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.

Spring Garden Tee & why you should always do the measuring yourself!

I've finally finished the "Spring Garden Tee", that was meant to be a birthday gift for my niece. Once the ends were woven in, and it was blocked, I was really excited to see it on my niece. I went over, armed with my camera, ready to take some gorgeous FO shots.

Perhaps I should have known. There had been signs. All I had to do is hold it up to my son for comparison. Or think back on previous conversations with my sister. Because it turns out the tee....is more of a tunic. Apparently that's fine, it only means she'll be able to wear it longer.

I guess.

It does look really cute on her, no?

I have also started my second KAL project, another Levenwick, for a friend. I really enjoyed knitting it the first time around, so it'll be a breeze to finish by the end of September. More on that soon.

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.