Knitting and Spinning

I've mentioned on more than one occasion that I struggle with finding the right pattern for my handspun. There is an exception however. Its Loop batts. No sooner does one come off the wheel than I have cast on a new pattern using it. Case in point - see this gorgeous handpsun?



Its Loop batts Raindrop colourway one plain and one sparkle plied together. It is gorgeous. And of course I cast on right away and knit Glacier Sweep by....wait for it.....Stephen West! Its a bummer that I don't have enough to finish all 5 sections, but I think I will buy some commercial yarn in a worsted/aran weight yarn in black to finish it off. I'm very happy with it, but want it done - like now. Why is that?



I just finished spinning this very pretty two ply and I love it. But I bet it'll be forever before I end up knitting with it. Its Fractal Roving from etsy seller Hilltop Fibers - and she's Canadian!




I'll leave you with a cute kiddie photo seeing as its Easter weekend. Happy Egg hunting to you all!

Sweet Things

It seems to me that certain types of babies are born in batches. I don't know if its something in the water or what it is, but there is a phenomenon afoot. For the past 5 years it seems we have had an abundance of boy babies being born. Any coworker who had a baby - turned out to be a boy! Young friends - all boys. Family members - all boys. We have 3 grandbaby boys to prove it!! But lately, I've been noticing a shift. It started with Lisa (a coworker) in January. She had a little girl. I was so happy to knit for her!! Its been forever that I knit anything for a baby girl.

Next up was a young friend of Kev's. They too had a girl. Kev requested something special for this young couple so I set to work knitting. Now, this baby is also the great granddaughter of my local LYS owner! I had to knit something special!!

So I set to work. I picked out a special yarn. Its a club yarn no less - supposedly destined for a different project, but this is superwash (which is important for new moms) and the colour was outstandingly gorgeous (which is important for impressing your local lys owner) The yarn is by called Andrea May by Studio June on etsy. It was a club colourway from Ann Hanson's Fall into Full Colour Club. Ann's pattern for this shipment was lovely, but I could envision this baby sweater so clearly. It just spoke to me.

The pattern I chose is Cascade from the emagazine Petite Purls The reason I chose this pattern is in no small part due to Jasmine of the Knitmore Girls podcast fame. She has been knitting her daughter this little sweater and talking about it on her podcast. She has also been posting pics on Instagram I've been smitten.

Now, to push this little sweater into even more awesomeness, I sewed a grosgrain ribbon into the button band. The Knitmores have been big advocates of this. It makes the garment more special and it has the benefit of preventing the button band from stretching out and pulling out of shape.











It is a special little sweater and I couldn't be more pleased. If you are interested in sewing a grosgrain ribbon into your cardigans, I highly recommend checking out the Knitmore girls video tutorial! I am certain that you will learn something!

Next up - booties. My coworker Jody is having a baby....and yes, its a girl. There is something in the water, I tell ya!

I lied

As you can see from the date of the last post and the date of this post (an entire month later!) that my pledge to blog more and to take more pictures was in fact A BIG FAT LIE. What is it that they say about the road to ....somewhere being paved with good intentions. Yeah. Well, it seems that I'm heading down that road. But enough about that....lets get to the knitting. Because yes, I have been knitting.

Its baby time around these parts. I showed you the little hat that I'd knit for Lisa's baby Addison. Shame on me that it hasn't been gifted to her yet. Good thing that she's teeny tiny and it will fit her for a while. And to make matters worse, we live on the same street now. So, even though Lisa is on maternity leave and I don't see her as much, there is absolutely no excuse why this little hat and sweater set hasn't been given to her yet. Well, there is an excuse I guess. I haven't sewn on the buttons yet. Yikes!! I've had them for over a month now. Procrastinate much?

I was very excited that I joined Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club in January!! I think this must be one of the most well known knitting clubs around. I didn't sign back up for Ann Hanson's Bare Naked Knit Club this year. I enjoy her clubs. I've done two of the Fall into Full Color Clubs and one Bare Naked Knitspot, but when I evaluated what I had knit from each club, I decided not to sign up for the Bare Naked one. As interesting as it sounds, it has nothing to do with knitting bare naked, but the yarn was in fact bare naked. That is completely undyed and in its natural colour. The yarn was beautiful as were the patterns, but I was craving colour during this long long Labrador winter. Hence the switch to the Rockin' Sock Club.

My first shipment arrived and it did not disappoint. The yarn is a medium weight sock yarn and it is so plump and round. I loved knitting with it. There was also a cute bumper sticker and some buttons proclaiming how proud I am to be a sock knitter. This yarn is very well known and well loved. I can't believe its taken me this long to knit with it. I forsee a big order in my future. I'm not sure if I can wait for club shipments. All my other sock yarn now feels.....I don't know ....almost flat in comparison to this. And the two patterns that came with the shipment were great too. I had a tough time deciding which one I would knit, but I had promised Morgan some socks. So here they are. The colour is called Portland Plaid and I am smitten. So is Morgan. After trying on the first sock he demanded that I finish the second one right away. He wanted to sleep with the one sock on and I had to fight him a bit to get him to take it off so I'm calling it a success.

Here they are. Gorgeous aren't they?