socks pattern in a yarn called Schachenmayr Regia Design Line by Arne & Carlos (75% wool, 25% nylon).

This project finished up the skein that I first used for a pair of shortie socks back in March, 2020. I would have thought I posted about them but can’t find where, so let’s just chalk that up to the world going sideways at practically the moment of their completion. At any rate, that pair still looks like new despite a lot of wear, so I am VERY impressed with the durability of this yarn. The colourway is 2462 Tinn, if that means anything to you.

Because I wanted contrasting elements - and because I knew I’d be playing yarn chicken with the main colourway – the heels and cuffs use Cloudborn Fibers Merino Superwash Sock Twist Solids & Heathers in Red.

And then I used up that Cloudborn Fibers mini-skein on the heels and toes of this pair! Sharp-eyed viewers will not I did not have quite enough of it to finish the second heel. Oh well. Sometimes ya gamble and lose, folks. But it was low stakes since I was making them for me.

The pattern for these is No-Frills Toe-up Socks, which despite its name, offers a few variations in pattern. I went with the 3 by 1 rib version, and it made for a very nice look and fit, though I haven’t captured the pattern very clearly in the photo. What does come through loud and clear is the spicy red and black colourway called Cobar in the well-loved Bis-Sock (85% wool, 15% nylon) by Les Laines Biscotte.

And last but not least, here is the first project made using yarn from my 2022 Advent calendar from Biscotte. These absolute beauties use Super-Sock (75% merino, 25% nylon) for the toes, heels and cuffs and Bis-Sock (85% wool, 15% nylon) for the main body. Not sure of the colour names as Biscotte didn’t include that info, and I haven’t seem them listed for sale separately.

What pattern are they, you ask? I started with the Adirondack pattern from 2022 Biscotte Advent Calendar, and realized after I finished the cuff that the charts had no legend.* I tried to figure it out, but I did not have the mental energy required or the patience. So from the cuff down, I followed the similar, and absolutely lovely, Cloudchaser pattern.

*The Adirondack is now available for purchase and download from the Biscotte website. When I downloaded it, I realized the printout I had received in my calendar was simply missing the last page. So, all is well and I shall certainly use it at some point.

Baby socks and stocking cap for a sweet lil elf

My fingering weight yarn stash is out of control. I have a pile of skeins (actually, three or four good-sized baskets worth) just waiting for projects. And several of them come from Les Laines Biscotte. Their yarns are just so delicious. I have a weakness, clearly. Anyway, when it comes time to make a baby gift, there’s no need for me to go to the shop. I have just what I require at home.

For this adorable set, I pulled out a skein I bought probably 4 years ago that’s been waiting for the right project. It’s Bis-sock (85% wool, 15% nylon) self-striping yarn in the Pink Waterlily colourway. Bright, rich, utterly cheerful tones – perfect for a wee stocking cap and cosy socks.

Babies are just so satisfying to knit for cause the projects go fast and are just so DARN CUTE.

Harper Shawl, perfect for Christmas or anytime

This shawl has been off the needles for months, but I thought I better not post it in case the giftee happened to peek here sometime before Christmas. I bought this tasty yarn at Beautiful Knitters in London, UK when Lily and I visited my brother this spring. It’s a lovely shop with really excellent service. Along with this shawl’s yarn, I also bought a pile of mini-skeins for a currently in-progress project, and a skein of sock yarn for some future as-yet-to-be-determined endeavour.

These two skeins called to me from their hooks, demanding to be made into something for my mom (me mum); well, one of them did first – I can’t remember which – then the second asked to come along. From The Wool Barn on the South Coast of England, both skeins are fingering weight 100% blue-faced leicester superwash wool.

The mauve colourway is called Orchid, and the creamy multi-colour is called Bramble. Both colours are very, very much my mom’s jam.

I did not have a specific pattern in mind, but I did have a general conception in my mind’s eye of what I wanted to make. I did a few searches on Ravelry, but nothing quite called to me.

In a happy coincidence the same week I was browsing, I saw a call for testers for a new pattern (maybe on Facebook?), and it looked and sounded just right for what I had in mind.

Even though it was in testing stage, the Harper Shawl pattern was already almost perfect. I think I found one, maaaybe two, tiny things to report to the designer for fixing. It’s an extremely well-written and easy to follow pattern in spite of how fussy it looks like it could be. It even has beads, which I always enjoy. These ones aren’t pre-strung on the yarn but are attached as you go with a teeny crochet hook; however, the yarn is probably robust enough to allow for pre-stringing if you wish. (It’s fine and smooth, but nicely sturdy!)

I probably should have selected a darker or more contrasting colour of beads, but I was going for subtle and got very subtle indeed. Much rather that than gaudy, so mission accomplished.

I’m pleased with the shawl. Mom said she loves it, and I believe her.

24 days of knit-stuff! 2022 Biscotte Advent Calendar

Yay! It’s finally time to start opening the best Advent calendar of all time. This is the second year the Dave has ordered the fantastic Les Laines Biscotte Advent calendar for me. I enjoyed it so much last year that I decided to share it with you all this year. Fingers crossed that I’m just as charmed this time around.

Day 1

It’s yarn! Starting off with a bang on Day 1, we have a lovely light neutral-mauve-ish sock yarn. I’m going to guess it will pair up with another yarn – maybe variegated – to make socks. Stay tuned and find out.

Day 2

Squee! More yarn! This is a richly coloured sock yarn in gorgeous deeps blues and purples. Verrah, verrah much in my colour wheelhouse - photo of current nail colour for proof.

Same quantity and type of yarn as yesterday so Imma guess we’ll see them in a pattern together. Likely socks BUT MAYBE NOT. We shall see.

I mean, I could open the envelope that has information/pattern(s) for Day 1 and 2 and find out for sure, but it has other days marked on the envelope as well and I don’t want to spoil any surprises. I’m going to have to get someone else to open it and just hand me whatever sheets are ready to be seen… What can I say? I really like savouring the anticipation.

Day 3

Three days of yarn in a row! Given that they are all the same weight and are colours that can reasonably live together, I’m expecting they’ll be part of the same pattern. Here’s the thing though: each envelope has multiple numbers – I’m assuming for days? – on the flap. What does it meannnn? When it is safe to open them? Who knew an advent calendar needed instructions? And yes, I’m fully aware I’m way overthinking this. It won’t bother me a bit if you judge me for it.

Day 4

Wow, four days of yarn. This one is my favourite blend ever – 50% yak, 50% silk – though I’ve never gotten it from Biscotte before. Very exciting! I don’t know the weight for sure, but it looks to me like fingering weight same as previous days. A lovely deep taupe. No idea what’s happening here. I don’t think it’ll be used in the same project as the others – and who knows if they’re meant to go together either. Loving the intrigue.

Day 5

And a swerve! Day 5 brings us a yarn-related accessory. It’s a lovely simple wooden shawl pin that, as you can see on the label, is made from “sustainably harvested birch.” I am wearing it now on my still-loved honey cowl. Probably will pick out a scarf or shawl with it in mind tomorrow too. New accessories make me happy.

Day 6

Okay, it’s official. The 2022 Biscotte Yarns Advent Calendar is packed full of yarns. Five lovely 50g cakes of yarn in 6 days. I feel like that might be almost as much yarn in the first week as there was in the entire calendar last year? I could be wrong; regardless, I am enjoying all the yarns this year. Looking forward to opening the associated pattern(s) eventually too. WHAT WILL THEY BE???

Day 7

Oh, hello gorgeous! More yarn for my grabby hands. This cake is bigger than the others, and a different proportion of fibres (85% merino and 15% nylon). The colourway immediately brought to mind Dave’s snowman stocking. So cute, right? It’s holding up really well coming up on its sixth Christmas, by the way.

I am very curious if this is a variegated yarn or self-striping. At a glance it looks self-striping to me, but I didn’t unwind it at all to investigate. And of course I remain in the dark about the intended pattern… but I am going to guess that this one isn’t going to be used in conjunction with any of the previous yarns because of the different blend, the larger amount and, mostly, because of the colours. Very different vibe.

Day 8

Ha! Just realized that without anything for scale, you may think this button is massive. It is not. It is exactly the size such a button should be, which is just over an inch in diameter. I like it.

Day 9

This beautiful skein is very, very much in my colour wheelhouse. Plus, it’s yak-silk, so swoooooooon. I am obviously very much in love.

Day 10

Hey, lil gadget! I’m gonna use the heck out of you. I tryyyy to keep track of my yarns’ weights and fibres once the label is off, but I am not always the most diligent. And sometimes it’s really tough to eyeball if you’re working with aran, say, or worsted, but it matters to the success and sizing of the pattern. This will be a handy tool – assuming I put it somewhere that I can find it when I want it…. (The struggle is real!)

Day 11

Grincheux!! Squee! My favourite Christmas cartoon, and one that always reminds me of my dad, who loved it.

Another yarn! This has GOT to be more yarn than last year, I think. Delightful. Anyway, today’s little drawer was jam-packed with this cone of very fine mohair. Absolutely beautiful. I thought when I opened it that it must be meant to be combined with something else, and I wondered what.

Then I remembered that one of the envelopes was marked with 7 and 11, which meant that I could open it today without fear of spoilers. The pattern is hilarious – Grinch socks! Makes perfect sense for that adorable cake of yellow and greens from the other day (and confirms my thought that they weren’t intended for use with any of the previous yarns).

Mixing in the mohair will certainly add to its Grinchy character as well. I definitely don’t see me making it quite as written though. For one thing, I would FOR SURE trip over those toe pompoms. But I think the rest of the patterns combined with a regular toe will be just fabulous!

Day 12

Banner day! Another cake of Super-Sock in a light mauve that’s darker than the light mauve shade from Day 1. I think. I didn’t actually compare them side by side. And I also opened another pattern. This pattern, Garland of Stitches, uses six of the yarns I’ve already opened: Beige (Day 3, I think); Speckled Pink (is that today’s??); Pale Pink (Day 1?); Aigue Marine (Day 6); Taupe (Day 4) and Purple (Day 9). Which means the pattern using the juicy blue-purple variegated from Day 2 is still to come.

Day 13

I do love me some cute notions!

Day 14

Cheerful little flowers that help keep my stitches on my needles when I put them down? Well, thank you please. I like these too. The big run of gorgeous yarns was impressive, and I am also enjoying these cute wee gifties.

Day 15

This lovely faux fur pom pom reminds me that I also received a lovely faux fur pom pom in last year’s box, if I recall correctly. I shall have to look for where I put it and actually use them for something! Well, use them for a hat, presumably. I’m gonna predict that there will be a hat pattern coming up!

Day 16

Oh, I do like unique Christmas ornaments, especially when they are simple and cute – especially especially when they are simple and cute and unbreakable!

Day 17

Speaking of cute and unbreakable, today’s treasure are the ingredients to make another ornament to hang on the tree. TBD if the pattern is simple, but it looks like it will be. I absolutely love last year’s ornament pattern (this elf sweater, trés adorable!), and I’ve made several as small, one-size-fits-all gifts.

Day 18

The whole fam enjoyed this neat gadget. It’s a magnifying lens on a chain, which – as I tiptoe quietly towards the half-century mark – I very much am beginning to need on occasion.

Day 19

Delicious! Do we think this might be destined for use with the yarn from Day 2? Am I making a mistaken assumption when I expect all yarns to have an accompanying pattern? Will I be disappointed if all yarns do not have an accompanying pattern? To that last question, I have a definitive answer. I will not be disappointed. These yarns are all gorgeous and I get great satisfaction out of match-making between yarn and pattern, so that would be absolutely fine with me. (But I also very much like receiving patterns so don’t get the wrong idea, Biscotte.)

Day 20

Nothing like a cup of soothing herbal tea when curled up cosy with a project on the needles. This lovely natural tisane is a mix of dried apples and cinnamon. Literally, those are the only two ingredients on the label. I look forward to trying it.

Day 21

Another tiny cute thing! This lovely dainty pair of scissors will be perfect for snipping the ends of cross-stitch floss and, of course, yarn.

I’ll have to save the Altoids tin that is currently in my purse because it will be the ideal size for toting around this lil guy without accidentally stabbing myself.

Day 22

Deep in tchotchke territory now, we have a lovely “Fait à la main” (handmade) leather tag and an alpaca pin. I guess I should become a person whose project bags are bespangled with small decorative pins now that I have a few of them. Maybe?

Day 23

Continuing with the recent trend of small gifties is today’s handy-dandy lip balm. I like it. Very seasonally appropriate given how drying and roughening winter weather can be on my lips. Or at least how it used to be when I wasn’t pretty much a house cat most of the time. Question - do cats get chapped lips? Hmmmm….

Tomorrow’s the final reveal and the longest box in the Advent Calendar. What’s it gonna be?? I’m guessing a twisted skein of something delicious. Stay tuned to find out!

Day 24

Fa la la la la, we made it to the end! And as expected, we’re ending with another gorgeous yarn. This time, a 100% merino in worsted weight. And also as expected, there it comes with a pattern. A toque to be made with the faux fur pom pom from Day 15. I think this might actually be the project I start on tomorrow – unless the printout of the cowl pattern I’m partway through turns up. If so, I may have to finish that first…. I dunno, there’s really no wrong answer here. I’m a very lucky woman (with a somewhat chaotic house).

Also, I was delighted to find that I had missed a pattern on Day 19. Turns out there was indeed a pattern to go with the yummy yarns from Day 2 and Day 19. So, at some point I will be making these beautiful socks for meeee.

What a beautiful note to finish on. 12 skeins of yarn in total and 12 trinkets and gadgets of various sorts. All in all, I think this year’s calendar is higher in value than last year’s, and I like all the colours and patterns too. What an absolute treat. Thanks for going on the ride with me.

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noël!

Knitted jewellery - what?

I’ve been following Maryna over at 10 Rows A Day for a few years now. Her patterns are fantastic, and she has plenty of great tutorials. Anyway, a few months ago an email landed in my inbox from her about a 50% off sale at knitca. Obviously, I needed to at least have a look. Just a look…

Well, of course I ended up buying! I was attracted to the idea of knitting bracelets with wire. I had never seen such a thing. (Yes, maybe I am sheltered.) At any rate, I bought a bunch of the kits and am having a great time trying out a new type of knitting.

First, I made a couple of Sacagawea bracelets as presents for my two besties. These were made with stones from the kits, but you can also just buy the pattern separately and use stones from elsewhere. The nice thing about these patterns is that they have a written out version with illustrations as well as video versions for the folks who like to see demonstrations.

I have since made one for Lily using a mix of beads bought online, based on a “recipe” according to the powers of various semi-precious stones and crystals (for calm, concentration, self-love, etc.) A talisman made with love for success and happiness in second-year university.

I bought a few other bracelet kits and will post when I get those finished at some point. A couple of the kits I haven’t used yet are for bracelets with actual fasteners, so that’ll be a new challenge. These ones have just enough spring in them that they slide comfortably on and sit in place nicely.

If you are interested in trying out knitting a wire bracelet and maybe you already have supplies on hand, Maryna has created a free demo video. I used it to make this bright pink number. I’ve those beads for a number of years and I can’t remember why I bought them. Random fancy catcher, maybe? Anyway it was fun to create something with them, and I am enjoying how often I seem to find the perfect occasion to wear a bracelet with BRIGHT PINK beads. Very cheerful!

Socks make for excellent comfort knitting

I’m helping!

I love knitting socks, and I love wearing knit socks. My feet run cold, so handknit socks are absolute bliss. Given that “dress shoes” or, God forbid, heels that require a thin fabric sock have become a distant memory these last two years, I have been wearing my knits most chilly days – chilly for me being any day that it’s either cold enough outside for the furnace to run or hot enough outside for AC.

I finally have an adequate stockpile built up that I have a pair for each day of the week and then some. Since, uh, sometimes I might not always be rigidly on time with the weekly wash.

No wool socks

My bestie, on the other hand, is allergic to wool. Like she breaks out in welts on contact. I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty! So when she asked me to make her socks, I had to do some research. The sock yarns I tend to favour contain 80–90% wool with the rest being manmade fibres for stretch and durability. Most sock yarns have at least some wool. But for Miss Hivesy McScratchy, I needed to try something different.

I started with what I had in my yarn stash for the first pair. Using Patons North America Astra (100% acrylic) and the DK Acrylic Socks pattern, I whipped up a perfectly serviceable pair in white with black trim. Though she was happy, I wasn’t. They were fine, but not cute. And I have to imagine that yarn turns a person’s feet into sweat factories, which doesn’t make for supreme comfort.

So I went looking for proper sock yarn that didn’t contain any wool. It wasn’t as easy as I might have thought! I did eventually find Berroco Comfort Sock (50% nylon/polyamide, 50% acrylic). Fingering weight and available in pretty sock colours. Yay! For the second pair, I used this yarn in the Fjordland colourway and the Addy Socks pattern. We were both pleased with these.

Using every inch of the skein

The next pair were made for Lily, and I could go back to wool. The lovely pattern is called Komorebi Socks, and it resulted in a very pleasing texture that worked really nicely with the speckled yarn. The main yarn was Old Rusted Chair Single in the Dreamworld colourway. The toes and heels were made in The Blue Brick Niagara Silk Singles in the Flora colourway, which you might recognize as a remnant from this shawl. I’m thrifty like that.

The adorable little sockettes were a pattern I testknit, called Coco Sockette. I love them and wear them often. The main body of the sock is the aforementioned Old Rusted Chair Single, and the toes are the Flora. The big twist here? The heel is made from the remnant of Red Sock Blue Sock Yarn Cashmerino Sock in Fiesta, which I first used for the full orange comfy critters to the right.

This beautiful orange pair is from the Calm Oceans pattern. These were another test knit for a different designer. I messed up slightly on one of the heels, but it’s only noticeable on close inspection.

A simple classic

Like vanilla ice cream, this Vanilla Socks pattern is a trustworthy, uncomplicated classic. These may be the most comfortable, best-fitting calf length sock I’ve made yet. I’ll definitely reach for it again, particularly for variegated or self-striping yarns where the yarn itself is bringing plenty of visual interest to the party.

The yarn is Cloudborn Fibers Superwash Merino Fingering in Stormy Skies, and it is just lovely to wear. Better yet, it washes up like a dream. (Yes, I machine wash my hand-knit socks and hang them to dry. Yes, they can take it.)

Lil shorties

These two pairs are siblings, both made from the Early Spring Shorty Socks pattern. The pink n blue n grey pair is made with Biscotte Yarns Bis-sock in the Lighthouse colourway, with heels and toes made from Lichen and Lace Superwash Merino Fingering in Pewter and cuff in (I think) Cloudborn Fibers Highland Fingering in Burgundy. The blue and grey pair is the Stormy Skies as above, with Cloudborn Fibres Superwash Merino Fingering in graphite for the heels, toes and cuff.

The burgundy and green use the Coco Sockette pattern, except without the flower detail because A/ the yarn has enough going on and B/ I was tired and couldn’t figure out the pattern explanation in the moment. These are so comfy. The yarn is Cloudborn Fibers Highland Superwash Sock Twist Handpaints in Art Gallery. Another excellent sock yarn!

The brown stripe pair use the Florida Girl Sport Socks pattern, which I really like, except for the folded cuff detail. It looks great, but does make for a snugger cuff. If you are blessed with chonky ankles like me, you do have to be quite diligent to keep it stretchy enough. The two yarns (yes, one’s a solid brown and one is a perfectly matched self-striping) are both Patricknits Yarn Signature. Absolutely lovely to work with and wear.

Last but not least, this eye-watering pair was my travel project on a lovely trip to England this spring. It’s the Sneaker Socks pattern, which makes for very comfy socks that don’t slip off, done in two yarns from Les Laines Biscotte: Patricknits Yarn Signature in Danke (the multicolour, part of the yarn haul above) and a mystery ochre brown sock yarn that came in my Advent Calendar from Biscotte.

Keep calm and knit on, Part 5: Is it over yet?

Yes, dear, we’re almost done. The catch-up posts, I mean. I can’t speak to the end of this terrible pandemic especially since I’m currently experiencing my first official bout of covid. Yes, the rapid test was positive on Friday morning, and I don’t feel great. Fortunately, it’s more like a bad cold and headache than anything else. Yay, vaccinations! Anyway, while the energy from my nap holds up, here are the shawls and sweaters I’ve finished over the last while.

Seasons Shawl

First up is the Seasons shawl, which I absolutely love, and I made for my mother-in-law. I’ve wanted to make something for Dave’s mom for years, but she is not easy to knit for. She only likes to wear cotton. Virtually anything else makes her itchy and uncomfortable. And if you’re a knitter, you know that cotton as a yarn is most often used for dish cloths. Not exactly a mother-in-law garment grade fabric… So when my Knitcrate subscription one month contained Uru.Yarn Cotton Basic (100% cotton!) in a gorgeous pink DK weight, I was thrilled and went seeking patterns.

I found the Seasons shawl, and I’m so glad I did. This shawl felt like witchcraft to knit as its construction was so unintuitive to me. I just had to trust in the pattern as I followed it, and it turned out beautifully if I do say so myself. I chose to leave it as a full-on poncho and not to stitch the sleeves as suggested because it just hangs so nicely. I’m pretty sure she liked it? I like it enough for both of us anyway, and I should probably make one for myself!

Akiko Sweater

I don’t knit a lot of sweaters partially because I get bored before I’m finished, but mostly because I haaate seaming.* But when Lily asked me to make her a sweater (or maybe I offered? I’m nice like that sometimes), fortunately she wanted something very simple.

The Akiko sweater, knit in the round to eliminate seaming and in a bulky weight yarn to knit up quickly, suited us both perfectly. I had plenty of this Cloudborn Fibers Wool Bulky Naturals in Espresso Heather on hand, and I like its rustic look with this pattern. I also liked its look here and here and here and here. Now you know I’m posting these projects out of order - this sweater was the big knit and the other projects were all with leftovers.

Potpourri

Look at this shawl! I’m absolutely in love with it. It’s just so pretty and delicate, and I adore how the colours work together. I’ve had the first skein in my stash for several years now. It’s Expression Fiber Arts Yak-Silk Lace, which is one of my all-time favourite yarns. I made this shawl with it almost 6 years ago, and it such a pleasure to wear every time. Anyway, I had the yak-silk in the Harmony colourway, and I was waiting to alight upon the inspiration of what to do with it when I stumbled on the Potpourri pattern.

My next challenge was to find the perfect complementary yarns. Online, because pandemic and my local yarn store was closed to browsing. Hmmm…. I did a lot of surfing and agonizing, but I finally landed on Fine Lace MerSiCash (70% Merino, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere) by DyeForYarn in the colourways Aged Cinderella and Burning Fuschia. SO PERFECT, right? As it turns out, Archie the Cat is also an absolute fiend for this yarn so it’s possible it is woven with just a soupçon of catnip as well. I knit this shawl over about four months with several breaks, and I’d have to practically lock it up to keep it safe from the yarn tiger.

Clonbur Cowl

The creator of the Clonbur Cowl pattern says, “This fingering-weight cowl—with both written and charted directions—was created to be a palette cleanser. Perfect for when you need something easy and engaging in your hands.” That is exactly what I needed, and this little cowl delivered. And it’s an ideal way to showcase the glorious rich and subtly varying blue-green tones of Tosh Merino Light (100% merino) in the Nassau Blue colourway.

I knit it at the cottage with my mama, and my mama happily claimed it. That’s what I call success!

Quiet Bay

Something went very wrong with the Quiet Bay shawl, but I couldn’t figure out exactly what I did incorrectly. There is a reason there is no picture of it laying flat because it’s ridiculously off-kilter. I made some kind of mistake early on and didn’t notice–or possibly unconsciously ignored it–until I was at least half-way done.

At that point, I decided to wilfully ignore it because I loved how the colours were working together and I just couldn’t face redoing it. Plus, because I couldn’t quite parse what the error was, I didn’t want to risk all the time redoing it and ending up with the same result. But it’s very pretty when wrapped just right. Just don’t ask to see it laying flat!

*What am I thinking? I currently have this Riptide sweater on the needles for me. It is knit in pieces out of fingering weight yarn and seamed together. Why. I’m about halfway done the back piece and I’m already thinking I need a palette cleanser. Anyone need a Clonbur cowl? Or maybe I’ll make another mini-sweater for a quick lil project…

Keep calm and knit on, Part 4: The cuteness is real

Speaking of cute things, let’s start with Tarzan.

Shelter Dog Sweater

He’s my little dogbrother, who is tremendously good company for my mom, a lovey goodboi to my family and me, and a terror to almost every one else he meets. (At least until they learn he only has three teeth, so his bark is indeed very much worse than his bite.) He’s mostly Boston Terrier, with a splash of Australian Shepherd for interest – according to dnamydog.com at any rate – and was rescued from truly dire circumstances before landing in the lap of luxury at age nine. Anyway, he deserves only good things in his golden years.

The Shelter Dog Sweater, made out of Knitologie Worsted Merino in Safari Sunset allows him to strut his stuff like a model, while staying warm in chilly temps. Tell him he’s handsome! And see his mom’s matching hat here.

Housewares by Frances

Does your French press need a sweater? Mine did, so I knit up the Coffee Pot Cosy to help keep my java warm for a little longer in the morning. Ridiculous and adorable little cabled cardigan, yes?

Speaking of sweaters for household goods, my bestie saw the pillow covers I made for the couch at the cottage and “suggested” that a good project for me would be a light green throw pillow for her couch as well – knitter’s choice as to pattern. Well, I love the pillows I already made, but of course I wanted to do something different. I chose the Vinter Pillow pattern and, instead of the Jumbo weight yarn called for, used worsted weight held double. To get the shade of green I wanted and to jazz up my life a little, I used one strand in Fern and one strand in Soft Fern of Bernat Super Value Solids.

I also made a super-boring pillow – no pattern, just stockinette – for my couch at home. The
Loops & Threads Eco-braid Multi yarn was a Christmas gift from said bestie last year. This yarn is BIG. My notes say I cast on 22 stitches and knit 27 rows, et voila! Easy peasy.

Nice birthday hat, Archie!

“Thanks, I hate it with the fiery heat of a thousand blazing suns.”

It’s not everyday that a baby turns one. To mark this festive occasion, I made Archie a birthday hat. I have no idea why I thought that was the right use of my time and energy, and yet here we are. He was also perplexed by my choices and, as you might expect, irritated. I have a whole book of hat patterns for cats–called, appropriately enough, Cats in Hats, so Archie may well have reason for ongoing annoyance.

He’s not alone in his awkwardness. A friend of ours saw the pics of Archie’s headwear and thought, “that’s what my ladies need!” I happily adapted the pattern ever so slightly larger and made a couple more hats in less festive colours for everyday cold weather wear. Just wait - next year, they’re what all the best dressed chihuahuas will be wearing!

And lest you think these little doggies look stressed, remember: they’re chihuahuas – that’s just how they look.

A Snake for Archie

Because some pets need pets of their own. I made a toy snake for our cat Archie from some of the leftover Bernat Super Value Solids, using the Henry’s Toy Snake pattern. Have a click through to the pattern’s page on Ravelry for a gander at many pictures of cats with their snake babies. I find it delightful.

To be honest, Archie doesn’t love the snake as much as I thought he might. I’m pretty sure it’s because he knows Bernat is a mass-produced, inexpensive yarn. He is a terrible yarn snob.

Speaking of babies, and critters…

For another sweet baby – a human one – I made a Raccoon from the book, The World of Knitted Toys. I used
Cloudborn Fibers Highland DK in Silver Heather and in Charcoal Heather, as well as Cloudborn Fibers Merino Alpaca Sport in Antique White and in Black. The wee babe is the little brother of the Fox owner, so I wanted to keep with the same Canadian animal theme and I also wanted to knit something I hadn’t made before - so a moose was out.

Plus, the trash panda during the pandemic is the kind of the dumb pun you know I love. Just look at him – this lil guy is totally in on the joke.

Knitted sweaters, elf size

In our house, we’re big fans of advent calendars. Well, I am for sure, and I usually am the purchaser of said calendars for my peeps. In 2021, the Dave really upped his game and absolutely delighted me with an advent calendar from Les Laines Biscotte (Biscotte Yarns). The box itself was beautifully constructed, with ribbons tying its flaps closed, so it was like opening French doors into a mysterious closet of different sized, numbered boxes. Day after day, I opened new little gifts, including a candle, mints, scissors, a wooden shawl pin, various notions, and of course some of their gorgeous hand-dyed yarns and patterns.

One box contained a small skein of yarn (which I haven’t used yet) and a tiny coat hanger. The pattern itself came by email, and it’s now available for free on Ravelry. I whipped one up for my tree using a remnant of leftover sock yarn, and another for a friend. I made a third using a different free pattern, but it just isn’t as cute. The proportions are off a little. Anyway, I only had one tiny hanger but not for long. Just search up “mini coat hanger from paperclip” and you too will be cranking out tiny hangers a mile a minute.

The Child

I was late to The Mandalorian party. Turns out, it’s pretty good. I haven’t finished season 2 yet, but I probably will sometime. What I did finish over the course of a day or two was this charming little stuffie. Made from an easy-to-follow free pattern and using yarn I had on hand, Baby Yoda - I know, Grogu – was a fun, fast project. The hands and arms of the coat are knitted in a single piece, which is the kind of genius hack I appreciate.

I had no plans for it, so when my daughter claimed him for her dorm room I was very happy to adopt him out to a good momma. I hope something similar happens on the show, cause that little guy needs a safe, loving home.

There. That’s the small things rounded up and shared. I’ve started on a sweater for me, which will be a months-long endeavour so I’ll likely be looking back fondly at these smaller scale items. (Except for the raccoon. For some reason I struggled so hard with those seams, and looking at the photo in hindsight I’m pretty sure his back legs are upside down. Sorry, man. I hope it doesn’t slow you down.

Keep calm and knit on, Part 3: Hats and accessories

Let’s just sweep this 2 year long pandemic fully under the rug with a catch-up post or 3, shall we? Since I completely fell off the posting train in late 2020, I have a lot - like, a lot a lot - of projects I haven’t shared. Fortunately, knitting doesn’t go bad, so here we go. Like the most irritating recipes on the web, these next posts will be long on photos and short on details. But don’t worry, I’ll link to the relevant patterns and provide yarn deets wherever I can.

Market Bag

I subscribed to KnitCrate for a couple of years and enjoyed many of the yarns and patterns I’ve received, this market bag being one of them. It’s the Adventure is Out There pattern - available for purchase on Ravelry - made in Audine Wools Interlock, in the colourway Beaches. It’s so pretty and so stretchy.

KnitCrate made a number of changes to their service, including a substantial price hike, so I seldom opt in to a shipment anymore. But it was fun while it lasted.

Button Boot Slippers

I can’t remember for sure, but I have a very strong feeling that I bought the yarn and pattern as a kit from Craftsy at a screaming deal on Black Friday. I know I got a few things that way, and I think this is one of them. The buttons, on the other hand, definitely came from Amazon. They were cute, well-reviewed and it was during a time when browsing in-store for interesting buttons seemed like a bad idea. I regret nothing (about this decision in particular, at least.)

Anyhoo, the pattern is 3-in-1 Button Boots, and I love the looks of them. That said, I recall the moss stitch or whatever that is on the shaft being hella-tedious, and I did look for a simpler pattern for the next slippers I made. The yarn is Cloudborn Fibers Wool Bulky Naturals; the main colour is Smoke Heather, and the sole is Espresso Heather.

Lego Toques for a Pair of Pooks

Sometimes I knit gifts that take lots of time and effort, and I never hear boo. I’m left wondering if the recipient even received them, let alone enjoyed them. Other times, I knit gifts and I get profuse thanks, in addition to immediate photo evidence of enjoyment. That makes me so happy!

These two toques use the Building Blocks Hat pattern by Becca Hulme Designs. Like all Becca Hulme Designs, the pattern is well-written and easy to follow. The green one is Toddler size, and the blue one is Child size. The red and white yarns are James C. Brett Double Knitting with Merino, while the blue, orange, and green are Paton’s North America Astra. Paton’s is excellent as always, while I found the James C. Brett to be kind of splitty to work with. The models are Kevin and Josh, and both are freakin’ adorable, yes?

Sitka Spruce Hat and Mitts

These lovely patterns for both the hat and mitts are bundled together from the ever-popular Tin Can Knits. I have in my notes that they run small, so that may well be true. What is equally likely to be true is that I didn’t check gauge before embarking on the pattern and knit tighter than the pattern designer did. I do recall that the yarn – Audine Wools Sleek, which is 55% Merino wool, 30% alpaca, and 15% silk – really retained its shape, despite some vigorous attempts to block slightly larger. Love the look of them, and they did fit the recipient nicely, so all is well in the world.

Bolt Legwarmers

I mostly mention these Bolt Legwarmers in order to complain about the yarn. It’s barely yarn, in fact, maybe a couple of sturdiness steps up from roving. It’s Uru.Yarn Chonk (82% Merino, 18% Cotton) in the colourway Shiraz in the City, which is a sturdy shade of brown. I am not interested in drinking brown shiraz myself, but different strokes, I guess. . Despite the nice stitch definition when first knit as shown in the photo, this yarn does not hold up. Like at all. Even while knitting I had to watch that I wasn’t pulling too hard and fraying the yarn. Do not recommend. The pattern itself, mind you, is easy-peasy and well-written.

Hill 60

My mom wanted a simple, warm toque that would cover her ears and keep her head warm while taking Tarzan-the-man for walks. Well, what else could I do than make a toque that would colour coordinate with the pooch, while keeping her toasty? The free Hill 60 pattern by Galt House of Yarn paired with Knitologie Worsted Merino were the perfect choices for an absolutely squoooshy hat that would brighten anyone’s day. The darker brim is in the Safari Sunset colourway to match Tarzan’s jacket, and the remainder is in the gorgeous Golden Lion.

Hats and mitts for meeeeeee!

Sometimes a girl just needs a little glitter in her life, and this toque delivers in comfort and classic Canadian style. The Angel Hat pattern offers a lovely texture that is also a fast and easy knit. The yarn, a Christmas present from my favourite son, is Bernat Premium in Soft Grey Sparkle. I made the hat a little longer than the pattern called for because I wanted to make sure I would be able to make a deep brim, despite my abundance of head and hair. Mission accomplished! I got a new winter coat this year in a light pink, and it looks so pretty together.

And because one hat is never enough - and because my new winter coat has a delicious aubergine zip out lining that can be worn on its own as a lighter jacket – I made another, lighter toque to keep it company. For this one, I used Cloudborn Fibers Highland Superwash Sock Twist Handpaints (80% wool, 20% nylon) in the Art Gallery colourway and the Happy Hipster pattern.

Now that I had two new hats, obviously I needed new mitts. The warmer and sturdier the better, so when making a pair for myself, I opted for the classic: Newfoundland Mitts. I mean, why on Earth wouldn’t I? I used Vidalana Celestial in Ganymede grey for the cuffs and frames and the practically bullet-proof (said with affection and admiration) Briggs & Little Softspun Hand Painted in Eggplant for the windows. Please note the extreme genius level colour coordination that means these mitts match both of my new toques.

I know. I amaze me also.

Dorm boots

As I mentioned earlier, the button boot slippers I made last winter (see above) are warm and comfy, but they were tedious to knit. This winter - yes, items in this post span a full year! - I wanted to make something similar for a friend, and I wanted to have them finished in just a few days. I searched around and came up with the Better Dorm Boot Slippers – and they really are! Very simple indeed to knit, sturdy and cosy. All the boxes checked off. They are knit with yarn held double, so they are extra padded too.

Because I am trying to shop in my cabinets first these days, I was happy to see that I had just what I needed already. For the soles I used Cloudborn Fibers Wool Bulky Naturals in Espresso Heather (same as the earlier pair of slippers). The rest of the boot is one strand of Wool Bulky and one strand of Vidalana Celestial in Ganymede, which I used in my Newfie Mitts.

Grampy’s Hat

Because I made a poncho for my mother-in-law last Christmas, details of which will be posted soon, I wanted to make something for my father-in-law this year. But what to make? I have a strong hunch that if I made a sweater it would either be too heavy or be kept for “good” - aka never worn or enjoyed. So I went simple. A classic but special toque for a classic but special gentleman. I used the Ditto pattern and what was perhaps the last of the Cloudborn Fibers Wool Bulky Naturals in Espresso Heather in my stash. I just really like it, okay?! I don’t know if he wears it, but I do know he was pleased to receive it so that’s what matters. And I’ve just gotten the fresh idea that maybe he would like a vest next year. Hmmm…. Something to think on.

Return of the skull!

One last hat before I hit Post. This fella is my very own Skull Toque pattern, which I first made a few years ago. This time I used a black worsted weight mystery yarn and Audine Wools Chill (90% alpaca, 10% cashmere goat) in Clouds Are Very, Very Free colourway.

This version revises the pattern to include instructions for small, medium, and large. Feel free to download and make it for your own self or someone you love. If you do, I’d love to hear about it and any feedback.

A gorgeous gradient in an easy knit shawl

Why yes, it has been a while since I’ve shared any projects. I haven’t taken any breaks from knitting. Can’t stop, won’t stop. Perhaps I’ll update with a massive omnibus post of all the projects I’ve completed as the pandemic has plodded on – or maybe I won’t. You can always wander by my projects page on Ravelry if you’re curious what I’ve been up to.

I bought a few gradient bundles of Cloudborn Fibers Merino Superwash Sock Twist from webs.com last fall. Maybe it was on Black Friday? Not sure, but it was a good sale. This 5-pack of mini skeins (fingering weight, 80% merino; 20% polyamide, 125 g per skein) is in the Blue Dacnis colourway.

I realize I have a terrible weakness for these aqua blues. Put them together in a gradient set on sale, and I am powerless to resist. I think it’s because my mom never brought me anything to wear in blue, like ever. She doesn’t care for blue herself and it definitely affected her choices for me. There’s a scene in one of the Little House on the Prairie books where Mrs Ingalls has mixed up the girls’ hair ribbons. Laura absolutely revels in wearing blue for a change, and Mary treasured the pink ones. I understood this scene with 100% of my 8 year old self.

Anyhow, I wanted to choose a pattern that would make the most of the gradient. The Whiskey in a Teacup shawl, a free pattern on Ravelry, fit the bill nicely. It’s a very simple, mostly stockinette knit with occasional garter rows for interest, and some easy lace rows in the border section.

The pattern says the border section would require 58% of your yarn. Well, when I hit 58% remaining of my yarn, I was not yet near the border. So I had to decide whether to compromise the pattern or add more yarn. (Frogging my work to that point was decidedly not an option!) Fortunately, I had an additional mini-skein of navy from another gradient colourway that I felt confident would work beautifully, and it did.

Except that even with the additional skein I found myself in a dramatic game of yarn chicken - which I lost. I needed to finish the last several stitches of the picot binding in black. I don’t think it’s noticeable and I’m not particularly worried if it is. I made it for me, and I’m not going to complain! Besides, I’ll just call it the flaw that acknowledges only the divine is perfect. Imagine – some people are so competent they have to introduce mistakes deliberately for this purpose. Let’s just say this is not a habit I foresee needing to introduce for myself any time soon.

Keep calm and knit on, Part 2: In which there’s a panda

A few years ago, several of my younger friends and colleagues embarked on a delightful baby boom. I was happily occupied with wee blankets, hats, sweaters and cuddlies for months on end. Having passed the baby years myself, I absolutely glory in the privilege of snuggling and snorgling tiny humans and then passing them back to their parents. Plenty of joy, none of the responsibility and crippling fatigue. 

Now, those same teeny babes have grown to toddler- and preschooler-dom, and there’s a new crop of little siblings on the way. So back I dive into welcome gift knitting. 

This panda –  could not resist the pun for a pandemic baby (I’m weak) – comes from the book Knitted Wild Animals: A Collection of Adorable Animals to Create from Scratch by Sarah Keen. 

I’ve had wonderful results from other patterns in this book (the elephant and the moose), and this was no exception.

Though I hate seaming with a flaming passion, it’s not so bad when all the seams are short. Plus, look at how cute the side view is.

The pandemic panda is for the newest member of the elephant’s family. I hope they are all so happy together and healthy and snuggly. 

Keep calm and knit on, Part 1: Shawl round-up

2020 has been quite the year, hasn’t it? While the COVID-19 pandemic has put a big crimp into life as usual – working from home, less socializing, being strategic about shopping and so on – it hasn’t slowed my knitting. The lack of posts is not from a lack of material, just getting me sidetracked. Story of my life!

Anyway, I’m planning to catch up with a few compendium posts of the pieces I’ve been completing, starting with shawls – which, by the way, are perfect for dressing up a ratty t-shirt or hiding a stain for the multitude of videoconferences!

Dewberry Shawl

This purple, I mean PURPLE, number is the Dewberry pattern by Hilary Smith Callis. It’s a shawl-cowl hybrid: it looks drapey like a shawl, but it’s knit in the round and wears easily like a cowl. The yarn, aran weight acrylic Bernat Premium in the very unsubtle Ultra-Violet colourway, was a Christmas gift from my darling son. I believe this was my first project to be started post-Christmas as he was very eager for proof that I like his present.

The next shawl pattern and yarn I bought deeply discounted last Black Friday from Bluprint.com (the once and future Craftsy.com). The Dappled Sunlight pattern by Jennifer Weissman offers a simple knit with enough variation to keep it from being tedious. This pattern would also look fantastic with a long, gentle gradient. I used a single colour, the rich burgundy of Cloudborn Highland Fingering (100% wool).

Dappled Sunlight Shawl

I haven’t decided yet if this is a keep-for-me project, or perhaps a gift for someone else. It’s folded up neatly and placed away from the melee of my overcrowded and riotous shawl drawer. I usually know when I am creating something who I am making it for because I like to direct my good intentions for the person into it. This time, it’s filled with more generalized positive thoughts and mellowness, but hey, in this world that can’t be bad.

Speaking of making gifts for someone special, I made the Moonlit River shawl, pattern by Paula King, for that same aforementioned darling son’s darling girlfriend at his request. It was during the height of the social distancing/stay at home orders, so they hadn’t seen each other for weeks. (Multiple video calls and continual texting don’t count!)

Moonlit River Shawl

He described the kind of shawl he thought she’d like and picked the pattern from an array of possibilities I showed him. He also selected the yarn from my stash, a very nice skein of The Blue Brick Niagara Silk ( 75% Merino wool/15% Cashmere goat/10% Silk) in the delicate Flora colourway. I very much like the resulting long, elegant shawl and may just make one for me someday.

Finally, this last number I decidedly made for ME in a style and colours that I adore. The yarn is another delightful Blue Brick creation, this time The Blue Brick Killarney Sock (80% Merino wool/20% nylon) in the Nicaragua gradient colourway. So pretty, very me colours.

I used That Nice Stitch for the pattern, adapting it by making it several stitches wider and casting on using Judy’s Magic Cast-On with a spare circular needle rather than waste yarn. This idea worked like a charm with a flawless Kitchener stitch to seam the ends together. EXCEPT that I boneheadedly had managed to twist the ends so I had a moebius loop shawl. GAH. So I had to unpick the join and redo and, naturally, it wasn’t quite as neat the second time around. But at least it was done and ready to wear. This little number has already seen many video conferences in its young life. I am confident it will see many more. (Actually, just realized that I’m wearing it today.) It has even - gasp! – left the house on more than one occasion.

That Nice Stitch Shawl

Going Full Lenny Kravitz with Mandala Tweed

A couple of months ago, I got the nicest email from Yarncanada.ca, asking me if I would be interested in trying out some new yarn in exchange for an honest review. You know that when it comes to yarn, “I’m just a girl who cain’t say no” (musical theatre throwback!), so soon enough a package of squishy goodness arrived in the mail.

The yarn is Lion Brand Mandala Tweed (Worsted, 100% acrylic), and I opted for the Dice colourway. It’s described on the website as, “easy to work with and you instantly get a tweedy, self-striping effect.” True and true. It has a natural, wool-like hand feel – none of that squeakiness you can sometimes get with inexpensive acrylics, and it comes in a honking-big cake of 520 m (568 yard).

The challenge I had with the two cakes I received was deciding what to make with them. I wanted to use them both in a single project and, in a rare change, I didn’t have any impending babies to make a blankie for. Plus, the yarn is busy and colourful. I wanted to show it at its best. I strongly felt the simpler stitch, the better for this yarn. 

After several weeks of mulling as well as frantically working on Christmas gifts, I found a pattern that spoke to me. The free Livezey House wrap is meant to be knit in stockinette with four different skeins of complementary colours, resulting in a pleasingly stylish yet simple, long, thick scarf. Knitting it out of the self-striping Mandala Tweed made it even easier to tackle with, in theory, fewer joins to be made.

What I found in practice was that, though I am clearly not obsessive about matching up stripes and ensuring two sides are symmetrical (have you seen my sockses?), I did have to do some winding and hunting through the second skein to ensure that it would join in a non-jarring way. The two cakes were surprisingly different in terms of the order and amount of each colour included. I had thought a mass-produced yarn would be more uniform. For me, this inconsistency was kind of enjoyable to be honest, but I can imagine some folks being irritated. 

The LIvesey House wrap starts with a triangle which extends on two planes out to become the length of the scarf. The triangle is then aggressively blocked into shape, so you end up with an actual long – in my case, really long – rectangular scarf. Super cool. The blocking worked reasonably well with this yarn despite it being an acrylic. Also a slight remaining triangle shape would not be an issue anyway because of how I like to wrap it, Lenny style.   

I am happy to say that Mandala Tweed, listed at about $12 Canadian on YarnCanada.ca, is an excellent choice for a highly washable, easy to use, fun yarn. The pattern was easy-peasy and relaxing. I’ve had a bunch of compliments on the scarf, which I’ve already worn several times, pretty much all focused on the rich and lovely colour palette. 

A gaggle of hats for gifting

What’s forgiving of size, fun to create, (relatively) inexpensive to ship, hella useful, and offers endless variations? The beloved winter toque, of course! 

I find making hats to be so satisfying and an excellent project to try out new or more challenging techniques. Plus, they only require one skein or less, which makes them perfect for that special yarn you’ve been hoarding or for using your beautiful leftovers.

This Christmas included hats for two of my nieces, one nephew, one sister-in-law, and one of my besties. 

Snowflakes Toque

This pretty fella came from a kit I ordered at a super Black Friday discount price from Bluprint (formerly Craftsy). I made it for Rosa, a beautiful blue-eyed country girl and RN, who has four horses and a full complement of dogs and cats as well. She likes pretty things, but has no time for fuss. 

The well-written pattern, Knit Frozen Snowflakes Beanie, is also available for purchase on Ravelry. I used Sprightly Yarns Acrylic Worsted in Misty Blue and White. I liked that the yarn allows for machine washing and drying (keeping it real, yo), and it has a nice hand feel as well. 

Winter Moose Hat

These yarns are a true mystery as they came from a pop-up swap shop at work. The idea was for everyone to bring in good quality items that they don’t want anymore and to take home anything they would use. I brought in a pile of outgrown kids’ clothes and brought home four skeins of yarn with no labels. It’s acrylic for sure, and I guessed that it is a DK weight.

Anyhow, it was perfect for this Winter Moose Hat for my nephew, Ian. I really enjoy how the lime green really makes the trees pop. (The bunching of the yarn because I didn’t leave enough allowance behind the trees also make them pop, but let’s call that a feature, shall we?) 

The actual pattern name is Sarah’s Hat and it’s free, making this a very thrifty gift indeed.

Fresh Scallop Hat

This combo of pattern, yarn, and colours pleases me to no end. I hope my niece Sophie likes it!  The free Fresh Scallop Hat pattern was created by Maritime Family Fiber, a family-run yarn store founded by a woman who grew up on a sheep farm that supplied fleece to Briggs & Little. Briggs & Little makes down-home tough-but-beautiful wool that I absolutely adore.

This hat contains three colourways of Briggs & Little Heritage 100% wool Aran-eight yarn, and one colourway of Bernat Super Value Solids, which is 100% acrylic. Was I worried about blending these yarn types? A little, but look at how great they look together.  The pattern calls for each of the scallops to have the same number of rows, but I didn’t have the same amount of each colour so I worked with what I had. I think it turned out fab! What a happy way to use the last bits of these yarns.

From bottom to top the colourways are Evergreen, Grey Heather, Teal Heather, and Grape. And since it fortunately doesn’t look super-obvious, I’ll point out that the Teal Heather is the Bernat yarn. 

Molly Hat

I had this gorgeous skein for ages, just waiting for the right project to beckon for it. It is CACTUS Yarn Studio Worsted Weight 100% merino wool in the colourway petite poussière. Strangely, the colour name translates to something like “little dust” or “little dirt.” I think nuance gets lost in the translation there! Maybe it also means speckles? Anyhow… it’s so pretty and so delicious to handle. I think it’s best that I didn’t tell my sister-in-law that I made her a dirt hat. 

The Molly pattern, free on Ravelry, was a delightful simple knit that looks more complex than it is. The cable is faux, but the glamour is real. It used every last metre of yarn too. I had maybe 10cm after I cast off. Winning at yarn chicken is winning at life!

Snowtracks Cap

The Snowtracks Cap pattern is also free via Yarnspirations. It will quench your hankering for some interesting cables, and it really makes the most of a solid, strong colour yarn. Love the stitch definition in this toque.   `

This last toque in the parade also used the Bernat Super Value Solids in Teal Heather. I really got a lot of mileage from that skein, given that I made a Christmas gift cowl out of it last year too. I can’t remember when or why I bought it – maybe for something specific? – but I’d definitely recommend it as a particularly nice versatile acrylic at a good price when you’re looking for one. When you’re knitting for an 11 year old – even a super smart one! (hi Cameron) – you don’t necessarily want to use boutique yarns. Every day is a new adventure. Who knows what might happen to a hat or mitts along the way?   

I hope your holidays have been wonderful and all of your handmade gifts were received in love!

So many sock knits! Long socks, ankle socks, and the sweetest wee baby hat

Now that we’ve headed back into the chilly season, I’m once again treasuring the small arsenal of knit socks I’ve begun to accumulate for myself. I work in a fantastic converted mill with glorious exposed brick and beams and big windows, and all the challenges you might assume that come with evenly heating a building like that to “office” temperatures.

Along with hats (okay, and sweaters, and scarves), knit socks are my favourite weapons against the low temps. What I’ve discovered is that not all sock patterns knit up the same for all sock yarns. I should probably swatch, I realize, but I almost never do. Instead, when it comes to socks, I tend to stick with patterns that are developed with the specific yarn I’m using in mind.

The full-length pair is knit in Biscotte Yarns Bis-sock, a yarn I cannot get enough of, in the colourway Mon pays c'est l'hiver.* I used Biscotte's Basic Toes-up Heel-flap Socks by Louise Robert as the pattern (it’s available free, what a deal), and c’est parfait!

This next pair uses Biscotte Yarns Bis-sock as well, this time in the Lighthouse colourway. I didn’t have enough yarn for a full-length pair, so I decided to see if I enjoyed an ankle length. I followed the same Biscotte's Basic Toes-up Heel-flap Socks pattern until all the heel stitches were picked up, then knit two rounds and finished with 5 rounds of k1p1 rib. Turns out I liked the ankle length so much I decided to make another pair.

Now, I very much like the look of this Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball Crazy yarn in the Charisma colourway, and I wanted to use it for socks, but it has been a problem child. I’ve had the yarn for over three years and this would be the third time trying to use it. I first tried using the Hermione's Everyday Socks pattern. As I recall, the intricacy of the pattern was not suited for such a dark yarn when knitting in less-than-blindingly bright rooms. Mistakes ahoy! Then the previously reliable Basic Dress Socks pattern created a sock with regular size front foot and a massive ankle. It would have been perfect for someone with terribly swollen ankles - it might have even fit over a plaster cast! So frogged it I did.

Third time was the charm with the – you guessed it! – Biscotte's Basic Toes-up Heel-flap Socks pattern. I shortened up the cuff to just two rows of k1p1 rib. I’m so pleased with how the colour pooled. Cute, right?

Of course, sock yarn isn’t just for socks. Here’s what I did with some of the Bis-sock Lighthouse – a little, tiny toque for a sweet little newborn. I adapted the free, simple Sock Topper pattern to get what I was looking for. Here’s what I did:

I cast on 96 stitches for a wee little newborn size. I added a K1P1 ribbing for about 1 inch so the band wouldn’t roll up (thinking of helping the hat stay on a sleepy little melon in a car seat). And I knit until the total length was 3.5 inches or so before starting the decrease. I had to adjust the decreases to account for the difference in the number of stitches cast on as follows:

Work one round even.
(k2tog, k13) six times. 84 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k12) six times. 78 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k11) six times. 72 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k10) six times. 66 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k9) six times. 60 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k8) six times. 54 stitches remaining.
Work one round even
(k2tog, k7) six times. 48 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k6) six times. 42 stitches remaining.
Work one round even.
(k2tog, k5) six times. 36 stitches remaining.
Work the decreases in every row until there are 6 stitches remaining. Break the yarn leaving a tail.Run the yarn through the 6 stitches and pull to tighten, then secure. Weave in the ends.

Then I added a cute knitted flower in scrap of leftover white worsted using the instructions in this video, except where says to cast on 46 stitches I cast on 45 so it would divide evenly into 5. (I don't really understand how 46 stitches would work out properly.)

Look at this little muggins. SO ADORABLE, RIGHT? This was her coming-home-from-the-hospital outfit. What an honour for the toque!

*A digression, if you’re interested. Mon Pays c'est l'hiver evokes the iconic Quebecois unofficial anthem, Mon Pays by Gilles Vigneault. The opening line, and repeated phrase throughout, is “Mon pays ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver” – “My country is not a country, it’s winter.” It’s an uplifting song that celebrates the beauty, cultural and physical isolation, and hospitality of Northern Quebec.

Dainty-beautiful Arcus Cloud cowl - but what to wear it with?

I saw a pattern I loved. I had yarn already on hand that would be perfect for it. I made the thing. It turned out beautifully. But I have nothing to wear it with. I am honestly for real contemplating buying a shirt specifically to be able to wear this cowl. The peak of first-world knitter problems. I am aware of my own ridiculousness.

Anyhoo, that’s the sitch. It is a beauty though, isn’t it? It’s the Arcus Cloud Cowl by Skeinwalker, with the pattern available for purchase on Ravelry. 

The yarn is Expression Fiber Arts Resilient Superwash Merino Sock in the Lucky ducklings colourway. This yarn has a lot of spring to it, so I was quite pleased with how it blocked out and opened up. 

I’d love to wear it, but right now I dunno how. I’ll happily take styling suggestions!

A cowl so nice I made it twice

I just love this pattern, the Brannock Cowl by Erineen Designs, which is available at a fair price on Ravelry. It’s simple but enjoyable to knit, and it knits up quick. I made these two cowls within a regular week where I was working and juggling all the usual stuff, but they don’t look like they’re something that would be labelled “quick knits.” I appreciate that, especially since they were both intended as gifts.

The teal version used 73 g of Bernat Super Value Solids in Teal Heather. I recorded the exact amount of yarn used so that I would know if I had enough of the black speckle yarn to make one out of that. As you can see, I did. I believe it’s Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted in Black tweed, but I’ve been knitting various projects with it for so long I’m not actually sure. Seriously, it’s magical. Good thing it’s versatile!

Anyway, that’s all I’ve got. Highly recommend!

A sasquatch here and skull toque there: Head wear for the teens

Why yes, another long delayed Christmas gift post. It IS ridiculous, but I like these hats quite a lot - as well as the goofballs in them. I could NOT get properly posed pics, so I’m rolling with it.

Goofball 1, with the kazoo, is wearing the fabulous Bigfoot Hat, a free pattern by WoolyRhino Crafts. If you are not actually a knitter yourself, or you just don’t have the time, you can buy one ready made from her Etsy shop. (Fair warning though, shipping costs to Canada are steep!) The lovely purple colour is Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted in Wisteria. I used a speckled black worsted that I’ve been knitting stuff from forever. It’s truly the ball that never ends! I don’t remember what it is but I’m thinking it’s Patons as well.

Goofball 2, the left-handed one, is wearing a design of my own creation that was heavily inspired by the Bigfoot hat. The yarn is absolutely luscious, mYak Baby Yak Medium, in Moss and Midnight Blue colourways.

If you are interested in the pattern, you can download a pdf here. It hasn’t been tech edited or test knit, so please let me know if you find any oopsies. And let me know if you do make it - I’d love to see pictures.