cocoknits

A northern girl

2012-02-12T19:37:00.002-05:00

When I was a kid, I sort of resented having a birthday in February. I couldn't have a cool pool party like my leo sis. But now, it seems so fitting that my special day happens in the midst of my favourite season. I know I sound like a broken record, but I really, really love winter.

This weekend was perfectly cold, clear and sunny.

The ideal weather to don my skis and get out to celebrate turning 42.

The paired-down landscape revealed many treasures.

Also, left-over birthday cake and hot chai tea are the perfect post-ski treat. Who needs a pool party?! Not this northern girl.

Thank you everyone for your lovely comments on my last post. You're so encouraging!

Nonstop knitting machine

2012-01-27T08:50:00.002-05:00

I've worked up a few new gris designs:

And revisiting a few favourites in new yarns:

I just sent a big batch to Bookhou in time for a big design event on Saturday. If you're in the area, I would strongly suggest a visit to see Arounna and John's beautiful shop.

You'll also soon find a few more pieces on Wiksten's online shop, and of course some in my own shop.

And this weekend I'll be finishing up a few custom orders, and hoping to steal a few minutes to do a bit of selfish knitting.

Hope you have a lovely, cozy weekend.

Snowcheck

2012-01-13T19:48:00.004-05:00

I've had to take a "snowcheck" on two outings this week because of the crazy storms we've been experiencing. Which in fact is fine for a homebody like me.

I always enjoy seeing other people's creative spaces, and thought that perhaps you would like to see little bits of mine.

Newly cleaned desk. My sewing machine is under the blue and white linen.

I love seeing my tools all organized and ready to be used.

A little collection of sea stones. I think they would like some pretty finery. I need to learn how to crochet.

My new el-cheapo-but-functional ikea book case to hold my growing stash of Gris Handknits yarn.

The artwork in the foreground was a christmas gift from my ultra-talented and dear cousin.

The dear little ceramic owl belonged to my paternal grand-mother Kitty. In her younger days, Kitty was the life of the party, and an incredible hostess. She collected owls, and I chose this one as a keepsake after she passed away.

I purchased this Edwardian blouse for a song at a vintage clothing show I had the pleasure of going to with Margie this fall.

I love wool blankets. The beautiful striped one was actually woven by my maternal grand-mother. It is incredibly precious to me.

Have a cozy weekend!

Fresh and fun

2012-01-12T21:00:00.003-05:00

There's nothing like a fresh blanket of snow to greet the new year.

Though my busy schedule has left very little time for play, I couldn't help but go out for a bit of fun. The ski season is so short and precious.

I hope that you have taken some time to enjoy the fresh new year too!

All is calm

2011-12-23T22:17:00.002-05:00

All is bright.

Phew! It's been a busy busy December. Thank you to everyone for your kind words about everything that is going on over here. I'm very excited to see what 2012 will bring.

I will be taking a little break till the new year, to rest, visit loved ones, and have a bit of fun in the snow (if my white christmas wishes come true). But I certainly won't be putting my knitting needles down! I just received a shipment of beautiful yarn, and have all kinds of ideas for Gris Handknits.

I wish you a beautiful holiday season. May you all bask in the glow of the people and the things that you love.

A flurry of activity

2011-12-14T23:48:00.005-05:00

There's been a flurry of activity over here (but no actual flurries. Winter, where are you?) Lots of exciting happenings here behind the scenes (and very little sleep):

- I'm knitting another wonderful Knitbot sample, this time with beautiful Quince & Co. Tern
- My toddler knits will be featured in the upcoming B.A.H. magazine. Which is so exciting! B.A.H. is one of the best online publications, and is created by the wonderful Arounna of Bookhou.
- My Gris Handknits line is now carried in two amazing bricks-and-mortar shops: Bookhou of course, in Toronto, and ABK Custom Leather Craft in New York City (if you go to NYC, you MUST check out ABK. Alya makes the most beautiful leather bags, shoes and accessories. I own a bag similar to this one, and adore it. Worth every penny!)
- I just mailed off a few pieces to Jenny Gordy, the creative force behind the delicious Wiksten line. I am SO thrilled that she asked me to be part of her lovely shop! Jenny has made her own beautiful knits.
- I just opened my very own Gris Handknits Etsy shop! Right now it's a bit bare, but I'm working hard to stock it with all kinds of handmade goodies to keep everyone warm this winter.

Now if the snow could just come...

(Oh and before you think I am a poster child for industriousness, let me just say that my house is completely trashed, I've run out of clean underwear, we've been eating peanut butter sandwiches for diner, and I haven't even dug out my Christmas "box" from the basement yet. Such is the glamorous life of a knitter)

Rocky Coast cardigan

2011-11-28T17:22:00.002-05:00

Here's my latest sample for Hannah Fetig. It's the uber-popular Rocky Coast cardigan from Coastal Knits.

I can see why this pattern is so popular. This is a gorgeous garment. And it was a really fun, quick knit. It goes without saying that didn't want to send it off, especially because this is one of my all-time favourite colours.

I will definitely knit one for myself, one day. But first, I have tons of Gris Handknits knitting to finish.

For details, visit my Ravelry project page.

Sunday morning procrastination

2011-11-27T09:59:00.003-05:00

This Sunday morning I'm completely ignoring the dust bunnies, dirty dishes and heaving piles of laundry. Instead I'm:

Breakfasting on oatmeal with rhubarb compote.

Making headway on a pile of Gris Handknits orders.

Trying (rather unsuccessfully) to resist my new obsession in life.

You?

(To answer those who inquired about my horizon socks, I didn't have a pattern. Just my basic sock "recipe" with the addition of stripes.)

Horizon socks

2011-11-23T12:20:00.003-05:00

When Liane from Enhabiten put out a call looking to swap with someone for handknit socks I jumped at the chance.

She asked me to surprise her in terms of colour and design, so I indulged in my favourites: neutrals in stripes.

I love Liane's shop and was thrilled to receive two of these beautiful cross pillows They're filled with buckwheat and balsam and smell absolutely divine! Thanks Liane for the fun swap!

Listen

2011-11-17T23:00:00.002-05:00

Shhhhh....

2011-11-17T06:34:00.003-05:00

I did manage to get out and take quite a few photos during my stay at the ermitage, despite feeling a bit under the weather (much better now, thanks). I'd like to do a couple of posts to share with you my experience of doing a silent retreat.

First off, the place itself. L'Ermitage de Warden is situated in a very beautiful area in Québec called Les Cantons de l'Est (the Eastern Townships). It's about an hour's drive from downtown Montréal. A retired couple turned their 19-acre country property into a getaway for harried city-dwellers and peace-seekers.

Their land has six very cozy and clean cabins, each outfitted with a woodstove, a single bed, a rocking chair and a small table.

There is no electricity or running water in the cabins. Meals and washrooms are accessible in a common building. The owners prepare lovely, mostly vegetarian food which is available on a self-serve basis in the common kitchen.

The property is crisscrossed with beautiful paths through mixed forest, open clearings, ponds and along the Yamaska river.

Benches, swings and hammocks dot the landscape, allowing retreaters to sit and take in the sights, sounds, smells.

Because I wasn't feeling 100%, I spend a lot of time in my little cabin, which was a really healing place. I brought a few comforts from home to make my space more cozy.

From a window I could spy on the sweet birds that came to snack at my bird-feeder.

White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis

Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus

My refuge was the perfect place to stop "doing" and just reeeeest. I let myself get hypnotized by the dancing light of my constant companions—the fire in my woodstove, and the flames of my candles.

I didn't have any major revelations or insights, but I did notice a few interesting things:
- It's very sweet to do nothing once in a while, especially if you crave solitude like I do.
- I loved spending the great majority of 3 days in complete silence. I went with a friend, and we did have some difficulty not speaking when we ran into each other. I must admit we exchanges a few brief, hushed exchanges, but generally just smiled at each other. We are social creatures at heart.
- I very quickly fell into my hardwired circadian rhythm: wake when it's light, sleep when it's dark, eat when I'm hungry.
- That said, I was always extremely curious about what time it was, and had to resist the temptation to look at the time on my tucked-away cell phone.
- Not doing made the days pass by more slowly, in a good way. I could really savour my time off, and was rarely bored.
- Being in complete silence, I could really hear the noisiness of my mind. I noticed that I constantly have music playing in my head. It sometimes got on my nerves, especially if I had the same "record" on for too long. Right now I have Karkwa playing in my head. It's always there, but I never realized it before.
- I loved living more simply. It made me re-evalutate all the stuff I have, buy, do... These things fill up my life in ways that can sometimes be overwhelming. Obviously, living such an idyllic, quiet, and ultimately lazy existence is not doable or even desirable in my real life, but I can make more space, clear the way for more peace and quiet.

Next time, I want to show you some of the woodland treasures I caught with my camera.

Hope you find a little peace and quiet in your day today.

Coastal Knits winner

2011-11-14T07:10:00.003-05:00

Just popping in quickly to announce the winner of my little Coastal Knits giveaway. The random number generator picked Wendy as the lucky winner. Congratulations Wendy! I will email you to get your details.

I'll come back and do a longer post about my silent retreat in a little bit. Unfortunately, the cold I started right before leaving kept me inside my little cabin for most of the weekend, but it was nice knitting by the wood stove, and I certainly got a lot of rest in the peace and quiet.

And I did make some progress on the Rocky Coast cardi. Some of you asked what yarn I'm using. It's the luscious Organik by the Fiber Company.

Ok, back to bed for me (sniffle sniffle).

A quiet long weekend

2011-11-10T19:18:00.002-05:00

And this our life exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in every thing.
William Shakespeare

This weekend I'm connecting with my inner hermit. I'm headed to l'Ermitage Warden, a place that rents tiny cabins for people who want to spend some quiet time in the woods. I'm looking forward to spending a few days just listening to the wind in the trees, cuddling up by the woodstove, and taking a nighttime walk in the woods.

I will be bringing a little bit of knitting. I swatched for the gorgeous Rocky Coast cardigan I'm knitting for Hannah. Remember that you have till Monday to enter my giveaway to win Coastal Knits, in case you want to knit a Rocky Coast of your own.

Unexpected magic, part 2

2011-11-09T07:35:00.002-05:00

Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Confucius

People often complain that November is a drab, depressing month. Personally I've always been attracted to the subtle quiet of the landscape. Everything is winding down, the colours soften, the bones of the landscape reveal themselves.

There was certainly no shortage of beauty this past weekend. Thank you Margie for a wonderful visit!

Unexpected magic, part 1

2011-11-08T22:44:00.005-05:00

I knew when Margie invited me to her sister's cottage that it would be wonderful. But I wasn't quite prepared for the magic that unfolded in front of my eyes.

walking behind Margie

the sun was just starting to rise

light lit the frost-covered grass

and colour burst everywhere

following my friend down the path

that led to the mist-veiled lake

we set out for a paddle

and slipped through the glassy lake...

Coastal Knits blog tour and giveaway

2011-11-07T12:23:00.006-05:00

For the last year I’ve had the immense pleasure of becoming a sample knitter for Hannah Fetig of Knitbot fame. I love knitting Hannah’s designs, as they are always clean, simple and elegant. Plus, her samples always feature yummy yarn that please the fibre snob in me. I’d say the only downside to knitting for Hannah is having to ship the finished garments back to her!

Well, I was thrilled when she told me she was writing a book of patterns with another lovely lady, Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting, and needed me to knit two samples for the book’s trunk show (Bayside and Rocky Coast).

I was even more thrilled when I received my own copy of Coastal Knits. Inspired by their beautiful coastal surroundings, Hannah and Alana have come up with a collection of patterns that reflect the different shapes and textures around them. Hannah lives on the east coast, and her patterns feature nautical cables, shifting sands, and rippling waves. Alana lives on the west coast, and her designs are organic, leafy and lush. Both of these talented ladies are masters at creating garments that are wearable, classic, but always with a little detail that makes them special. I can honestly say that I would love to knit and wear every single one of these designs.

It’s hard to know what to knit first, but I may start with Alana’s Wildflower Cardigan. Though I’ve been a longtime listener and fan of Alana’s podcast, I’ve never had a chance to knit one of her beautiful designs.

(photo from Coastal Knits)
Wouldn’t it be divine in the golden Madelinetosh Pashmina seen here? Drooooool.

Coastal Knits not only includes lovely patterns, but amazing eye candy. It features beautiful photography and graphic design, and the quality of the printing is top notch. It’s the kind of book you want to leave laying around so you can be transported into another world (when you desperately need a "Calgon take me away" moment). I loved reading about the places that inspired Hannah and Alana, and also about the local yarns that were used to make many of the garments featured in the book.

Well, wouldn’t you like to have a copy of your very own? Of course you would. Just leave a comment here before Monday, November 14th and I will randomly choose and announce the lucky winner. Good luck!

And you can read other reviews on the Coastal Knits blog tour here.

Going dotty again

2011-10-27T19:13:00.005-05:00

Remember a while back I showed you mysterious little piles of fabric? Well, now I can tell you what I was up to.

I made a few dotty cuffs for some sweet far-away friends.

It was lovely thinking about them with every little wonky stitch.

It was fun to plunge into my collection of fabric scraps, mostly lovely Liberty Tana Lawn.

I really enjoy this kind of hand-stitching. So relaxing. Quite a bit like knitting, actually.

Wouldn't it be nice to embellish the hem of a skirt or coat with this type of appliqué? One day I might even try my hand at creating a more ambitious Alabama Chanin-style garment. But first I have a ton of knitting to catch up on. To my delighted surprise, the Bookhou knits have been selling well, and I need to send more to Arounna. I guess I'm not the only one who feels the need to bundle up. Brrr... it's getting cold around here!

Hope you stay warm, wherever you are.

My idea of heaven

2011-10-13T20:12:00.002-05:00

This:

While listening to Barbara...

Whales

2011-10-13T13:22:00.004-05:00

I don't often talk about work here, but a colleague of mine just sent me a link to a beautiful video about whale falls that I had to share with you:

Whale Fall (after life of a whale) from Sharon Shattuck on Vimeo.

Last year, I helped develop an exhibition about water (I am an exhibition content developer for the Canadian Museum of Nature) and had a chance to edit underwater video of actual whale fall sites in various stages of decomposition. I must say this paper cutout video is very close to the real thing!

Speaking of the real thing, the exhibition I worked on features a complete blue whale skeleton. Blue whales are the biggest creatures ever to live on Earth! This time-lapse video shows how our Collections technicians put the skeleton together for display.

It's a must-see if you're ever in Ottawa!

Thank you

2011-10-09T15:28:00.003-05:00

Some roses, to say thank you!

On this Canadian thanksgiving weekend, I want to give thanks for all the many blessings in my life: my wonderful husband, family, and friends. A big thank you to you all for coming by here and leaving such sweet comments. It was so nice of you to encourage me on my latest knitting endeavors.

I hope that all of you get a chance to spend some time with the ones you love this weekend.

(Some of you asked about the little tags I used, yes, I made them using grey bias tape, fabric ink and a little "g" stamp. For those in the Toronto area, the items in my last post are now for sale at Bookhou.)

Gris Handknits for Bookhou

2011-09-23T19:01:00.003-05:00

I wanted to give you a sneek peek at a very exciting project I have been working on lately.

giboulée toddler hat and cowl

givre adult mittens

écorce adult cowl

A little while ago, Arounna from Bookhou asked me if I would be interested in knitting a few garments for her beautiful store at 798 Dundas street in Toronto.

tribord toddler hat and scarf

OF COURSE I said. What an honour to think that my little handknits would nestle next to the amazing creations in her store.

bonhomme toddler hats

I got swatching, designing and working up some very simple pieces. I wanted to stay in keeping with the pared-down Bookhou esthetic.

giboulée toddler hat and cowl

givre adult mittens

I called the collection "Gris Handknits", working with luxury yarns in a limited palette of grey, cream and navy.

poudreuse adult cowl

glacielle adult mittens

I took a few snaps before they get packaged up for Toronto.

écorce adult cowl

These items will be for sale at Bookhou shortly. Thank you Arounna & John for this exciting opportunity!

Magic mushrooms

2011-09-21T06:27:00.007-05:00

My knitting basket is filling up. If you look closely, you'll see a little pile of things heading towards a very special destination. I can't wait to tell you more about it, but you will have to wait just a little bit longer.

The other thing I have on the go is a mushroom-coloured Aidez cardigan.

I'm knitting it in deeeeep stash yarn: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Chunky. Perfectly flecky, perfectly fall. Speaking of fall knits, have you seen the new collection of patterns by Brooklyntweed? AMAZING!!!

I was a bit high after seeing this beautiful autumn post, and couldn't resist going on my own mushroom hunt.

I find mushrooms unbearably cute. Sadly, I didn't find any mushroom-garlanded pinecones like Margie did (I suspect she has a few wood nymph friends tipping her off on the best spots), but I did capture a few sweet fairy cups and such.

There are many magical sights to be seen in the forest. It's just a question of laying low and thinking small...

Wuthering Heights

2011-09-19T12:46:00.003-05:00

This definitely doesn't look like your run-of-the-mill costume drama:

Beautiful. I can't wait to see it!

Coastal Knits

2011-09-18T20:52:00.007-05:00

Continuing the seaside theme, sometime in early August I finished another sample knit for Knitbot's Hannah Fettig.

This time it was a design for her lovely new collection of patterns, Coastal Knits. This book is a collaboration between her and Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting fame. I really love this collection and plan to knit every single design in it.

The sweater I was commissioned to knit was the Bayside Pullover, knit in Euroflax linen. Like all of Hannah's patterns, this sweater is simple and timeless with a lovely design details that makes the garment special, in this case, the cables that elegantly flow down the sides of the body. The type of sweater that never goes out of style and looks good on a wide range of body types.

It was my first time knitting a sweater out of linen. It was very slow going, and difficult to get perfectly smooth stitches, but I was happy not to be working with wool or alpaca in the scorching summer heat. And this linen has a sheen and a drape that is hard to beat.

Don't you just love that colour? Reminds me of sea glass.

It's probably a good thing that this sample was a bit too small for me, or else I would have been very tempted to keep it for myself.

(please forgive the so-so photos, they were taken pre-SLR)

More details here.

Finally!

2011-09-17T23:50:00.004-05:00

Ouf, I didn't mean to be away for so long, but for the last 2 weeks, I frustratingly couldn't access my Flickr account. I just changed computers at work, and it has caused all sorts of mahem. But fingers crossed, things are now back on track.

So what have I been up to? Well, on the labour day weekend I drove 15 hours for a completely unexpected, unplanned trip to visit family in the Maritimes. Much beach-combing, photo-taking, lobster-eating, and domino-playing ensued.

the start of the 15 hour drive

the end of the 15 hour drive

it felt soooo good to breathe in that salty-sweet air

la dune de Bouctouche, NB

couldn't believe all the colours in a simple bit of birch bark

The needles have been clicking too, but I think I'll save that for another post...
Hope you all have a sweet Sunday.

Freshening things up

2011-08-20T16:12:00.003-05:00

This was my last week of summer vacation, and I spent most of it scrubbing, scraping and painting. We live in a small, sweet old house that is in need of some work. We've been holding off on fixing things up till we have enough money saved for real renovations, but it had gotten to the point where things were really starting to get grubby. Several cans of white paint later, the house is looking a lot fresher.

(before)
When we moved in, we made the rookie move of painting each room a bold, vibrant colour. The old kitchen paint was aptly named "Highlighter Yellow", which made the room look even smaller than it was.

(after)
Now it's a wash of white with blue accents. I've always loved white and blue for a kitchen. So crisp and clean.

Our small kitchen lacks cabinet space, so most of our food, baking dishes, and kitchen appliances are stored in big plastic bins on these utility shelves–not very attractive. I bought 8 metres of old-fashioned kitchen toweling and made curtains to hide the clutter.

Much better!

My favourite part is this little wall hanging. It's actually a denim rag rug, but looks rather fetching as a wall decoration. DH is not so sure about it, but I love it!

Now that the big work is done, I can concentrate on spending the rest of this weekend with more relaxing occupations.

I spent the afternoon sorting some of my favourite fabric scraps into coordinated piles. I've got a plan for these, though I don't yet want to reveal what that is.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend too!

Unmistakable signs

2011-08-17T06:40:00.003-05:00

Despite the still warm weather, there are signs that fall is right around the corner.

Ripening fruit.

Ready-to-pick apples.

Reddening leaves.

Rapid nightfall.

Return of thick, squishy goodness on the needles...

What changes have you noticed?

(oh and a big thank you for all the photo love!)

A whole new way of seeing

2011-08-14T20:52:00.004-05:00

This weekend, I've been seeing things in a different light.

You see, Christmas came early around here.

We took the plunge and invested in a DSLR.

I headed out to one of my favourite places, Mer Bleue bog.

I had so much fun discovering all the things my new camera can do.

I feel like I have bionic eyes.

It's almost as if I can now see into the heart of nature.

Sweeeet macro lens....

Do not fear though, I didn't set aside my beloved knitting.

My needles have been flitting furiously, as I have an exciting project that is keeping me very busy. I will tell you more about it in a couple of weeks.

Hope you all have a sweet week filled with beautiful sights. Night night...

(Edit: for those who asked, we bought a Nikon 5100. What a fantastic camera!)

Glorious Geninne

2011-08-06T07:30:00.002-05:00

I had the good fortune recently of attending a wonderful workshop with the very talented and inspiring Geninne D. Zlatkis. The focus of the workshop was making hand-carved stamps.

(photo by Margie Oomen)

(photo by Margie Oomen)

We also picked up some valuable watercolour tips from the master.

(photo by Margie Oomen)

The highlight of the workshop was of course, the people.

Geninne was an encouraging and inspiring teacher with a warm, open spirit. It was such a pleasure learning from her, and working alongside a roomful of beautiful, creative women. And I also got to see Margie and Arounna again, and meet the incredibly sweet Sonia all the way from France. What a treat!

The centre tag with the ginko leaf design is one of my favourites. The beautiful crocheted-covered stones are by Margie. Wouldn't a crocheted stone workshop with Margie be AMAZING? (hint hint)

The workshop itself was held at Bookhou, a beautiful store on Queen street in Toronto.

(photo by Margie Oomen)
As you can see, the workspace was all decked out with beautiful flowers, and inspiring art from the Winged Migration show. We were also treated to a gourmet lunch (had the BEST butter tarts EVER). Hard not to be inspired in such a place! If you get a chance, I highly recommend a Bookhou workshop, or just pop by the shop for a gander. It's well worth the trip!

The woman with the 5 elephants

2011-08-05T22:01:00.003-05:00

One of the highlights of our NYC trip was seeing "The woman with the 5 elephants". If you get a chance, please do yourself a favour and see this beautiful documentary.

Swetlana Geier is such an inspiration. I loved her intelligence, humour, courage and beauty.

Some of what I've been up to

2011-08-05T21:19:00.003-05:00

It's been rather quiet here, I know. But life has been anything but quiet. We hit the road in July. For a totally impromtu, unplanned, but invigorating holiday.

Mainly to see this,

(photos from the Savage Beauty catalog, Solve Sundsbo)

sit here,

and eat these.

It was great. We weren't planning on going this year, but I guess traditions are hard to break.

More of what I've been up to (including some knitting) soon...

Leaving the nest

2011-07-13T13:32:00.002-05:00

A mama robin decided to make her nest on the windowsill of one of my colleagues at work. He installed a camera to capture the nestlings' progress and made a time lapse montage. It's amazing to watch.

The adult birds never stop caring for their young, much like all you hard-working parents out there.

The Tree of Life

2011-07-03T05:51:00.002-05:00

Have you seen this stunning movie? I was astounded.

New specs, new knit

2011-06-28T18:51:00.005-05:00

So yesterday I had a mini misadventure. I got a flat tire while biking to work. This caused me to break abruptly which sent my glasses flying off my face and onto the pavement. So now I not only had a flatty, but I had broken specs too. Harumph!

After dropping off my bike at the bike shop (yes, I should know how to fix a flat, but mechanical stuff is NOT my forte) I popped by my local optometrist and picked out a new pair of "lunettes". Less than 24 hours later, voilà!

Yay! I'm really quite fond of them. Lemons into lemonade, I suppose.

I also thought it would be a good opportunity to show you my latest sample knit for Hannah.

Unfortunately most of the snaps didn't turn out, these were the best in the bunch. And now the sweater is all packaged up and ready to go. I don't think I could bear putting an angora and alpaca turtleneck back on in this heat! Oh well. Deets here.

You'll eventually get to see another version of this lovely design. I enjoyed knitting the Lightweight Pullover so much that I cast one on for myself.
Stay tuned...

a colourful weekend

2011-06-19T08:37:00.004-05:00

How has your weekend been so far?

I took out my box of paints and had a bit of fun.

I forgot how lovely it is playing with colours.

Speaking of colour, here is the humble beginnings of my nascent natural dyeing adventures with cochineal, madder and logwood. The resulting yarn is fairly scratchy, so I'm not sure what to do with it, but still, the colours are pretty...

I also added a few inches to a new sample knit for Hannah.

Now, out of the house I go. It's too beautiful to spend one more minute indoors! I'm off for a hike, and then a stop at the farmer's market. Hope your Sunday is just as sweet.

This woman's work

2011-06-17T17:33:00.002-05:00

Maria Bosch Working from Toast Travels on Vimeo.

I was fascinated watching this woman's beautiful work. I've never seen pottery done this way.
(via Toast Travels website)

I hope you have a lovely and creative weekend yourself!

Rubia Weld

2011-05-28T12:14:00.002-05:00

I had the immense good fortune this week of winning a stunning giveaway done by the fantastically talented Julie from Rubia Weld.

Her naturally dyed scarf is a true masterpiece, and I cannot believe it is now mine.

Julie created this beauty using the solar bundling technique, which you can read all about here.

She layered hyacinth, tulip, ranunculus and peony petals, along with onion skins, osage and madder onto fabric, bundled it up and let it sit in the sun. The results are like a Spring dream.

To purchase your own, please visit Julie's lovely shop. In addition to summer-perfect scarves (the indigo ones are particularly beautiful), she has enticing yarn also naturally dyed with plants.

It's quite serendipitous that I won this, as I have been absolutely obsessed with natural dyeing lately (I still have to show you the results from my class, don't I?), which is how I found Julie's blog.

There are so many wonderful people doing stunning dyeing out there, it's hard not to be inspired. Some of my favourites include Julie of course, Sonia, Eva, and Margie. I want to grow up to be just like them!

Thank you again Julie, for this incredible gift!

Contented

2011-05-21T21:44:00.004-05:00

Stocking stitch is widely maligned for its mind-numbing simplicity, but I find it completely soothing. I was thrilled when Hannah Fetig asked me to knit a sample of her Contented Cardi.

Not only is Hannah (aka Knitbot) one of my favourite designers, but this swingy, drapey beauty features row upon row of lovely, meditative stocking stitch. It also has a delicate cable in the back, just to keep things interesting.

Knitting with such a luxuriously yummy yarn certainly doesn't hurt either.

I was very tempted to keep it!

Thank you Hannah for the opportunity to make this for you. I hope you are happy with the results.

You can read about the details here.

Perfectly simple

2011-05-20T15:36:00.005-05:00

Fresh off the needles, a very simple, everyday cardigan. I thought that the basic pattern would perfectly highlight the beautiful yarn.

Pattern: Simple jacket with pockets, Debbie Bliss, Coastlines
Yarn: Swan Island Merino Worsted, in a colour they call grey, but I would call it sand, 5 skeins
Needles: 4.5 mm
Rav details: here

It's extremely comfortable, and goes with everything. And it has pockets.

I found the perfect mother-of-pearl button in my magic antique button stash

This fantastic wool has the sproinginess of a more rustic yarn, yet it is softsoftsoft. I should warn you that it pilled quite a bit after the first wear. I carefully shaved the offending pills off and that took care of it.

I have also finished the sample knit for Hannah Fetig, aka Knitbot, which I will try and show you tomorrow. I also want to show you the results of my natural dyeing workshop. But right now I need to make myself a cup of warm ginger and lemon tea. My throat is sore and I'm afraid the dreaded lurgy might be coming on...

Hope you are happy and healthy and planning good things for the weekend!

Blooms

2011-05-13T12:16:00.007-05:00

Earth laughs in flowers.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

If this is true, then mother nature must find Hawaii hysterical.

Most of these were taken in Waimea Valley, an enchanted place vibrating with colour. Speaking of which, this Sunday I'm taking a day-long workshop on how to dye with natural materials. I can't wait! Wishing you a colourful weekend too!

Paradise

2011-05-12T07:29:00.000-05:00

I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've been back from my trip to Hawaii! I've been "out of time" ever since, getting over jet-lag, catching up at work, and soaking up all the tender leafy newness of spring here in Canada.

I'm just now going through my trip photos, and wanted to share with you a few colourful moments.

Hawaii is easily one of the most beautiful, amazing places I've ever been to. I could go on and on about Hawaii's intoxicating warm breezes, juicy fruit, eye-popping land and seascapes, gentle people... But I'd rather show you instead. During my very busy 8 days on Oahu, I:

took in the ocean view,

supported the local farmer's market,

started each morning with a gigantic bowl of fruit,

visited a truly magical botanical garden in Waimea Valley (more photos to come),

marveled at the abundance of tropical flowers,

contemplated the Buddha at a Japanese temple,

rung a temple bell for good luck,

swam under the famous "Lost" waterfall,

watched with awe as the pros surfed,

crossed off one of my bucket list items by learning to surf myself, and successfully catching several big (to me) North Shore waves,

indulged in some post-surfing replenishment,

and hung out with some sweet, generous, loving peeps.

Mahalo maman et papa pour un voyage inoubliable!

Leaving on a jetplane...

2011-04-01T13:48:00.002-05:00

My bathing suit is packed, and I'm heading off to Hawaii for a 10-day vacation. My parents over-wintered in Oahu this year, and I had just enough airmiles to join them. I'm really excited! I've never visited a tropical place before.

I can't wait to: feel sand between my toes, try surfing, hike in the jungle, go snorkeling and sea kayaking, read a good book on the beach and just relax and soak in the Aloha spirit.

(I hope I brought enough knitting to get me through the 18 hours of transit...)

Toodleloo!

Busy hands

2011-03-27T12:00:00.002-05:00

This beautiful, sunny weekend, my hands have been busy:

Sewing patches on my jeans,

working on a sample of the Contented Cardi for Hannah,

preparing a meal for a very special guest,

holding a precious package,

discovering the beautiful gift that lay inside,

touching and admiring the incredibly fine stitches, and soft, smooth bamboo.

(Thank you, thank you Margie. It was an absolute delight to finally meet you!)

And the winner is....

2011-03-13T20:23:00.002-05:00

Steph, from Craftoholic. Congratulations Steph! I hope you like the yarn and the magazines.

Thank you everyone for entering my little giveaway. It was lovely to hear from all of you. Reading over the comments, it looks like autumn was the most loved season. Not so surprising, it is after all the best sweater weather!

An impressive number of you guessed the identity of our feathered friend. It was indeed a Common Redpoll.

Speaking of birds, how sweet is this Durer drawing?
Hope you all have a lovely week.

Wish granted, and a giveaway

2011-03-06T19:28:00.006-05:00

So I've learned that I should never underestimate the power of cashmere. My new hat managed to convince Jack Frost to stay a while longer. We've had no shortage of snow around here, and I have to say, I'm in heaven.

If my love of winter makes you doubt my sanity, you should know that I live 20 minutes from here:

Gatineau Park has one of the world's largest network of groomed cross-country ski trails.

Cozy cabins dot the forest. This one is called Shilly Shally.

It's the perfect place to warm up by the fire, sip some hot chocolate, and nosh on some grilled cheese sandwiches (toasted on the stove, yum!)

Every cabin has a bird feeder. This little guy was also fueling up to stay warm.

My Rikke kept me nice and warm.

Perhaps now you understand my obsession with the white stuff? Actually, these trails are wonderful all year round. This is where I hike once the snow melts. You should see the colours in autumn!

I have been so blessed lately with gifts, snow and well-wishes. I thought it was high time to spread the luck and love, so I'm having a little give away:

2 skeins of Madelintosh Eire Light, in a limited edition colour called Wildwood. The beautiful shades of brown, grey and white remind me of the soft colours of my beloved winter forest.

3 back issues of Selvedge, my favourite magazine.

If you'd like to be entered into the draw, please leave me a comment and tell me which is your favourite season, and why. I'll randomly pick a winner, this time next Sunday. And bonus: I'll enter you in twice if you correctly identify the bird pictured above.

Good luck, and have a sweet week.

Wishful thinking

2011-02-27T11:11:00.002-05:00

I know I'm probably the only human being in the North East wishing that the cold and snow would continue a while longer. They're calling for +10 C and rain all day tomorrow, which breaks my winter-loving heart. The ski trails probably won't recover.

Perhaps if I keep knitting toasty outer wear, Jack Frost will stay a while longer...

The perfectly slouchy, gartery Rikke hat. And bonus, it doesn't give me hat-head.

I rarely knit anything twice, but I will definitely make more of these. Project details can be found here.

Well, I'm off to the woods, to get what may be my last ski of the season...

Sweet mailbox, part 4—the unexpected gift

2011-02-25T22:57:00.002-05:00

Out of the blue, I received another wonderful, unexpected gift.

Margie sent me this most beautiful grey linen bag from Bookhou, a store I've been wanting to visit forever. We had stopped by this Christmas but it was closed. Thoughtful Margie thought that if I couldn't get to Bookhou, she would bring Bookhou to me. What a sweetheart! I absolutely love it. Isn't the print great?

Smaller than most of my bags, it's the perfect thing for when I have lots of running around to do but don't want to cart my heavy leather satchel. She also sent me a matching coin purse (perfect for my new ipod nano) and a gorgeous handmade linen/liberty pine cone to brighten my drab cubicle. I would love to show it to you, but apparently, my camera is allergic to my office. Try as I may, none of my photos turned out.

Well, it's high time I sweetened someone else's mailbox, don't you think? I'm gathering a few treats to do a giveaway. I'll tell you more about it in a couple of days...

Sweet mailbox, part 3—the knitting intervention edition

2011-01-22T16:22:00.002-05:00

One of the funniest, most generous and talented knit bloggers out there sent me an awesome gift.

There's a bit of a history with me and this yarn. Several years ago I purchased several skeins of Malabrigo lace in Frank Ochre to knit an exact copy of this. I promptly LOST THE YARN somewhere on the streets of Manhattan. I was heartbroken. Heather got wind of this, and because she is oodles-of-awesomeness wrapped up in a beautiful bundle, she pillaged her own (no doubt well-stocked) precious collection of Malabrigo. How sweet is that?

But I can't help but think that perhaps it's her attempt at staging some form of knitting intervention. And who could blame her?

"Hello, my name is Nicole, and I am a neutral knits addict."

I do tend to get a little monochromatic. How many garter stitch beige/greige/grey items can one knitter knit? Apparently, a lot.

But look: a lace pattern. In a bright colour. I know. The first step is acknowledging that you have a problem, right? Thank you Heather!!!

She also sent me another jeweled beauty, but I'll save that for the last installment of "Sweet mailbox—the intervention edition"

Sweet mailbox, part 2

2011-01-20T11:53:00.003-05:00

I think the mailman cheer-up plan has worked, I'm finally on the mend.

Back in October, I signed up for an autumn swap organized by the lovely Sofia. My package took a little while to get to me, but it was well worth the wait.

Can you guess the nationality of my swap partner? (the box is a hint)

This should give you more clues:

Lise is from Switzerland (home of my beloved tennis boyfriend, who is hopefully on his way to winning #17 at the Australian Open). I highly recommend swap partners from Switzerland, as they send the BEST chocolate EVER. My Ricola box was filled to the brim with goodies that were obviously chosen with care:
something for my sweet tooth: incredible chocolate (sadly, all gone now)
something for my brain: books by authors I love, and luckily these are titles I had not yet read
something for my fingers: lovely bits of lace, sweet wood buttons, yarn in pretty, neutral colours
something to warm me up: amazing Earl Grey tea from Mariage Frères, which I have always wanted to try.

What a treat, thank you Lise!

Sweet mailbox, part 1

2011-01-18T14:00:00.008-05:00

I've been really under the weather these past few days (nothing serious, but sadly, too sick to knit). The mailman has done his best to pick me up with a few cheery parcels.

First, a pretty thing I ordered from the lovely and talented Nikole. Everything she does is impeccable. I may have a bit of a girl-crush on her.

I love every single thing in her online shop, Herriott Grace.

This grey linen tea towel features feathers drawn by The Wild Unknown.

Another thing that has cheered me up are the lovely comments that you've been leaving about my latest knitting projects. I wish Blogger allowed me to reply to you individually. Thank you for being so sweet.

Ok, back to bed. I'll show you the rest when I'm up to taking more pictures...

Hypernuit

2011-01-14T08:29:00.002-05:00

Here's a soft and gentle song to start off your weekend:

What I knit in November...

2011-01-10T17:33:00.004-05:00

These have been done for a while, but I'm only getting around to photographing them now:

You can read all about them on my Ravelry projects page.

Frozen Herrin

2011-01-06T08:19:00.014-05:00

My new hat is ready, just in time for a new delivery of snow (thanks Margie). The thick fabric of stranded colour work will be perfect for those long cold night cross-country skis I'm so fond of.

Pattern: Caller Herrin, by the stellar Kate Davies. I've re-baptized it "Frozen Herrin", because according to Kate, "caller" means fresh, but my hat is meant for the deep freeze of a Canadian winter.
Yarn: Alice Starmore Hebridean 2-ply, Selkie, Pebble Beach, Solan Goose, Shearwater, Kittiwake, Summer Tide, less than 1 skein of each. I also used a tiny amount of stashed angora for the inside band.
Needles: 3mm
Mods: I knit it exactly as written. Why mess with perfection?

Kate is a brilliant designer, writer, and warrior. Every stitch of this pretty thing was a joy to knit.

A soft, warm attached angora lining really gives it a professional-looking finish.

I-cord edging. Sure, it's fiddly to do, but it's such a pretty, hard-wearing and tidy way to brim a hat.

See how elegantly the design merges together in the crown decreases.

After work, I'm going for a quick ski to test my new hat out, and then I'm headed to see one of my favourite bands, Karkwa. I haven't seen a good old fashioned rock concert in so long, I can't wait! Hope the cool hipsters ignore my hat-hair.

Happy, sweet 2011

2011-01-05T16:07:00.003-05:00

I wish you warmth, love and joy.

I wish myself a few things too: a LOT more snow, more art of all kinds, more time with my loved ones, and more knitting to share with you.

Caller Herrin, in progress.

Neige hat

2010-10-13T19:18:00.006-05:00

I know it's a little early for snow, but I wanted some instant-gratification knitting last weekend.

Neige hat.

I unvented the pattern, casting on 48 stitches and working garter in the round till it was tall enough, then decreasing gradually to round the top.

The yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca Bulky, in a soft cloud grey.

I used 2 skeins.

It's extremely warm and soft.

Winter, I'm ready when you are.

A little bit dotty

2010-08-26T16:42:00.000-05:00

While in Soho, I made a pilgrimage to my favourite store, Dosa. Their clothes are entirely hand-stitched and breathtaking (also breathtakingly expensive). Several of their garments were sprinkled with hand-sewn circles. Inspired, I decided to sew my own little bit of whimsy.

I pulled out my scraps bag (finally, a use for them).

The background is white and seafoam linen from a skirt I took in, and the yellow circles are bits of Anna Maria Horner voile.

I like the wonky little stitches.

I don't know how much I will wear this. It's a tad bit odd, isn't it? I don't have many things in my wardrobe that will go with it. And I'm afraid the white background makes it look like a bandage. Perhaps I'll make a more subdued version for winter. I'm thinking charcoal, black, plum with a little bit of acid green thrown into the mix. I'd also love to make one with a mix of Liberty of London tana lawn.

Anyway, it was great fun to make!

Brief sojourn in Brooklyn

2010-08-23T14:56:00.002-05:00

While we were in NYC, we spent a day in Brooklyn, mainly to see a wonderful Kiki Smith exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The show featured her drawings and sculpture.

I was really taken by her delicate yet powerful drawings.

We also visited a store I've been dying to see for a long, long time.

Pip-Squeak Chapeau are famous for their incredible knitwear, but they have beautiful clothes too.

I spent a lot of time trying everything on, and walked away with several linen dresses. I had read about the owner and designer, Sveta Dresher, in Selvedge magazine, so it was a treat to meet her in person. She was as lovely as her clothes!

If you find yourself hungry in Greenpoint, may I suggest a lovely pizza place? Paulie Gee's serves up Neapolitan-style pizza with amazing combinations of fresh local ingredients. Great food, service and surroundings.

A perfectly rainy Saturday

2010-08-21T17:02:00.000-05:00

It's nice to finally reach the weekend, after my first week back at work.

Soft rain gives me the perfect excuse to stay indoors, listen to Cocteau Twins, and do gentle things such as:

Sort antique mother-of-pearl buttons.

I bought a jar full of them at a charming antiques store in Brooklyn called Le Grenier. What a find!

Pull out some cold-winter knits from the back of the closet. I realized I never added these to Ravelry, so I took a few photos.

A giant garter stitch cowl. I improvised the design.

I used Debbie Bliss Como, which is cashmere soft.

Small cables sprinkled on a plain hat.

Made out of delish Blue Sky Suri Alpaca. Again, an improvised design.

Hope you do sweet and gentle things this weekend too.

Coco for Coco

2010-08-15T19:38:00.000-05:00

I found the tripod I had been looking for for months, so I can show you the pullover I finished at the cottage. It was perfect for those cool evening walks on the beach.

Pattern: Coco, by Jo Sharp (with a name like that, how could I not knit it, right?)
Yarn: 8 skeins of Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran Tweed, in Vermouth
Needles: 4 mm

I'm quite happy with the fit. It's comfortable, but not too baggy either. I think I finally understand what mods I need to make to fit my pear shape. I cast on for a large, then decreased gradually to end up with the smallest size for the top.

Coco was an easy, straightforward pattern. The yarn is deliciously soft and beautifully tweedy. My LYS says that Silk Road will no longer be distributed in North America. Has anyone else heard this? I hope this isn't the case!!! It's one of my all-time favourite yarns.

Lovely fiber motherload

2010-08-12T18:56:00.002-05:00

Ahh... We had a fantastic, romantic, rain-free vacation in New York City.

Of course, I got my fiber fix:

Habu 2/24 naturally dyed cashmere, and a wooden darning egg from Smart Time Designs.

Blue Sky alpaca bulky, in the palest dove grey.

Weeks Dye Works overdyed linen, in straw.

Swan Island worsted, in grey. Enough to knit an Acer cardigan.

Nani Iro Fuwari linen.

Road to China Light, in citrine.

Alchemy Kozmos, in platinum. I'm knitting a very simple basket weave scarf.

It's hard to believe that the holidays are almost over... it's been such an excellent summer! But all this lovely stuff does make me look forward to the coming cooler days. Are you excited about fall too?

Celebrating a dozen!

2010-07-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

Years, that is. DH and I are leaving tomorrow for our (sort of) annual anniversary trip to NYC.

It's supposed to rain again.

No problem, I packed my wellies.

(taken during last year's rain-soaked trip)

Talk to you when I get back, in 10 days.
Keep well, lovies.

Sounds of silence

2010-07-11T22:19:00.000-05:00

I know extending radio silence around here is far from unusual. But in case you were wondering, I've been away from it all, on a much needed vacation.

A large part of it was spent, sweetly, in silence. Well, not silence exactly.

There was the lull of the ocean waves...

and the wind in the pines...

and the hushed turning of pages...

and the soft clicking of needles...

No tv, no internet, no email, no music, no telephones, no clock tic-toc.

Nowhere to go and nothing to do but just be.

That and of course my sweet husband, some great food and wine, my knitting (another Alice Starmore fair-isle), a pile of books (I read 8!), rowdy games of domino, and a shoreline that went on for kilometres on an practically deserted beach in Prince Edward Island.

And I (re)discovered something very, very important. There is not enough silence in my life. Though most would describe me as an outgoing, extroverted person, I actually crave solitude and calm. It's what makes me well-balanced, peaceful and productive.

And now the goal is to respect that. I want to find as much quiet in my "real" life as I can.

But I will be back. I do have knitting to show you.

La droguerie

2010-06-08T18:47:00.001-05:00

What's the next best thing to sauntering over to La droguerie to pick up a few treats?

Having your peeps do it for you.

My parents were recently visiting Paris, and picked up a few goodies for me:

Petites Pièces et Accessoires

(I want to knit every single thing in this book!)

Metres and metres of Liberty tana lawn bias tape.

Merci maman et papa
xoxo

Plain stockinette extravaganza

2010-05-25T18:00:00.000-05:00

I'm still recovering from "the work project that ate my life".

So, I'm afraid it's more stockinette for you.

Vanilla sock, in Noro Silk Garden, S269.

I figured that blogging about plain socks is better than not blogging at all, right?

Anyone paying attention to my queue and favourites in Ravelry knows that my fingers are just itching for some intricate lace shawls in rich, jewel tones. To be continued....

Spring cleaning

2010-05-16T08:44:00.000-05:00

It's high time to clear out the cobwebs from this poor neglected blog (thank you Joan and Kathy for the gentle kick in the pants, it's what I needed).

I've been a little bit overwhelmed lately. In these last few months, I've been running the final miles of a 6-year marathon at work. I was immersed in a huge, difficult, long-term project that is finally, FINALLY wrapping up this week. I cannot tell you how happy and relieved I am that it is successfully completed, and over. I can reclaim my life.

Of course, knitting has brought me solace. I've kept things pretty simple to ease my stressed-out mind. Lots and lots of stockinette, plain vanilla socks and garter stitch.

(a very plain pullover, perfect for evening walks on the beach this summer)

It's nice to be back. I've missed this place.

Eeeep!

2010-02-25T08:29:00.002-05:00

My computer might have a terminal illness. It may take a week or two for work to fix or replace it. Which means I will temporarily lose all contact with the bloggy world. So you may not hear from me for a while.

But before my Mac goes to that Apple orchard in the sky, I want to say THANK YOU for all your lovely birthday wishes. So sweet of you.

Toodleloo....

40

2010-02-11T10:00:00.002-05:00

Pardon this slightly indulgent post.
I'm 40 today, and I feel calm and happy.
And so curious to see what the next 40 years will bring.

Thank you, Jenna Rose

2010-01-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

I was the lucky recipient of a very pretty and generous giveaway. Given my recent love affair with grey, it was tailor-made for me. Fellow Canadian Jenna Rose sent me such a lovely package. She creates gorgeous products from her own screen printed fabrics. I highly suggest you check out her shop because my photos here don't do these justice. The quality is lovely, everything is beautifully made!

This canvas hobo bag in the mum pattern is super cute, perfectly proportioned and so comfortable to wear.

How charming is this bicycle print tea towel? I must admit I can't imagine wiping my hands on it. I think I might use it as a little wall hanging.

Isn't this little cityscape pin cute?

Thank you so much, Jenna Rose!

Dear commenters

2010-01-16T16:21:00.002-05:00

A little apology to all the sweet peeps that have left me comments lately. I just did the switch-over from the old Haloscan back to Blogger comments, but unfortunately that wiped all my comments out. I had to switch, because I hated Haloscan's replacement, Echo. I had no way of replying to comments directly, which is why I haven't been answering you all.

Know that I did receive and read all your comments. They are most definitely appreciated. Hopefully the conversation can now resume....

Sweetness

2010-01-16T12:51:00.004-05:00

I'm making good on my New Year's resolution, not dwelling on what I don't love (a torn ACL which means no x-country skiing this winter, and a blood clot in my leg that may or may not be a deep vein thrombosis) and instead being mindful of what I do love (insurance-covered weekly massage therapy, an excuse not to do housework, and more knitting time).

Today I love:

Recently completed Regina Mitts. Details here.

Jo Sharp Silkroad DK, gifted by a sweet bloggy friend.

Covering older and not-warm-enough mitts with shiny new ones. I also love toasty fingers.

More Jo Sharp Silkroad, bought on sale with a Christmas gift-certificate, and used to test knit for another sweet bloggy friend. I especially love the soft beeswax yellow with grey flecks.

A beautiful silver necklace from my love that reads "Thy sweetness is my life".

Have yourself a sweet-filled weekend!

Quiet and cozy

2010-01-03T21:58:00.002-05:00

Goodbye, crazy 2009, hello quiet and cozy 2010 (at least, that's what I'm wishing for).

My new year's resolution is to be mindful of what I love, and not dwell on what I don't love.

Today I love: tweedy wool, soft colours, tiny bobbles.

Hope your 2010 is what you wish for too.

Malabrigo weave scarf

2009-12-13T16:03:00.004-05:00

This one was a long time coming.

Some Malabrigo goodness for me. This sat in my office knitting basket for quite a long time, progressing slowly as I stole a few furtive stitches here and there during lunch break.

I became quite proficient at cabling without a cable needle on this one. The fuzziness of the Malabrigo means the stitches want to stay put, making the job a whole lot easier.

I took the pattern out of one of my stitch dictionaries. Here's what I did if you would like to knit your own. It's dead easy:

Malabrigo Weave Scarf

Yarn: 4-5 skeins of Malabrigo Worsted, seen here in Grey Pearl (I used 5 skeins, because I wanted an extra long scarf, but 4 would be more than enough for an average length scarf.)
Needles: 6 mm, or whatever size gives you a pleasing fabric. I'm not specifying gauge here, because it's not crucial.

Cables:
4CF: put next 2 stitches on cable needle, bring to front, knit next 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle
4CB: put next 2 stitches on cable needle, bring to back, knit next 2 stitches, then knit 2 stitches from cable needle

Instructions:
Cast-on 46 stitches (or a multiple of 4+2)

Row 1(RS): K2, *4CF (repeat * to end)
Row 2(WS): Purl to end
Row 3: *4CB (repeat * to last 2 sts), K2
Row 4: Purl to end

Keep going till you get the desired length. I didn't want to add a fringe, but that means that my edges curl a bit, which is ok, because I wear it looped around my neck with the edges tucked under (the giant cowl look). You might want to add a fringe, or start with a garter band to flatten the ends.

More info on the pattern can be found here on Ravelry. I'll try and write it up as a PDF over the Christmas holidays. Let me know if you end up making one. I'd love to see!

The silver lining

2009-12-04T09:55:00.006-05:00

Thank you for your sweet messages. They were so comforting. No need to worry though, I'm recovering quite well from my accident. My knee is still sore, but getting better. Hopefully I'll be up and running soon.

The silver lining to all this commotion? Convalescence knitting!

Pattern: Konnichiwa, from the lovely Knitted Socks East and West, by Judy Sumner
Yarn: Rowan Magpie Aran (discontinued), 2 skeins in grey
Needles: 4.5 mm dpns
Mods: none

(Sorry I could only manage close-ups. With my bum knee, I couldn't steady myself enough to take a good overhead shot.)

Too thick for shoes, but perfect for keeping my feet nice and warm as I curl up on the sofa with a good book. Have a warm and toasty weekend!

So thankful!

2009-11-29T07:58:00.003-05:00

As my American friends celebrate thanksgiving this weekend, I too have so much to be grateful for. You see, Friday night, I had a little accident. I was hit by a car while running. I was crossing a busy street at the crosswalk (I did have the right of way) and a turning car didn't see me and struck me. Miraculously, I have no serious injuries. My right knee is a bit busted up, and I have bruises and scrapes everywhere, but I'm so insanely happy to be in one piece.

The whole thing was so surreal. The sudden, intense blow to the body (I did not see it coming), the crowd of people, the sirens, the ambulance ride—it was so weird. Surprisingly, I was quite calm. My only worry was that my husband would be scared when he got the call from the police. Once he showed up at the hospital I felt better. It took a long time while they checked me out (x-rays, cat scans, tetanus shot, glueing my head back together—fun times!) but the final verdict was that I would come out of it alive and happy.

And friends, I am SO HAPPY! You can't even imagine! Happy that I'm here, happy to live in a country with universal health care (I can't imagine the medical bills I would have otherwise!) happy for all the lovely people that care about me, and happy that I can still knit (no damage to the hands, people!)

The paramedic told me I should buy a lottery ticket. What a lucky girl I am! My marathon training might have to wait, but I don't care. Walking with a cane is a blessing compared to the alternative.

So, let's spread some of this luck around. On to the Selvedge giveaway. The random number generator picked Cornflower as the lucky winner (visit her great blog and book club!) Congratulations! Please email me with your address and I'll send the magazine to you, as soon as I can hobble to the post office.

Happy thanksgiving everyone!

Seeing double

2009-11-21T14:24:00.004-05:00

I got a little surprise in the mail recently:

A second issue of the latest Selvedge magazine. If you don't know this publication, it's an absolutely gorgeous fiber arts magazine from England.

When I contacted Selvedge to let them know, they told me there was a little glitch in my subscription, and that I could pass on the 2nd copy to a friend.

So... if you're interested, leave me a comment, and I'll choose someone at random next weekend.

Hope you're having a nice weekend. I'm tending to some woefully neglected household chores. But there's sure to be knitting somewhere in there too.

Bright Star

2009-11-11T00:19:00.009-05:00

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art—
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature’s patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth’s human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors—
No—yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever—or else swoon to death.
John Keats

Bright Star is by far one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen.

I loved it so much, I saw it twice.

And I'm seriously tempted to see it again. The sets, the actors, the English countryside, the way the poetry is woven in so naturally... it all made me swoon.

One of the many things I loved about it was spying all the Sophie Digard creations the Brawne sisters wear.

And you mustn't miss this lovely website featuring Jane Campion's production scrapbook.

Finishing

2009-11-08T16:42:00.003-05:00

This was the finishing weekend. I'm securing a steek with a crochet edge as we speak. This is a plain grey seamless hybrid cardigan for my very patient husband. I started it over a year ago. So close now.

In honour of Vestvember, I also finished my golden vest.

Pattern: Plain and Simple Pullover, by Rain Knitwear Designs.
Yarn: Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester 2/8

I test knit this great little top for Veera. If you don't know her blog, you should. I love her pure, simple aesthetics.This easy pattern produces a pretty and highly wearable garment. It's knit in fingering weight, so it was rather slow going, but I love how light and comfortable it is.

Have a sweet week everyone!

And....

2009-10-25T13:32:00.004-05:00

I'm back(ish).

So what have I been doing all this time?

Playing with some SERIOUSLY luscious yarn.

Pattern: Hiker's Waistcoat (free pattern here)
Yarn: Terra, by Fibre Company (40% baby alpaca, 40% merino wool, 20% silk), in Pokeberry
Raveled: here

The yarn exceeded my expectations. I've long admired the stunning colours and luxe hand of Terra, but worried about how "floppy" it was in the skein. But knit up, it has both body and drape. I've worn the vest several times with no sign of piling or wear. And it's so cushy and comforting. LOVE.

It was tough choosing a colour! In theory, I'm ambivalent about pink, but in practice, it looks really nice on me. And it's surprisingly versatile, pairing up beautifully with my mostly grey, black and blue wardrobe.

Ok, well, time to get off the laptop. I still need to restrict my computer time, so please forgive me if I don't post or visit you as often as I used to. Staying away from all your lovely blogs and Ravelry activities has been hard. But resting my eyes has meant that I can pick up my sticks and strings again. As much as I love my virtual knitting life, I value my REAL knitting life more. I'm sure you understand.

Thank you

2009-09-14T09:43:00.003-05:00

Thank you all for your sweet well-wishes. Rest assured that this is not a serious problem (my eye doctor confirmed it Friday). Nothing a little rest can't fix. Long walks, listening to books on my ipod, frequent naps and most importantly keeping my laptop closed when I'm not at work are doing me a world of good.

So I'll be quiet here a while longer. I just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your messages and that I'm doing fine.

A little rest...

2009-09-09T16:56:00.002-05:00

Hello dear friends. Just a little note to say that you may not hear from me for a little while. My eyes are on strike, so I have to take a computer break. Loooong work hours in front of the screen + reading blogs and email + surfing the net + Ravelry = eyes that don't work so well.

I'm suffering from major eye strain (twitching, burning, trouble focusing), making it very difficult to work right now. Since I can't really stop bringing home the bacon, I'm going to have to cut my extra-curricular computer activity to a bare minimum, at least for a little while. I'm also going to have to slow down on knitting, quilting, drawing and reading, at least till my eyes recover. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself...

As soon as things calm down at work, I'll pop by again and say hello.

Until then, keep well!

Good things come in threes

2009-09-05T17:14:00.005-05:00

Some of you asked about the yarn I'm using for my golden vest. It's Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester 2/8. To quote Rachel Zoe, this yarn is bananas. It's got the same lofty haloed look of Shetland, but it's so much softer.
I die.

Now to tell you about a delightful thing that happened to me. Believe it or not, I won another giveaway, the third this year! (Please don't hate me.)

Rebecca from the pretty Poshyarns was giving away a copy of the new fall Rowan.

YAY!

It's the quintessential Rowan fall issue. Beautiful people in beautiful places wearing beautiful knits. Sigh... I love it.

I have enough Cocoon in my stash for this gorgeous thing.
I'm hoping to cast-on soon.

I'd love to knit this as a cardigan.

This is the PERFECT sweater for a walk in the autumn leaves, don't you think?
And can you imagine how luscious it would be, all those gorgeous colours of Felted Aran Tweed?

I would sell my soul for this girl's hair.

Even more lovely was what Rebecca included in the package:

A pretty fabric flower that she made. It's just the perfect thing for my fall coat. Thank you so much Rebecca! Check out her shop for more beautiful creations.

I promise, I'm not entering any more contests for at least a year. I even resisted this wonderful giveaway. But you shouldn't. So go see t.

Golden

2009-09-03T19:31:00.002-05:00

Endless stockinette stitch is so restorative.
I'm test knitting a vest pattern for Veera (LOVE her knits!).

I can't wait till it's done. It'll be the perfect thing for fall.

But I won't wish away these last golden days of summer just yet...

Kiki Smith

2009-09-01T11:15:00.002-05:00

Things to look at

2009-08-29T18:35:00.002-05:00

I'm not in a writing mood lately.
But I do feel like showing you some of the lovely things I picked up in New York.
Hope you won't mind this rather "quiet" post.

Back issue of Selvedge magazine

Hildy from the Lima Collection

Babycakes recipe book

Linen from B&J

Liberty fat quarters from Purl

Random roundup

2009-08-20T20:48:00.010-05:00

This post got me thinking about favourite songs. Sheesh, it would take me forever to whittle a list down to my desert island must-haves, but I thought it would be fun to see what comes out off the top of my head. Of course if you asked me tomorrow, I'd have a totally different list. Consider this a completely random roundup:

1. River Man, Nick Drake
2. Burning Down The House, Talking Heads
3. Spelunking, Laura Veirs
4. Heartbeat, David Sylvian
5. Never Had No One Ever, The Smiths
6. God, John Lennon
7. Digital, Joy Division
8. When the Levee Breaks, Led Zeppelin
9. Emily, Joanna Newsom
10. Turn You Inside-Out, REM
11. Brothers Gonna Work It Out, Public Enemy
12. He Doesn't Know Why, Fleet Foxes
13. All The Love, Kate Bush
14. Eye No, Prince
15. Kooks, David Bowie
16. Company In My Back, Wilco
17. Give It Up, Talk Talk
18. Across the Universe, The Beatles
19. Oh Well, Okay, Elliott Smith
20. Refuge Of The Roads, Joni Mitchell
21. Black Dove, Tori Amos

Hmm, pretty nostalgia-heavy there, grandma...

I limited myself to one song per artist, though really, many of them could fill up the list by themselves (I could EASILY have all Smiths songs for instance, to my DH's chagrin). And I left off classical music, French artists, and guilty pleasures, all of which take up a good chunk of my ear space too.

What are some of your favourite songs?

Souvenir yarn

2009-08-09T14:51:00.003-05:00

Thank you for your encouraging words following my last post. I've dusted off my sketchbook and have been drawing again. It feels good.

But fear not, there is still lots of yarn in my world. I was on a fibre mission in NYC, looking for speckled skeins of Koigu KPPPM. In soft, sun-faded, beachy colours. I have been collecting some of this stuff over the years, and wanted to buy up enough to finally make a Barn Raising Quilt.

Mission accomplished.

I started making some squares.

I'm totally hooked.

Art

2009-08-06T11:56:00.003-05:00

One of the main reasons why we love NYC so much is all the great opportunities to see art. It seems like every time we go, there's always a major show I'm dying to see. This time it was Francis Bacon at the Met, and James Ensor at MoMA. There were smaller shows too, Fashioning Felt at the Cooper-Hewitt, and Ray Johnson at Richard L. Feigen & Company (if you don't know Ray Johnson, you should see "How to Draw a Bunny" a fantastic documentary on him). Another fun thing we always do is take a ramble in the art gallery district in Chelsea. You can pick up a free directory of all the galleries and the work they feature. It makes for a great, free afternoon, and we get to see what's happening right now in the NY art scene.

One of my favourite pieces was at MoMA, an art installation called "Measuring the Universe", by Roman Ondak:

"Over the course of the exhibition, attendants mark Museum visitors' heights, first names, and date of the measurement on the gallery walls. Beginning as an empty white space, over time the gallery gradually accumulates the traces of thousands of people."

This short video shows the artist explaining the ideas behind his work.

I couldn't resist being measured up for posterity. I was excited to participate in this lovely piece. I can now officially say that I'm in the Museum of Modern Art. Maybe not in the way that I had imagined, when I dreamed of one day becoming a famous artist...

I always come back from NYC feeling nourished creatively. Art-making seems more fluid there, more intrinsic to everyday life. I find it difficult maintaining my artistic drive while stuck in my 9 to 5, but I really feel a deep need to spend more time making art. Maybe even at the expense of other things like knitting. I haven't talked about this here before, but my ambition in life has always been to work as a serious artist. But apart from studying fine art in university, and showing/selling a few pieces here and there, I haven't found the courage yet to really make it happen. I find it scary.

I think my love of NYC is a way to keep that little creative flame alive.

Puddles are fun...

2009-08-05T10:15:00.003-05:00

...when you have new rubber boots!

So the weatherman was right, we did get crazy storms pretty much every day we were in NYC. But we didn't care. It was actually quite romantic, huddling under an umbrella, arm in arm, taking frequent refuge in some cozy cafe. We had such a lovely time!

And oh, how nice it is to be home again. Wouldn't you know it, the sun has finally come out.

In the next couple of days, I'll show you some of what we did, and the treasures we found. For now, I have piles of laundry to contend with.

With a chance of showers and thunderstorms

2009-07-26T21:51:00.008-05:00

In less than 48 hours, we'll be leaving for our now annual wedding anniversary trip to NYC (I can't WAIT). I wondered if the weather in NY has been as crazy as it has been here this "summer". Anyhoodle, I checked the 7-day weather forecast:

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Humid with highs in the upper 80s.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the upper 80s.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 80s.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 80s.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy in the morning...then becoming partly sunny. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s.

Hmmm.... I'm detecting a pattern here. I might have to pick up a pair of these!

Simply summer

2009-07-11T21:13:00.004-05:00

One of my favourite things about summer is that it's perfectly acceptable to simply have a big bowl of cherries for diner.

Listening to this soft song.

Watching this sad and beautiful film.

Reading this great bio, in preparation for a retrospective I'll soon be seeing at the Met.

Connecting threads

2009-07-06T22:08:00.005-05:00

Hello there. Last week I was nestled at my parents' seaside home for a little vacation. Despite being sick for most of it, and the cold rainy weather, I managed to have a nice time. Books were read, naps were taken, comfort food was eaten, socks were finished, and I even found some time to learn a new handcraft.

There's a strong tradition of hand-quilting in Acadian culture. My maman is one of a long line of master quilters in my family. She turns simple cottons and threads into masterpieces (one day I'll show you my gorgeous wholecloth whitework wedding quilt). It was high time the knowledge got passed down to the next generation.

So with my maman's patient help, I modestly started on my own quilting journey. My interest mainly lies in the "piquage", (piquer is the french term for quilting, and the word literally means to prick with a sharp object) using the stitches to make a design on one large piece of cloth, instead of piecing or appliqueing different fabrics together.

I'm starting off with a simple crown design to fashion a small pillow. Forming small and even stitches takes practice, but I'm enjoying the soothing, repetitive movements (sound familiar)? And I especially love the threads that connect me to my fore-mothers. These small simple movements feel encoded into my very DNA.

Aestlight

2009-06-21T11:09:00.003-05:00

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! In honor of the longest and "lightest" day of the year, I give you the Aestlight shawl.

Ok, so maybe a Shetland wool shawl is not the most appropriate garment for the first official day of the summer, but I just finished test-knitting it for Gudrun, and I was excited to show it to you. Isn't it a beautiful pattern?

Pattern: Aestlight, by Shetland Trader
Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed 4-ply, in "Thatch", 6 balls
Needles: 4.5mm

It was a pleasure knitting Aestlight. Gudrun's pattern has clear instructions and helpful instructional photos. I loved the soothing stretches of garter, and easy-but-entertaining bits of lace. It was the first time I knit an edging sideways onto live stitches, and it was much easier than I imagined, with lovely results. I know that Gudrun will be making the pattern available soon. You should definitely add it to your queue!

Enjoy this lovely, long summer "sun"day.

Edit: the pattern is now available here

Oh long weekend, how sweet you were!

2009-05-18T16:27:00.003-05:00

- Drove to Montreal with some dear friends to see Bonnie Prince Billy. Couldn't believe how fantastic the show was given how drunk and kinda weird Will Oldham turned out to be.

- Walked in the mist-filled woods to witness a forest carpeted with trillium, violets, foamflowers, and forget-me-nots. I wish I had brought my camera, but really, a photo would never have done it justice.

- Nibbled on the best snack ever: slices of pink lady apples, gruyère, and walnuts. Heaven. Especially while reading A Homemade Life.

- Finally took pictures of Amanda. My new favourite sweater.

Pattern: Amanda, from A Fine Fleece
Yarn: 9 skeins of Mountain Mohair, in Glacier Lake, by Green Mountain Spinnery (love this yarn!)
Needles: 6 mm Addi Turbos
Mods: Knit medium size on the bottom, and decreased to extra-small size for the top.

I learned VERY important things with this sweater. Starting with a larger size at the bottom and regularly decreasing to the smallest size at the top is the most flattering shaping for my pear-shaped body. And knitting a raglan cardi in the round is such a treat! It took no time at all.

This very warm sweater is the perfect thing for my woodland rambles. Cozy, warm, cheery!

Hope you had a sweet weekend too!

Well, I didn't expect THAT!

2009-05-03T17:41:00.003-05:00

I'm shocked! I can't believe over 300 of you commented! Thank you for leaving all your sweet tiny happy moments. It was such a pleasure to read through them. Thanks too to those who linked to my little contest. And welcome to all the new visitors. It's nice to discover a new bunch of crafty peeps.

So without further ado, here are the two winners, chosen at random.

Valerie won the neutral bundle:
How lucky of you to win this prize from tiny happy! I always love what she does.
The other morning as I was going to my car, I saw this cardinal singing at the top of his lungs on top of a telephone pole. I thought it was a really beautiful thing and made my day that day. I always look for birds when I'm outside, I think that they're beautiful and so happy all the time. How can you be unhappy after that!
I would love bundle one if I were to win!
Valerie | Homepage | 04.26.09 - 9:39 am |

And Nancy won the jewel bundle:
you are so lucky to win tiny happy's gorgeous work! I always love everything she does. You are very generous to have this give away and I would love either bundle if I were to win, but if I have to choose it will be number two- as teat mulberry color just makes me smile!
Nancy Topolski | Homepage | 04.28.09 - 10:07 am |

Congratulations! Please email me your mailing info so I can send the little bundles your way.

And in case you're wondering, here are a few of my favourite tiny happy things:

Striped anything.

All the laundry done, and put away. Wicker baskets are another fav.

Smooth stones.

New socks.

With a horseshoe up my....

2009-04-25T17:30:00.004-05:00

You're gonna hate me, but I won another fabulous givaway.

One of my all-time favourite bloggers and artists, Melissa from tiny happy, sent me a package full of her lovely handmade creations.

I cannot believe I won my very own feather locket. I have been eyeing her Etsy shop, hoping one would come up for sale, and lo and behold, I win one instead!

I also got a beautiful notebook, some hand-printed notecards, and a sweet embroidery needlecase. Just when I needed one. Thank you SO much, Melissa. You made my day!

This wonderful run of good luck must be shared, so I think it's time for a little giveaway of my own. Leave a comment telling me about a "tiny happy" thing that makes your day, and I'll enter you in a draw to win one of these two bundles from my stash:

The neutral bundle:

2 skeins of Grignasco cashmere in cream
1 skein of Rowan Cocoon in cloud
1 skein of Misti Baby Alpaca laceweight in light blue
! skein of Noro Silk Garden sock in cream/beige

The jewel bundle:

2 skeins of Fiddlesticks Zephyr Wool-Silk in mulberry
1 skein of Noro Blossom in purples/blues/reds
2 Fleece Artist kits that each include 1 skein of 2/6 Merino and 1 skein of Angel hair (so 4 skeins total). Both kits are in the same dye lot, so enough make a beautiful stole.

Tell me which bundle you would prefer. You have till end of May 2nd (next Saturday) to enter. I'll announce the winners on Sunday.

Good luck!

Simple pleasures

2009-04-18T14:59:00.003-05:00

This weekend, I'm focusing on simple pleasures as a shelter from yucky weekday stress.

Namely:
- swatching for a new sweater
- walking in the woods
- listening to Madame Butterfly in a church
- geeking out on my sister's couch watching LOTR on her gargantuan flatscreen
- napping

How about you?

Loot bag

2009-04-16T06:15:00.002-05:00

Look what I got in the mail!

I won a loot bag...

full of lovely treasures from Theresa's de-stash.

How lucky am I? Thank you, sweet T!

You happy now, Judith?

2009-03-29T15:00:00.004-05:00

I got wind that some people were getting tired of seeing my last post. A threat of bodily harm might even have been uttered. But I'm not naming any names... Suffice it to say, it was motivation to get off my behind and take a few pics.

Storm Mittens

Yarn: 1 skein of Crown Mountain Farm Sock Hop, in "Riders on the Storm"
Needles: 2.75mm
Pattern: winged it

I was inspired by these, these, these, these and these. They're perfect "transition" mittens. Not heavy enough for a deep freeze, but great for these nippy Spring mornings. They're very soft, but with softness comes pilling. I was a bit surprised to see sock yarn fuzz up like that. I've cleaned them up (very carefully) with a razor, and they're fine now.

As I hinted in my last post, I couldn't resist picking up a little more handspun.

Grellow, by Weaverknits.

I've already knitted it up into a very cute Shackleton, but my camera batteries pooped out on me, so I'll have to show you some other day.

Hope that's ok with you, Miss J.

Spoiled

2009-03-11T16:20:00.004-05:00

I think I'm going to have to learn to spin.
Either that, or sell my house and move to a van down by the river.

Handspun.

Wow.

Expensive, but wow.

Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop Yarn, in "Riders on the Storm".

I'm knitting mittens, because unbelievably I actually need a pair (where have all my other ones gone???), and second of all, I do not want to cram this gorgeous stuff into shoes. I want to see it, on a daily basis. Well, at least till it becomes too warm to wear mitts, and even then....

The exciting thing is that I have more handspun on the way. A bit of Grellow to adorn my head.

Though I promise that after that, I will only shop from my stash "store". Which shouldn't be too difficult, as it's well stocked!

Mignonne Marysol

2009-03-09T16:25:00.002-05:00

mignonne: qui dans son apparence menue, a de la grâce et de l'agrément
(who in its diminutive appearance, is graceful and agreeable)

Mignonne is the perfect word to describe my friend Marysol. Don't you just love her impish grin? And check out all the cool art behind her. Marysol is an amazing artist (as well as an incredible cook) and it's always a treat to go over to hers to feed the eyes and the stomach.

A little birthday gift to match her pretty blue eyes was needed. Porom fit the bill, in lovely Berrocco ultra Alpaca Light (I am so in LOVE with this yarn!)

Ravelry details are here.