Have yourself a merry little Christmas

I hope that you are all tucked into your homes, with bellies full and hearts even fuller. It's been a wonderful Christmas here. I have been spoiled beyond what I deserve and I am so thankful for it.

I'm pleased to announce the winner of the Knit With Me giveaway. Congratulations to Julie from the lovely blog forestpoppy. Julie, please email me with your coordinates and I'll get that book off to you asap.

Have a merry little Christmas everyone!

Knitting for Knit with me, and a giveaway

One of the best things that's come out of blogging (next to making so many lovely friends) is that it's given me an opportunity to knit for some amazing designers. I was thrilled when Gudrun Johnston of the Shetland Trader hired me to knit two samples for her latest collection of patterns, Knit with Me, recently published by Quince and Co. I've been a fan of Gudrun's for such a long time, and knew that a Quince and Co/Shetland Trader collaboration would result in some gorgeous stuff!

Here are the 2 pieces I knit:

McIntosh is an adorable, wearable cardi in pretty stripes. A great, four-seasons wardrobe staple.

Brock has so many feminine details. I especially love the gently curving hem, the sweet sleeves, and the neat i-cord edgings.

 I knit the adult version shown here.


I think the concept of this collection is so charming, and the designs truly look lovely and suitable on both mothers and daughters. And like all Quince and Co pattern books, it's beautifully styled and photographed.

Gudrun is hosting a knitalong for her book, and I'm trying to decide which sweater I'm going to make for myself. I'm leaning towards the Empire cardi in Chickadee, in the Bird's egg colourway:

Or a wee Soay in that pretty honey colour that Gudrun is sporting. 

I love these mother-daughter shots!

Honestly, I would love to knit and wear the entire collection! And I'm sure you will want to too. Quince and Co has generously donated a copy of Knit with Me to give to one of you. Leave an comment below to win a copy of this fantastic book, and if you have an opinion, let me know which sweater you think I should knit, or which one you would like to make for yourself. You have till Christmas Eve to enter. I'll announce the winner on Christmas day. Good luck!
 

(Thank you to super-talented Carrie Bostick Hoge for giving me permission to use her gorgeous images. Some of these have never been published! And thank you Quince and Co for the book donation and of course Gudrun for giving me the opportunity to work with her.)

Taking a breather

Ouf, what a crazy busy time it's been these past few months! Work has been extremely hectic lately. We're finishing the installation of a new permanent gallery opening at the end of the month. And at home I'm frantically trying to get through a backlog of knitting orders. I've been having a hard time catching my breath lately, and dealing with another bout of eye strain, which has been making it difficult to get things done. I decided it was time to pack up a few essentials last weekend and spent some quiet time at one of my favourite getaways.









It was lovely. I caught up on some sleep, read a little, and got a lot of knitting done with the sound of the wind and the crackling fire as my only soundtrack.



I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked with my camera, but here are a few images from my stay. Just looking at them takes me back to that peaceful and calm place.







Hope you're finding little spaces of peace and calm amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life...

On Dec 2 I head to Toronto to visit some dear friends, and help behind the scenes at a fantastic workshop with Geninne. I took a class with this lovely and talented lady last year, and I recommend it highly! You can read about my experience here. Quick, there may still be a few spots available if you're in the GTO!

5:42:33

I did it!!! I ran a marathon. A very slow one, but a marathon just the same. What a fantastic experience. The weather was absolutely perfect, the course was gorgeous (and flat) and I felt strong the whole time.

 
(my very sweet and patient inlaws waited a looong time to cheer me at the finish line!)


10 things I learned from running a marathon:

1) The "wall" is definitely real (it really, really hurts)
2) Choosing the right underwear is one of the most important decisions you'll make (hint: no seams, lace or cotton)
3) Just because you're training for a marathon doesn't mean you can eat all the chocolate you want
4) Don't assume you'll lose any weight from training for a marathon (see #4). You might even gain a few pounds (ahem...)
5) The camaraderie among the "slowpokes" is fantastic
6) Race volunteers and cheering spectators will propel you through those tough miles (thank you!!!)
7) Funny signs rock (my favourite: "that's not sweat, it's just your fat cells crying" )
8) A cheesy, running-themed ipod playlist is surprisingly motivational
9) Having your loved ones cheering you on is even more motivational
10) You'll burst with pride crossing that finish line, and you won't care that you came in 955th out of 1058

Thank you for all your encouragement! It was really heartwarming to feel you guys cheering me on. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go lay down.

:)

The longest long run

Well, I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be.
 
And I'm pretty darn excited too.

(I think it's a good omen that my race number is the same as the amount of kilometres I have to run)

Music old and new

Thank you for your sweet comments and music suggestions. It's so lovely to discover new artists as well as revisit old friends.

Speaking of old friends, I've been listening to this non-stop for the last few days:



It just makes me feel so peaceful. 

Coucou

Ouf.


Things are so hectic! Work is super busy which doesn't leave much energy for anything else. Gris production is in full fall swing. And then there's that October marathon I've been training for. I did my last long training run last Sunday. 37 kilometres. Yes, I've been questioning my sanity.

Been listening to WAY too much Kate Bush while I write, stitch, and run. Do you have any good music recommendations to carry me through these next few weeks?


I would be much obliged.



 I should mention that some of my hand-made goods are available at Bookhou right now if you're in the GTA. It's getting to be that time...

Got the blues

I picked up a little treat at the Twist Fibre Festival.
Some lovely silk/mohair laceweight in tealy blues.



I'm thinking of an ombré effect shawl.
Not sure what pattern to use. Perhaps this, this or this.


Any thoughts?

Yummy fibre

Got a lovely package in the mail this week.

 Some very pretty merino I ordered from Wild Plums.





This pretty stuff is making my fingers itch for my wheel, but I need to concentrate on replenishing Gris stock for the fall. Even though the heat's made a bit of a return in these parts, there's no denying that woolies will feature prominently in my near future.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

Ahhh....

The insane summer heat is finally just a sweaty, sticky memory. I actually pulled a shawl out this morning. I never showed you this one. It's one of my favourites.


Textured shawl recipe by Orlane, a free pattern on Ravelry. There are lots of beautiful examples of this pattern. Like this one, this one, and this one.


I used Madeline Tosh Eyre, in a lovely greyish blue colourway (sadly discontinued)


A pure knitting and wearing pleasure.

How about you, are you excited that cooler days are back?

Untold Imprint and Craft It Forward

 
Do you know Phoebe Stout? She's the talented lady behind Untold Imprint. Several months ago, she posted about a lovely project called Craft It Forward. The first 5 people to comment on her blog received some lovely handmade goods and agreed to do the same on their blog.


I jumped at the chance. I'd be a longtime fan of Phoebe and thought the project was such a lovely idea. I received a lovely necklace/wrap bracelet, as well as a pretty tea towel and hand printed card.


The sweet tea towel graces a wall in my work studio.

I've purchased several of Phoebe's pieces since, and they've been in heavy rotation all summer.






The little green necklace features a lovely brass bell that gently tinkles when I move.



This photo is for my husband, who complains that I never include photos of me fully smiling.


Phoebe has such a lovely sense of aesthetics: calm and natural. And very beautiful quality!

So, if you would like to receive a little handmade treat, leave me a comment. The first five people who do will receive a package from me. Once you do, write a blog post about it and continue the project by sending something handmade to the first five commenters on your post. Send anything handmade by you, before the end of 2012.

Vitamin P

My, that went by fast. I've been on holidays for the past 2 weeks and can hardly believe it's almost over. The first week was blissfully spent by the ocean, at my parents in New-Brunswick. Sorry, no photos this time. We were too busy doing nothing (aka reading, knitting, swimming, beach-combing, eating, domino ass-kicking).



This second week, I tried to catch up on non-work life, and managed to cross off barely 10% of my to-do list. Oh well. One thing on my list was to take photos of some past FO's that I had yet to document. Which is why I am wearing a wool sweater in the height of summer. What I won't do for you guys...

 

Meet "Vitamin P", my take on Heidi Kirrmaier's beautiful Vitamin D pattern. I knit it in Madeline Tosh Light, in the Briar colourway, which may not have been the best choice for this ode to short rows (a brilliantly written pattern by the way). I find that the construction of this garment really accentuates the stripey effect of the semi-solid yarn (love striped, not so sure about stripey). I've always had a complicated relationship with variegated yarns.

And it kind of takes me way out of my neutral comfort zone. (To get a taste of my neutral obsession, take a look at my homage to bland).

Also, I'm not convinced this is the best silhouette for me. But I think it looks good with charcoal, which constitutes 98% of my wardrobe, so it's all good.



Speaking of charcoal, the dress I'm wearing is one that I picked up at a charity shop yesterday for practically nothing and I lovelovelove it! The fabric falls so beautifully, it's the perfect length for me, and best of all, it has pockets.

So I've got another 48 hours of freedom before I return to my cubicle (boohiss), and I plan on spending them wisely with:

 - Lots of (secret) knitting



- A crazy 27 km run, according to my marathon training schedule (lordhelpme)

- Some desperately-needed laundry

- And more excitingly, I need to tell you about a little giveaway I'll be having.

Make sure you stay tuned! Have a great weekend.

Walpole sample

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

When Hannah asked me to knit a sample for a design she wrote up for Brooklyntweed's Wool People vol. 3 I was thrilled. I mean, really, how could I say no? Knitbot+BT+Loft = knitting nirvana.

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Walpole is miles and miles of stocking stitch, but oh so worth it. It's a light, super-wearable, everyday piece. And Loft is gorgeous stuff to work with! You should knit one!

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

(Thanks to Jared Flood for kindly giving me permission to use his beautiful photos. And thanks to Hannah for the great opportunity!)

Running and spinning

Wow, what a fun run that was! This was my first experience with a large sports event and I had a blast. The weather was amazing, I felt strong the whole 10k (no blisters yay) and I was so touched to see how many people showed up to cheer us on. Little kids were high-fiving us all along the way. And my worst fear of coming in last didn't materialize. In fact, I think I did pretty well for my first try. I'm certainly stoked for my marathon this fall! Thank you to everyone for your encouragement!



I also got some post-race rest by sitting at my spinning wheel. Spinning definitely has become a major "happy place" for me.



Especially when working with such lovely stuff. It's Hedgehog Fibers. 

 

I love the soft, tender colours. Not sure yet what it will become. I'm tempted to not ply it, and instead knit with it as singles to get a pretty striped effect.

 

What do you think?