moment in time

Two weeks into the reno and it's full-on chaos. I'm not yet used to having a toilet on the front lawn, but the resident "mighty machine" is a fun sight every morning.  It's the big gaping hole that's a little bit disconcerting.

This is that big gaping hole up close. Scary, right? I mean, that's the front door up there, a mere 8 inches from nothing. Not to mention I took this photo from a place previously underground. So weird.

Amidst the jackhammering and dust, I had a day alone in the house (well, alone from my family, not alone from a construction crew). With that time I finished up a quilt for Sadie. Now that Sadie and Milo share a room, I've been trying to make them similar-but-different bedding. I had a double size red corduroy quilt in storage so I cut it in half and then made a single patchwork border along one side. I chose different fabrics and binding to suit my lady and little guy, but the red is a nice, warm similarity. If their room is ever tidy I'll try and take a photo of the finished quilts. But that's a big if.

This is the wee work corner I have set up in Milo's old bedroom until the basement is finished. What you can't see is that I share this small space with the cat litter. Oh well, small sacrifices. At least during this chaos I can still make.

Only 4 and a half months to go.

of yarn and foxes

More small scale knitting, this time for a charming little guy named Charlie. He was born in May and already has a smile that melts hearts. This teeny hat is made from Mission Falls Superwash which has been discontinued for a while now. I stocked up last year on a few neutral colours and any red I found and it comes in handy for quick baby gifts. I mean, you can wash it! Awesome.

We were away in Prince Edward County last week and I managed to catch up on a lot of reading. The most fun novel by far was Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi (unfortunately the shawl pattern I was trying wasn't nearly as enjoyable). I struggled keeping the characters' voices straight, but it didn't really matter. The storytelling was magical and quirky and addictive. Oh, and incredibly clever. So what for my lazy brain! I had visions of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox in my head most of the time I was reading this, but considering the cover and the fairytale structure, it probably wasn't so far off. I think the premise - the emotional reckoning of a male writer who always kills off his female characters - is such an compelling idea. Oyeyemi's style is refreshing and original, and I was reminded of my first introduction to Jeanette Winterson. Totally fun.

But the shawl...not so much. For more knitting and reading stories, visit today's Yarnalong.

diversions

Mortgage renewing, tax filing, permit getting and basement emptying - such is the stuff of life these days. It makes for really dull conversation and adds dust to my sewing machine. But making things keeps me sane, so I try to fit a bit of knitting into each day and there's always a book to fall into late at night until I can't keep my eyes open any longer.

This small knitting project is from this free pattern for tiny trees. It's super easy and such a great way to use scraps. I have visions of making a whole forest of these but maybe that vision is more appropriate for another season, not this overly humid July.

As for the novel the wee tree is sitting upon, wow did I love it. A few years ago Ami McKay's The Birth House finally got me out a long reading rut. Her voice was fresh and the story was utterly compelling, so I was eager to try The Virgin Cure. I waited for the paperback (which took patience) and finally the book arrived this month. The horrific slums of 1870's New York City came to life on the page and the 12 year old main character, Moth, was so fascinating. The troubling account of the options available to a poor, orphaned city girl makes for a rather dark story but McKay is able to add flavour and simple humanity in a way that makes the story almost charming. It's a unique style, but I think it is exactly what makes me enjoy McKay's writing so much.

This represents my first book for the 6th Canadian Book Challenge, which just started on July 1st and runs until Canada Day next year. The goal is to read 13 books by Canadian authors, and if you're interested you can join the challenge at the link above. I have done this challenge twice before and it's such a great way to discover new Canadian novels. Now that Milo is older I figure I can manage a reading challenge again, and this novel was certainly an excellent start.

For other knitting and reading suggestions, visit today's Yarnalong.

pink ladies

Just before Craftsy decided it couldn't ship to Canada anymore (really? it's that challenging? I'm thinking about you too Zappos!) I stocked up on some yummy Rowan Amy Butler Belle Organic DK. Sadie loved the colour and she was sure her Gramma would too. So I had two projects quickly lined up, and Gramma's was finished just in time for her birthday.

Now I don't get the chance to say this often, but my mom is one pretty lady. She dressed up in red for her birthday which was a great setup for the pink shawl (and I love her red sequined headband). I tried to make this shawl a bit bigger than the last Mara I made her, and the garter edge seemed a little more tailored and summer-y than the Mara's usual ruffle. Sadie's version - knit after Gramma's was finished - is an almost exact replica because Sadie shares Gramma's fashion sense and wanted a matching garment. The pink is sweet on her and seeing a kid in a shawl is pretty charming.

I also just finished The Sweet By and By by Todd Johnson, another book I'm glad to have stuck with. A few chapters in I almost gave up, but the characters voices finally started to grow on me and I also began to see the wisdom of the story. It's quite a poignant exploration of aging and sickness and I feel like my eyes were really opened to both. 

For more knitting and reading inspiration, visit today's Yarnalong.

summer's seaside

Wearing a cowl on a day of stinking high humidity was definitely not my smartest move. Same goes for knitting a double thickness cowl in the summer. Well, any cowl really.

But you know those days when you just want to start a new project and you're going to be near a yarn store? That's exactly how this happened. In the matter of two hours I purchased Tiny Owl Knits' ships & seaside pattern, visited Lettuce Knit, chose 3 colours of Berroco Ultra Alpaca and started this cowl (the 4th colour was from my stash). The knitting was quick and mindless but I did stall at the grafting. I guess I'm a bit better at the Kitchener Stitch now, but that's after at least 8 starts and a serious commitment to Youtube and it's still not perfect. Luckily it hides well in all the wrapped and folded loveliness of a cowl. Though I'm not entirely sure how much I'll wear this cowl since the colours are a little...not what I'd usually pick? Guess that's what happens when you make a hasty, less-than-2-hour knitting decision. But I do like the pattern and the effect of having one side predominantly one colour.

As for reading, I have finished up two very different novels. First, A Tiny Bit Marvellous which was light, quick, slightly unbelievable but enjoyable nonetheless. The daughter character was frightening in her entitled, yet low-self-esteem teenage way. But in truth, I remember very little now because I was so swept away by Cutting For Stone. Wow. The characters are rich and compelling and the story is heartbreaking and eye-opening. I was hooked from the very first page, and when one of my favourite characters died I wept uncontrollably (which was during a flight and rather hard to conceal, can't they make those drink napkins bigger?). The novel made me think about parenting, love, ambition, culture - substantial themes set inside a wonderful story. A fantastic read.

For more stories of knitting and reading, visit today's Yarnalong.

testing

Not the best photos, but oh well. We're clearing out our basement, finishing up school and generally trying to keep reno stress under control so I can't get picky about photos. I'm just thankful I managed to finish a sewing project at all.

This is my own pattern, partly drafted from an Anthropologie shirt I liked the fit of. But even after taking in the A-line of the shirt quite a bit, the result is still a bit too swingy. Also, I need to add another half inch to the armholes (my bra straps keep peeking through). Those two fixes aside, I quite like it. It's a style I can wear to work with or without a cardigan and I'm really happy with the neck and front ties. That was my addition, and it was surprisingly easy to figure out. I should try a fabric with more drape though, this cotton is a bit stiff (it was the colour that I couldn't resist). Button selection stalled me for a while, but I finally decided on some vintage buttons from a button card a dear friend gave me long ago. I loved the Parisian card so much that I had had it in a shadow box frame. Needless to say, it's an empty frame now.

The things we'll do for sewing projects, right?

tweaking

I may be over doing it on the selfish knitting front. It's just that I've been fixated this year on making a sweater that I would really wear. All the time. Even though Katrine worked out, I'm mostly convinced that having a go-to customized pattern is the best bet. And so I made a few tweaks to my pattern for this sweater and tried another wool - this time some Naturally Sensation that was on sale at Romni. I used this wool last year for a wrap vest, and it's quite lovely. There's a bit of angora in it so it feels rather decadent.

My tweaks consisted of adding way more short rows around the collar, starting the sleeves a bit sooner and losing the buttonhole altogether. It's almost there - I think one more attempt and I'll have the pattern right. Of course it's tailored to my size right now, but if I gave the finished measurements I wonder if it's worth sharing the pattern instructions? Is anyone interested? Even though both cardigans haven't been work worthy I have worn them every minute outside of work (especially the gray one). The shape is comfortable while keeping your neck warm and the option of wearing it either open or closed is really practical. I've designed it for a light worsted yarn so it's not too bulky but definitely warm.

As for reading, I had eagerly awaited the day when Irma Voth would be in paperback. During my wait I spotted it at the library on a 7-day loan but knew I couldn't read it that quick, so my patience was extended. I have really enjoyed Miriam Toews other novels (A Complicated Kindness and Swing Low: A Life especially) so I was expecting a lot. Which is never good. Too much hype for movies generally ruins the experience and yet that's just what I did to myself this time. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the story and thought the characters were very compelling (loved the insane director - just like Billy from HBO's Entourage). It just wasn't mind-blowing. It was good. If you haven't read any of Toews' novels, it's a great introduction to her. And then I would suggest picking up Swing Low, which is a heartbreaking memoir of Toews' own father. She is one of my favourite writers, hands down. And Canadian to boot.

For more stories of knitting and reading visit today's Yarnalong.

liebster love

This past week the very kind and generous Margo at love | luck | bliss nominated this little space for a Liebster Blog Award. Thank you Margo! I didn't know much about this initiative but from what I can gather, it's a grassroots, pay-it-forward type of thing. Although it's akin to a chain letter in structure, it does result in something positive: support and benevolence among small scale bloggers. I was tickled to have been thought of, and I think it's worth keeping the love going.

The rules are pretty simple: 1) choose 3-5 blogs with less than 200 followers to share the Liebster Award with, 2) leave comments on their blog so they know about the award, 3) show your thanks to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them, 4) share 5 random facts about yourself people wouldn't know. Now, during my research not everyone had the "random fact" rule but it was the one rule that made for fun reading so I've decided to do the same.  Here goes:

1. I take the same lunch to work every day: PB&J on wholewheat, a cold can of Coke and a ziploc baggie of Spicy Doritos (sorry environment).

2. When I was 17 we moved to Vancouver Island where a guidance counsellor told me flat out that I wasn't university material. The straight-A geek in me was livid, but to her credit she was basing this opinion on my performance in their sewing class. I couldn't transfer into the same classes I'd been taking in Ontario so I joined a sewing class mid-term and proceeded to earn two full credits because I completed so many projects. So this guidance teacher was suggesting a college fashion program. Because I was angry, I rejected her suggestion and went on to get a BFA in Ontario. Considering this whole blog documents the clothes I knit and sew...perhaps she had a point?

3. Even though I love clean and sparse design, I'm a very untidy person. My desk at work is atrocious, as is my sewing table. And my closet. And my drawers. You get the idea.

4. My parents liked to move (and often just down the street) so I have lived in 14 homes. The house we have now is actually the longest I have ever lived somewhere - 10 years and counting.

5. My biggest secret here has always been my day job. So for this one post I will share that little unknown fact: I work as a creative director of an in-house advertising and design agency for a television company. It's quite demanding but wonderfully creative and the people I work with are family to me. Basically, I love it.

And then the 4 smaller blogs I am currently inspired by (or, I think they are smaller, but I could be wrong) and hope you will be inspired too:

Typically Red
Cirque Du Bebe
Life Set to Words
Brooke Schmidt

Blogger love, definitely worth spreading around.

deja vu

Must be something about me and sweater patterns.

For the second time in 6 months it's taken me three different pattern attempts to land on a finished sweater I'm happy with. When I ordered this Quince & Co yarn I was convinced that their Agnes pattern would be perfect, especially in an ever-practical gray. Started it and got to a few inches below the sleeves and tried it on. But I knew immediately I would never wear it - the neck was too wide and it just did nothing for me (it even made me question choosing gray). So, unravelled, started over. This time I tried Jane Richmond's Sedum which has been in my Ravelry favourites for a very long time. Knit this pattern almost to the sleeve division and got stuck on the look of the increases in seed stitch - I just didn't like them. Sighed, unravelled again and started another pattern search.

Quite by accident I found Katrine, another Quince & Co pattern. I found it while visiting other Yarnalong blogs (in this case, MadelineBea). It seemed to be kismet: a pattern I liked in the yarn that I had - and even the colourway I chose! My only hesitation was having one less skein than the pattern called for, but I figured if I shortened the cowl I might make it. Thankfully I was right.

The pattern is easy, knits up quick and makes for a heavy, squishy cardigan that will be awesome to wear when the cool weather comes back in the fall. I think "Storm" is my favourite colour in the Quince & Co palette - such a perfect, slightly blue gray. My only mods were to knit the cowl to only 6", adjusted the seed stitch order to make cleaner selvedges (P first stitch, slip last stitch knitwise on every row) and I ignored the sleeve decreases (risky given my yarn situation, but luckily it worked out). Oh, and I did make larger buttonholes than called for because I wanted to use these amazing wooden buttons I ordered from Ontario-based Woodlot.

Even though the month has been chaotic, I still sacrificed sleep to read. Honestly, reading a few pages a night keeps me grounded. Even though it's fiction, stepping into a story, another life, a new part of the world - it all helps with perspective. When God Was a Rabbit was an enjoyable read, treading lightly over the dark edges of the story to spend time developing a family of characters that were pretty fascinating. I was sold on the title alone and then pretty stoked by the cover but in the end the words were the best of all.

For more stories of knitting and reading, visit today's Yarnalong.

gnome chic

Rooms are on the move again. We're 99% sure that we're digging out our basement, and soon. Which means somehow finding space around the house for everything that was in our basement. Considering my studio was down there, this has quite an impact on me.

A number of weekends ago, without any lead up, we decided to move Milo out of his crib and into Sadie's bedroom. This spontaneous decision was Jay's great idea so it meant I had no time to get emotional about it. The kids were so excited that I could easily absorb their joy. But also, I soon realized my great fortune: I was getting a room with natural light to work in. I was downright giddy at the prospect of lugging fabric and supplies up two flights of stairs. Our back bedroom regardless of it's small size, is an awesome room to be creative in.

I'll post another photo when the space is more together, but for now I had to share this amazing mushroom lamp Jay and the kids got me for my birthday specifically for this new space. There's a kids shop in Toronto called Kolkid that I adore, and I saw this lamp months ago and mentioned it to Jay (you know, in the "gee, if we ever needed a new lamp I saw this awesome mushroom one!" style of mentioning). He remembered and viola, my new studio is now perfectly gnome chic.

Of course, this is a temporary space until the basement is properly finished. The plans are big and worthy of another post (or a dozen) as the reno will take about 6 months overall (gasp). But it is totally the right decision. We love this house too much to leave it, even if it is tiny. There's simply no better place for miniature glowing mushrooms.