Book Review || Pacific Knits

1. mukluks 2. campfire

i'm so excited to review one of my fave new knitting books out called "pacific knits" by alexa ludeman and emily wessel of tin can knits.  this wonderful book captures so many lovely snippets of this gorgeous area we live and the 18 patterns in this book are awesome.  with sizes ranging from newborn to 4xl there is sure to be something for everyone.  alexa and emily were "inspired by the landscape, lifestyle and people of canada’s pacific coast".

tofino surfer

the patterns range from hats, cowls and slippers to sweaters and shawls.  there are projects that are suitable for both male and females and again so many size variations! this book is just overwhelming with goodness.  a perfect gift for that special knitter in your life or for whipping something up for someone near and dear.

1. sitka spruce 2. north shore

antler cardigan

pacific knits features patterns that alexa and emily have designed that are sorted by three different handy logos throughout the book - city, mountains and water.  i think this is my favorite part of the book.  i love seeing the inspiration behind it and think it's a very creative way to showcase all the wonderful amenities that our beautiful coast has to offer.

1. lowtide cardigan 2. urban hiker 3. torrent

pacific knits is 92 pages of knitting goodness filled with bright photographs, clear instructions and well written patterns and charts.  the book has sections on techniques and also an in depth section on sweater knitting and sizing that is very handy to have.  there are cables, lace and colorwork, plus designs for all sizes that are rustic and pretty.  having lived in british columbia my whole life, and vancouver for many, many years before relocating to vancouver island it was so fun to see images of my old stomping grounds as well as shots from some of my fave places to visit such as where i got married - tofino, bc. 

i adore the book and the ladies of pacific knits too.  i've been lucky enough to have gotten to meet alexa and also some of the models in the book (whom are their family and friends) and they are all sweet and oh, so lovely people.  so if you're looking to spoil yourself or treat another knitter in your life pick up a copy of pacific knits for the holidays.

i think pacific knits is a wonderful addition to any knitters collection.  you can purchase the print version of pacific knits, the e-collection or purchase any of the 18 patterns as an individual pattern as well here on their website or by visiting their pacific knits ravelry page.

and while you're over at tin can knits make sure you check out their new holiday collection called "great white north".  a lovely e-book filled with scrumptious knits just in time for the holidays!  sweaters, hats, cowls, and even ornaments - it's a great set of 8 patterns perfect for christmas.

thanks so much alexa and emily! you ladies rock!  you can find more tin can knits here:

website  |  blog  |  ravelry  |  facebook 

Christmas Tree Skirt Roundup - Holiday Crafting Support Group

my poor christmas tree has been ahem....naked shall we say for the last 5 christmases.  i've been shamefully using an old white receiving blanket draped around the bottom of the tree.  it's a sad boring excuse of a tree skirt and i admit i hate putting it there every year.  so this year i've decided to "try" to get one made.  no pressure...just adding it to my would love to have done this holiday season list.

after reading a comment on last week's holiday crafting support group post requesting a christmas tree skirt roundup i thought "aha...now that's exactly what i need to roundup".  so here you go!  i got out my lasso and rounded up what i think are some spiffy and purdy christmas tree skirts.  you've got quilted, pieced, felt, no sewing, knitted and crocheted tree skirts.  have fun & most of all i hope you get inspired!  also, if you  know of an awesome tutorial of your own or one you love please leave a link to it in the comments below and i'll add it to the "your faves" section of this post! alrighty...go pour yourself a nice big glass of (spiked) egg nog and let's get crafty!

 ||  SEWING TUTORIALS  ||

1. vintage embroidered tree skirt 2. sewing 101 tree skirt on design sponge

1. rockin' retro christmas tree skirt 2. spiderweb christmas tree skirt 3. christmas tree skirt in july

no sew ruffled christmas tree skirt

1. striped tree skirt 2. ruffled tree skirt 3. ruffled tree skirt 4. scalloped felt tree skirt

simply quilted patchwork tree skirt from sew 4 home

1. cloud9 christmas tree skirt 2. festive christmas tree skirt 3. buddy the elf tree skirt 4. fur trimmed tree skirt 5. diy ruched tree skirt

diy felt flower tree skirt

1. quilted tree skirt 2. christmas tree skirt

christmas tree skirt tutorial from simple simon & co

1. poinsetta tree skirt tutorial 2. heirloom wool tree skirt

||  KNITTING & CROCHET TUTORIALS  ||

granny tree skirt

1. silent night tree skirt 2. snowball tree skirt

retro ripples skirt

hemlock ring blanket

||  MORE LINKS & YOUR FAVES  ||

- stars all around the tree skirt pattern from simplicity
- hexagon tree skirt tutorial by jaceycraft
- esch house quilts north pole tree skirt tutorial
- bird in hand quilts christmas tree skirt
- fruitcake under my tree tutorial 
- christmas tree skirt from pauls block party
- silent night tree skirt
- round ripple tree skirt
- star tree skirt
- granny tree skirt
- diy no sew rufffle christmas tree skirt tutorial
- christmas tree skirt

you can find all the holiday crafting support group posts here.

link up, join in, comment below, add pics to our flickr group and take part in our conversations on ravelry too! we want to see what you're making, planning on making and what you've got planned for the holiday season.  if you've posted about holiday crafting add your link in the comments below as well.  it's way more fun if you all join in (if enough people comment i may just start a wee linky party for us to use). i loved seeing all of your holiday gift lists last week! i added about another gazillion projects to my faves :)

what's your favorite christmas tree skirt?  knit, crocheted, sewn or crafted?  do you have a fave pattern?  have you made your own christmas tree skirt before?  fill us in!  show off your handiwork!  let us know how your gift making & decorating has been going :)

holiday crafting support group!!

i finally allowed myself to realize that it's november.  halloween is over and that means christmas stuff is everywhere.  tv, radio, stores, online...you can't get away from it.  this also means for us lovers of making that we usually are at this point getting either over zealous or a wee bit stressed with our holiday crafting plans.

if you're anything like me you've probably experienced both the highs and the lows of holidays crafting.  you start out super excited, almost a crafters high of sorts, writing lists, planning out your supplies and choosing gifts for everyone from your child's teacher to your loved ones.  you get all revved up and pump yourself full of "i can do this", "i'm going to save so much money doing this", "i don't need sleep", "i can live off coffee for a month" and so on....until you a) give up half way through and buy gift cards b) have a crafters breakdown c) burn out or d) end up grumpy/stressed and severely sleep deprived on xmas that you don't even enjoy yourself.

what's the point in pointing this out to you? well....i don't want that to happen to any of us anymore.  so how do we solve it? i'm not 100% sure what the answer is but what i do know is that i have some tips that i have learned and so do a lot of you.  we all love making gifts for our loved ones and we all just love to "make" so how can we, as a group, inspire, support and cheer each other on to make a  "reasonable"  (and i mean human, not robot) amount of gifts and home decorations.

throughout november and december i'll be writing posts on most wednedsays to open up discussions, project sharing, friendships to be made, shoulders to cry and lean on, and overall just a place you can come each week to keep focused, stay on track and try to make it through the holidays making but also smiling.

||  FOR THE SEWERS & CRAFTERS ||

- this is new for me so i'm going to try out a few things along the way. depending on interest from you fab ladies i'm thinking of starting a linky party on this day where you can link up your posts for crafts/projects you are making for the holidays and their progress or other posts inspired by the theme "holiday crafting support group".
- add your pics to our flickr group to show off your handiwork. we love to see what you're making.
- comment, chat, start discussions, join in the convo. i promise this is all more fun if you get involved :)

||  FOR THE KNITTERS  ||

- there will be a topic in our luvinthemommyhood ravelry group called "holidays crafting support group" where you can all chat away, share your project line ups, link to what you're making and also show off those pics!!! i love this part!!!
- feel free to also join in with the rest of us here on my blog post each week, link up your posts on all the knitted lovelies you're posting on your blogs as well.

i want this space to be somewhere you can come during this mostly joyful but also sometimes stressful time of year each week to feel like you have people to talk to who understand you, are making things right along side you, cheering you on, and just plain want to hear about all the fun stuff you have planned for the holidays.  feel free to show off all your handiwork and crafting skills!  it helps to keep us all motivated and feeling inspired.

i love christmas and plan on making this one as relaxing and as enjoyable as possible for my family this year and i hope you will all join me in this wee journey.  so join in! i can't wait to see what you will all be whipping up this year!

to get you started here are some of my fave roundups from previous years for holiday goodies:

||  GARLAND ROUNDUP  ||

image source

||  WREATH TUTORIAL ROUNDUP  ||

image source

||  CHRISTMAS STOCKING ROUNDUP  ||

would you all like to see some new roundups on these topics this year? anything else you'd like for me to round up for the holidays?  let me know below and i'll get my lasso out and get rounding em'posts up.  have you started your holiday crafting list yet?  what & how many projects are you planning on making this year?

ISLAND Pre-Order Book Release!!!

A collection of handknits designed by Jane Richmond and inspired by life on Vancouver Island. This book was a special artistic journey to bring Jane's patterns to life with photography by Nicholas Kupiak, modeling by Kylee Shaw, and graphic design/layout  & conception by Shannon Cook & Jane Richmond.

More than just a knitting book, ISLAND is a visual and creative experience showcasing the majestic beauty of Vancouver Island. Filled with designs & fibers that are true to Jane's classic and modern aesthetic, ISLAND not only makes you want to knit, it also inspires you to lose yourself in an adventure of your own.

Be inspired, get lost in the journey, set your imagination free, and ESCAPE to the ISLAND.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE YOUR PRE-ORDER
 I S L A N D - $20
Includes:
Print Copy  |  Digital Version  |  Printable PDF

we are soooooo excited to announce that ISLAND is available for pre-order starting today and running for one week only!  books will ship november 30th!!!! woot woot!!!!  we've been really busy working on the sidelines to get copies available to you as quickly as possible and we hope you will all love the book and collection as much as we do.

included in your pre-order is the print copy of the book as well as the digital copy!!!  so you can get knitting before your book even gets here! bring on the holiday knitting!

you can also now view all the projects contained in the book on ravlery.  visit our ISLAND ravelry store page here for more info or to purchase the digital copy of the book ONLY.  for those of you who already have the book (yay!) please feel free to add your projects to the rav pages! we cannot wait to see them!  we will also be adding a new thread in the jane richmond ravelry group for you all to chat and share your ISLAND projects! fun!

and just cause we looooooovvvve the ISLAND video so much i'm posting it in here one more time...hehe.  can't get enough of it.  makes me well up every time. i'm so happy that you all enjoyed the video as much as i did. it was so fun to put together for you all!

ISLAND: A Collection from luvinthemommyhood on Vimeo.

thank you all sooooo much for all of your support and for such a lovely and warm response to the book!  it means the world to us! we can't wait to see all of your wonderful and inspiring projects and stay tuned...we'll both be blogging about the whole "self publishing" a book process soon! <3

Stasia Cowl Knitting Pattern - New Pattern Release!!

STASIA COWL PATTERN - BUY NOW

 a while back i started daydreaming about a knit version of my commuter cowl.  i kept pondering it and pondering it but nothing ever really felt "right".  the thought never really left my mind though.  i knew i wanted to play on something fun that had to do with assembly and that also included texture that would showcase your fave handspun yarn in a warm cozy cowl. so once i got my hands on the yarn used for this project the stasia cowl was finally born.

Stasia Cowl Pattern

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the stasia cowl features a modern twist on your favorite everyday cowl.  textured with a unique assembly this cowl is a fun, quick knit that showcases your special hand spun/dyed yarn beautifully.  i used spincycle yarns 100% BFL worsted in colorway gluttony.  this cowl is super warm, stylish and one of my fave cowls to wear daily.  the color is to die for and the yarn texture is just scrumptious!  i really just couldn't get enough of it and used almost every single piece of my (2) fabulous skeins. 

the stasia cowl is also a great beginner project perfect for those of you wanting to dip your toes into the  knitting pool and it's also definitely still interesting enough for an advanced knitter.  there's some new techniques to learn (for the newbies) and of course, a really fun assembly.  i love that it feels retro and yet modern at the same time. a perfect combo in my book!

the stasia cowl pattern features:

:: clear and easy to understand step by step instructions

:: bright & colorful photography with a tutorial outlining the assembly of the cowl

:: 7 page color PDF pattern

:: digitally drafted diagram

::  a great knitting experience

the stasia cowl pattern is available for purchase at the following:

RAVELRY  ||  ETSY  ||   CRAFTSY

....MORE SHOPS COMING SOON!

a while back i was lucky enough to get my hands on some of this gorgeous kettle-dyed and handspun yarn from spincycle yarns in bellingham, washington.  it's their 100% BFL worsted (in colorway gluttony). they source their raw fiber locally and everything is done as natural as possible (they use natural and/or non-toxic dyes). they even travel to farmer's markets etc with bicycle pulled trailers! i love that.  kate and rachel from spincycle are so awesome that they are offering you all a 10% discount off of all your orders.  just use  the code "STASIA10" at checkout.  so pop on by spincycle and say hi! thanks spincycle yarns!

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it's been so fun working on this project and i hope you all enjoy making this cowl as much as i did.  i can't wait to see all the different yarn choices you guys all use to whip one up!  just imagine all the different color variations you can find in gorgeous worsted yarns?  it's like letting loose a kid in a candy store!!! i know i'll be making another one for myself soon, but for now i'm smitten with this one!

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STASIA COWL PATTERN - BUY NOW

don't forget to add your wip and fo shots in our ravelry group and/or our flickr group so i can see all of your lovely projects!  it's no fun to knit all those awesome goodies and then keep em' to yourself! you gotta show them off!!!! 

i hope you enjoy stasia and happy knitting from my home to yours <3

ps. a big thank you to my hubby for photographing the shots with me in it (i luv you hun). i hate pics being taken of me and it was needless to say a "not so fun" event...lol.  even the kids were mad at me...lol.  due to the horrid weather we've been having here though i just couldn't get a chance to shoot my model in it so you're all stuck looking at me :P

Summer Sweater Knit Along Winners!!!

girl with balloons by lola's room photography

this was a giveaway that i was very thankful for www.random.org.  i mean how could you possibly choose a winner out of all of you?  you all did so amazing for our summer sweater knit along!  i'm just so thrilled that anyone even joined in nevermind the lively group we have going now.  you guys rock and i so appreciate all your time, comments and friendship.  i can't wait for the next one!

on to the winners.....was it you?  here ya go...drumroll please......

Winner #1 - Vanessa of Bunnies & Bettas, Rav ID: urbanizer

wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! congratulations vanessa! so excited for you!

YOU'VE WON:
Tanis Fiber Arts - 1 skein of lace weight yarn in the mallard colourway
Knit Picks - try it needle set & yarn
Sweet Georgia - $25 gift certificate
Sundara Yarns - $50 gift certificate
Joji Locatelli - 4 patterns of your choice

 Winner #2 - Tracy Johnson, Rav ID: rncurlysue

congratulations tracy!!! yay!!!

YOU'VE WON:
Jane Richmond Designs - $25 gift certificate
Madbird - $25 gift certificate
By Annie Claire - 2 skeins of yarn and 1 pattern

Winner #3 - Ryan Page Haas, Rav ID: ryanpagehaas

congrats ryan!!! enjoy!!!

YOU'VE WON:
Knitterella - Project Bag filled with patterns and goodies!

 

enjoy your prizes everyone, i'll be in touch with you all soon and again a big thank you to our awesome knit along sponsors too!  thanks for making our knit alongs that much more fun!!! you guys are the best!

who's in for another round of our holiday knitting support group - christmas knitting 911?  let me know your thoughts and if enough people are interested i'll set up the topic in our rav group for nov/dec again this year. it was so fun to see what you were all making last holiday season and a great place to go to get inspired and find support.

happy knitting everyone!!!! 

Summer Sweater Knit Along Giveaway Day!!!

Source: makesomethingsplendid.com via Disney on Pinterest

this summer sweater knit along post has been a long time coming and boy am i excited!  i love the end of our knit alongs so that i can see all your beautiful new handmade lovelies but i also love our giveaway day!!!! that's right ladies, delicious knitty prizes for you all to enter to win!!!! yay!!!!! these are some awesome prizes too.  the best ones we've had yet!

1. jane richmond 2. tanis fiber arts 3. kniterella 4. knit picks

i wish i could give you all a prize! this summer sweater knit along was so much fun and you all were such a fun group of ladies to knit with!  i'm already starting to count down till the next one! 

1. madbird  2. sweet georgia

i would like to say thank you all for knitting along with me and for making this knit along so much fun! it really is so special to me to have you all join in!  and also a huge thank you to our sponsors for this knit along!  they are all amazingly fabulous and i hope you all show them some love!

ready to hear what the prizes are?  yay!  here they are....

|  TANIS FIBER ARTS  |

  FIRST PRIZE - 1 skein of lace weight yarn in the mallard colourway

|  KNIT PICKS  |

FIRST PRIZE - try it needle set & yarn

|  SWEET GEORGIA  |

FIRST PRIZE - $25 gift certificate

|  JANE RICHMOND  |

SECOND PRIZE - $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE

|  SUNDARA YARN  |

FIRST PRIZE - $50 gift certificate

|  MADBIRD  |

SECOND PRIZE -  $25 gift certificate

|  JOJI LOCATELLI  |

FIRST PRIZE - 4 patterns

|  BY ANNIE CLAIRE  |

 SECOND PRIZE - 2 skeins of yarn and 1 pattern

|  KNITTERELLA  |

THIRD PRIZE - Project Bag filled with patterns and goodies!

|  HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY  |
- you MUST be signed up for the summer sweater knit along and have started your project (it's no biggie if you're not done yet).  if you haven't already signed up you can here:

summer sweater knit along entry form

|  RULES OF THE GIVEAWAY  |
- you MAY only enter your name once on the sign up form.
- you MUST have at least started your project.
- you MUST have a valid email address.

1. joji locatelli 2. by annie claire 3. sundara yarns

good luck everyone!!!!!!!!!!!  happy knitting!!!!!!!!!

Crafty Crosswords: Puzzles for Creative Peeps!

Source: flickr.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

i dig crossword puzzles.  i like them a lot. i used to do one every day but now it seems like i never feel like i get time to do them anymore and with the monsoon rain we keep having i keep finding myself longing for a good crossword puzzle.  you know...that steaming hot cup of tea/coffee, a quilt, the fireplace on, slippers, my pj's and a good crossword...mmmm....feels like the perfect fall day activity.

so what did i do? i got a bit nutso and made us all a crafty crossword!  the topic is knitting! fun right? i hope you think so!  click on the link below and download/print your copy and play along!

|| CRAFTY CROSSWORD PUZZLE DOWNLOAD || 

Source: flickr.com via luvinthemommyhood on Pinterest

i also thought it would be really fun if you all blogged your crossword puzzle love!  write a post about crossword puzzles and why you love 'em & if you completed the one today and share your link in the comments below so we can all come say hi!  also if you get stuck don't fret....i'll be sharing the answer key another day.  and to all you sewers....a sewing one is coming your way soon too!  i didn't forget about you lovelies!

do you heart crosswords?  how fun is this?  i had such a good time putting this together and filling it out and i hope you do too!  

p.s. the big summer sweater knit along giveaway is up tomorrow!!!!!!!! don't miss it! it's HUGE!!!

ipad knitcity view

knitcity vancouver weekend as seen from the ipad....

missed our gosh darn ferry....working at the terminal to kill time.

friday night booth set up!

our badges

a very rainy dinner with arika <3

jane and i torturing arika at dinner :)

rebecca knitting of course :)

the shoes

taking a group pic is hard...lol

what we slept under

breakfast before our big day

sold out!!!! we're amazed and overjoyed!!!! thanks everyone!

our coffee angel - holly (holly's red bike) head of the vancouver modern quilt guild! she came by to visit us & bring starbucks. Holly - you are the BEST!!!!!

booth set up day 2

rebecca and i meeting up with the gourmet faerie & her cute wife sherwin. so fun!

what sustained jane and i all day - tamarind almonds...yum!

getting ready for day 2 - i'm tired of the monsoon rain....my hair is rebelling from the water and i had to wear hats all weekend

saw my downton cowl walking around on this cute doll of a gal! made my day!

the gorgeous and oh so lovely  tasia of "sewaholic".  (i had a fan moment...love her) she came by with the first project someone else had knit from the book! a special moment for us!

the weather the. whole. time....bah!!!!! can we say nasty?!

i thought it would be fun to show you all my weekend away at vancouver for knitcity from the view of my ipad.  they weren't all instagrammed due to lack of wifi wherever i was but they were all meant to be :)  i got home very late last night and am still in a hangover of sore feet, amazing fun and just happiness at how well it all went and how many wonderful and lovely people we got to meet who embraced ISLAND as much as we do.  i'll be back soon with more pics and info on the book.....xoxoxox

how was your weekend?  what did you all get up to?  any knitting or sewing? were you at knitcity?  let's chat!

ISLAND - A Collection!!!!

ISLAND

A Collection

By: Jane Richmond

oh  my....i'm crying already....i knew i would cry...lol.  i've got a way bigger post to show you all on this topic but for now this is just a short teaser post to let you all in on the "secret project" that i've been working madly & happily away on with one of my besties jane richmond.  we've had many weekly late night meetings since the spring of this year to put together a special journey for you all....let me introduce you to.......ISLAND: A Collection.

that's right ladies! it's a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!! a very special and dear to us collection. ISLAND is a collection of handknits designed by jane richmond and inspired by life on vancouver island.  this book was a special artistic journey to bring jane's patterns to life with photography by  nicholas kupiak, modeling by kylee shaw, and graphic design/layout by myself & jane.  you will also find an introduction written by jane and a foreword by me as well.  so exciting!  i even have a few pics in the book too...but more on all of that later :)

ISLAND: A Collection from luvinthemommyhood on Vimeo.

i'll be back with more info on the whole book, the patterns, the process, when it's for sale and lots more fun deets next week.  for now though i've put together a special video for you all to join us....and escape to the ISLAND.  enjoy <3

ISLAND will be available for PRE-RELEASE with limited copies available this weekend where it will be debuting it at Knit City, October 13th & 14th at 3250 commercial drive, vancouver, bc.  after this weekend the book & patterns will be available through order on amazon and through ravelry.com. 

Knit City Here We Come!

weeeeeee!!!!! guess what.....momma's going on a wee trip!!!!  yesssssss!!!  this upcoming weekend is the highly anticipated event Knit City! vancouver, bc's largest knitting event!  vendors galore, awesome classes, a party...and the list goes on!  could we ask for more?  nope.  located in the gorgeous and exciting city vancouver (my old stomping grounds for a long time), the event takes place on october 13th and 14th with a kick off party on the evening of the 12th.  here's a little more deets on knit city:

"On Oct 13 & 14th 2012, Knit Social, a Vancouver-based knitting  events company, is inviting knitters and other fibre enthusiasts to Knit City, a two day fibre festival at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver's iconic Commercial Drive neighborhood.

Knit City, a 2-day festival featuring a vendor marketplace, workshops and  demonstrations, will offer the public a first-hand look at the creations of the talented dyers, spinners, weavers and knitwear designers on the local scene, coupled with the opportunity to learn the craft from some of the best instructors in the industry."

i will be heading over to the mainland (what us vancouver islanders call vancouver) early on friday am and will be gone till late sunday night!  i'm super, super, super excited but also know i will be missing my wee family.  it will be the longest i have ever been away from my kids and hubby.  but i'm sure the days will go by fast in a yarn filled haze.  there are so many wonderful people i am so looking forward to seeing as well as all the fun to be had.

Source: lylaandblu.com via Erin on Pinterest

i will be there with one of my besties jane richmond (as well as some other knitty pals - rebecca of nook will have a booth there as well) and will be manning her booth for the whole show.  so if you are in the area and happen to be coming please come by and say hi.  we would LOVE to meet you and get to say hello!  honestly...even if it's busy...i don't want to miss any of you..please stop and say a hello to jane and i.  we are at booth #27. 

we will most definitely be at the kick off party that friday night that features a lecture by sylvia olsen and it's open to the public as well.  the tix are $25 and it includes a weekend pass to the marketplace.  even if you're just coming to the event itself it's seriously only $10 for a weekend pass!!!! say what!!! yes...a deal ladies!  all the more money for yarn and knitting goodies!!!

see these lovely two ladies in the pic above?  they are amanda and fiona and they are the powerhouse behind knit social, a knit-centric event company and the awesome upcoming knit city event!  aren't they purdy!  we're all so excited to have such wonderful gals putting together such fun and inspiring events for this area of canada.  it's been long awaited for sure.  we've even got pals coming from over the border peeps!  i cannot wait!!!  be sure to check out their website for lots of other great social knitting events.

here's hoping i don't go over budget on my yarn purchases..lol.  oh and i'm so looking forward to sleeping in a hotel...you all know how much i LOVE me a hotel. yarn + good pals + hotel = very happy momma!

important deets:

Knit City
October 13th 11-7, October 14th 11-5
Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver BC
Admission to Marketplace: $10 for a weekend pass
Admission to Friday night Kick-off party: $25, includes a weekend pass to the Marketplace
For more information on Knit Social, visit http://knitsocial.ca/
For more information on Knit City, visit http://knitsocial.ca/knit-city/


you can find all things knit social here:

website  |  facebook  |  twitter  |  ravelry 

stay tuned....i have HUGE news to share this week!  i may cry.....lol.......can't wait to share it all with you!  in the meantime though who's coming out to knit city?  will you be attending?  what's your favorite knitting event to go to?

summer sweater knit along - starring you!

woodstove made by celticcaston

before i began even writing this post i got teary eyed. seriously, i LOVE our knitting kal's.  it's amazing to be part of this loving, supportive and wonderfully talented group of women i am lucky to call my friends.  it's amazing to live all over the world yet we all rush on when we get a free moment to spare to chat, encourage and just drool over each other's knitting progress.  i've said it before that this has always been a dream of mine and each and every time we have a kal i feel so blessed to have gotten to know so many wonderful women.  so thank you to each and every one of you.  for the laughs, the virtual hugs, the shoulders to lean on, the advice, the recipes, the pics, the smiles, the likes and just for being you.  i can't wait for the next one!!!!  

and now.....check them all out!  aren't they freaking amazing!!!!!!!!!  here are some of the finished projects from our summer sweater knit along 2012!!!!  starring you my dears!!! 

campus jacket made by mamatronic

silken straw sweater made by schaetzchen

chalkstone made by celtic cast on

nanook made by tanis fiber arts

1. chuck and 2. colorblock -  made by celtic cast on

1. peabody 2. bayside pullover 3. contigous 4. nanook

1. julissa 2. folded 3. westwood blouse 4. classic raglan pullover

umbrellas made by annie claire

1. levenwick 2. abalone 3. watercourse

1. amiga 2. lighthousekeepers wife 3. cloudy sunday 4. lucinda 5. rocky coast cardigan 6. suzanne 7. hine 8. umbrellas 9. $5 in paris

1. sibella pullover 2. i heart aran 3. farrah

wispy cardi by ava's mom

1. capricious 2. shapely boyfriend 3. tourist sweater 4. vertebrae

kindling made by cherylmac

1. aidez 2. dark & stormy 3. driftwood

shrug made by 3pumpkinslittle

 a big special thank you as well to our awesome ravelry group moderators kelly (celtic cast on), sandra (3pumpkinslittle) and rebecca (nook).  you guys are the best and i appreciate all of your time and energy. i couldn't do it without you!

and let's hear it for our kal sponsors! yeehaw! just wait till you see what's up for grabs next week for our giveaway!!! i can't wait!!!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

 do you have a blog post showing off your finished kal project? link up below! i can't wait to see!!!  and congrats to all of you for knitting along!  even if you're not done i'm thrilled just to be knitting with you! xoxo

recouping and some eye candy

 

my baby sister recently had a new baby.  oh my.....i love babies.  i would have 15 babies if they all stayed under 6 months. i'm nuts and love that stage and would do it over and over again.  it's been so fun to have a baby around again since i'm not having anymore.  hard part is that i'm sick so i can't smother him in love like i want to and boy do i love this little guy.  his name is luca and he was a nice, healthy 9lbs 11oz! yep. my sis is a trooper ;)

 

anyhoo...little luca needed a hat from his auntie so i whipped up this hat by my oh so stylish pal jen geigly using some left over stash of my cozy lion brand thick & quick (love this stuff) and alas the little mans head was way too big for it.  so i ripped that hat out and made a bigger one.  so cute!  i can't wait to see it on him!  i also made him a special blankie (which i'll show you soon) out of stretch and quilting cotton.  a nice yummy combo.

splendor 1920 by bari j for art gallery fabrics

i've also been anxiously awaiting the arrival of splendor 1920 by bari j for art gallery fabrics.  i mean c'mon.....downton abbey is about to start up in january and who could resist a fabric that has your cross stitch pattern all ready to go right on it?  i can't even decide where to start first i have so many wee projects in my mind to use it for. 

so feminine and classic but also modern and fresh. the color palette is also right up my alley.  thank you bari.  this is perfect time for me to snuggle down with the sun shining, a crisp bite in the air, leaves falling and a delish cuppa tea brewing beside me as i work on needlepoint on my lap.  you're awesome!

splendor 1920 and a few floressence

 i also got some floressence from art gallery fabrics as well and they are also shown in some of the pics too.  i promise to show you  more of that line later but i thought they could easily be used amongst each other and both have a very fun womanly vibe to them.

fall quilt market is just around the corner and even though i'm not going i'm still going to show my love folks.  and no,  before you ask i ain't paid to wear this rockin' shirt! i wear it cause i love art gallery fabrics and i'm a proud gang member to a company that inspires creativity and encourages bloggers like me to design, express ourselves fully and have fun with our creative process at the same time.  it's fresh, exciting and a joy to work with them.  i also love having the opportunity to show all of you  some of the new lines.  i know i LOVE seeing other bloggers post about their favorite up and coming fabric lines and it's one of the main ways i find new and fresh fabric designs and designers. and in light of an..ahem..interesting discussion i saw raised today i would like to just say to you guys that you know that i'm honest and up front.  if i don't like a line i won't post about it. bottom line.  i only write about what i truly love and want to use.  i also buy 95% of the fabric you see on this blog. i even buy art gallery fabrics. yep.  i save my pennies like you wouldn't believe to buy a majority of the fabrics i love and show you on here.

so as i recoup and get my GIANT "starring you" post done for tomorrow for the finale of the summer sweater kal i hope this post might get ya to grab your needles and knit or put on some downton abbey and dream up some new projects to sew using splendor 1920!

what new line are you excited for?  are you all inspired by downton abbey?  do you love that some new feminine lines are coming out allowing us to embrace this side of ourselves but also stay current too?  let's chat!

Blocking with Guest Rebecca of Nook

the mallory cowl pattern

today's guest poster is one of my besties - rebecca of the blog/shop nook.  she's the fastest knitter i know.  her hands literally could start a fire when she gets going.  she knits in the dark people...lol.  seriously...you just can't stop her.  we all love it about her and we also can't help ourselves from teasing her about it too (sorry becca...lol).  she pretty much knits no matter what she's doing. fo'reals. this gal doesn't stop.  she also teaches knitting.  i swear if she could knit in her sleep she could.  she's also my fave model...purdy lady..xoxox.  so who better to ask to chat about finishing all those fancy knits you're all cooking up than rebecca herself. 

ready to start blocking all those gorgeous sweaters you have all been making?  here's rebecca....
 
thanks so much shannon, for having me here! guys i have to say i'm so impressed and so proud of you all in this summer sweater knit along event. some of you made multiple sweaters! and some of you made your very first sweater! hurrah!! there's really something chest-pouffing (it's a word i checked, so you ...ahem...don't have to *cough*cough*) about that first sweater you make for yourself, hey?
and since you've put in alll of that effort into your sweater. and allll of those hours... don't skimp out at the end! your very last step (unless you like to sew your buttons on as the very last step, like i do) is blocking.

block-wha? yah. blocking. it's really a very simple step to your knitting that essentially does to your knitting what ironing does to your clothes. just makes everything nice and smooth and even. and that's what we want.

last year, i actually had the opportunity to chat about blocking on the summer sweater kal, but this year i thought i'd show you more of what i like to do. there really are lots of ways to block your garment. depending on fibre choice, type of garment (bulky sweater, vs. lacy shawl) and lots of tools out there to help you out. for more tips and specifics on blocking check out my post here. it goes into lots more detail. but i do think that for sweaters, this way is pretty straightforward. :)

so let's get started. i'm a creature of habit, really. even if i've knitted something lacy (which doesn't happen often) i still do the full on soak in the sink block. it's what i do. it's what works for me.

i start off with my new fave blocking tool. eucalan. there are other things out there, like soak, and it works great too. the awesome thing with this is it's a conditioning treatment for your knitted work. so you don't have to rinse it out. yah. i love that! ok. so i just put about a half tsp maybe into the palm of my hand and throw it in the sink with the sweater, and some cool to lukewarm water. just fill'er up and let it become completely submerged. (you kind of need to push your sweater down a bit as wool likes to drink up all of the water.) just give it a good soak in the sink, and then gently squeeze out the liquid. do not wring it out. wool is very delicate when it's wet, be nice to it :)

then i just bring it on over to a towel in a separate room and i lay it out to the shape i want it to be in. not stretching it out too much. your knitting will grow a little when it's wet though. as it gets heavy with water.

there are blocking mats out there, but a towel works fine for me. then for this specific project i didn't think i needed too many pins. so i just pinned it down in a few spots. depending on the garment though, i sometimes use a lot more. the pins i have aren't special blocking pins. (shhh don't tell).

so basically i just block it to dimension and leave it alone. check it here and there with the fan on it, to make sure it's dry...

that's pretty much it! you only need to block once though, as wool has memory.
and now i have a very pretty sweater to wear. i think this has to be my fave cardi that i've knit. but it's really the little things that make me the most proud of it. and blocking is one of them :)

so there you have it! easy peasy, lemon squeezy. hope this helps you out in properly finishing your sweater(s) :) xo

thanks so much becca!  luv ya girlie!!!! you guys can find all things nook here:

 blog  |  shop  |  facebook  |  pinterest  |  ravelry

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! thanks everyone!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

Summer Sweater Knit Along - Sleeves

i was finally able to get around to starting the sleeves on my "something silver".  i will openly admit that i detest knitting sleeves.  it's like the end of a party when all your friends are getting ready to go and you are having a fabulous time and you don't want it to end but you know it has to and you are faced with the reality of the dreaded mess of clean up when all you want to do is go to bed and wake up the next day to a clean house & fond memories :)  this sweater has a been a fun knit and a joy to make and at this point i would loooooove to be able to wear it but sleeves seem to take me forevah!!  and i mean a looong time. 

they will prolly take me even longer because we have so much going on right now.  i haven't hardly any time to knit and boy am i feeling it.  it's therapy for me and i know i have to get back onto my schedule of knitting for a tiny bit before bed each night.  it helps to calm my mind and relax me.  only problem is it takes a lot for me to pick this up cause i know it's "the sleeves".  blah.  i also won't allow myself to knit on anything else right now because i need to finish this bad boy up.  there's a crispness in the air already and too many times have i been getting dressed and thought to myself "my new cardi will look FAB with this" only to remember it's not done yet :P

so sleeve knitting it is for me this week.  i must forge ahead and get them done.  thankfully they are only 3/4 and the lace pattern is a breeze and joy to knit.  so close.....my friends....so close.......

until then i will be looking at this view.... one (don't judge me...lol, there was more than 1. in fact my daughter even said "mom, you soooo don't need any more journals".  to which i replied "you can never have enough journals luv, it's all about the little things in life" and i quickly got the eye roll....she's now 5 going on a judgemental 13..lol) of my newest journals, my new best friend "the cuppow", and my sweater.  how's your summer sweater knit along project coming along?  join in the linky party below ladies.  i want to see pics!

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! thanks everyone!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

Seaming Video Tutorials with Guest Kelly of Celtic Cast On

we've got one of my fave knitty pals on the blog today.  kelly from the blog "celtic cast on" is here today to so sweetly talk to us about one of those things most of us knitters don't enjoy - seaming. thankfully she's got some skills when it comes to seaming (and to just about all knitting things) and she even filmed us videos!!! can i get a woot woot!!!  thank. you. kelly.  awesome! 

kelly's always knitting up the most gorgeous projects and her images are equally as lovely (isn't she so purdy? i couldn't resist embarrassing her with a collage of her cute self).  she's a big part of our knit alongs and also one of my trusted moderators in our ravelry group.  this gal has some serious knitting mojo.  you all ready to learn from her and tackle those seaming skills? i know a few of you made an aidez....so pay attention :P

here's kelly..... 

inversion cardigan

SEAMING....

It's one of those words a lot of knitters CRINGE over when they hear it...same as GAUGE and SWATCH.

I used to cringe too...that is until I realized that the sweaters I had knit without swatching and getting gauge were complete flukes and would come back to haunt me.

The same can be said for seaming. I was one of those knitters who HATED seaming. I'd knit a sweater and then the pieces would sit in a basket forever just waiting to be seamed or I'd seam it up as quickly as I could not taking into consideration the best way to seam that part of the garment. I avoided it like the plague because I could never get my seams to look right and I was never fully happy with the knit.

1. gelsomina aran 2. aidez

Don't get me wrong I do absolutely love top down knitting, being able to try on as your go and adjust for a perfect fit is amazing but there are time's when you DO need seams to make a design hang and fit the right way.

1. fable cardigan 2. linney cardigan

 I"m going to show you the three seaming techniques I use most often, the invisible seam, the shoulder seam and joining a sleeve.

The easiest and probably my favourite is to seam the main body. Usually it's just matching up knit stitches and the work goes smoothly. Once you get used to this technique it becomes a great tv companion.

SEAMING VIDEOS

Invisible Seam 
NOTE: During all these seaming techniques take the time to straighten out your work every now and then to make sure one side isn't getting ahead of the other. It will save you from ripping back later when you come to the end and discover one side still has 2 inches of fabric left.... been there done that!

Now for the shoulder seam!

Shoulder Seam
Last but not least, the sometimes tricky one, joining the sleeves. This is actually a combination of the two techniques I have already shown you so once you master the previous two you will have no problem's joining a sleeve.

Seaming a Sleeve

If you plan on making garments you want that entire sweater, tank or tee to be a reflection of your knitting skills. Don't cop out on the most important parts of the process just so you can say it's finished. Take the time to learn the skill of seaming, practice and hone it so that when people look at it they say ""Wow that looks like its right out of a store!"

Now make yourself a cup of tea, grab that sweater that's been sitting in a basket forever waiting to be seamed and take the plunge!!

thank you so much for all those awesome videos kelly! you rock girl!  i don't know how many times i've gotten stumped over seaming. these will definitely be a huge resource for us!  you guys can check out all of kelly's awesome knitting and read more about her on her blog here and on her ravelry page here.

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! thanks everyone!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

Mallory Cowl Pattern - The Updated Version!

mallory cowl pattern by me, yarn: knit picks swish worsted in colorway allspice

guess what's just around the corner?  fall! yahoo!  don't get me wrong, i'm basking in the last of the summer rays but i'm also itching for the loveliness of fall.  i'm also missing my cowls.  you all know how i love me a cowl.  i figured since we are only a few days away from september that i could share some upcoming news with ya.

see that lovely cowl in these pics knit up in that yummy "perfect for fall" color?  well that's the mallory cowl.  i heart the mallory cowl.  it's seriously the bounciest & squishiest cowl i have ever made.  since last year i've made a few of these to go along with mackenzie's child version and this one has to be my favorite one of all of them.  wanna know why?  well i adore the yarn it was made with.

the yarn used to knit this cowl is knit picks "swish worsted" in colorway allspice.  yep, it's as good as it's name.  how could i not knit my bouncy cowl pattern up in a yarn called "swish"? it's like a match made in heaven!!!!  best part of it all is you can now buy the mallory pattern and matching yarn on the knit picks website as part of their independent designer program!! woot woot!  how cool is that!  you could pick up your pattern and choose the color that suits you right in one shopping cart! now that's what i call efficiency :)

 

swish worsted comes in tons of gorgeous colors too and the price is oh, so affordable.  heck make one for your kidlet and one for you so you can match!  so fun!  each skein of swish worsted is $4.49 - $4.69 a ball and at 110yds/50g a ball you only need (2) to make a child's mallory or (4) for the adult one!  wowsa!  swish worsted is 100% superwash merino wool too! which means it's soft (great for baby & kid's clothes) and is machine washable!

the mallory cowl pattern has been updated and rewritten to include both the childs and adult pattern in one handy pdf with more concise instructions including 2 new gauges.  this pattern is great for beginners and/or anyone looking to try knitting in the round.  it's a quick project that knits up easily.  perfect for a "treat myself" or "christmas pressie" kind of project.

you can purchase the mallory pattern at the following online shops:

ravelry  |  etsy  |  craftsy  |  magpie patterns

and on

knit picks!!! wahoo!!!

so watcha think?  you ready to see those leaves change color, to feel a crispness to the air, and go for a lovely pre-fall stroll with me sporting our matching mallorys?  i know i am!  bring on the pumpkin spice lattes and knitted cowls people!  

a huge thank you to the lovely rebecca (nook) for being my pattern model.  i love taking pics of her and she is so sweet to happily let me go all paparazzi on her...lol.  and also thanks to the equally as lovely jane (janerichmond.com) for letting me snap some shots of her as well.  don't they look gorgeous?  thanks m'dears! luv ya both..xoxoxo.

have you made a mallory cowl yet?  if so i'd love to see your pics!!!!  make sure you add them to our flickr group or post them up in ravelry for all to see.  or you could just email them to me or comment below.  it really is fun for me to see them so share away :)  anyone else dying for pumpkin spice lattes already?

Summer Sweater Knit Along - Knit Pockets Tutorial Roundup

campus jacket pattern by amy christoffers, image by mamatronic - this is her finished sweater for our summer sweater knit along

i love pockets.  i love any kind of pocket.  big. small.  in between.  cozy.  warm.  floating.  patch.  side.  you name it - i love it.  when it comes to knitting pockets though i just don't think enough people make them.  i mean how much yummier can a knitted garment get?  you're already wearing something so awesome you might as well take it to intergalactic level of awesomeness and add some rockin' pockets to it! 

manu by kate davies

i love how a knit pocket can just add something super special to a garment.  you just up that comfy factor by a zillion.  who doesn't want to curl up inside with a cup of tea and a good book with their yummy pockets?  go for a walk in the crisp fall weather with somewhere convenient to warm up your fingers?  they also make a great place to put things :)

1. snowbird 2. linney cardigan 3. shellseeker 4. something silver

since i'm at the point where i am about to seam down my pockets for my summer sweater kal project i decided to do a little research into the best way to get a nice flat and straight pocket.  while i was doing this i thought you all might look up the same things to which then led me to compiling a handy little list of some fab tutorials on all kinds of pockets.  yep, that's right - there is way more than just one way to make a knitted pocket.  they all are fun though!  i can't wait to try a few of them!  who would have thought the idea of cutting a line through your stitches could be so exhilarating, exciting and well....fun!  oh...elizabeth...you amaze me.

1. idlewood 2. praline 3. levenwick

and as per normal with my roundups be sure to add your fave pocket tutorial in the comments below and i'll add them to the list :)  i want to make sure we have a well rounded list and your input is important.  you ready to whip up some pockets?  great!

|  HOW TO'S  |

- Afterthought Pocket from "Knitting Without Tears" by Elizabeth Zimmerman

- Fun With Pockets Tutorial from Lori Times Five

- Great overall pocket tutorial from Knit Picks

- Sewing Down Pocket Linings from Cocoknits

- Floating Pocket Tutorial by Jan Cullen

- Fab pocket how to from Tin Can Knits

- Pocket tutorials by Studio Knits

- Patch pocket how to's from Knit Simple Magazine
 

1.tourist sweater 2. pepper 3. flyaway hoodie

fun right!  alrighty ladies.....link up those blog posts!  i wanna see how you're summer sweater knit along projects are doing this week!  i know more than a few of you finished your sweaters this week so let's see some pics!  add your blog posts to the linky party below.  thanks for knitting with me!

you can follow along with all things summer sweater knit along:
 

ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

and a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors! thanks everyone!

additional sponsors:

joji locatelli

join our linky party by linking up your "summer sweater kal" blog post!

wiksten tanks and rocky coast cardis

i've been way behind on my fo shots lately.  i decided to try to get a few snaps of my rocky coast cardigan that i finished eons ago and also a newly sewn wiksten tank. *edited to add: can you believe i took these first 2 shots by balancing my camera on my ample cleavage? how's that for putting "the girls" to good use...muahah!

the wiksten tank is tank #2.  i made  my first one with fabric i wouldn't be sad to use if it didn't work out and i liked how it turned out but only wear it with a cardi because i definitely suffer from the side boob peekaboo and a way too big back neck opening.  not a good fit.  thankfully my lovely friend rae (from made by rae) had a tiny bit of the same issue with her neck and i took her cue with my 2nd attempt and took about 1" or so off the top half of the pattern along the folded edge when you lay out your pattern piece before cutting.  you can see how rae did it here.  the tank fits like a dream now (or at least i think so) and it's been in very heavy rotation ever since i finished it last week.  covers all my wobbly bits but isn't so loose and baggy that it makes me look preggers. 

1. wiksten tank in cotton lawn 2. rocky coast cardigan by hannah fettig in quince & co. lark in colorway frost

please excuse the very windy shots...we were right beside a very windy ocean just before sunset and i was right in the line of fire for ocean winds.  i swear this tank drapes nicely..lol.  the fabric is a cotton lawn i got on sale for a good deal.  like a $4.98/yd kinda deal :)  i also picked up two diff voile's to see how i liked the tank in them and also to make a wiksten tova tunic for the fall.  i can't wait to sew those bad boys up.

i've also been anxiously awaiting the mail carrier each day (what else is new right?!) for a yummy order from fabricworm that i placed to make a washi dress and tunic for myself.  so excited!  i decided after a year of selfish knitting it was time to do some selfish sewing.  this momma needs some new clothes and i'm so excited to make some new lovelies that i can fit just for my body shape.  fun!!!

after all...i need some purdy things to wear with my rocky coast cardigan this fall.  thought you were gonna see my badly sunburned nose didn't ya...nope....i hid that bad boy.  i didn't want to scare you and your children..lol.

i love this cardigan so much.  it's easy to wear, super comfy and oh so warm and is the loveliest shade of grey.  it's gorgeous.  the yarn is quince and co. lark in colorway frost and it's one of my fave yarns to knit with.  so yummy and squishy!  a big thank you again to my parents who spoiled me rotten with the yarn for this cardi for xmas last year!  best pressie!

see those cables?  aren't they mesmerizing?  i really enjoyed the outcome of this pattern even though i made a colossal boo boo 3/4 of the way through my back that had me ripping all the way back to my armholes!!! EEEEEEK! i cried real tears over that one.  luckily the cables are a fun knit and go quite quickly.  this cardi makes me want to live right beside the ocean. i can see myself strolling the beach each night and sitting on my cozy deck knitting with a yummy cup of tea.  it's that kind of cardi folks.  but even though i don't live right next to the ocean i can still get the ocean quite easily.  so when the hubs suggested we go down and check out the sunset last night i knew i had to get some shots of the rocky coast cardigan in it's home - the coast.  doesn't it look purdy?

yep, this is why we live where we live.  gorgeous and breathtaking views every single day.  can't beat that.  it just inspires you to create so much more.  unfortunately the kidlets didn't enjoy the view and the cold breeze as much as the hubs and i did...lol.

we did manage to get some pretty shots and the hubby (who loves outdoor/landscape photography) got some gorgeous ones of the sunset.  you can never have too many pictures of breathtaking sunsets and sunrises.  at least that's what we think in our wee house.  reminds me to stop and breathe ya know?  life gets busy and crazy and little things become way more important than they need to be and when i'm standing next to the ocean watching something so breathtaking the world just seems to stand still.  i feel like i can breathe and all my worries disappear for just that brief moment.  i'm so glad my hubby loves them just as much as i do.  he will sniff out a sunset pic no matter where we are and on more days than not i wake up to his tales of sunrise shots he took and it's just the way i like it.

what projects have you all finished lately?  are you any of you planning do start doing any selfish sewing/knitting?  have you made a wiksten tank or a washi dress yet? c'mon ladies...chit chat....my coffee cup is lonely and could use the company :)

The Source of Inspiration by Guest Annie Claire

we've got a lovely guest poster today!  one of my fave rav buddies & summer sweater knit along sponsor - the lovely annie claire of "by annie claire".  this talented gal originally from england now lives with her hubby where they are both goat dairy farmers!  can you imagine!  she knits, spins, designs, weaves, felts, dyes....and more!  she has a gorgeous line of patterns and even more scrumptious hand dyed & spun yarns!  annie's here to talk to us today about her sources of inspiration when it comes to knitting.

now let's here from annie...

Inspiration, sometimes hard to find, but constantly all around us, is the spark at the beginning of our journey as a knitter of taking a really really long piece of string and turning it into something beautiful.

aria cardi by cecily glowik macdonald

I don't know about you, but there are many places from which I find those tiny sparks. One of the biggest, which I'm sure you'll agree, is other people's work. Just trawling through ravelry and the many knitting blogs out there I will stumble across FO's and new patterns that just leap out at me. Patterns that I just have to knit, and right now. Naturally a great photograph is key, and there are some fantastic people out there producing so many wonderful patterns and capturing them in perfect settings that its no wonder my queue is exploding. Gorgeous close ups of squishy garter and the simple fabric of stockinette stitch exploding with the beautiful tones of hand painted yarn.... OK, I'm drooling.

fortune bay by mercedes tarasovich-clark

For me, being a girl that spends most of her day outside, I am a sucker for a shot that is in the great outdoors, full of motion and life. There is something that makes a hand knit more practical, tangible and easy to imagine in my wardrobe when photographed outside of the studio and in natural light.

1. champagne by thea colman 2. tundra kristen tendyke 3. winnowing by bristol ivy

 In fact, the fellow knitter, local yarn stores, books, magazines, yarn, anything fiber related... brushing against any or all of these will encourage me along my knitterly way.... Oh, and you can't forget fiber focused shows and events - a whole weekend of knitting and all things sheep? Inspiration overload!! I'm sure the above is not unfamiliar to you, us knitters and be pretty predictable at times, but when you go a little deeper and start designing your own hand knit patterns, I've found that inspiration can come from all sorts of places.

jaavesi by annie claire

I have always tried to do things my way. Ask anyone who knows me. I don't mean in an aggressive way, I just like to experience things and to figure them out for myself. I'm a do-er. So as you might expect, when I learned to knit one cold cold winter in Finland I was quickly moving onto adjusting patterns and eventually writing my own. When asked where I find my inspiration my answer can be different each time. I design with my naturally dyed yarns which immediately connects me to my surroundings. As I gather and harvest the dye plant material from around the farm and my home, I'm constantly finding shapes, patterns and tones that can spur on different thoughts and ideas.

1. jig 2. hoops 3. seedling 4. buddleia all by annie claire

I love how all colour can be found naturally [I'm not kidding] which encourages my thinking that you can never become to far from being inspired if you stay close to the outdoors. A walk through the fields or a stroll on the beach can usually spark up my creativity.  I cannot say if it is the yarn colour that inspires me, or the fiber blend, or a special garment idea which gets new designs going, or, I could say that it is all three. Each pattern's journey is different. I have before now started working a striped a scarf only to end up with a fingerless mittens, and lately, a cowl turned sweater. I find it healthier to not have any limits when it comes to my knitting, I like to allow things to develop as they need.

images by annie claire

Ultimately, considering all my knitting endeavors as one, it is the challenge that keeps me most inspired. Whether learning a new finishing technique, a different heal turn, steeking, you name it - if it's a challenge, I'm all in. Wonder why I chose Umbrellas as my Summer Sweater KAL project? I think you now understand...

images by annie claire

So as I take my yarn and my designs into the fall I am taking on the challenge of designing sweaters and cardigans, and all that comes with it. Luckily I'm no stranger to math, ripping back hours of work, and long evenings wondering where the heck I lost those two stitches, and so far the journey is just as exciting as I had hoped. It's a leap, but sometimes you have to go there to find out... I'll see you on the other side!

images by annie claire

thanks so much annie m'dear!  you are a source of inspiration yourself hun!  i swear one day you are going to wake up one morning to find us all knocking on your door to come hang out and knit :) so purdy!

what are your sources of inspiration?  do you have a fave place or thing that you turn to when you need to get inspired?  i love this topic so come chat peeps!  and don't forget to link up your posts below!

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ravelry group  |  blog  |  flickr group

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