Category: knitting

  • teases

    It’s been very mild weather-wise here in Toronto the last few days, with temperatures above freezing and nice clear sunny days. I was feeling a bit panicked because I haven’t really got any seasonally appropriate designs on the go! I did some stash digging and pulled up this project that I don’t think I ever blogged about.

    in progress

    It’s a shrug-ish cardigan, from the top down, with some ribbing, garter stitch, and dropped stitches. I think when I started it I was imagining a fall sweater, but now I think it’s more for spring! The lovely yarn is from Julie Asselin, and it’s DK weight blend of 85% polwarth wool and 15% silk. It comes in a huge skein of 660 yards, so I’m kind of hoping to finish it with just one!

    Of course I worked on this “springy” sweater for a few days and today it looks like this.

    geez

    Yikes. On the plus side, I think I might still have time to finish this wintery-but-lightweight pullover before it gets too hot. I love this stitch, it looks much more complex than it is. It’s worked only 1 strand at a time with slipped stitches. Yarn is Cascade 220 sport, which I’d never tried before – it’s soft and woolly, and the price is amazing!

    slip stitch sweater

    Just so this post isn’t ALL grey, here’s the labels on a couple of skeins of handspun that I sent out to a new home last week.

    my yarn

    You can see more of my handspun for sale on Etsy.

    P.S. We (by which I mean Dale) added a ‘subscribe by email’ widget in the sidebar there -> if you’d like to sign up to be notified of new posts!

  • New Pattern: Canterbury

    I have a new pattern out with Harrisville Designs!

    Canterbury
    (Photos of Canterbury courtesy of Harrisville Designs.)

    Canterbury is a dramatic cowl or infinity scarf worked with two strands of Harrisville’s WATERshed, a light and lofty wool. The intriguing stitch pattern uses slipped stitches to create deep welts that trap air close to your neck.

    puffy swatch

    This was my original swatch, in another yarn. The stitch pattern is surprisingly easy, and by alternating the WS and RS in sections, the cowl is fully reversible! I love both sides. The longer infinity scarf length doubles up for extra coziness.

    Canterbury

    Works up super quickly on US 13 (9mm) needles. Canterbury is knit flat, then joined with a Three Needle bind off.

    Canterbury

    Queue and fave Canterbury on Ravelry!
    Purchase the PDF pattern through Harrisville Designs.

    Happy Valentine's Day!

    Happy Valentine’s Day!

  • sideways flowers

    skirt in progress

    I cut this simple gathered skirt the other day, out of some cotton fabric I picked up at the Textile Museum sale in the spring. I’m not attached to the fabric at all, and it was quite inexpensive, so it was perfect for a random trial run! I want to perfect an everyday skirt pattern for myself so I can knock out some clothes for the spring and summer.

    I did the side seams on the serger, and just hand-basted the elastic casing to see how it would feel. Not bad! There are quite a few things I’d like to try out on skirts – cutting out a separate waistband, using elastic thread for a smocked waist, adding pockets and a lining. There’s always more crafting to do!

    skirt in progress

    The bottom of my skirt pattern piece was a little too big to cut the skirt straight, so I cut it on the cross grain – except of course, I didn’t notice that the little flower pattern actually does have a direction. Oops. Oh well! It’s a pretty light fabric so I might need to add either another layer of cotton or a lining fabric before I’d actually wear it. So…it’ll probably sit in one of my many workbaskets for awhile, while I think on it.

    buttons!

    I was at the workroom yesterday, ogled some gorgeous silk/linen fabric (one day) and came away with a big pile of pretty vintage buttons. I really need to figure out some kind of display/storage solution for buttons, because a ziploc bag just isn’t very appealing.

    snow, snow

    Stay safe and warm, wherever you are!