imagine KAL

so remember when i went to vogue knitting live? remember how much yarn i bought? (yeah, i'm linking it to two seperate posts... because that's how much yarn i got... ) and how i seem to have this habit of not casting on with those new yarns for ever..?? well i'm knitting with one of the newer skeins now! yipeeeee!!!!!

my absolute fave booth while there was neighborhood fiber co. hands down. of course i loved so many of the booths, but if i could have spent more at this booth, i would have...

the layout was stunning, and easy to manoeuvre in... and there were samples to try! so i tried one... it was joji's imagine when shawl. it was a light as air.. and the drape was just so lovely! i was in love... actually a bunch of us were in love... the sample was knit with the capital luxury lace, which is a make up of 80% wool/10% cashmere/10% nylon .... and the yardage is a whopping 560 yds!!! i had to show you their website photo of the yarn i grabbed, because i had such a hard time capturing the colour!

this photo is taken from neighorhod fiber co. it is their photo.

so right then and there, we decided to snag skeins and start our own KAL. no kidding! the deal was just to cast on on the same day, and then just knit it when you can.. we don't have a deadline... i love it. no stress...

guys. i love LOVE the colour i chose! the above photo is from the website.. i just had such a hard time capturing it on my camera.... the colour is: georgetown. i looooove it!!!

and i'm actually working away on this lovely shawl! i'm hoping it will use up most of the yarn... as the pattern calls for 500 yards, i'm hopeful. i just love it so much!

i'm not nearly as far as a lot of the other ladies who have joined in... and that's ok... i'm loving every stitch, and knitting with this yarn, and my signature needles? eek! i'm a happy girl.

i'm most definately in my happy zone when i'm knitting this.... and when it's done, i'll have a fantastic shawl to wrap up in! yay for selfish knitting!! bonus, is that many of my dear friends will have the same shawl! i'm thinking we should have a group pic when they're all done... no? xo

are you in?

i can't believe that it's already time for the tops, tanks and tee's KAL!

 my pal shannon hosts them, and they are fun! it's definitely a great way to get on board with knitting... and be excited for garment knitting too! the first ttt kal that i did, i knitted gemini. it's a jane richmond pattern (no big surprise there, as i'm such a fan of her patterns!) and i loved it!

i learned a bit in this kal. this was the first time that i had ever worked with 100% linen. i do love the outcome of it. this top still looks new, years later! but knitting with linen is definitely not something my hands were used to. i found i needed to space it out with other "softer" knits.

the bonus with knitting with linen though is that the blocking process is soooo easy! you can literally toss it in the washer and the dryer! shutthefrontdoor! i'm being serious. it's awesome!

the following year, i knitted work + shelter (the short sleeved version) by allyson dykhuizen.

 this literally flew off the needles. such a fast knit! this was knit with knit picks' cotLin. and i have to say, i love that stuff!

it's also a shirt that looks just like new still!

i know there's always a rush of excitement with this kal... (and just wait until you get into the summer sweater kal!) and many end up doing several tops! this year, shan has opted for a shorter time frame for the kal.

i am really hoping to partake in it this year.... and i have a few ideas... the main one being a re-do actually! ... years ago i knit "make up your mind" by knittedblissJC.

sadly, i've never worn it!.... i had decided almost right after i had finished knitting it that i wished each of my "sections" were a tad longer... and of course now i kind of think i'd like it a bit baggier too... sooo i ended up frogging it... and i still have the yarn.... (plus extra).... this just might be the project for me!

of course that way i'm using stash yarn, which is kinda important these days.... i'm hoping to show you my stash soon, so you'll see why. ahem.

i know for a fact that my queue will grow with seeing what others will be knitting for this kal, but that's what i'm thinking for me so far anyways... :) now let's hope i can squeeze in the knitting time for this, hey? xo

tell me, are you joining in? what will you be creating? come chat! xo

knitting plans...

helloo! how is it already thursday?! can you tell me that? crazy how fast the weeks are flying by. 

soooo remember this?

i just finished up my third custom order of them! that's a lot of knitting guys. :) i can't wait to deliver it!! also on my plate is still my regular "work knitting" and i have a new project i'm about to embark on. i'm excited to share it with you! i sitll have a few custom orders on the go.... and even though it's not even summer yet, i'm beginning to plan my winter market stock knitting. 

so yes, i still do custom orders...though the production time-frame will be increasing. these knits really are worth waiting for though. ;) xo

that's probably the one thing about knitting that's important to remember.... it's a time-consuming craft.. no matter how speedy of a knitter you are... you always have to plan a little farther in advance.... this way, hopefully... i can have another f.o for me soon! and of course gift knitting.... babies are being born and my mom has been waiting patiently (like 2 years patiently) for a blanket. eeks! i HAVE to get on that!!

tell me, what's on your needles? any long term knitterly plans? are you already scheduling market knitting?(or am i the only one this early in the year...?) come chat! it's a lovely day... and i've got yummy coffee... xo

hoppy easter!!

how was everyone's holiday weekend? ours was fantastic! and pretty much as full as we could make it. including a family photo shoot on the beach! weee! our house was a busy little household this weekend. we had family coming to visit... and digging out the baby toys was really a treat! of course the easter bunny was very good to owen. :)

we also made sure to sneak in a little family hike. something i love so much! we definitely need to make more time for these hikes. xo

so now as i try to catch my breath, and catch up on emails, and give work my much needed attention, tell me, what goodies did you find yourself doing, and receiving, and eating this weekend? any yummy easter yarns? did you start any easter knits? i really wish i had time to do a bit of selfish knitting this weekend, ... but it didn't happen :) though i can't complain! i am still knitting a mile a minute and it's all helping to generate a little income! i am one very lucky girl. xo

come chat! i've missed you! tell me about your weekend! xo

line break!

woah. has it really been a week since i've blogged?? eeks. so sorry!! with soccer season now over, tball season has begun, and we're almost through our swimming lessons. kung fu is our constant, and so far owen continues to love it and wants to go often. :)

such is life. and sometimes that means the blog is a bit quieter. but whateves. because then some times you pop by and see this!!

i had this shawl on my needles for quite some time... and i'm soooo glad that it's ready for me to wear! i love it! can you believe it's the very first grey shawl i own?
crazypants.

this is of course none other than line break by veera valimaki.

i decided to go down a needle size, just as my friend liisa did. and really her shawl is the reason i cast on for this one. i was kind of obsessed. she actually claims this to be one of her most favourite shawls to knit. and honestly, this girl knows knitting... if she has a fave, i want to knit it. i know i won't be disappointed....
liisa actually wrote an awesome post about her line break and how it was almost gone forever! eeks. many tears. go and read it. you'll be glad you did... i promise it has a happy ending.

i do love this yarn. i used madelinetosh merino light, in the charcoal colourway. i love the depth of this yarn! seriously, it's high time i had a grey shawl in my hot little hands. and i want more!!

i've done my best with the photos... what with my hubby having pneumonia, i just tried the "selfie" route this time around. ;)

have you knit any of veera's patterns? which is your fave? what do you have on your needles? it's shawl and sock season here! xo

hatley castle.

a couple of weekends ago i had the fantastic opportunity of teaching a knitting workshop at the hatley castle in royal roads university. holy smokes guys... this place is stunning!
of course, knowing this is the x-men school was pretty cool too! ha.

dating back to 1908 this place is just oozing charm and of course, history... it once served as dormitory and mess hall for cadets and staff officers. this facility was going to close in 1995 but due to huge support from the public, the province went into negotiations with the federal government, and it's now continued to be used as a university. 
 i couldn't have asked for nicer weather, and really, i think this place and knitting just goes together.. hey? 

i wish i could have spent more time in the castle, but that's ok. next time. i made sure to get some pics of the grounds...

the workshop went really well! i look forward to more opportunities like this. everyone left pretty excited about knitting :) which is just perfect in my books....

i have to admit. it felt really neat to teach here! of course, now i have to call myself a professor of knitting or something. ;) haha.

i also feel incredibly lucky to live so close to this stunning piece of property! have you ever had a chance to visit? xo

click click click

so the results came in as strep. poor little dude. this is why it's been a bit quiet on the blog as of late. but thankfully he's seeming back to his normal self (thank you antibiotics!)
of course, with today being a rainy day.... it's a major knitting day! yippee!!! there's just something about the sound of rain that makes me just want to curl up and knit... !!!
... and not just work knitting! look what i have finally finished?!?!

i promise there will be many more pics... this is the best i could do with the early morning grey skies ;)
i'm also back on the socks with sarah kal.. if it even counts, as i had to take some sock knitting time off.... and with this shawl being done, i can also focus and hopefully catch up to friends who are doing the imagine kal!

so for now though, it's much coffee, and the sound of my needles clicking away, along with the soothing sound of the rain.

what are you up to today? are you taking a moment to breathe, and let life slow down around you even for just a moment? come chat! i've missed you! xo

more yarn!

i'm nursing a sick kiddo today. poor little dude seems to have the beginnings of a yucky cold... sore throat and everything..
and since we're supposed to have a cloudy and wet day today... it's a good day to spend some time with sticks & string, movies, and heaps of yarn :)

... speaking of which... these few skeins are the rest of my haul from seattle. :)

going to TOLT was definitely a huge highlight of the trip for me. this shop is incredible, and if you ever have the chance to go... do it. i want to live there.
while i was there, i wanted to buy something very unique... something i couldn't obtain anywhere else, and i found it. YOTH (aka yarn on the house is exclusive to TOLT yarn and wool. This yarn is so very springy and squishy and just plain amazing! when i saw the cowl sample knitted with it, i just had to have it. i snagged 3x skeins of big sister. such a yummy dk... and will knit up in no time!

... i knew i couldn't leave without a skein of hazel knits. this was kind of funny, as i clearly snuck this one in, hoping no one would notice that i was buying more yarn, after i had cut myself off... haha melissa totally caught me hilarious :)

this skein (and i have to apologize for the over exposure... i promise to have better pictures soon)... was a splurge for me. samples are a dangerous thing. i tried on a new cowl design, which surprisingly uses only one skein of this amazingly luxurious yarn, i knew i wanted it.
want to know what i'll be knitting? it's called hallgrimskirkja and it's designed by libby blossom.

photo from ravelry.

it really is light as a cloud, and extremely soft.. such a gorgeous knit! just stunning!

one of my favourite booths was definitely neighborhood fiber co. while i was in virginia last summer, i met up with sandra, the amazing mastermind behind duck duck wool.... and she introduced me to neighborhood yarns. i'm so glad she did! i had bought a skein there, but was sad it was the only one in the stash.. so of course, when this baby kept staring at me, i just had to take it home. it's a massive skein of worsted weight. 400 yards per skein!

i had grabbed a vibrant blue one as well... but i'll be showing that one to you on a different post. :)


so there you have it. i think we're all caught up on my seattle goods... basically.... and now clearly, i need to knit heaps... as my stash has grown considerably over the past year or so? haha. maybe one day i will post a pic of the stash... maybe...

what are you up to today? any lovely knitting by your side? i'll be clicking away on work knitting, and starting a few custom orders.... soon these pretties will be on my needles though... soon!! xo