mmmm, malabrigo

Haley, my awesome local yarn shop owner, introduced me to Malabrigo Chunky for this hat a while back. I believe she described it as "yummy" to knit with - or maybe I'm making that up - but it really is the best word for it. Malabrigo is soft, squishy and wonderful to wear. The colourways have such subtle and irregular changes of colour that it makes almost impossible to choose just one skein. This colourway is called Polar Morn, a lovely blue-gray that I again have to give credit to Sadie for picking. I had held up this and a brighter salmon option for her advice and she hardly paused. She pointed to the Polar Morn, and she was so right.

The hat is a slightly modified Ariosa Hat by Hannah Fettig (a free pattern). I started with 63 stitches, made a deeper band and then increased to 72 stitches. My cable section was only 14 stitches with 3 purls on each edge and 8 stitches in the centre. I didn't love the pinching effect in the original pattern's cable so I did a straight up cable instead. But otherwise I followed the decreases and finished it off with a big pompom. Two skeins made this hat and a pair of Instant Mittens with absolutely nothing to spare. Hmm, maybe the 30% off Boxing Day sale at Knitomatic is my chance to pick up more Malabrigo?

On the reading front, I finished up Galore by Michael Crummey, and it was another great East Coast read. Set in Newfoundland the story spans generations of families living in a tiny coastal village. It begins with the discovery of a man from inside the stomach of a beached whale. He is alive, mute but instantly accepted by the local wise woman (known as Devine's Widow). Intriguing, right? Man, I love these stories from Newfoundland.

If you need a moment's pause from the hectic lead-up to the coming holidays - I know I sure do - visit Ginny's Yarnalong for more knitting and reading inspiration.

loose ends

December is a funny time of year for posting. Suddenly I'm making things in every spare moment I've got, but I can't share any of it because the intended recipients visit this little virtual space regularly (or, in the case of the 7 year old, she looks over my shoulder quite a bit). And the kicker is that I have forgotten almost every year to take photos of what was made after I have gifted it. What can I say, I love wrapping just as much as I love making and I'm a forgetful photographer.

Anyway, before I dove into the holiday knitting list I had an urge to tidy up my sordid corner of wool and half-done projects that lurks behind the chair in our TV room. The vest above has been knit for AGES and was simply waiting for me to weave in the ends. How does 10 months go by before I get around to such a small task? Crazy. This is the other test version of my Toddler Snappy Shoulder Vest, but sized for a 4 year old (okay, that's why I've been lazy...Milo has a while before he will even wear it). I used Dream in Colour Classy for the body and some scrap Rowan All Seasons Cotton for the saddles. A more conservative colour combo, but the grays are nice. And this is going to sound bonkers, but Milo doesn't seem to have many vests these days (this from the obsessed vest knitter) so finishing this up made me excited to make a couple more in the 2 year old size. Which is on the list, after all the holiday knitting.

But for now, I'm working on a Big Snowy Owl for Milo. The 2 year old may look over my shoulder, but thank goodness he can't read!

little bits of knitting

Lately my knitting has been all about adult-sized sweaters, so I have had very little to show. But luckily a friend is about to have a baby, which means I got to do some newborn knitting. I'm pretty sure it's the best kind of knitting. I mean, who can argue with something quick and utterly adorable?

The little hat shown above is knit with Willow, a bulky yarn that is a merino/cashmere blend. It's quite soft and the palette is very suited to babies. I didn't follow a pattern - and I may have overdone the pompom size - but overall it should keep the new baby's noggin' warm.

As for my reading these days, I just finished Come, Thou Tortoise which I loved. It turned out just the way I was hoping (resulting in tears of joy, and I'm not even kidding) and I was thinking about the characters for days after I finished. The voices of the characters were so comical and quirky, making them incredibly loveable. And in my non-fiction world, I've been working on The Servant Leader and so far it is really resonating with me. The books I read for my work life always take me longer because I read them in small moments on the subway, but even at 2 pages at a time this book is powerful. And the knitting sitting on top of my books is the finished, now-blocking sweater that's been on my needles all month. Hopefully I'll have pictures of that next!

More knitting and reading inspiration over at the Yarnalong.

crossover crazy

I do not need more hoodies. 

And yet, I keep making them. I'm up to three now - there's a black fleece one too but I know black is pretty impossible to photograph (and I've been wearing it the most, meaning it's always covered in cat hair). It took a couple of tries to get the crossover hood just right, but now it's working and it seems foolproof even when using different fabrics. The geeky sewer in me loves the resulting shape of the pattern piece because it has this great swooping line. The gray hoodie was my first, and the inspiration for the front pockets is from Norah Gaughan's Kaari sweater. Although I'd like to knit it someday, I prefer the stiffness the pockets get when it's made from jersey (but don't get me wrong, it's great knit too). The pocket design is fantastic - they hit at the perfect spot and it feels so right to plunge your hands in there. The overall body for these sweaters is still from my basic-but-altered t-shirt pattern from Wendy Mullin's Sew U Home Stretch. It works every time - her book is so worth the investment!

For a bit of contrast I tried gingham bias tape to edge the hood and pockets on this navy version. It might be a bit too much, but I like the idea of having different bands of colour, especially around the hood. I guess I'll just have to try another sweater to really work out the ideal combination.

Because everyone needs a closet full of hoodies, obviously.

purple forever

At age seven, there is no way I can knit something for Sadie without her choosing the wool. So on a recent trip to Knitomatic, she spied a VERY BRIGHT purple Cascade Luna cotton yarn that she fell in love with (after I had shared my blasphemous opinion of not liking Cascade, no less). I had lots of other options at home and I'm pretty sure we were there for some other reason, but she was just smitten. And she's a clever girl who knows my weakness: I am easily convinced to purchase wool.

We had already picked a hat pattern for her - Little Pip's Acorn Cap by Kyrie Mead (Ravelry link because I can't seem to get her personal link right now). It's a very fun pattern with bobbles and it suits a solid colour wool nicely. I had tried one for myself in tweed but the bobble pattern effect was completely lost. Sadie has been wearing hers non-stop even on our lovely warm fall days, and although I still had a slightly icky feeling while knitting it, Sadie tells me it's very soft on her forehead.

Score one for neon purple.

resourceful

We were having a shoe dilemma, but a dilemma like that is always a fun challenge around here. It means we get to brainstorm ideas and start searching for bits and pieces that may end up as a shoe shelf. Armed with measurements we spent a few weekends looking around our favourite second hand and antique places in the city (so, Queen & Roncesvalles, Guff etc. in Queen East, Dundas Street West...if you live in Toronto, I highly recommend checking out Smash). But we came up empty handed and realized that we'd probably have to make something.

At this point I forget how the idea actually came together. Jay always has house-salvaged wood lying around waiting for a new purpose, so that part was easy (the pieces he ended up using were once a shelf, circa 1923, from our basement). The sides were more of a struggle to figure out but we knew that a wood + metal combo would suit the space, which is beside an old rad and under a wooden console table (the picture above is deceiving - I had to move the shelf to a new spot to photograph it, it's just too dark where it really lives). Luckily we somehow remembered these black metal grates Jay picked up at the ReStore years ago. We've been using them decoratively on shelves but we actually had 4 - the perfect number for a two level shelf. So after maybe an hour of work, Jay had the shelf built and all our shoes finally had a home.

Organization sure feels good.

skinny minnie

Life got in the way of blogging last week so I missed including my last bit of sewing for KCWC. Truthfully, it wasn't the most exciting project but it was very practical. At 7 years old (umm, when did that happen?) Sadie has long enough legs for the size 6X, but her waist is teeny weeny. Not surprisingly, I've been having trouble getting pants that fit her because to make sure her ankles are covered means the waist - even if it's elasticized - is ginormous. I've had two pairs of cords sitting on the sewing table for ages and she needed them made wearable more than she needed a new sweatshirt (which would have been more fun, I mean look at how great Trula's hoodie is). But sometimes practical just has to win. I had some striped jersey that worked with both purple and pink, so after a little cutting and a few lines of serging, Sadie had two new pants to wear.

Verdict: easy solution, happy girl.

more for milo

Sadie has very distinct tastes these days, so sewing for Milo is much easier. Less to think about and the only pattern I ever have to consider is stripes. In the last KCWC I made Milo a hoodie and I dress him in it every chance I get. Making another seemed like a no-brainer decision. I was totally inspired by this awesome jumper in the Flickr pool so I added some graphic lines to the sweatshirt body for fun (they aren't ribbon though, just scraps of the grey jersey). I used the same pattern as last time which was drafted from a raglan sleeved hand-me-down (thanks Jill!). It's roomy enough without looking too big so he should be able to wear it for quite a while.

I also finished up a t-shirt that has been sitting on my table half done since July. The hold-up was choosing the colour for the bands. I probably could have decided on the red in my sleep, but I think making decisions this summer was a particular weakness for me. The black striped fabric is the very last of a thrifted man's t-shirt which has made two other pairs of shorts and various bands for things. It's such a good way to buy knit fabric - $3 ended up making 3 garments for the kids.

And I want to thank everyone for their super kind words about Milo in my last post. He's generally a very funny little guy but that photo just captured an image of him that makes my heart melt. In a hilarious contrast, here is the full photo of the image above. I've cropped it for the KCWC purpose, but his rockstar hair is so him I just had share. Happy Friday!

snappy cables

 

Anything that can be knit in one day certainly deserves to be called Snappy.

I was so excited when I came across this free, yes free, hat pattern (Ravelry link). It's perfect for someone new to cabling (like me) because you get just enough practice with the cable needle and a quick reward that is undoubtedly cabled. Oh, and amazingly cute. I mean, could a toddler look any cuter? For Milo's hat I used Debbie Bliss Rialto Chunky which was pretty dreamy to knit with. The blue/gray colour is perfect for my little guy, though there have been some comments from the husband peanut gallery about me dressing Milo like a girl. Boys can pull off cables, right? This quick hat was well timed for KCWC too since there are very few garments that can be knit without dedicating the entire week (or month) to the endeavour. And Milo needed a hat for the fall...well, sort of. I think what I just wrote is called Knitter's Justification.

Before Milo's version, I did make one for myself using Malabrigo Chunky. This wasn't as dreamy to knit with (the Rialto just glides) but it was still pretty nice and I'm quite happy with the colour. After trying to add aqua or pink or purple to my life, I accepted that gray just works better for me. The wool was chunkier than the Rialto so I went up a needle size and used the same stitch count as Milo's which worked out and the fit is pretty good. And a great bonus to the whole project is that I now have a nice photo of me with Milo, as taken by the burgeoning photographer Sadie. (It's the unfortunate fate of the family photographer to never be in any photos with the kids.)

During this cable craze I have been reading Sisters from Hardscrabble Bay by Beverly Jensen. The first half was wonderful, but I'm not enjoying the second half as much. Perhaps I'm so addicted to Canadian East Coast stories that as soon as the characters left New Brunswick for Maine I just wasn't as keen to follow them. Oh well. I have another East Coast novel lined up next which gives me just enough impetus to finish.

For boatloads of knitting, reading and sewing inspiration visit today's Yarnalong and KCWC's Flickr group.

kcwc: fall edition

Thanks to Meg at Elsie Marley, yesterday marked the beginning of another Kids Clothing Week Challenge. Lucky for me I have just started a vacation - the kind that involves Jay and the kids doing their normal thing while I stay home all by myself and make stuff. It's selfish, but oh-so-heavenly. I'm trying very hard not to write a list of what I should make during my two weeks, but instead I hope to simply head downstairs and sew for a while until I've had enough and then move onto knitting. Like I said: heaven.

Hopefully knitting counts for the challenge though, because the first garment I've finished is another Girls Cap Sleeved Sweater for Sadie. I started this two weeks ago but actually finished and took photos yesterday (thank you Canadian Thanksgiving!), though the weather was far too warm for Sadie to wear wool. I used Araucania's Milodon which, while not great to physically knit, looks quite amazing when knit. Sadie seems really pleased with her new sweater and the flecks of purple. I did modify the sleeves by making 3 pairs of decreases and then adding a 6 row ribbed cuff. It makes a cute sleeve with more shape than the last version I knit. It's a great pattern overall and a really wearable sweater.

More sewing and knitting to come - but for now I'm off to see what great things have been added to Meg's Flickr group. Talk about inspiration!

order

Suddenly the fiction on my bedside table has been replaced by books meant to inspire sense and order in life. My life, that is. For starters, I purchased a physical weekly agenda because although I have a Blackberry for work (which desperately needs a new handmade case), I seem to be forgetting all the non-work stuff. Like cross-country practices and birthday parties, doctor appointments and library due dates. Real stuff. The agenda makes me happy - it's red with embossed cherry blossoms and even though it's larger, it weighs less than the Moleskine version I almost chose (this is very important when you happen to walk everywhere). Dorky as it sounds, I already feel more organized, not to mention I love using a pencil again. You don't have to re-charge a pencil every night.

Next up, Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project. I haven't totally forgiven myself for delving into a pseudo-self-help book, but I have to admit - I'm enjoying it. Yes, it's entirely anecdotal and unscientific. But her experiences are relevant to me at this stage in my life and I appreciate the bite-sized amounts of research she peppers into her prose. There's no way I'm going to start going to bed early though, even if that would result in more happiness. Those hours after the kids are in bed are simply too precious.

The book that has me making notes like a fiend is In-House Design in Practice by Cathy Fishel. This is completely for my work life, but it has needed some organizing - or maybe vision - for some time now. I try to keep the "work" me out of this blog, and I'm not about to break that rule now, I only want to say that it's amazing when someone can capture all the bits and bobs of what you've been struggling with at work and then inspire you with case studies and practical advice. Reading should equal inspiration, fiction or not, right?

And I have to thank Ginny for her Yarnalong post last week - she inspired me to start another Girls Cap Sleeved Sweater for Sadie. I had just enough Milodon wool and the colourway is fantastic (though my poorly lit photo is not). Hopefully next week I'll have a little person to model the finished garment. For more reading and knitting inspiration, hop on over to this week's Yarnalong.

golden red

Two weeks of knitting, one week of button choosing and now I actually have a finished sweater that I love.

I've had 3 different sweaters on the go since January, each one unravelled after so much time invested because it just wasn't working out. But I started this one a few Fridays ago and it came together quickly. I enjoyed every single minute of working on it. The pattern - the Golden Wheat Cardigan - is fantastic and easy, and I've learned once and for all that I need to stick with the yarns I love. For example, I started a new pattern with Cascade 220 a few days ago and it was making my hands raw so I'm calling it quits with that workhorse wool. If I don't want the wool sitting in my lap then the project is doomed. There's still plenty of colours left in the Luxury Tweed that I can try, although I'm also getting pretty close to ordering Quince & Co because knitters have been raving about it (and the colours are great).

I did make a couple of modifications to the cardigan. I'm not a huge fan of reverse stockinette, so I used regular stockinette instead with KFB increases on either side of the 2 st raglan seams. I didn't make any decreases in the sleeves and used the larger needle for the garter cuffs and bottom band. I ignored the waist shaping; with no chest to speak of, it's better for my sweaters to be straight or they hang funny. And I forgot all about the pocket! I think the Luxury Tweed was a good yarn for the pattern because it's drapey and so the neck is flexible, looking more like a cowl. With stiffer wool it might retain the boxy shape and give the cardigan a whole different look.

And during this time I finished a really delightful book, Vaclav and Lena. Not that it's a light story, but the characters are really well developed and a pleasure to witness growing up. They are both Russian immigrants and the dialogue of children learning the English language added to the overall charm. I'm almost finished Half Broke Horses but I'd have to say it's not my favourite. At times I don't really like Lily Casey Smith and in order to fit her whole life into one novel, experiences are just touched on and for me, it lacks the depth of experience that would make me really understand this woman. Every read can't be amazing, and I'll happily finish this one and move on to the next.

Happy knitting and reading, and don't forget to check out this week's Yarnalong.

the almost cables

For no specific reason, I have avoided trying cables.  But then I came across the Frog Tree Cabled Tam (this version in particular is amazing) and thought it would be fun to try something new. I'm easily excited, it turns out.

Here's the verdict: cables aren't scary, the third needle makes the knitting interesting and I'm still in love with Debbie Bliss Luxury Donegal Tweed. But even with gauge, this hat is huge on me. I could store another whole head of hair inside that thing. I haven't even finished the hat in these photos (there aren't any decreases yet!) and it's already big. I have had this problem with hats before...so perhaps I just have a ridiculously small head. Jay had a few choice descriptions for the overall look, all voiced through rather uncontrollable laughter. I haven't unravelled it just yet but when I do, it will in no way be related to the cables. The cable thing was definitely fun.

With the change in weather, I still need a hat though. I'm trying the Big Blue Beret with my one remaining ball of this wool instead. If it goes well, hopefully I can summon the courage to undo all that virgin cabled knitting. Better luck next time.

stitches to live by

This summer in the tiny town of Bloomfield, at a little antique shop called Dead People's Stuff, I found a sampler that I just had to have. Even though this was made from a kit, I love the tone of the saying and it seems unusual for something that looks vintage (sure, subversive cross-stitching has become popular in the last decade, but I'm used to finding sincere sentiments in older work - not something that would make me laugh). The pinks, purples and chocolate brown are pretty sweet too. We don't add much to the house these days, but it was fun to squeeze this find into the kitchen. And hey, it helps me feel way better about any indulgent baking that may occur in there.

productive pause

Amid a predictably busy summer at work, I was given a tough suggestion to deal with the stress: temporarily give up all my hobbies except one. Sure, I was terror-stricken at the thought, but it only took me half a second to choose which one I would keep. It's the one that slows my mind down and helps me breathe deeply. It's tactile and full of possibilities and has taught me the wonders of patience. So while everything else is put aside, my knitting needles will keep me company.

What's amazing is how much knitting has happened since that decision one week ago. I finished these legwarmers - something I had started months ago after a failed attempt at a Citron Shawl using this purple Koigu wool. The pattern is Some Cloudy Day by Tiny Owl Knits and I love the simple lace effect, which was a really easy set of stitches to memorize. I may try a modified version (basically a smaller multiple of 6 stitches) in a worsted or aran weight to get chunkier pair for really cold weather. Or perhaps a tinier version for Sadie because it's possible that wearing legwarmers is more appropriate for 6 year olds anyway? (Though the same could be said for wearing bright red Mary Jane shoes, but that has never stopped me before - thank you Trove for having such an excellent summer sale!)

And as Milo napped Friday afternoon I also started the Golden Wheat Cardigan using my all-time favourite wool Debbie Bliss' Luxury Donegal Tweed, in the very same colourway as the Mara Shawl I knit last year (it's just that awesome a colourway). It's a top-down, seamless pattern and I'm already 3 inches into the body. Clearly this focusing on one hobby has productivity going for it...not that I should be focused on being productive (actually, that's exactly the opposite of the intention) but it's been a pleasant outcome so far. I am still reading though, because I think reading is more like breathing and eating, and not really a hobby at all. Although it's not in the photo, I finished up The Girl Who Fell from the Sky. It was swift, haunting and thoroughly engaging. I haven't been able to finish The Illumination (sorry Ragdoll!) but it does boast an amazing premise and an awesome cover too.

For more stories of knitting and reading loveliness, check out this week's Yarn Along.

knitting, for real

Lately there has been very little knitting represented here. Now, no one is really holding me to showing only knitting, but perhaps it's time I change my little description off to the right. Clearly my addictions are not limited to wool and I no longer sew things from wool blankets. But this would involve writing a new description which takes...time. And thought. When instead I could be sewing and knitting some more. For now I'll add figure-out-what-my-blog-is-for-and-if-it-needs-a-facelift to my to do list. At least today I have a knitted vest to show.

It feels a bit like cheating to use my own pattern, but here's the sad part: I had to print myself a copy and I also had to restart the vest twice because I goofed up. Using my own pattern. Hmm. But I still love making this wee thing and I used Cascade Superwash to make things easier on the new mommy. It's been a while since I've had a baby gift to make and it was such a perfect reason to get knitting (and get me out of my knitting funk which involved three separate attempts at adult-sized sweaters - so much wasted time!)

I worked on this vest while while we stayed at a cottage two weeks ago in Prince Edward County (we stayed there a few summers ago as well). Before leaving I wanted to order some new books for the vacation, but I struggled for a moment trying to figure out what to pick. Then I remembered small things' Yarn Along. This is the beauty of community that the internet allows: in this case, those of us who count knitting and reading as favourite pastimes have a place where we can ooh and ahh over lovely photos of yarn and books while also getting reading recommendations from similarly minded people. Amazon will never peg my "likes" as easily as this group of knitters. So here is my first knitting-with-novel photo, taken on the cottage deck when I was about halfway through Annabel by Kathleen Winter. I haven't reviewed novels in a while, but other than the abrupt ending, I loved the world this story inhabited and the characters I met along the way. And now a trip to Newfoundland has moved to the top of my wish list. It happened to start on a wintery scene, but it was a lovely, engaging summer read.

Happy knitting.

little black dress

More Sadie-shot photographs, more me looking like the world's most awkward model. But I think this dress turned out really well, so they will have to do. I picked up a DKNY Vogue pattern (V1179) in the spring even though I've had bad luck with commercial patterns over the last few years. At this point I can't even remember why I started cutting out the tissue pieces. Whatever the reason, I'm glad I did. Other than the fiddly pleats (I mean, imagine trying to get pleats in knit jersey to be spaced evenly - it's pure torture) the dress was really easy to make and the resulting shape is comfortable and cute. It has the shape of the Mociun tie-front dress, minus the whole tie feature of course, but I like dress shapes that are snug where you are small (for me = bust) and roomy where you are...less small (ahem). So, great pattern and highly recommended. As for fabric, a lightweight jersey with drape would be perfect - my cowl is a bit heavy because I used a t-shirt weight knit but it's totally passable.

(Note to self for the next photo shoot: stand in front of the dimmer switch.)

the boy's version

Still loving this pattern for shorts - quick to make, and so cute on kids. I used leftover jersey for Milo's pair and put elastic around the whole waist (as opposed to Sadie's more stylish, flat front shorts). The green trim is the very last of a t-shirt I cut up and I just love the colour combo. Who knew Milo would have the perfect t-shirt to match?

It's also possible he thought our photo shoot was for the toy bus though. Oops.

apron skirt

A while back when I cut up an old maternity dress to make a tank top, I still had plenty of fabric left over from the skirt. The happy accident that led to this skirt's design was when I stepped into the bottom portion of the cut up dress and tightened the fabric around my waist just to see what shape skirt I could make. It turned out that I liked the shape when I tightened it; it was A-line, it flared nicely at the back, and it was pretty much the right length too. So I decided to go with it. I have always loved big, unnecessarily wide (or long) ties and that's pretty much all I had to add to it. In my ongoing clothing strategy known as "operation: hide belly" there is just no better feeling than tying fabric tightly around your waist. The jiggly parts all get held in place - awesome. The chambray is 100% cotton, but it has just enough stretch to make the wrap over parts fall nicely. I have tried to remake this with two other less flexible cottons and it just doesn't fall the same. But I like the skirt so much I'll continue to hunt for another fabric that will work (as if I need reasons to shop for fabric). Now that I look at the skirt in photos, it really reminds me of a cafe apron I made a few years back for Tie One On. I should have realized ages ago that a skirt could follow that design!

Sadie took these photos, so I may have figured out a new system for documenting the clothes I'm making for myself (I swear there is knitting happening too, but since I got the basement studio set up I can't seem to stop sewing). They aren't totally in focus yet - the camera is a bit heavy for her 38lb body - but she seemed to enjoy being a photographer. As long as she can choose what shoes I wear, that is.

And totally unrelated to sewing, but so worth exploring for all the inspiring images this designer has collected in one place, visit Stuff Avery Likes. I'm smitten with her "Cool Dwellings" category right now.

fat quarter shorts

I love these shorts, I mean LOVE them. I drafted the pattern from a pair we picked up at Value Village last summer and I've already scaled it down so that Milo has his own pattern (and a sewn pair too - I just need to get him to sit still for some photos). Not that they are super unique, but the bias tape edges curving up at the side seams remind me of the shorts I wore as a kid, and I'm a sucker for nostalgia. But the really great part is that I only need a fat quarter's worth of fabric to make them. It's such a small piece of fabric that I end up making more daring choices when I purchase them - which explains how I ended up with the fabric above. I wasn't sure if Sadie would go for it but when I held the square of fabric up she was smitten. The bias tape is the chocolate jersey I've been using which is a nice, soft edge to the heavier cotton. I only put elastic on the back so that the front lays flat, but that's only for Sadie's "girl" version (Milo's pattern uses elastic all the way around the waist). I've got an Amy Butler fat quarter and some gingham bias tape lined up for Sadie's second pair.

Not that she needs more shorts. I'll admit it - sewing clothes for my kids is mostly an anti-laundry tactic. An avid washerwoman I am not.