o w l s

It has been a while. I have found getting back into the swing of things these past two weeks has been difficult. I have been looking forward to the Spring because I was really hoping that life would start to slow down a little bit. It hasn't. If anything, I think we are busier now than we were in the Winter. And to think, I'm not balancing school right now on top of work! There has not been much creativity around here. I have managed to paint my wheel with the first coat of oak stain - but I forgot my camera at home (the wheel is currently living in Mom & Dad's garage) so I can't share what it looks like just yet. The oak stain, thus far, is warm - I'm very happy with it.

It has been a long time coming but I wanted to share a couple of finished project photos of o w l s by Kate Davies. I knit this very quickly and finished over two months ago. I have not worn it and plan to rip it out to re-knit it this summer.

The pattern is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Kate did a great job and I would not shy away from knitting another Kate Davies pattern - I would probably rush right in again (just like I did this time). However, because I rushed in and didn't take into consideration that I don't have broad shoulders and don't need a lot of waist shaping ... well, it has ended up bagging out so much between my shoulder blades that it unwearable.

Ironically, when I turn the sweater around and wear it backwards, the "problem" is fixed. So, that is what I am going to do next time: knit two fronts by omitting the waist shaping. My favourite store bought pullover sweaters have no waist shaping so why meddle with a good thing?

I chose to knit this in Cascade Ecological Wool in colourway 8063 (brown). It's very gray, which I love and it was a good choice for this project. Gauge was slightly off though, so be forewarned to need to take that into consideration but I would definitely chose it again.

I suppose I should get back to work ... may everyone have a good Victoria Day long weekend!

aloha

Through an unusually difficult winter for a variety of reasons but mostly just made worse by the weather, M. and I decided to get some sun in O'ahu, Hawaii. Rather than ramble about the trip, I would rather just show you. If you have any questions about where we stayed, what we did or anything of the like - please ask me. In the meantime, the colours:

mahalo & aloha

swing bag

I've been keeping busy with sewing projects because Mom and I went to the Sewing Show in Abbotsford last weekend. The show was smaller than other years but still enjoyable. There wasn't anything new there from last year but I did pick up a couple of patterns and a book. One of the patterns I picked up was the Swing Bag by Amy Butler. We went down to Opus yesterday so that I could buy some duck canvas, which lines the bag. I used left over fabric for the rest that I have left from other projects. 

I had some buttons laying around that were left from other projects so I added them on. The sash should be another 10" long but I was running out of fabric, so it's not long enough to tie it in a bow - or I'm not patient enough!

I am hoping to use it for work - especially since I used heavier fabric than called for. And back to knitting I go ...

natural fibres

Officially, my new spinning wheel is in the mail!

I have recently discovered that there are many knitting techniques I have yet to try and would like to learn. When I realised Dad's birthday was fast approaching, I decided to find a way of learning some new things without the addition of a ton of knitting. I stumbled on brooklyntweed's Alberta. The only problem was it was published in Wild Fibers Magazine's 5th Anniversary Issue. How in the tarnation was I to get my hands on that?  Enter ingenuity on the part of a close friend: Call the LYS! Thankfully, with one last copy to spare, I was able to procure the magazine. Not only will I be getting a subscription to the magazine for my birthday from my loving husband, M. - but I have finally found a wonderful read to satisfy my constant need to a.) read about other parts of the world, and b.) consistently be surrounded by what I love most in this world: fibre. 

Right. So...

On the bus this morning, reading my magazine (which Dad had already returned along with the yarn saying, "I guess I give this back to you."), that I am falling one-word-at-a-time in love with, I stumble on an article about 'mustering' and 'sheep' and 'New Zealand.' Here is the newscast from a Kiwi-perspective (If you don't get a big kick out of this, then there's something wrong with you. It completely tickled me pink.):

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/back-pen-sheep-escapees-2438888/video

I thought goats in a tree was odd, but flying sheep? Wonderful!

Onto Alpaca. My friend L. bought a few hanks of the most beautiful alpaca in the world at Fibres West. I had the honour - it really was an honour - to wind the yarn for her:

When we had first walked into the festival, I had beelined it straight for this yarn but I made a promise to M. that I would not buy any more yarn until I worked through my stash (especially since I was planning on purchasing a wheel, which means roving). I am very jealous L. bought this yarn but I know she is going to do absolutely beautiful things with it - I've seen the pattern. It'll be amazing. I wanted to share the fibre though as it is so wonderful - the brown and blue just compliments like nothing else!

addition

I was able to take the day off on Friday to travel out to Fibres West. I had emailed Amber (the new owner) at Wild Rose Fibres to get some information about Kromski. She was wonderful and brought a bunch of wheels to the festival - thank you! 

Some know that I have been looking at wheels for a while, humming and hawing about what would be best: spend more, buy second hand, spend less (maybe replace later) ... what to do, what to do. I think talking to a fair number of people - following their advice - and finally just taking the plunge was the thing to do. I set a budget. Tried as many as I could. And compromised on little. So, coming from Alberta, will be my new Kromski Minstrel. 

I have already named him - yes, I know but if you know me, you understand (my car was named before I bought him too and I set out on a journey to find a car to fit the name not the other way around ... I know I know). I have a few reasons for choosing the Kromski in the end - and a few reasons for the Minstrel (now to be known as Domhnall - Gaelic, English translation would be Donald, meaning "ruler of the world" - I don't know, because I like it!). 

I want to keep this short because I have no photos to share this post but I loved that I could purchase quality and precision with the Kromski. I enjoyed them everytime I sat down at one. They are affordable. The Minstrel fit me. The Sonata was a close second as it is a travel wheel and you can also change out the flyer for a jumbo or fast flyer but the cost difference and comfort of the Minstrel sold me in the end. It is due to arrive in the mail in less than a month - hopefully much, much sooner!

bird in hand

Although they aren't finished yet, I thought I would show off the right-hand mitten while it's drying. I have never done colour-work before so these were quite a challenge. I have tried to knit them before with Cascade but I found the yarn too bulky for a first-attempt project. At a LYS in January, I picked up some Mission Falls 136 Merino Superwash. It's a DK weight yarn but I use that loosely because in my very humble opinion, I think it's somewhere between DK and worsted. The colours I used were basil 532 &  oyster 003. 

Oyster didn't show up against the basil in the way that I was hoping but I like the results:

I used 2.25mm DPNs as my hands are only 7 1/2" around and since the smallest size for this pattern is 8", I thought the smaller needles would fix the problem & I was right. They are snug and perfect.

I finished o w l s by Kate Davies - but more on that later. I have picked up the Whisper Cardigan again and am flying up the first sleeve. Now that there is some weight behind the stitches, it's easier to knit. Anyhow, back to work ...

invasion

Our house has been invaded over the past two weeks. We have been lovin' it. They are two amazing Yorkshire Terriers named Chester (top photo) and Cammie (second photo). 

I have been knitting on o w l s [via ravelry] by Kate Davies. It's a great pattern and I hope I will have photos this weekend to show off. I haven't made any mods to the pattern - but I did decide to knit the 38" (M) rather than the 36" (S) which is my size b/c I like sweaters a little looser than the pattern indicated it was. I will keep you posted on the results.