mountains and vineyards.

For the past 10 days, we drove through the Rocky Mountain trench, down the Columbia Valley (to Cranbrook), to the East (Creston) and across the Kootney Lake ferry to the West Kootneys (Nelson and down to Castlegar), and across and up to the Okanogan (Kelowna/Vernon). We both love British Columbia and this type of trip is our favourite, especially now that we get to enjoy it with our dog, Charlie.

So between his exploring and discovering, our awe of the views from our campsites, and many walks along beaches and lakes (as well as much eating!), you would think there wouldn’t be a lot of time for knitting, right?

I thought so too, but no, we are both wrong. I have an almost finished Kerrera to show you as soon as the ends are woven in and it’s dry! A very good and dear friend helped me choose buttons for it yesterday, which are just lovely with the yarn:

I hope you’re enjoying the summer where you are as much as we are enjoying the summer here :)

-r.

twin leaves.

Dresses without a matching cardigan are usually in want of a matching cardigan, yes? Yes. Especially when the matching cardigan is leafy, graceful and “rich in texture, line, and openwork” (Barbara Walker’s A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns, p. 235). While flipping through Walker’s book one evening to find a leaf pattern for something else, I stumbled onto the Twin Leaf Panel. Gorgeous lines and texture for sure. I was hooked. But how to make it into a sweater I could wear around and not look too 1920’s retro? but a little 1920’s retro … a little.

Enter the dress (Banana Republic, circa 2008).

Yup. That’s the one. How to knit a cardigan to go with that I ask? Well, you find the most boring Louet Gems Sport Weight 100% merino (colour #43 Pewter) that is actually the same colour as the third tone in the dress. Then you knit a simple bottom-up twin lace panel cropped cardigan. You can’t knit a top-down raglan style because you end up halfway through realize the lace panel is upside down. Then you choose the most hated but effective rib pattern (twisted rib – it hurts my wrist) and add that to finish off the texture and grace of the item.

That’s what you do. So, while it’s blocking, here’s a sneak peek:

 

With cap sleeves that I did a provisional cast-on for, I finished the yoke (so as to not run out of yarn) and went back and knit little cap sleeves. Three decreases through the yoke for a round-neck. And definitely cropped – the cardigan is meant to hit my lower waist when it’s on. To be honest, this is a proto-type for a pattern I am in the process of designing but I wanted to give you a chance to see what I have been working on!

While my precious sweater is drying and blocking on the back deck in the scorching sun, I am working on sizing and further design elements (like eliminating the provisional cast-on!). What are you doing while it’s hot and sunny out?

-r.

double garter tutorial.

I have started working on Kerrera by Gudrun Johnston out of some worsted that I have been staring at for a while and wondering what it shall be. I am happy to report that I am thoroughly enjoying the pattern and can’t wait to share it with you – as per usual, Gudrun’s pattern is wonderfully written.

In starting out and casting on I was stuck immediately as I could not figure out for the life of me the double garter stitch. The thread on Ravelry was incredibly helpful and I eventually got going. M noticed that I was struggling and asked me if there was a video out there. I said not yet, that it was just a matter of time and there would be one. He had his camera in hand and so we decided to post one!

I hope this helps people who were struggling as much as I was – and thank you so much to the people who helped me get going on Ravelry:

I am off to continue working away on Kerrera! Happy July Knitting – I hope the weather is a beautiful where you are as it is here :)

-r.