Portuguese Shores

Have you ever visited a place and been overwhelmed by a feeling of "right"? This is the right place for me, this feels right, I'm all right here, better then all-right.

I was overcome with these feelings this summer when we visited Portugal. I loved everything about it, the food, the views, the culture, the people, the atmosphere, and of course the wool. 

Portugal has a rich history of wool and fibre, beautifully showcased by the Retrosaria Rosa Pomar yarn shop. I've already written about my visit to the shop and the first project I made using the yarn I purchased there. I have now found what I believe to be the perfect pattern for the Beiroa yarn I also brought home from Lisbon.

Once again Instagram served as a catalyst for this idea. Not too long ago a fellow knitter with a lovely feed threw out the idea of starting a Portuguese inspired KAL. Whether it'd be portuguese wool, a portuguese pattern, or a project inspired by Portugal, the possibilities are endless. This proposal instantly made me think of the Beiroa yarn I have in my stash. A bit of research led me to decide on "Shore" as my choice of pattern. 

A lot of resource information has already been  shared on the Ravelry thread and I can't wait to learn more, read more about Portugal's knitting history. 

TTTKAL 2015, a project accomplished

You are going to get a kick out of this one. As I mentioned previously, I decided sort of last minute to join into Shannon's TTTKAL 2015. I have a ridiculously busy schedule these days, so I only committed to a little top for my daughter. Surely I thought, I could do this!

And I am proud to say that I did. Finish in time, blocked and ends woven in. I managed to snap a few shots while my little one was napping, and I made the deadline! Ok, the extended one, but a deadline nevertheless.

I have to say that I am proud of the ever-growing collection of handknits she has. (And at the same time I feel terrible that I have not knit anything for my son in....a while.)

The discussion on the thread today turned to heirlooms, and loving grandmothers knitting and sewing away. It seems most of us have fond memories of just that. I wish I had a photo of my grandmother knitting, but alas there are none. Still, knitting will forever be linked with her, and that is so immensely special to me.

But I digress. Back to my Ruffaluffagus. Once the photos were snapped, I was ready to have her wear it for Father's day this weekend. I thought I'd just try it on, to make sure it was perfect. I had measured after all, but it's always good to double-check. I have had my experiences with measuring. 

You may have guessed it by now....it does not fit! It seems that once I added the collar everything tightened. I can fix it of course, and I will, but it's one of those moments when you let out a well-deserved swear-word.

TTTKAL 2015, Here We Go Again

Isn’t it funny how certain events are hard to resist? I am proud to say that I have been joining Shannon’s KAL’s from the beginning, I have missed only one I think. So when she announced the start of this year’s TTTKAL, even though I hesitated at first, I signed up anyway. 

How can you go wrong with a KAL whose first rule is to “have fun”? There is no pressure, you do not have to finish, just cast on and do your best, you can knit an adult size piece or a child’s top, the possibilities are endless. Honestly the hardest part is to keep up with the chatter on the Ravelry thread.

Now, as I have limited knitting time these days…we have way too many after school activities, and yes, I realize I have no one to blame by myself…but nonetheless, limited knitting time lead to me choosing a baby-sized knitting pattern to join the TTTKAL. I am making Ruffaluffagus for my daughter in Koigu KPPPM. I adore the color scheme of this yarn, and so far it’s great to knit with. And the pattern is adorable ... it's the ruffles .... I believe!

Now all I have to do is book some time each evening to try and catch up on the Ravelry thread!

SSKAL 2014 - A fail and a success

I have a confession to make...It seems I am addicted to baby-knits. I can't stop casting on, researching, planning. I've got it bad!

My latest favourite? Cascade by Raya Budrevich. I mean look at those pretty leaves! Who could resist tat? Certainly not me.

Since my own Summer Sweater KAL project ended in a frogged pile of yarn, I searched for solace in a quick project. And Cascade was the perfect pick-me-up. I whipped it up in 2 days. It took me longer to weave in ends, choose buttons, block and photograph it!

I cannot wait for Sienna to fit into it. I think this is a cardigan that will be knitted in several sized to accompany her through childhood!

A Sunday afternoon "stroll" and the Driftwood Tee

So....I had to turn on the heat this weekend. Yes.... really, a pretty scary thing right? Is it me, or is fall coming earlier every year? 

As depressing as I find this, my knit obsession is in full swing now. So many new patterns to discover, so many new collections to browse (has anyone else seen the new BT Fall 14 collection, or Wool Book 5 to just name a few).

But first, let me brag about my finally blocked Driftwod Tee. It was a project I knitted as part of Shannon's TTTKAL, did not finish on time, but continued working on and managed to even wear a few times this summer.

Now let me tell you about going out to photograph Driftwood. 

Last weekend the weather was really nice, and my husband and I decided to take advantage and go enjoy a coffee on a terrace, with the kids.....after all, how bad could it be? 

HA! Famously last spoken words!

Let me paint a picture for you. The baby did not nap, my son complained about having to walk, and every terrace on  the street was already closed. Still, we refused to give up, got in the car, and drove to another neighbourhood. At first, things looked promising, but then all the outside seats ended up being taken, the baby was still not sleeping and the wifi connection was wonky, so my son's video wasn't playing. Still, we persisted, and ordered coffees, determined to enjoy at least a few sips. We really only got a few moments of peace! Before heading back to the car, completely exasperated, I had my husband snap a few shots of my Driftwood and I.

Considering....not too shabby, right?

I am sure that all knitters would agree that having someone admire a handmade garment is extremely satisfying. Everyone is always shocked to see that my wardrobe contains as many hand-knitted items as it does. To do them justice I have stared building outfits around my various knits, so prepare for some wardrobe pics!

TTTKAL & Mommy Brain

You know what they say about the best intentions....

Well, I intended to participate in Shannon's TTTKAL and make a cute summer top for myself, but I mobilized too late and by the time my yarn arrived, it was one day away from the finishing deadline.I blame mommy-brain. Indecision and procrastination have nothing to do with it!

Though this deadline was extended to yesterday, the 2nd June, I am nowhere near finishing.  But, it has given me the opportunity to follow along in the thread, chat with some other knitters, and that is always a blast. To anyone that is considering joining a KAL, Shannon's are always a lot of fun. It's a great group of ladies! I can only recommend it!

Nevertheless, let me introduce you to my project. I chose the Driftwood Tee by Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark. It is very "me". Clean lines, with a little interesting detail. I debated for too long which yarn to choose. I did not have anything in my stash, and did not want to invest a lot, so I though I'd give Holst yarn a try. I have heard good things about it. The specification on their website are very similar to the yarn this pattern calls for, only a couple of stitches off from the pattern gauge. So far it is a lovely yarn, though it is a lot thinner then I expected. I personally would call it a lace-weight, but hey, I am no expert. The knitted fabric is very airy, which is nice for a summer top. 

We'll see what the finished project turns out to be....hopefully I will stick to it, and get to wear it this summer, as I do not have the encouragement of my fellow knitters to keep me going.

Updates to follow!

TTT KAL Finish- Lessons learned

My title my sound positive, but the reality of it is that I have decided to frog this project. I am about 3/4 through and I have known for a while that this is not going to end well. It's simply not turning out the way I envisioned it.

What went wrong? 

Here's what I think. 

Lack of proper measuring on my part mostly. In determining which size to knit, I simply based me choice on the bust measurement, and nothing else. I started knitting and blindly followed the pattern without any additional measuring. This approach usually works for me, and I have obviously been very fortunate with fit thus far. This is a very simple top, and fit is that much more important when you are making such a sleek item. I should have made it longer, narrower, shortened the lattice portion and decreased the neck-opening. Lots of fellow knitters made the Cap Sleeve Top during the KAL, and almost everyone made some modifications, so the next time I attempt this, I will certainly read more notes, measure and try it on constantly.

Here's to learning from your mistakes!

Tanks, Tops & Tees KAL

I have not had a chance to post about my latest project. Though short on time I decided to join Shannon from luvinthemommyhood and her lovely group of knitterly friends in yet another KAL. All of the knit alongs organized by her are incredibly fun, mainly because of the great chatter taking place on the ravelry discussion board. It is a great place to get advice, find support and encouragement as well as get a few laughs.

My project was not off to a great start. I chose to knit the Cap Sleeve Lattice top, a free pattern by the Purl Bee. At first I could not decide on what yarn to use, but in the end settled for linen. I ordered my yarn, it took forever to arrive and I got slapped with a rather steep duty charge. Then I had a hell of a time achieving gauge. A little discouraging you have to agree.

But I kept on going, even though the changes of me finished on time are slim, and I am halfway through. And it seems we are getting an extension, which may just mean that I get to finish. I hope.

Though I still second-guess my yarn choice, as it is turning out rather see-through, I will continue and see how it turns out. I will trust in my new friends to give me advice on whether it's a keeper or not.

Imogen Cowl- a finished project

Only a few days ago I blogged about a wonderful Knit-along organized and hosted by the lovely Shannon of the luvinthemommyhood blog. This is the 5th of her KAL's that I have signed up for. Why so many? I simply can't get enough of the fun conversations all the participants have, of the inspirational stories some of these ladies share, of the helpful advice and the encouraging words. The more I get involved, the more I realize what a wonderful, warm and kind community the knitting community is. And yes, I am also aware that I have said this many times before.

But enough with the mushy stuff. Let me introduce you to my finished project. As I mentioned last time, it is called the Imogen Cowl and to me it was the perfect Downton Abbey inspired knit. I did not expect to finish it on time, and the only reason I did, is because I decided to shorten it, to forgo the loop. I don't think it takes away from the beauty of the lacework though, and I am happy with the result.

After days of being stuck in the deep-freeze and suffering through gray skies, we had a beautiful sunny weekend that allowed my to properly photograph it. Once again, I have to thank my husband who patiently followed instructions and took tons of photos until I declared, "Ok, I think we're done". 

I also have to mention the yarn. It is the first time I used Quince & Co and I simply adored knitting with it. It is wonderful to work with, it's wonderfully soft, and once blocked it really makes the pattern pop. I cannot wait to choose more patterns to try this yarn with.

Downton Abbey KAL

I think this project deserves its own, separate post. 

I, like many others have been utterly addicted to the show  "Downton Abbey" It has been a long time since I have been so absorbed by a show, and I have so  feverishly looked forward to each new episode. I can give you a million reasons why you should watch, the writing, the acting, the setting, the characters, the fashions, really, the list is endless, but honestly you simply have to try for yourself to understand. 

In honor of this show, and perhaps to provide us, Downton- obsessed knitters, a creative opportunity, Shannon of Luvinthemommyhood started the Downton Abbey KAL. All participants have picked a Downton- inspired pattern, and are working tirelessly to finish it prior to the deadline of February 6th. 

I took forever to choose a project, and finally settled on the Imogen Cowl, knitted in Quince & Co Tern yarn. The color is such a beautiful green, it reminded me of the vibrant green gardens that surround Downton. And the intricacy of the lace pattern (my first attempt at lace....ahem!) makes for a very sophisticated and classy cowl. These are the pictures that inspired me to make this choice. 

My yarn arrived late, so I am way behind on knitting the cowl, I will certainly not make the deadline, but that does not matter, the main thing is that I was a part of the discussions happening on the Ravelry thread, that I get to exchange ideas and connect with such talented knitters. Their projects, and oftentimes stories, are inspiring!I cannot emphesize it enough, how happy I am to be a part of such a wonderful community.

So here is how far I got for now. I am hoping that the conversation about the show will continue even after the KAL is closed. My dream is to be able to photograph this FO in its proper setting. A visit to Highclere Castle.

Levenwick Take Two

I really cut it close, but I am excited to say that I was able to finish 2 sweaters during the now famous luvinthemommyhood Summer Sweater KAL. My first was a linen T-shirt, blogged here and raveled here, and my second, a request from a  dear friend, that I was more then happy to oblige. This was my second time knitting Levenwick, and it is a lovely pattern. Perfectly suited for the fall weather we have been getting lately.

I have to admit it took me by surprise. As soon as we came back from our NY trip, the temperatures dipped, and we find ourselves digging out the scarves and sweaters. Our house seems to be located in the flightpath of migrating loons (is that the plural?), and every day we get to see them fly overhead, loudly proclaiming their departure, so close that you can see their little feet tucked in. I have planned our yearly apple-picking visit, my baking recipes have been dusted off, the blankets are out, and I re-stocked my pantry with all sorts of different types of tea.

Fall always makes me feel ambivalent. I am excited about the upcoming holiday season, even though I know it's a stressful time for a lot of us, it's still something to look forward to. At the same time, I feel sad to witness the end of summer. Especially this one, it has been absolutely fantastic. It's scary to realize that my little boy will start school next year, I keep telling myself that I cannot possibly be the mother of a school-child, I mean when did that happen?

But back to knitting. Levenwick is done, blocked and photographed. This time around, I learned my lesson, and took good notes, at least I think they are, so if you have any questions, check out my Ravelry project page.

Summer Sweater KAL and a visit to a Lavender Farm

I am really happy to be able to show you my finished KAL sweater. After a really slow start, I finally gathered some steam and put the finishing touches on it this weekend.

My comments? Another great Purl Bee pattern. It is a simple construction, but that's what makes it so wearable, modern, and especially pretty. I also really like the yarn I used. I took a chance on linen yarn on ebay, and I am really happy with the quality. Also, the colors are amazing. I have lots left over, so I am already on the lookout for another suitable pattern. Suggestions?

Now let me tell you about our weekend outing.

Our little family has been making a effort to discover our own "backyard" so to speak. We live in a beautiful province, and especially in the summer, there are tons of things to do. A few years ago I had visited a lavender farm close to Magog, and I absolutely wanted to take the hubs and A. to it.

We packed a picnic basket, I armed myself with my camera and off we went. I was a little worried about the 2 hour car ride, but A. loved playing "spot the red car", and it kept him busy for most of the day. I worked on my niece's t-shirt, and before you know it we had arrived.

Bleu Lavande is a really special place. It's perched on a hill, overlooking the surrounding forests. It's flowering season at the moment and as soon as you arrive you are faced with a sea of purple. If there is a breeze, you get a hint of that refreshing lavender smell. There are picnic tables strewn along the fields, a band is singing live, and you can participate in botany, gardening and cooking workshops. They even have little tents set up where you can get massages. The kids can play on the jungle-gym, but most of them are content just running through the fields and smelling the flowers. I tasted the most delicious lavender lemonade, and I am dying to try and whip up a batch at home.

It seems everyone is overcome by this sense of calm. We came back really refreshed and content. I will leave you with some shots of this wonderful place.



Luvinthemommyhood Summer Sweater KAL

If you've been following my blog for a while you may remember that last year I joined the luvinthemommyhood Summer Sweater KAL. It was a great experience. I got to "meet" a lot of like - minded knitters and I loved sharing and discussing my project. Everyone is really helpful and encouraging. So if you've got a project in mind, or if you've been thinking about that one pattern, but have not yet found the opportunity to start... Why not join us?

Here's the link to sign up, there's no pressure, and I promise you it's lots of fun.

Now about my own project, I mentioned here that I found some linen yarn on eBay to use for the Purl Bee Silken Straw Summer Sweater pattern. It was going to be my vacation project. The plan was to use the 8 hour flight to be productive and make lots of progress. I even went on-line to do research and make sure that you are indeed allowed to bring knitting needles on board (I had a printout with me just in case). About an hour into the flight, after A. and S. had fallen asleep, I pulled out my project and settled in for some knitting.

Alas.....barely any progress was made.

I've never worked with linen before, and did not consider the stiffness of the yarn. I am knitting this with 2 strands held together, so the result was a huge tangled mess of stiff, linen, lace-weight yarn. I believe I spent maybe 1 hour trying to untangle it, then gave up, frustrated. In the end, I had to cut out quite a bit of yarn, because I was never able to undo it.

I did not pick up my project for any significant progress, until I read about the KAL. It was the push I needed. So here's a glimpse of what it looks like. It's coming together quite nicely, and I cannot wait to have it finished.

Herringbone cowl

This weekend I had to turn on the heat in the house. Normally that would make me pretty sad, but this year I am embracing the cold, and will make the best of it.

Perhaps the fact that I have a new, cozy and gorgeous cowl to wear is making the transition a little easier. It only took two weeks to make, significantly less then I thought, and I love it. My only moment of panic came when I had to block it, just some of the old fears resurfacing, but a little encouragemet from my new friends from the luvinthemommyhood ravelry group, helped me overcome them.

I wore the cowl all weekend, and was especially happy to have it at A.'s first visit to the skating rink. Can you say cold? He looked so adorable all decked out in skates, elbow pads and a helmet..... but I digress.

Now I'll have to start thinking of Christmas gifts....suggestions anyone?

Carefree cowl knit along

I was really excited when I heard that Shannon of luvinthemommyhood had decided to start off another KAL. This time, in keeping with the season, we are knitting a cowl.
I have to say that I did not have a hard time making a choice. One of the patterns I've always admired is the Herringbone cowl. The look is the perfect blend of classic and modern style. As for yarn, I thought that luxurious was the way to go, warm and super-soft, so I invested in 2 skeins of Malabrigo worsted. The color is called "Polar Morn", though I think that something like Storm Clouds is more accurate. It is soooo soft. It'll feel great wrapped around my neck. I've made pretty decent progress, and am sure it'll be ready for when the cold weather hits. And sadly, that's right around the corner.

Summer sweater KAL, mission complete!

It’s done! I am so proud! A few hiccups along the way, but I’ve been able to overcome all these little obstacles, and I’ve learned quite a bit (my favorite being the super-stretchy-bind off). It’s my first adult size project, and even though it took 3 months to complete, I am hoping that with time I will get faster.

I convinced my husband this morning to come to the nearest park and take pictures of me modeling the cardi, and he did really well I think (I can’t blame him for my frizzy hair, right?).

Now….feel free to shower me with compliments..;-p

KAL standstill

My Featherweight Cardi progress has come to a screeching halt!

The body is finished, and I just bound off the collar part….and tried it on…well, let’s just say, I’m going to have to redo the last part.

Here’s my dilemma. I decided to work the collar in a K1, P1 rib. But because it is a lace-weight yarn worked on larger size needles, it looks a bit like a lace pattern, and I like that, but, still, a K1, P1 rib will end up gathering the fabric  (if you know what I mean), so now the front looks short, and almost ruched.  NOT a good look. So I will have to unravel it and redo it in a plain stockinette……ahhhhh, frustrating!  I Can’t bring myself to undo it just yet…..

KAL Progress

What a summer! I can say that this one is the first in a long time that I am thoroughly enjoying. I’ve been able to put worries aside, but to be honest also housework and all other chores to really focus on absorbing the good weather. I could get used to this!

I’ll be posting about our trip to Boston and Maine in the next few weeks, but I wanted to give you a glimpse of the progress I’ve made on my Featherweight cardigan. I knew that a 6 hour drive each way would come in handy. I really like how this is coming along. My sister was kind enough to model this time. Not bad right?

The Dog Days of Summer

All’s been quiet on the blog-sphere, at least for me. I guess that my plan of updating the blog every week was a little ambitious. A lot of things have been going on lately, and between selling a house, building a new one, finding a new daycare and another job, my mind and time have been occupied.

So here’s the plan. As I have joined the luvinthemommyhood summer sweater knit-along, I’ll be posting about my progress. Because this is one project I will not give up on. It’s my first KAL ever, it’s my first real project for myself, so this is something I will see through. Following the progress of my fellow KAL participants, I cannot help but freak out when I see that some have already finished a sweater, and starting on a second one!!! Talk about motivation!

In parting, let me share some summer-feelings with you. I cannot believe we are already in July. I always panic when I realize how fast the summer is passing. It is my favorite season; I can never get enough of lazy afternoons, spent in the shade, with a good book or an interesting knitting project, enjoying a nice breeze, while bees are buzzing around and kids splashing in the pool, laughing and squealing with delight. I love packing up a blanket and a picnic basket, finding a cool spot to lie down, looking up at the leaves and seeing the sunshine peek through. These images, these thoughts are what gets me through our long, cold (did I mention long?) winters.

So keeping this in mind, can you blame me for slacking off on my knitting???

Summer Sweater knit along

Can you believe that I have never tackled an adult sized knitting project? I mean, ok , I’ve “only” been knitting for 3 years, but I’ve always focused on small, fast projects, mainly baby clothes and accessories. But now that I have gathered some experience, I figured I am ready for a new challenge.

Then I saw this post on Luvinthemommyhood, and it was the push I needed to make a commitment. I’ve wanted to knit Hannah Fettig’s Featherweight Cardigan for a while now, and I had even purchased the yarn. The color is this intense red-orange-y-pink/fuchsia. Not my usual color, but something about it just made me think it’d be perfect.

I have never joined a KAL, I simply have no time, but since this is on-line, it’s the perfect alternative. So get ready to hear about this project and its progress, I am myself curious to see how it will turn out.