Aestlight

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!

- 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!

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....

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

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

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?

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.