teaching | Laura Chau

a rainy Friday

November 6, 2015

I started a pair of mitts in the same pattern as my peeries hat, but it was too small even for my tiny wrists! If it had been the same number of stitches in straight stockinette or ribbing it would’ve been fine, but stranded colourwork alwyays decreases the stretchiness and inner circumferences of the piece with all those floats.

Here’s a picture of the finished hat that…is kind of terrible. My head isn’t shaped well for this style of hat, plus it’s a medium and I wear a large! (I have big hair AND a big head.) I promise to get MUCH better photos before I release the pattern ;)

I’m off to the train station shortly to head to Prince Edward County for the Wool & Wine in the County Retreat! Send me some good travel vibes? Despite the amount of travelling it looks like I do, I actually get pretty anxious and nervous about leaving my house, especially on my own! Eeep!

Currently On My Needles

October 29, 2015

I cast on a few new projects to take with me to Rhinebeck! Of course, I have more WIPs (works in progress) than just these, but most of those are currently in time-out…

I’ve been loving all the swingy, fun tunic tops that have been available lately. They’re perfect to wear with leggings (long enough to cover one’s behind…if you’re kinda short like me), boots, and handknit sweaters! When I was considering yarns for a handknit tunic dress, I knew it needed to be knit up in something fairly lightweight to help it keep its shape and not be too heavy or warm. Elspeth Lavold’s Silky Wool is one of the lightest yarns I know of in a DK weight, with about 190 yards per 50g. I love the tweedy colours and pebbly texture, too. This one is worked from the top down with a v-neck, and I’ve got a few details floating around to add to it (big one: pockets).

I’ve been wearing my Ashworth Scarf a ton – nothing beats cashmere for lightness and warmth! I’ve had this Jade Sapphire grey cashmere for awhile, and I love it held together with the black Jaggerspun merino/silk. I want this bias-knit wrap to be nice and big!

My crazy colourwork sweater has been stagnating, but I’m determined to get it done to wear this winter – I’m almost up the armholes on the body. I started a sleeve to carry around with me, but it hasn’t seen much action lately either.

I’m teaching at a retreat in Prince Edward County with Rosehaven Yarn Shop next weekend, so I’m also working up some new samples! Entrelac is fun. The gradient sample is knit flat in Eco wool, and the cowl is worked in the round in some scraps of Cascade 220.

What’s on your needles this Halloween weekend?

an out of town gig

December 1, 2008

On Saturday I hopped a Greyhound and headed out to New Hamburg, ON (halfway between Kitchener and Stratford) to teach a class at Shall We Knit?

Timing was a bit tight what with the bus getting into Kitchener (very sketchy bus stop, that Sportsworld) at 11:30 and the class starting at 12, but everything worked out. We did a top-down mini sock with a short row heel with Magic Loop. All the students were great, although the conference room we were in was a bit tight for 11 people!

After the class I wandered about the shop, which is really lovely – bright, lots of beautiful yarn, lots of interesting stuff (“giftware”). I picked up quite a pile of yarn!

Some Debbie Bliss Chunky Tweed for a sweatercoat:

There wasn’t quite enough of the brown, so I got a bit of blue for a contrast colour.

Some super duper soft Mirasol bamboo/alpaca for a slouchy hat:

And some gorgeous little bits of loveliness – Koigu mill ends! I love the colours all together. I’m thinking either a colourwork cowl or maybe the yoke of a sweater. I do have quite a bit of other bits and pieces of Koigu so there’d be a bunch to choose from!

One other thing I picked up at the shop, non-yarn:

It’s a V&A printed vacuum flask. I’m not sure what I’ll put in it, probably just water (since that’s what I drink mostly!) although it might be a bit of hassle what with there being two lids, the cup and the vacuum seal. At any rate, it’s awesomely pretty.

Then I got a ride back to Kitchener to get on the bus and come home. I may not have left the shop with much money after picking up all this yummy yarn, and I may have spent over three hours on various forms of transit that day, but it was really fun. And if Shall We Knit was closer I’d totally shop there!