• New Pattern! Foxley Cardigan

    So this sweater isn’t really one to wear as a jacket (although maybe it is in a warmer climate than here!) but I’ve been wearing it all the time anyway. Candlewick is one of my favourite madelinetosh colours, and I know lots of other people love it too! I couldn’t resist a sweater’s worth, and the lace and twisted stitch pattern shows it off nicely, I think. I find the superwash merino extremely comfortable to wear, too.

    Foxley Cardigan

    Foxley Cardigan

    Foxley Cardigan

    Foxley Cardigan

    FOXLEY is a comfortable everyday sweater with a beautiful, easy to work twisted stitch pattern. The bracelet length sleeves are worked in stockinette stitch to keep all eyes on the Diamond Lattice body. A flattering deep V-neck and slightly cropped body length allow this sweater to go well over dresses, skirts, or trousers – whatever you fancy!

    Worked as a compound raglan, seamlessly from the bottom up, with body knit flat and sleeves worked in the round. Meant to be worn with 0 to 2” / 0 to 5cm ease at the bust. For the best size, measure a sweater you like the fit of, and make the size closest to it. Shown in size 43.75” / 103.5cm with about 1” / 2.5cm of ease.
    Technical Editing by Alexandra Virgiel

    Foxley Cardigan

    Queue and fave on Ravelry!
    More Info on the pattern page here.

  • What I’m Wearing

    Since sweater weather is finally upon us, I thought I’d do a little roundup of the sweaters and accessories I’m wearing most often! I know there’s not much time between now and the gift-giving season, but I don’t plan to give handknit gifts – I’m too selfish of a knitter! Instead I’d much rather work on a new sweater or two for myself.

    Sweaters as Jackets

    I tend to overheat easily, so I kind of like this cool, in-between weather where you don’t *have* to wear a down-filled parka just to survive. It’s the kind of weather where I can wear my thickest sweaters on their own, and don’t have to worry about whether I’ll overheat with a coat on top! I’ve been wearing my Innisfil sweater a lot as a jacket. The yarn (Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted) is nice and chunky, half alpaca half wool (so it’s really warm) and has a nice big collar.

    Innisfil Cardigan

    Moraine is the other sweater I’m wearing a lot as a jacket. It isn’t quite as warm as Innisfil since it’s all wool (not alpaca), but I adore the wrap fronts and the belt that doesn’t get in the way. If it’s colder I scrunch up the back collar to help keep my neck warm. Both of these sweaters are quite soft, so they’re pilling a little bit – I use a Gleener to help keep things looking nice. (No affiliation, I bought it myself.)

    Moraine Cardigan

    Moraine Cardigan

    Clearly I love cabled-back sweaters! And I love this wrap sweater so much that I’m currently working on a little collection of several different types of wrap sweaters. I’m hoping to have that ready in the new year!

    Neckwarmers

    For accessories, I pretty much always reach for my Wychwood shawl, in black cashmere. It’s just so wearable, goes with everything and is SO soft and cozy.

    Wychwood Shawl

    When I want a rectangular scarf, I go for Ashworth – again, in a neutral colour it goes with everything, and cashmere! It’s a little bit on the shorter side, which I like for crossing and tucking the ends under my coat.

    Ashworth Scarf

    Hats

    I have a tough times with hats, because I wear my hair in a bun or ponytail a lot…and because I’m just not really a hat person! I’m also a bit of a delicate flower sometimes, particularly when it comes to fibres that touch my face/forehead. I do love my Lamplight Hat – I wore it yesterday on a walk but ended up taking it off because I was overheated! I’m sure that won’t happen once it really gets cold.

    Lamplight Hat

    I usually wear it with the ribbing tucked inside, as shown. I think I want a new hat (or two) for this year though, something chunkier. Maybe lined with cashmere? So many ideas, so little time.

    Elsewhere

    I’ve been doing some pattern roundups on the Craftsy blog too! Check out Office Friendly Knitting Patterns and Cozy Oversized Cardigans for Fall for more wooly pattern inspiration! You can check out all my Craftsy posts here.

  • Poppies, 2014

    I’m reposting this blog entry from a few years ago. Lots of time to make a poppy!

    Right after Halloween in Canada, poppy pins blossom on lapels across Canada. We have Remembrance Day on November 11th to commemorate the sacrifices of war.

    The poppy is a symbol of remembrance, and was popularized after the First World War due to a poem by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. Few poppies grew in Flanders, France, before the war broke out; rubble from bombardments enriched the soil with lime, and then the fields exploded with the blood-red flowers. Once the war was over, the lime became reabsorbed and the poppies disappeared.

    lapel poppy

    In Flanders Fields
    In Flanders fields the poppies blow
    Between the crosses, row on row,
    That mark our place; and in the sky
    The larks, still bravely singing, fly
    Scarce heard amid the guns below.

    We are the dead. Short days ago
    We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
    Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
    In Flanders fields.

    Take up our quarrel with the foe:
    To you from failing hands we throw
    The torch; be yours to hold it high.
    If ye break faith with us who die
    We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
    In Flanders fields.
    – Lt. Col. John McCrae

    poppy

    So to help you remember, here’s a little free pattern for a poppy. It knits up very quickly in scrap yarn – I used aran weight black scrap yarn, and triple-stranded Schaefer Anne for the red. You want to use a small needle so that it’s stiff. Finished size is approximately 2 inches across.

    Download Poppy.pdf

    Poppies are not bought or sold; people make a contribution for their poppy.
    Any donations from this pattern will be given to the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Fund, which is used to provide immediate assistance to ex-servicemen and women in need. This may include food, shelter or medical attention for them or their families. Also, education bursaries are granted to children and grandchildren of ex-service personnel.

    More information about the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign.

    Please make a donation to your local Royal Canadian Legion or other legion group.