Anyone Can Knit...

The pleasure of waiting

2012-01-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

While I'm waiting for my package of the TFA's 2012 Year in Color Club, my Andrea's Shawl is progessing well! It is a pleasure to knit it! This Malabrigo is wonderful. The color is Impressionist Sky. I love blue!

Also, the little markers that I bought last weekend make it even more fun! Créations Marilou is a very talented lady. You may visit her website and Etsy! I believe her boutique is empty at the moment. I believe she's working on it now. She also sews the cutest little pouches! She is very popular in our area ;-)

I now reached the stockinette and decreasing part of the shawlette. This is going to be perfect for watching tv and for the coming knit nights!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Whatcha favorite posdcast?

2012-01-27T23:38:00.011-05:00

Do you have a favorite podcast?

I found a brand new podcast a few days ago and I'm already addicted to it. It's called Whatcha Swatchin Podcast.

It's fresh, short (because sometimes you don't have so much time to spend on the internet!) and funny (because some of you - not me - may recognize themselves in what she says!) and Emily is going to start spinning! I think it is very interesting because this is quite intriguing for me. I have no idea how it works...

Oh, and she's also knitting a Rocky Coast Cardigan ;-)

Enough said! Take a look!

Have a great weekend everyone!

ETA: It was probably too late last night, but I definitely should have mentionned the Knit Girllls. I have been following them for a while now. They have FOs, WIPs, spinning, book reviews and contests! You should definitely check them out too!

The winner

2012-01-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

It was so much fun to read your good wishes and answers throughout the week! Thank you for participating!

There are 20 participants this year:

The winner is villapeikko!

Happy blog anniversary! Many more years to come, filled with beautiful yarn and smooth needles!
1. Worsted weight is my favorite. It knits up quickly but doesn't hurt my hands.
2. Solid mostly, but sometimes a nice semisolid is good also.
3. Blue is my all time favorite, mostly lighter shades or turquoise / petrol.

Congratulations! Please, send me a message on Ravelry (I'm anyonecanknit!) with the pattern that you choose so that I can gift it to you! I also have a surprise for you in relation to your answer so if this is ok for you, let me know what is your mailing address too!

For the rest of you, you should visit Suvi Simola websites: 50 villapeikkoa and Hold your needles! I have been following her beautiful blog and admired her creative and colorful designs for a long time now. She is also the designer of the Stripped Baby Sweater that I knit for my cousin's son back in 2010. I know that you will love her patterns!

The dinner isn't ready, I have to go! Have a good week everyone!

Happy Blogyversary to me and a contest!

2012-01-17T06:00:00.042-05:00

My blog is already three years old. It's not a baby anymore! I am so glad I have this blog! I meet some terrific people through this space and this is such a great way to share what we love! It is also a great source of inspiration and motivation to see what each one of you creates. It is so special to show to people from everywhere in the world what each one of us create, isn't it?

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all of you who come here on a regular basis and also to those of you who drop by every now and then! It means a lot to me and it is truly amazing to get to know you better! Some of you have become true friends. I have to say it is unexpected and very touching at once!

All of this to say that... I think this is going to become a tradition. On my blogyversary, I like to gift a pattern via Ravelry! Here are the results of the past two years.

Blogyversary 1: made by Brin dans le vent

Blogyversary 2: made by Knitting lemonade

Aren't they both gorgeous? I will have the same contest again this year because, I think it is a lot of fun and I look forward to see what the winner will choose!

The prize will be a pattern given to you through the Ravelry gifting feature. If you win, I will "gift" you the pattern that you will select (up to $7) on Ravelry. Hence, it's a contest for Raverly members (if you're not, you should join now; it's free!) and the pattern has to be available through the Ravelry gifting feature.

To participate, all you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post. The question this year is threefold (after all, this is my third year blogyversary!): 1. What is your favorite weight of yarn? 2. Do you like solid, semi-solid or variagated colors? 3. What is your favorite color?

You have to comment before midnight (EST) Friday night, January 20, 2012 to enter in the contest. There will be one random winner! I’ll announce the winner before Sunday, January 22, 2012.

Thank you again for visiting!

A new shawl

2012-01-07T10:16:00.000-05:00

A new year and a new project. This is also my only WIP. It is very satisfying. I guess I'm a moderate knitter. No stash and always a limited number of projects on the needles. Also, I don't knit every day. I suppose this is why the projects I make take a while before they get completed... This is the second time I knit a shawl.

In a few days, we should receive the first project (out of 6 in 2012) for the Tanis Year in Color 2012 club. I really wonder what accessory and color it will be!

So, this week I started knitting the Andrea's Shawl. What you see is the bottom edging in Impressionist Sky Malabrigo Sock. I'm in love with both the color and touch of this yarn. I have about one third of it done. Very nice. The border will be nice to knit I'm sure too.

This is all for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

First FO of the year!

2012-01-01T17:34:00.000-05:00

I worked almost all day on these beauties. I meant to finish them earlier. If it weren't for one of the thumb gusset. The second mitten thumb gusset was made differently and looked so much better! I had to make the other one the same. Can you see it? Me neither. It's in the lining. But I know it! One is allowed to be that crazy on New Year's Day!

I was not sure in the beginning if I liked the color of the lining. Blue is my favorite color though. I kind of like the contrast. This is a very nice blue.

And here is a close up of the pattern. The mittens were initially chosen for a landscape gardener (I will not tell the story on this blog, but let's say that I would fear for the life of these mittens if I did not keep them) :-(

Pattern: Douglas mittens by Emily Elizabeth

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Heathers and Estelle Baby Silk Lace

Needles: US 4 - 3.5 mm and US 2½ - 3.0 mm
Colors: 9410 and 9411 (Cascade) and 10403 (Estelle)

Start to finish: February 2011 - January 2012

For: To be determined!

Notes: No modifications

So, I'm really happy with the process and the final result. They are a bit too large and manly for me unfortunately...

This also means no other WIPs which is equal to... new beginnings! Isn't it perfect for the first day of the year? Happy New Year 2012 to all of you!

N.B.: I do want to thank you all who come and read my blog. It means a lot to me! I read many of your blogs and I really appreciate all the creativity and friendship that knitting brings to my life!

Preparing for 2012

2011-12-28T13:10:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas! I did! We celebrated Christmas Eve at my cousin's cabin and spent Christmas relaxing at my brother's. Magical!

I don't know if I've mentionned it here, but although I learned knitting again from Knitting for dummies and the internet, I surely inherited the gene of knitting and patience from my mom! Every week, she comes to my blog to see if there is something new and we talk about it over the phone (my parents still live in the little town where I grew up and it is a few hours from where I live now). She will be surprised to see something she's made this time! Funny fact: I totally get the "frogging and re-knitting satisfaction" from my mom ;-)

My mom is a smart lady and for Christmas, she bought some beautiful kits and made three of these scarves in one week: one in gray tones for my sister, one in pink tones for my SIL and one in blue tones (of course!) for me! I'm not sure how it is done exactly, but these were fun and mindless projects for my mom and I can really appreciate that she gave us something crafty for Christmas!

As for me, as mentionned in the title of this post, I'm resisting casting on a new project in order to prepare for 2012. The lovely Andi from My sister's knitter gifted me a beautiful pattern that I've always loved since the time it was released: Andrea's shawl. Although I'm tempted to knit with the same colors as the original pattern (as I very often do when I pick a pattern), I'm almost decided on making it blue and without stripes with the beautiful skein of Malabrigo yarn also gifted by Andi-my-kntting-fairy ;-) Thank you again Andi!

So here are my knitting goals for the near future:

1. Finish the Douglas mittens. I've just finished this morning the lining of mitten number one!

2. Cast on for Andrea's shawl if it arrives before the first package of the yarn club I suscribed to in 2012.

3. Cast on for the first project of TFA's Year in Color. I am so looking forward to it!

This is probably the last post of the year for me! Take care and see you in 2012! xx

So Sweet!

2011-12-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

It really made my day when I found in my mailbox this afternoon a hand knitted gift from my dear friend Susan! Susan and I met in the blogosphere mutually commenting on each other's blogs and exchanging e-mails! She's hosting So Sue and she's also So Sweet! ;-)

The color is beautiful although I wasn't able to capture it perfectly in the following pictures:

Such a nice color to brighten up the winter. They fit me perfectly:

Can you see that they are have a touch of pink in them? Lovely!

It was accompanied with a nice little card and a tape measure! How thoughtful and I couldn't believe what a coincidence it is since mine broke one week ago! And it is so cute! Until now, there has been just a little bit of snow here, if you can see it through the window...

Thank you so much Susan! I know I will be wearing them often!

You definitely need to visit So Sue. Susan not only knits beautifully but she is also sewing very nicely!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Baby shower

2011-12-03T21:03:00.000-05:00

Today, we had a baby shower for Audrey. She will have a baby very soon! We all made a little something for her baby girl: hats, socks, blankets, toys, etc. I made her a little Kira's hooded vest. I think it is such a cute pattern and it must be so practical!

Pattern: Kira's hooded vest by Yumiko Sakurai.

Size: 12-18 months.

Yarn: Sweater of Spud & Chloë.

Needles: US 7 / 4.5mm and US 8 / 5.0 mm.

Color: Firecracker.

Start to finish: November 2011 - December 2011.

For: baby Anne-Sophie.

Notes: No modifications.

The plain part went very fast. The star tweed stitch took a little longer than I expected, but it wasn't that long after all! And so worth it! I was just a little worried that it would not be ready on time!

Yes, it was the secret gift I was knitting! The good part about it is that there were only the shoulders to sew. The rest is all picking up the stitches and knitting with circular needles.

There is also the so famous seed stitch at the bottom and around the armholes! So cute!

Finally, I cannot pass telling you how I like the yarn I used! I think it is perfect for baby knits because it is wool and cotton. So warm but without being itchy. Mostly, it's superwash wool! The colors available are gorgeous too! It was difficult to choose!

I really recommend this pattern!

Have a great weekend all!

Progress

2011-11-26T10:13:00.000-05:00

This weekend is supposed to be productive in the knitting area. Here is a glance at what I'm working on.

The secret gift (priority 1):

And only if there is some time left, the lining of my mittens (priority 2):

I wish, but I don't know if it is possible, that I finish them before the 2012 Year in Color Club starts!

No more blogging for today. I have to return to my knitting ;-) Will you be knitting this weekend?

Have a great weekend!

In my future...

2011-11-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

I've started working on the Douglas Mittens again this weekend. Actually, I'm un-knitting a little bit (so that you know that this is really me!). Two weeks ago, at our knit night, we were discussing how different increasing methods for M1 could create little holes more or less... When I picked up the mittens again yesterday, I thought that the increases for the thumb lining were maybe a little too "airy" for my liking (if "airy" is an English word!). So, I thought I could undo 15 rows and try to knit front and back loops instead of doing the usual M1. I'll let you know how it turns out ;-)

So I guess that the lining of these mittens is not the most exciting thing to knit, but at least the yarn which is really tiny is very pleasant to knit. It's also my favorite color (blue!) and knitting stockinette while watching Friends DVDs isn't bad at all ;-)

I'm quite motivated because it's my only UFO at the moment. I'm gonna cast on shortly for a secret gift but it should be fast to knit (or at least I hope so!)

Then, I'm still thinking about my next sweater. I recently bought the new Coastal Knits book that you surely heard about lately! I love it! The patterns are beautiful and so is the book itself! I could knit all the sweaters from this book. Really, I love them all! So, while I knit the lining of those mittens and my secret gift, I can ponder about it!

And finally, but not least, I suscribe on Friday to the 2012 Year in Color Club at Tanis Fiber Arts. Tanis is from our area (which I only found out recently, duh!) and look at the "brochette" of designers for 2012: Julie Crawford of KnittedBliss (and TFA!), Hannah Fettig of Knitbot, Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting, Hilary Smith Callis of the Yarniad, Kirsten Kapur of Through the Loops and and (woah!) Jared Flood of BrooklynTweed! Really, I've had to pinch myself because it's almost too good to be true! It's the first time I participate to a club like this. It will be a challenge for sure!

So, yes, this is what will be in my future! This is a "pictureless" post. Sorry! I just had to share my enthousiasm about what's coming! How about you? Are you knitting for the Holidays? What's on your needles or what will be on your needles in 2012 (if, of course, you already know)?

Have a great week everyone!

FO: Jaywalker

2011-10-30T20:23:00.000-04:00

Today I finished my Jaywalkers. Wouh!

When I set this goal earlier in October (Socktoberfest 2011) to finish this pair of socks I started in the beginning of August, I just thought that it would be a fun way to accelerate my knitting pace and finish it a little faster so I can move on to the next project.

Well... it turned out to be a challenge more than I had imagined ;-) I felt just like during the Ravelympics! I've had to be disciplined! And I made it!

Here they are:

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina.

Yarn: Biscotte & Cie Super Bambou, 107g for the two socks.

Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm

Color: Empereur

Start to finish: August 2011 - October 2011

For: Me!

Notes: No modifications

Very nice self-striping yarn from Biscotte & Cie. I really enjoyed knitting with it!

The second heel was the longest to turn. I was just making one mistake after the other... Maybe I was too anxious to finish ;-)

The final touch!

Overall, it has been a very fun project! No wonder so many people knit that pattern! I wonder though if one day I will be able to knit one pair of socks in just a week!

Have a great week everyone!

Socktoberfest and new yarn!

2011-10-15T18:03:00.001-04:00

Happy automn dear knitting friends!

There will be at least two posts in October on my blog ;-) This one and the one when I will hopefully show you my finished Jaywalkers! I've decided to participate to Socktoberfest 2011. My "challenge" is to finish these socks in October. Nothing extraordinary but it will be motivating for me to have a deadline!

After the socks will be completed - by the way, I love knitting them! - I will start a secret gift! I will only show you the yarn I bought for it. Yes, as I'm thinking a lot about the people who are at Rhinebeck this weekend, I decided I would have my own little knitting escapade by going to Espace Tricot. This store located in Montreal is so nice! The people are so helpful. They even let us use their IPad to look up patterns and yarns. I think it's pretty up to date! There is also a space if you want to sit down and knit! They have magazines, buttons, and mostly many very nice yarns! I really recommand that you go if you live near or visit Montreal!

Here is my new acquisition. It is Spud & Chloë Sweater. The colorways are amazing or said differently, difficult to choose from ;-)

I was also very happy to find gift tags from the talented Knitterella. I've been eyeing them for quite a while!

And finally, look at the little buttons I found! Aren't they cute? I think I must have chosen them so that they brighten up these rainy days that we are having! Note that the trees have amazing colors these days over here! The other day, I was on the highway and could not stop admiring their beauty!

I'm so excited! Isn't fun to buy new yarn and related items? Okay, I have to go now... for some Socktoberfest work! Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Summer report

2011-09-04T08:48:00.000-04:00

It's already September and although I don't go to school anymore, I feel like evaluating my knitting this summer! It certainly isn't an A, but the teacher would certainly mention that at least, this summer I knitted and made some good progress. Yes, and I have to say that I don't understand why I had stopped knitting completely in the past in summer.

So this summer, I've completed Thermal and I've also knitted a new pair of socks with yarn I had bought last summer. I also finished the exterior of the Douglas Mittens and started the lining. Since it starts in the inside, it does not show, but I'm already at the start of the thumb.

I've also started the Jaywalkers with the Super Bambou I bought at Biscotte & Cie last summer too. They are a lot of fun to knit (the colors are nicer than in this photo)!

And I'm also planning for a secret baby knit (I have yet to choose the yarn) and my next sweater/cardigan. For the latter, I change my mind all the time. Will it be Featherweight Cardigan, Mountain View Cardigan, Tea Leaves, Castelgar Cardigan or something else? There are so many beautiful and wearable nice patterns out there! I'm thinking about some nice yarn like Malabrigo or Madelintosh so that this loooong process is enjoyable! I'm also thinking light gray. We'll see!

Happy September!

FO: Spring Forward socks

2011-08-04T09:44:00.005-04:00

Aren't vacations great for finishing things?

The Douglas Mittens are in their pre-finishing state, that is, they are drying from the blocking that the patterns recommends before knitting the lining. They are almost dry. I just realize that I should swatch for the lining instead than for a new pair of socks like I was about to do last night.

I'm very satisfied with the colorwork. I am tempted to post a bigger picture, but then, that would steal the "thunder" for the finished mittens with the lining, wouldn't it? Of course, by the time I finish them, maybe the photo would only be a faint memory... Let's take a peek then ;-)

The yarn for the lining is so thin (Estelle Baby Silk Lace). It's hard for me to imagine that this will be resistent enough to be the inside of a mitten. What I am very sure of is that it will be incredibly soft and warm.

Coming back to my new FO. The Spring Forward socks have been very easy and fun to knit. I recommend the pattern (altough I now realize that many knitters have already knitted this pattern). The chart is easy to memorize and still, the result is fun!

Usually, I'm really not into variegated colors, but this one I really like!

I knew that my left foot was bigger than my right foot, but it's very clear on that picture isn't it?

I'm also amazed at how symetrical the pair turned out to be! The beginning (upper part of the leg) is different and I decided that I could live with that! But then, look at the rest of the leg, the heel, under the feet and the toe tips! I almost wonder how that can be because I started the second sock with the rest of the first skein (maybe 8g left) and then joined the second skein!

Pattern: Spring Forward by Linda Welch
Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns Summer Sox Variegated, 85g for the two socks.
Needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm
Color: 5556 Viva violets
Start to finish: June 2011 - August 2011
For: Me
Notes: No modifications

Now let's see when will be my next FO!

Have a nice and restful day everyone!

FO: Thermal II

2011-08-02T12:21:00.005-04:00

I'm so happy and relieved... My second Thermal is now complete!

Pattern: Thermal by Laura Chau
Yarn: KnitPicks Gloss
Needles: US 4.0 mm
Color: Teal
Start to finish: May 2009 - August 2011
For: Me
Notes: No modifications

It will be very good to keep me warm at nights this winter!

And I confirm there will be no more Thermal in my life ;-)

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Summer progress

2011-07-30T17:12:00.004-04:00

Wow! I haven't posted since mid-June! Here is a little update on my knitting.

The good news is that this is the first time that I continue to knit during summer. Yé!

So what are my current WIPs? Well, the same ones as in the previous post. However, there is a little bit of progress.

First, I still have to buy the buttons for my Thermal and post the final pictures. This could take place this week.

Second, the Douglas Mittens are going well. I've almost finished the exterior of the second mitten. After that, I have to wash them and knit the lining inside. They should be ready for winter, although experience tells me that you just never know... Needless to say, this is knitted inside, with AC, watching tv ;-)

Third, the Spring Forward socks are also going well. See, this is the second sock. The grass is a little drier and my toe nails are now electric blue compared to my previous post ;-)

I hope that you are all having a wonderful summer! Today,
the weather is fantastic! I'm just taking a little break inside to cool down!

Happy knitting to all of you!

It's summer...

2011-06-19T13:17:00.004-04:00

... and obviously less time to knit and blog! However, this summer I continue to knit which is already better than the years before!

I have the perfect project... At my pace, it will last all summer ;-)

First, they started as modified Muscari. I stopped because there were too many modifications and I lost one of the needle!

Then, they became for maybe 15 rows Hedera. I did not get the yo before purl and thought it required too much concentration...

Finally, they are Spring Forward and so far, so good! Very easy to memorize and I like the heel!

Enjoy the sun everyone!

Nice day to knit

2011-05-23T10:04:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm still here although I haven't knitted much since my last post. A few repeats of my Muscari first sock and I've finished the exterior of the first Douglas mitten (there will be a lining inside). I hope I can proceed to the provisional cast-on this morning and complete it since it was the most time-consuming part for the first mitten.

I'm very happy with the way I picked up the stitches for the thumb gusset. I found this video on YouTube and it worked very well. I just picked 3 stitches between the held stitches as indicated in the pattern and it worked perfectly and there is no holes!

Have a great week everyone!

New beginnings

2011-04-25T11:32:00.009-04:00

While it's sunny and warming up outside, I'm working on a new project this morning. It will be good for my knitter's spirit... Yesterday, I've had a little "adventure" with my now almost completed Thermal...

While my first Thermal that was a little too small did not enlarge a bit when I blocked it two years ago, my second Thermal who fitted just as I had planned expanded like I had read about but never seen with my own eyes! I initially thought it was pretty funny to see such long sleeves and body, but then, thinking about all the time invested in it, I thought it might not be "that" funny :-(

Could the "expansion" be due to the fact that I went up from 3.0mm to 4.0mm needles and kept the same yarn? Maybe my tension is looser now as well...

Anyways, it went to the dryer (within a pillow case - what a great trick! - as advised by my smart friend Audrey) and now it continues to dry. It's not so big anymore so I have hope. We'll see when it's completely dry how it fits...

So last night, I finally casted on a cute pair of socks. These colors say "Easter", "spring" and "summer"! The pattern is Muscari. Quite interesting to knit!

Now, I'll head outside! It's so nice and sunny. It will be quite warm, finally, this afternoon!

Help for Japan

2011-04-23T10:20:00.005-04:00

Yarn on the House just posted about a lovely little hoodie: Kira's Hooded Vest. How cute!

I love to knit for little babies and I find this little hoodie so cool! It comes in many sizes, is gender neutral and can be knitted in various fun color combos!

The pattern sales will be used to help people in Japan who are still in a precarious situation.

Yumiko Sakurai, the designer, hosts a beautiful blog as well (oh the flowers in her background on her April 10th post!) where you can also find other very cute designs for kids!

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Slowly but surely

2011-04-22T12:20:00.005-04:00

Finally, the Easter weekend has arrived!

This afternoon, I'm going to go eat some macaroni at a friends place to help them raise money for breast cancer. It is a tradition in their family on Holy Friday (in French, Vendredi Sein)!

Tonight, I'll go knitting at Effiloché. This is always fun!

So far, I've completed my objective of the morning which is to sew the first re-knitted Thermal sleeve to make sure it fits this time before I re-do the other one. And yes, it does.

Now I can proudly show you my underarm ;-)

I have to find some nice buttons to go with it. I think I will go for a similar shade of green and slightly bigger than these temporary white ones. Any suggestions for a different color?

I'm so glad that I resisted the temptation to cast on for a pair of socks this morning. That would have been too easy ;-)

Have a wonderful Easter everyone!

Hat exchange - Part 2

2011-04-15T21:20:00.008-04:00

... and here is the beautiful hat that I received in exchange. It's Audria by Dutch Knitting Design:

Audrey (Le Mouton Bleu), who is literally a knitting reference in our group, knitted it for me. She chose a beautiful color for me since I like all types of blue, turquoise and green! It is very light and delicate.

It's the perfect hat for spring!

Thank you Audrey!

Hat exchange - Part 1

2011-04-09T20:27:00.020-04:00

We (our knitting group) were finally able to hold our hat exchange that was planned for mid-February in mid-April! Yé! I can finally share it on the blog!

First information I couldn't share: the yarn (and that was not just any yarn). First of all, the objective was to use yarn from our stash. Well, I don't really have a stash (or at least I think that less than 5 skeins does not offer enough option). Hence, I had to sacrifice myself and go to Espace Tricot (first visit there too!). I chose some nice Tough Love Socks from Sweet Georgia in the amazing Blackberry colorway:

Isn't it just beautiful to look at? Although I spent quite a few minutes to choose it (yes, that would be me picking one, seeing another one, changing again, etc.), I am very pleased with my choice! It may be hard to see on the picture, but the yarn color changes very subtly. It was lovely to knit with as well!

Here is the final result: Skinner Hat by Melissa LaBarre:

Lovely pattern as one could expect from Melissa LaBarre:

Pattern: Skinner Hat by Melissa LaBarre (a.k.a Knitting School Dropout).
Yarn: Touch Love Sock by Sweet Georgia.
Needles: US 1 - 2.25 mm and US 2 - 2.75 mm.
Color: Blackberry.
Start to finish: January 9 to February 5 2011.
For: ?
Modifications: No modifications and I really enjoyed knitting it!

Here is a picture of me modeling it! Not a bad picture considering that I took it myself!

I recommend both the yarn and pattern! I truly enjoyed knitting it!

Doesn't it just feel like spring?

2011-04-01T19:29:00.013-04:00

Here are my favorites from the new Twist Collective!

Pergola by Sandy Rosner:

Addie by Whitney Gegg-Harrison:

Madrigal by Kristen Rengren:

Avivah by Mary-Heather Coger:

It makes me dream about being a full-time knitter ;-)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Such a lovely surprise!

2011-03-28T19:55:00.009-04:00

I'm so spoiled! Two weeks ago, I won a contest organized by My sister's knitter. Make sure that you visit this blog regularly. I guarantee that you will love it!

Isn't it incredible how many giveaways there are all over our knitting community? Not only is it exciting to participate, it is pure happiness when you receive an email that announces you that you win!

As you may have guessed, I received the much awaited package today! I couldn't wait to open it! I can't take my eyes off of its content since then! See for yourself!

The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga handpainted sock yarn in the Leaf Insect colorway:

I can't wait to knit with it! Look at this amazing blend of greens! So perfect at this period of the year!

Then, there was an amazing skein of Malabrigo Sock yarn in the Impressionist Sky colorway:

It was totally unexpected! I can't wait to knit socks with this yarn! They will be like a treasure! Blue is a color that makes me feel so good!

And as if this wasn't already too much, it was accompanied by a lovely card and note, caramel truffle ground coffee and note cards with cute little owls from Sweet Malien:

Thank you so much again Andi! It feels like a knitter's dream ;-) I can't wait to knit with it but in the meantime, it will be almost as good to admire it!

Have a great week everyone!

FO: Bella's Mittens

2011-03-18T21:30:00.013-04:00

Last time I looked, there were 5008 finished Bella's Mittens on Ravelry! Short, long, flip tops, with lining, etc. There are so many different versions and colors!

Mine are knitted accroding to the original pattern by Subliminal Rabbit with the Moss Stitch Palm Variation by Nancy Fry. From the beginning, I loved the palm of the mittens as in the movie.

Pattern: Bella's Mittens by Subliminal Rabbit and Nancy Fry.
Yarn: Rowan Cocoon
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
Color: Scree (1.5 skein)
Start to finish: October 25, 2010 to March 16, 2011
For: Me!
Modifications: I knitted rows 67 to 74 of the mitten tops twice because I have long hands. That way, they fit perfectly!

This yarn seems very warm and is softer than I thought. We're having lovely days these days! I'm not sure this is the best of timing to try on my Bella's, but I will be wearing them to get the mail later this morning ;-)

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Sweet dreams...

2011-03-12T10:12:00.003-05:00

I'm so glad that baby Penelope and her parents are using the blanket I knitted for them! Look at those tiny little fingers... I wonder what she's dreaming about?

Have a great weekend everyone!

FO: Baby Tweed Blanket

2011-02-10T21:07:00.006-05:00

Last night was our knit night and Catherine came! Catherine is a co-worker who I discovered a few months ago is also a great knitter and I had decided to knit the Baby Tweed Blanket for her baby girl to come! I still can't believe how lucky I have been to be able to give her her gift before the baby is born (and that is one day after her due date)!

I had planned to finish it early January before she'd stop working but no... with the cold that kept me sleeping for days and the fact that I had to order a sixth ball of Tahitian Pearl just two rows from the end, I finished a little later than planned.

Knitting that blanket went like a charm! The stockinette was really soothing. The yarn is really nice and spongy. Then, the edge is so pretty and interesting to knit. It does not look as neat as on the pictures below before it is blocked, but the blocking worked its magic once again.

Drying or I should say sun bathing on my new "blocking mats":

Oh, do I love the curly edge!

Pattern: Baby Tweed Blanket by Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed)
Yarn: Knit Picks City Tweed DK
Needles: US 9 / 5.5 mm and US 10 / 6.0 mm
Color: Tahitian Pearl (5.3 skeins) and Orca (2.14 skeins)
Start to finish: November 20, 2010 to January 22, 2011
For: Catherine
Modifications: Absolutely no modification. It's the first time I knit a pattern from Jared Flood, I could not have modified it! However, to be able to knit it without modification, I've had to order an extra skein of Tahitian Pearl! If I had read comments on Ravelry, I would have known...

I think this is my favorite picture:

I could not resist trying to take a photo like the one on the pattern:

It looks rather rustic but really is soft and enveloping...

And finally, I had fun simply wrapping it with a large pink ribbon:

Now, I can't wait to hear from Catherine and see her baby girl! Hoping that they will both join us soon at our knit nights!

WIP I can blog about!

2011-02-05T20:27:00.004-05:00

I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend! Here's it's very warm for this time of the year and the sun is gorgeous. It feels so good!

I started the Douglas mittens yesterday morning. It took me all morning to figure out how to knit the cuff! I almost decided to knit a simple 2x2 rib but then, when I got to when the cuff is turned and give such a nice finish, I was glad I stuck to the pattern instructions!

Also, I found a brilliant method to do a provisional cast on on YouTube: take a look here! I'll use this technique from now on. It really helps since I tend to knit a bit tight and this one is a dark color on rather tiny needles (note to myself for second mitten: use 3.5mm to knit the cuff, then 3.25 to turn and join it and finally, 3.75 for the hand of the mitten)! Yes, you saw it, the resulting stitches do not need to be picked, they are already on a circular needle waiting to be knitted ;-)

Here's a sneak peek:

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Teal and Rainbow Brite

2011-01-29T16:38:00.007-05:00

I still cannot post about an FO although there is a progress bar on the right side of my blog that says 100%! It's coming...

Last night, I went to Effiloché to knit. Usually, I go knit at Effiloché when I need some yarn. Now, at the moment, I have a few projects aligned and I have all the necessary material. I'm probably the only proud knitter without a stash ;-) But I know I love sock yarn and tiny needles, so I can definitely see myself knitting many many pairs of socks in the future!

So here is my new acquisition:

What will it become? Probably socks. It is Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label Fingering Weight yarn. Blue is my favorite color so when I saw this skein in teal, I knew it had to be mine!

I have to confess that I sort of wonder if it's normal to be filled with joy just by looking at it? ;-)

Now, I may not have any FO to show, but Kara sure do (see previous post)! I can't believe how fast Kara knit this beautiful hat! Isn't it the perfect hat for this time of the year? That reminds me that I better get back to knitting my own hat for our knitting group exchange that's coming soon...

Have a great weekend everyone!

The winner is...

2011-01-22T10:37:00.006-05:00

... from Knitting Lemonade! Congratulations!

When you get a chance, let me know your Ravelry ID and the name and author of the pattern you would like to be gifted ;-)

In the meantime, I'll go knit the hat for our knitting group exchange in mid-February (coming fast!).

Look at the picture above. Something is blocking...

Happy sunny Saturday!

Sizeable blocking mats

2011-01-21T22:59:00.008-05:00

Last night, I finished knitting my secret gift. Tomorrow morning, first thing, I'll weave in ends and block it.

It's probably the largest knit I've ever had to block. For some reason, I only realized it this morning ;-) How will I proceed?

I went to KnitPicks and thought they had some pretty cool blocking mats, but still, one kit is nine 12" squares and my current project is already bigger than that. It would also be best that I block it really soon (I can't afford waiting one more week).

Look what I found in the toys department at WalMart? Thirty-six 12" squares that can be arranged in may different configurations. This is probably more than I will ever need! Sixteen squares will be enough for my current project. And it will be great for scarfs, shawls, afghans, everything!

I'm sure that no one at the store suspected that these were bought to act as blocking mats!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

My blog is 2 years old... and a contest!

2011-01-17T07:00:00.002-05:00

Yes, already! It's great because with my secret projects, it's a good occasion to post and ask a question that is of particular interest to me!

First, the contest. I'm so original that I'm having the exact same contest as last year! I have to say that I've been looking forward to it for a few weeks now! The prize will be a pattern given to you through the Ravelry gifting feature. If you win, I will "gift" you the pattern that you will select (up to $7) on Ravelry. Hence, it's a contest for Raverly members (if you're not, you should join now; it's free!) and the pattern has to be available through the Ravelry gifting feature.

To participate, all you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post. The question this year is (a little strange at this time of the year!): do you knit as much in the summer as in the winter? Personally, I almost don't knit in the summer. I'd like to change that, so maybe reading your comments will give me ideas to change that!

You have to comment before midnight (EST) Friday night, January 21, 2011 to enter in the contest. There will be one random winner! I’ll announce the winner before Sunday, January 23, 2011.

Second, I'd like to show you the beautiful cardigan that the winner of my first blog anniversary contest knitted: Debbie Bliss - Drop collar cabled jacket. It was completed just a few days ago. The color is beautiful and it looks so warm and comfortable. I wonder what will come out of this year's contest!

Finally, I want to tell you all that it is always a pleasure when you visit whether you leave comments or not! We are a great community and it is awesome to be in touch!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-09T09:56:00.000-05:00

It's been a long while since I last posted. November 28... Unbelievable how time goes by fast!

Happy New Year 2011 to all! It's been great to read all the year end and year beginning posts! May 2011 be a wonderful year for us all!

I haven't much to show today except some new yarn I bought to knit the beautiful Douglas Mittens. I've been wanting to knit some Norvegian type mittens for a while and the son of my neighbor asked for knitted mittens. After a long search of a mitten pattern that's interesting to knit and that is for a men, I came across this brand new pattern from emilyelizabeth! To be faithful to myself, I choose the same colors as her, except for the inside. Hers are red, mine will be blue.

This yarn does not need any introductions I believe. I love the shades of the Heathers colorwarys:

I ordered it from Angelika's Yarn Store since it seems that these colors are not "Canadian"!!! I found her through Ravelry and the service is fast and prices are good. I will order again from this website when I need any yarn that I can't find here.

This yarn for the mitten lining is so soft. It is Baby Silk Lace from Estelle.

I did not know this brand. I bought it at Espace Tricot. This is a new store in Montreal. I had heard very good things about it: the service and the inventory. I have to say it's all true. The store looks fresh, cozy and very welcoming. I had the best service although there were many people in the store yesterday. I think they will be very successful (I think they actually already are)! I also had a nice walk on Avenue Monkland which is located in a part of the city I don't go very often. It must be nice in the summer!

On the knitting side, I've almost finished my "gift" but I'm waiting for the additional skein of yarn I had to order to finish it :-( If I had read more on Ravelry, I would've found that it also happened to others...

Then, Tricot Rive-Nord group is also doing a "hat exchange" for mid-February and I've bought the yarn yesterday and did my swatch this morning. I'm all good to go now. It's about time because the yarn and the needles are really tiny ;-)

Since the "gift" and the "hat exchange" are for fellow knitters, I have to keep them a secret for now here...

Happy Sunday everyone!

Thermal surgery

2010-11-28T11:00:00.001-05:00

I waited two weeks before undoing one sleeve of my Thermal to adjust it. The more I thought about it and the more I tried it on, the more I knew it was the right thing to do. I even looked forward to it!

So, this morning, I took the measurements from a few sweaters I have and removed and frogged one sleeve. Even frogging Thermal takes a lot of time...

So, the upper part of the sleeve was 6 inches and bulked under the arm. My usual comfortable sweater would measure about 4.75 inches, so I frogged to remove 12 stitches per round.

I was a bit surprised that it's only a difference of 12 stitches. I hope my calculations are good. However, trust me, this time I will try it on at least one million times. I will also sew it to the body before I redo the second sleeves...

Yes, that would be about 12 inches of waffle stitches undone...

In parallel to this and my Bella's mittens, I've also started knitting a gift. I will not elaborate because the recipient may read these lines. All I can say is that it's garter stitch and it's very addictive. Who would've thought!

Have a great Sunday!

Thermal is "almost" finished

2010-11-14T10:18:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! Last weekend, I spent at least 10 hours on my Thermal and it's almost finished. What a relief! It remains to be blocked and the buttons you see are only temporary as they are not exactly identical.

It does not really show on the picture, but if I want to be happy and wear that sweater often, I'll have to re-work the sleeves. I'm having a hard time taking a photo of myself that show that they are too big since it tends to bulk under my arm and does not really show unless I hold it. However, I'm used to wearing more adjusted sleeves and I think it looks better so I think I will undo them until were I think I should no longer increase and it should be just fine. I still don't want them to be tight (because I think that the body is so comfortable), but I'm sure I can remove 20-25 stitches per round above my elbow and it will be better.

I'll leave it as is for a few more days (while I finish my Bella's mittens!) and un-sew the sleeves if I still feel like it then!

This is why I wrote that Thermal is "almost" finished...

Hope you all have a good Sunday!

FO: Jeannee

2010-11-06T08:22:00.000-04:00

I finished the little Jeannee to go with the Baby Cabled Hat and Mittens set.

They are in Précieux. I really enjoyed that yarn. Now there is too little left to add anything more to this set. I like these little tiny and pink socks!

Now, I'll go work on Thermal! Wish me good luck ;-)

Have a great weekend!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-30T08:29:00.000-04:00

Note that this post does not have anything Halloween related ;-) But I hope you will have a good one!

At the moment, I'm slowly completing the little pink set for a collegue baby girl who will come into this world in early January. I'm adding a little pair of socks. The first one is knitted and is so tiny and cute! Pictures soon!

Then, last Sunday, I felt sick with a headache and nausea and thought that starting the Bella's Mittens would lift my spirit. For sure, I wasn't feeling well because I no longer liked them and started surfing Ravelry to find something else to knit with my 2 skeins of Cocoon... Thankfully, after a good night of sleep and a day at home to sleep some more, my senses came back and I started to like them again and quite frankly, I've knitted a few inches now and they feel so good! Love that yarn!

We had our knit night at a pub this week! It was fun! We have such a lovely group! There were two contests this week: a beautiful skein of yarn that came directly from Rhinebeck (what's Rhinebeck, hi hi...) and a "tipi" from Audrey at the Mouton Bleu. I was the lucky winner of the tipi! I love hand-made bags and it is so well done! Love the fabric, it's so pretty! Thanks again Audrey!

Anybody noticed this free pattern (Cropped Top) on the last Vogue Knitting? I think this is the strangest knitwear I've seen so far... I'm speechless... Honestly, would you wear it or offer it to a friend? ;-) Or is it just a styling mistake?

Lastly, you should go check out the new Biscotte colors: I love them and especially Coconut sur la plage and Vigne.

Happy Halloween!

FO: Cabled Baby Hat and Mittens Set

2010-10-17T09:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday and this morning, I watched a little TV and completed the two mittens for this cute little set! I don't think it even took 3 hours per mitten!

Pattern: Cabled Baby Hat and Mittens Set by Paulina Chin
Yarn: Précieux by Biscotte
Needles: 3.75 mm and 4.0 mm
Colors: Pink
Start to finish: Sept. 11 to Oct. 17, 2010
For: TBD
Modifications: No modifications at all!

Thank you Paulina for such a nice pattern!

The yarn is lovely to work with. Look how pretty it is in jersey!

There is some yarn left for a pair or two of little baby socks. I shall knit that next!

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Pink baby hat

2010-09-26T11:28:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!

This is going to be a very short post, just like the time it took to knit this little baby hat ;-)

The yarn is really nice to work with and I love how it looks! More details to come when the set is completed. It is time to knit the little mittens now...

Have a great Sunday!

New project

2010-09-12T11:36:00.000-04:00

It's raining today. It's going to be a quiet day for me.

Last week, in my enthousiasm to finish Thermal I had to come to the conclusion that I would need one more skein of yarn to knit the yoke. So, I've ordered an additional skein of Knit Picks Gloss and it should arrive next week. Yes, the sweater is all knit now, except the yoke!

So, I've decided to start a pink scarf with my Précieux. However, it turned out that I did not feel that the pattern I had chosen went very well with that yarn. It's important to have a good match, otherwise the whole process will not be as enjoyable in my opinion.

All week, I've been looking for the perfect scarf with just one skein (195 yds). I wanted something simple because there is a subtle nuance in that yarn that I did not want get lost in a complicated pattern.

I've casted on a few different patterns, but always ended up frogging it. No spark! Yesterday, I offered my Baby Sheep Yoke Cardigan and this is when it hit me! With my beautiful and soft pink yarn, I could make baby accessories like hat, mittens, socks, etc. So, I've finally chosen this hat and mittens set. I'm sure there will be enough left for some tiny socks after.

It should be rather quick and fun!

Have a great Sunday!

One hundred...

2010-09-04T09:10:00.000-04:00

... blogs in my blogroll. Wow! I can't help it. It cuts drastically on my actual knitting time, but it is so inspiring. Take a look at my blogroll...

I love reading every day stories, see recent FOs, admiring beautiful pictures, discovering new patterns, etc. It's even encouraged me to develop my own photography skills, cook new receipes and garden.

I love to see what real life friends are up to, virtually visit people from other countries who share my interests, read what well-known knitters have to say and see what knitters I've knitted patterns from will come up with in the future...

Some of them I've discovered recently, some of them I've been reading for quite some time now!

OK, I'll try to restrain myself (at least for now)... There's a certain Thermal waiting for me...

Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone!

P.S. I shall not spend it reading blogs ;-)

FO: Baby Sheep Yoke Cardigan

2010-08-27T09:30:00.001-04:00

This is already the last "official" day of my two weeks summer vacations. Snif! It went by way too fast. I don't have anything planned for today, except preparing my bike for tomorrow's bike ride and hopefully transplanting some flowers with my brand new shovel ;-)

Now, to the subject of this post, here is the little Baby Sheep Yoke Cardigan I've been working on for the last couple of weeks:

Pattern: Baby Sheep Yoke Cardigan by Looking Glass Knits
Yarn: Knit Picks Swish DK
Needles: 4.5 mm to make approximately the 12 months size
Colors: Nutmeg (2 skeins), Whirlpool (a lot less than 1 skein), Asparagus (a lot less than 1 skein), White and Black (probably best to use any leftover yarn you have since it takes so little)
Start to finish: June 1st to August 25th, 2010
For: Louka
Modifications: I shortened the length of the cardigan to ensure that it's all knitted with the recommended 2 skeins. The body is 11 inches and the sleeves are 10 inches (both from top of the cardi to the two rows in blue at the buttom). The ribbing is also 6 rows instead of 7. I modified slightly the chart of the duplicate-stitch head of the sheeps so that the little sheeps look towards us!

I'm very happy with it and look forward to gift it! It is really nice and soft! I should mention it's my first color work and although it makes a lot of ends to weave in (which is not my favorite part of knitting), it's definitely worth the efforts!

I used this little video to learn the duplicate-stitch technique. It took me a couple of trials to figure it out, although it is so simple once you get it! Isn't it cute?

Happy Friday everyone!

Visit chez Biscotte & Cie

2010-08-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

I'm on vacation. Finally. For two weeks ;-)

It was a rather ordinary weekend. Yesterday, it was awesome outside so I worked around the house! Today is a little rainy so I went to Biscotte & Cie for the first time. Wait... it was not an ordinary weekend because it's not followed by an ordinary Monday ;-)

Back to my little escapade to Biscotte & Cie... This LYS is simply charming! Unfortunately, it's not close to where I live. However, when you are on - did I mention it already - vacation, it's fine to drive a little bit further to get some nice yarn!

The service is also great. It's important for me because I still don't master the art of substitution... I also met a lady who leaves on the North Shore and gave her our coordinates for knit nights!

So, after looking and admiring and touching, I decided to go with what follows...

Super Bambou in a gorgeous blend of gray, blue, yellow and green. I think the colorway is Empereur:

I would like to knit Jaywalker socks with it. Isn't it yummy?

Then, the Precieux in a gorgeous pink:

I would like to knit a simple yet beautiful scarf with it: Golden Peaks and Valleys designed by Janet D. Russel (Twisted knitter). Maybe I will rename it Blooming Peaks and Valleys!

Finally, little buttons for guess what? It's almost all knit. Finishing time...

I hope you all have a great week! I know I will...

ETA: Better pictures... Discovered this morning that my camera was in the wrong mode and explained why the previous pictures looked so sort of fake...

Summer and knitting

2010-08-07T09:41:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone!

Looks like I've taken a little break from blogging in July. The truth is I haven't had much time to knit. I knitted when I went to knit nights and that's about it. We've had such a hot July that knitting on my patio was out of the question!

However, I've started knitting again this week. Here is an update on my Baby Sheep Yoke Cardigan. The baby I'm knitting it for is born now. It is a boy (we didn't know yet), so I'm continuing with the blue version! I hope I can finish it by the end of my vacations (starting in one week!) and deliver it! We will see ;-)

I have to say that I undid the whole yoke to knit it again less tight. I was just watching the picture of the previous attempt and really, there is not much difference, but I think it is more loose now. I look forward to weave in ends and add the sheeps eyes and all. I think it will be pretty cute. I'm glad I'm using the original colors. Also, KnitPicks Swish DK is really nice to work with.

I have to pick up the last number of IK. I like the cover pattern. Also, I love two patterns from the new Twist: Hallett's Ledge, Twinflower (in particular) and many more...

Enjoy summer and knitting everyone!

Flowers and yarn

2010-06-30T19:32:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! It's Wednesday, but tomorrow is Canada Day so I really feel like it's the weekend!

I took a few pictures of my favorite flowers in my front yarn. They are so pretty! I love watching them!

Does any of you follow interesting gardening blogs? Any suggestions? There is absolutely nothing in my back yard (just grass) as I'm getting rid of the swimming pool... :-(

And well, something else, that is also really nice to watch ;-) It's Summer Sox from Classic Elite Yarn. I'll finish my Baby Sheep Yoke Cardigan first though. No worries. Thinking about what's next is very motivating ;-) Maybe Jaywalkers, but I'm still looking!

Happy Canada Day everyone!

First color work

2010-06-20T09:16:00.001-04:00

I've been wanting to try Fair Isle and intarsia for a while now. Here it is, my first attempt:

So far, so good! I look forward to finish the little sheeps in white and see better if the tension is good. It seems fine, but it's hard to say when it's on the needles.

Time to go outside! It looks like it's going to be lovely day again!

Virevolte

2010-06-18T21:16:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone! I'm so glad it is the weekend! And... is there a better way to start your weekend than a surprise in your mailbox?

Let me show you my brand new fabulous Virevolte knitting bag from Brin dans le vent that I ordered this week. I had been waiting for it for a moment now and especially, lately, after we've been shown a prototype!

The designer of these bag is an ergonomist, so I was really curious to see what would be the perfect knitting bag for her! It came with a row counter, a pouch bag for yarn, two surprises and a nice note! The row counter hold by a dotted pink ribbon is so tiny!

To me, it is the perfect size. Not too big, not too small...

The fabric is absolutely gorgeous! Isn't it? I was a little hesitant when I chose the bag because there are 4 different models you can choose from. The lovely pink fabric with sheeps that I ended up choosing (!!!) makes me want to sit down to knit and relax! It's calling my name ;-) It's very soft too! I love those little sheeps! The logo Virevolte is absolutely gorgeous in pink. It really stands out on black.

Look at the inside! It has a spacious pocket and black ribbons to hold things I will bring in my bag.

I'll stop here before you think I have shares in her Etsy shop ;-) It's just that I think it is such a nice bag and I loved it the moment I saw it and touched it!

Knowing me, I will be using it for many many years. Merci Chantal!

Have a great weekend everyone!

FO: Bliss Shawlette

2010-05-31T20:04:00.000-04:00

I love it! Here is my beautiful and perfectly sized (!) Bliss Shawlette:

The magic of blocking has occurred ;-)

Perfect to be worn at this time of the year!

Pattern: Bliss Shawlette by Melissa Wehrle (Neoknits)

Yarn: Handmaiden Fine Yarn Double Sea Silk (more than 1.5 skein)

Needles: US 8 / 5 mm

Color: Topaz

Start to finish: March 27, 2010 to May 30, 2010

For: Me

Modifications: Replace the k2tog by ssk on the left side. Many other knitters have also done this. That makes the two sides more alike. Also, I've knitted 40 more rows of the Herringbone pattern. That made the shawlette block 50" by 25".

Once again, I love it! The Double Sea Silk is wonderful to knit with!

Here is my favorite photo:

I highly recommend this pattern. It is fast and pleasant enough to knit twice ;-)

Have a wonderful week everyone!

In the meantime.... shoes

2010-05-30T13:44:00.000-04:00

My Bliss Shawlette is blocking! I finished it this morning. It will be the perfect size now! I will post some pictures as soon as it is dry!

In the meantime, I've been tagged by Fionie to play a game related to shoes! I don't own many pairs of shoes. Most of the time, they are very comfortable and I wear them for a long time until I replace them with a new pair! As for knitting, I am almost monogamous with shoes ;-)

Here's my favorite pair of shoes at the moment. Aldo is without any doubt my favorite shoe store.

Since there is no knitting photos in this post, I thought the next photo would go well with the first one (both have similar pink tones). I took this photo a few days ago, right before the heat wave. These flowers next to my house are magnificient.

In progress...

2010-05-21T15:49:00.000-04:00

26 rows to go and my Blish shawlette will be done! I really enjoy this pattern! Love the color and the pattern is really nice!

My vacations are almost over:-( I'm going downtown Montreal tonight to have dinner with my sister and friends on a terrasse!

Have a great weekend everyone!

I'm on vacation!

2010-05-19T19:22:00.000-04:00

I'm on vacation this week. Awesome! The weather is fantastic here in Montreal! Every May, I take a week to work around the house. This year is memorable!

On top of that, today I received my order from KnitPicks!

It will be used to knit a Sheep Yoke Baby Cardigan from Looking Glass Knits. It will be for the baby of friends who are expecting their first child in July. July? I better start soon!!!

These friends also happen to like surprises and did not ask for the sex of the baby. I think these colors are neutral enough...

Enjoy the sun everyone!

Row counter!

2010-05-08T21:01:00.000-04:00

Knitting my shawlette again is going well (although I made a mistake this morning and frogged it all again)!

Here's my new row counter companion:

It's a gift from my good friend Chantal! She's very good at lifting my spirit (unless I'm talking mittens)! Thanks a lot Chantal! It brings a fun element in re-knitting my shawlette!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Practice!

2010-05-03T20:22:00.000-04:00

What a pity... I finished the Bliss shawlette last night, but it's too small. It falls in the category of scarfs rather than shawls (even shawlette!)

Don't get me wrong, it's absolutely beautiful (even before it's blocked!) I like is so much that I have to redo it, but bigger...

It's not a problem either because I really enjoyed knitting it and I know that I will be glad I made it larger. And there is plenty of yarn left... I should have known, when I realized that there would be so much yarn left that my sample probably wasn't right ;-(

Wish me luck and I really look forward to showing you the real thing! This one was just a practice ;-)

Have a great week!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-05-02T09:16:00.000-04:00

Day 7: What a Yarn

I have to say that whenever I go in a yarn shop, I'm definitely intimidated. I really don't understand yet the rules of substitution or the porperties of each fiber. Sometimes, two yarn look like they are equivalent, but they're not! That's why I always rely on the nice people who work in yarn shops and who are usually quite passionate about their merchandise!

Usually, I get my yarn at Effiloché or Mouliné, but I also order at Knit Picks. Then, I look foward to visit a beautiful and new yarn shop on the south shore of Montreal: Biscotte & Cie.

Here is a photo of my "huge" stash:

Does it qualify as a stash?

I hope you all had a wonderful Knit & Crochet Blog Week!

I will be back to show you my new shawlette Bliss. There are two more rows to knit and blocking left. I look forward to seeing it after blocking!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-05-01T21:17:00.001-04:00

Day 6: Revisit a past FO

Oups... I almost forgot to blog today! A past FO? Let's talk about the famous Noro Striped Scarf! I loved knitting every stripe of this scarf! Addictive! Magnificient colors! It is also very warm! I wear it a lot.

I hope I get to knit other ones in the future!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-04-30T21:18:00.000-04:00

Day 5: Location, Location, Location

Where do you like to indulge in your craft?

Most of the time, I knit in my living room. Sometimes watching TV, sometimes not! Yes, sometimes I like it when it's all quiet and peaceful!

Every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, we go knitting in a cafe! We are Tricot Rive-Nord (North Shore of Montreal). It's always very inspiring to see what everyone is making and learn all sorts of things!

Here is a photo of our group 2 days ago! From left to right: me and my second sleeve of Thermal, Chantal, Audrey and Valérie!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-04-29T19:32:00.000-04:00

Day 4: A New Skill

Hello! As I answered on day 2, the new technique I would like to learn is color work or Fair Isle. And so, the new skill I would like to acquire is knitting with both hands to do color work.

As a first step, I've watched a short tutorial. That's a start!

Here are two more patterns that I love:

Have a great evening all!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-04-28T22:35:00.001-04:00

Day 3: One Great Knitter

OK, this one isn't easy... However, if I vary it just a little bit it changes everything. I change it to: "Great Knitters"!

From this, I can simply say that all you have to do to find the answer is look at my blogroll. Yes, I read all the posts from the bloggers that are on my blogroll. At the end of the day, after a long day at work, I sit down with a glass of wine, a guacamole or whatever I'm having for dinner and I go through the blogs that rolled at the top of my list during the day! I follow their adventures, discoveries and everything they share because I think that the are very great knitters and they all inspire me!

So many "chef d'oeuvres": FOs or WIPs!

It's also amazing the friendships that you can develop from sharing a commun passion! And well, knitters, in particular, are great people don't you think?

I'd like to add that there are surely many other great knitters that I have yet to discover! Feel free to drop me a line if you have a favorite knitting blog that you cannot find on my blogroll!

Talk to you tomorrow!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-04-27T20:20:00.000-04:00

Day 2: An inspirational pattern

Had it been a few months earlier, I would have said: Monkeys, Jaywalkers, socks in general! However, it was already my goal during the Ravelympics! It's not as complicated as it may seem! I loved it and will knit other ones soon for sure!

Hence, my next goal is to learn color work! And one of the most beautiful pattern I find is Autumn Rose Pullover by Eunny Jang. It's not in my queue because quite frankly, I don't think it would be a good idea to start with this pattern, but admit that it is gorgeous.

Then, I love Anemoi Mittens and Endpaper Mitts, both by Eunny Jang also.

Hint: Endpaper mitts are already in my to-do list... If I think it's fun, Anemoi mittens would be a good continuation.

Good night!

Knit & Crochet Blog Week

2010-04-26T12:58:00.000-04:00

It seems like a new tradition is starting as we speak. The first Knit & Crochet Blog Week!

Today's subject (day 1) is how and when did we begin knitting?

I started knitting again in February 2006. I say "again" because I learned to knit when I was a kid: knit and purl. My mom would cast on and I would go on. Also, in high school, I took knitting and knit a whole sweater! Again, my mom would cast on for me and I would do the knitting. There was no shaping for this sweater, the yarn was not really nice and it stayed in a drawer until it disappeared I can't remember how... Also, I did not feel like knitting anything else after that semester.

Then, one morning in 2006 (a Saturday) I woke up thinking about a lady I worked with who told me a few times that she enjoyed knitting. I wondered if I could remember how this was done. For no reason, I felt like I had to go to a book store and buy a knitting book. It was Knitting for Dummies. I thought that it ought to be perfect! Then, I went to a sewing store and asked for beginner yarn and needles! The lady recommended a skein of Partner in blue and 4 mm needles!

Since then, it has become a great hobby for me! I think that the more I knit the more enthousiastic I get about it!

Have a great Knit & Crochet Blog Week!

Relaxing

2010-04-18T11:49:00.000-04:00

I woke up yesterday with a mild sore throat, so I decided that I would relax all weekend to ensure that I will be fine for this week.

That means that my little shawlette is coming along really well. I've almost completed the main lace part - although every row gets longer and longer.

After this post, I'll write up the rest of the pattern because I'm not yet ready to knit a lace project only by looking at a chart. I still prefer text instructions!

Then, as strange as it may sound, I've opted for Bella's mittens for my next project. I've bought the yarn Friday at Mouliné on my way to having dinner with friends!

What's best than buying new yarn ? Hum, I guess it would be looking at it, touching it, looking at it again, casting on, etc. ;-)

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Home sweet home

2010-04-10T08:42:00.000-04:00

I was away the last couple of days. First, I visited my family for Easter, and then, went in a couple of days out of town for business. I was really happy to be back home yesterday. I enjoyed simple things you do at home like taking a nap, reading and knitting!

Last Friday, I've visited my cousin and met little Elliot for whom I have had so much pleasure knitting the Striped Baby Sweater. The parents liked the colors and seemed to really appreciate all the work that a knitting garnment represents! What I didn't know is that my cousin had tried knitting during her pregnancy. I have a feeling that she may give it another try ;-)

I finally bought a kitchen scale to weigh my yarn. I like it! It's pretty cute too with its egg shape. It will be useful.

Finally, I started the Blish Shawlette. I really enjoy knitting it so far although it is not something I can knit while watching TV. I'm using a life line and counting the stitches every row. So far, so good!

Have a great weekend everyone!

FO: Striped Baby Sweater

2010-03-27T00:42:00.000-04:00

I'm very excited about this FO. Baby knits are so adorable! Ta-la!

It has been a fun and very fast knit!

The seed pattern around the neck, at the bottom of the sleeves and sweater makes it even more adorable.

The collar is looking great after blocking. Oh! And it's my first top-down sweater with raglan sleeves. I had wanted to try that for quite some time...

Pattern: Striped Baby Sweater by Suvi S., 50 Villapeikkoa
Yarn: Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Superwash (light blue and green) and Berroco Pure Merino (dark blue), a little more than 50g for each color
Needles: US 8 / 5 mm
Colors: 14 and 27 (Nashua), 8585 (Berroco)
Start to finish: January 30, 2010 to March 21, 2010
For: Elliot, my cousin's son
Modifications: None

The only part that I'm not 100% satisfied is under the arms. I don't seem to master the "pick up" of stitches to avoid holes. I did some "random" sewing to have it look as good and solid as possible, but I think I may be missing something here. I'll have to do some research (and probably trial and error) on that particular subject...

I really look forward to giving it to my cousin (I haven't seen her for quite some time too) and see little Elliot (for the first time) in it!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Weaving in ends

2010-03-20T17:07:00.000-04:00

I finished knitting the Striped Baby Sweater I started before the Ravelympics.

Right now, I'm weaving in ends. I found this article. I did not know that technique. It's perfect for this little sweater that has so many yarn tails...

I will most probably finish later tonight. Then, I will wash it and let it dry. Hopefully, I will have more pictures tomorrow!

It's sunny outside! Snow continues to melt! Have a great weekend!

Baby size question

2010-03-14T14:34:00.000-04:00

Since the end of the Ravelympics, my pace has slow down... to its normal pace!

Still, I'm knitting the second sleeve of the little Striped baby sweater. I have a question for those of you who are familiar with baby sizes. The circumference of the body is 20", the length of the sweater is 13" and the sleeves from the armpit are 8". Could anyone help me figuring out what size this would approximately correspond to for a baby? I wanted to offer it to my cousin and her son is already 7 months old. Thanks in advance!

And I'm also almost done on the first sleeve of Thermal. This one will definitely not be worn this year!

Have a great week!

FO: Ravelympics Monkey Socks

2010-02-28T11:15:00.000-05:00

I just completed my first pair of socks as part of the Ravelympics 2010!

I see orange everywhere now: tea tags, dishwasher liquid cap, magazine cover, Blogger logo, etc.

I put an extra effort this morning to redo the grafting of the toes of both feet because I was not 100% satisfied with the result and I had some time to do it. Now, I'm really glad I did because it looks so much neater.

Here are the pictures of my project:

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. (Knitty)
Yarn: Malabrigo sock, less than 1 skein
Needles: US 2 / 2.75 mm
Color: Terracotta
Start to finish: Feb. 12 to Feb. 28, 2010
(Ravelympics project)
For: Me
Modifications: None

I'm very very proud!

Have a great Sunday and enjoy the closing ceremonies!

Sock hockey - Day 15

2010-02-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

First of all, congratulations to all of you who have reached their Olympic goals! It's so much fun to read and admire all your WIPs and FOs!

I'm almost done. I've got to correct a little error (oups!), but then, one more repeat and the toe and tomorrow, I'm done! At least, that's the plan...

I'm so glad I'm not knitting a sweater ;-)

Have a great weekend all!

Sock hockey - Day 11

2010-02-22T22:15:00.000-05:00

Ouf! Today was D-day. I finished the first sock at around 9:00am and then, started the second one almost right away. It's 10:00pm and I'm almost at the heel of the second sock! I feel like when I'll have the heel turn done, I'll see the finish line!

I'm glad because if I knit between 1 and 2 hours every night this week, I should finish towards Saturday (which is perfect because I have something planned for Sunday)! And most of all, I'm glad because it seems feasible!

I'm really under a lot of pressure. On March 1st, some journalists will be coming at my office to see if I'm wearing THE OLYMPIC SOCKS! ;-)

Have a great week!

Sock hockey - Day 8

2010-02-19T21:00:00.001-05:00

Sorry, no time to write much. Gotta go back on the ice right away. It's about 8-6 for the other team as we speak. But I'm not giving up. I'll try to catch up!

The good news is that it fits great!

I hope your Ravelympics are interesting and productive!

Sock Hockey - Day 3

2010-02-14T14:45:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I hope that all of you who are part of the Ravelympics are enjoying the event and do not feel too much pressure!

As for Sock Hockey, it was a slow start as I did not get much ice time during the first 2 days. I've also had to return to the bench and change my sticks. Although they seemed fine during training, it did not feel right so I increased by one size! I knitted all morning and thankfully, I can announce that the score is currently 3-3.

Happy Valentine Day!

J - 5

2010-02-07T12:22:00.001-05:00

Yes, the Ravelympics are starting in... 5 days! I have the perfect yarn, I've swatched, I even have spare time, but yes, I'm waiting (and excited!) to start the project with my knitting friends Team Montreal Area this coming Friday at 9pm ! I guess this is part of the fun! I can only imagine how the athletes must feel just 5 days from the start of a lifetime experience such as the Olympics.

Here's my swatch and the needles set aside, all patiently waiting to become Monkey socks!

So, in the meantime, I have to put that spare time to good use. I started to knit a gift for my cousin's baby boy. He was born last August and I haven't seen him yet. So far, it is a very fun knit. It's called Striped Outfit for a Stripeknight and is a free download on Ravelry. I think it is super cute and I picked the same color as in the pattern. I think that these 3 colors are the perfect combination for a little baby boy!

Happy Ravelympics everyone!

FO: One-legged Monkey

2010-01-22T21:39:00.001-05:00

That was an interesting photo shoot. How hard would one think it is to take a picture of your own foot?

I just finished knitting my first sock (just one - not enough yarn left)! It was very interesting and I have to say that I am proud of this achievement!

This yarn is interesting because it makes the heel stand out and let me see very well the different parts of a sock.

Now, I'm ready for the Ravelympics. According to my calculation, I have to knit twice as fast as I did for this single sock and I will be able to knit a pair of socks in 17 days!

Good night!

The winner is ...

2010-01-22T19:25:00.001-05:00

Thank you for visiting my blog and celebrating with me Anyone Can Knit... first anniversary!

The winner is...

Congratulations Chantal! Let me know what pattern you choose and I will "gift" it to you with much pleasure!

Have a great weekend everyone!

My blog is one year old...

2010-01-17T11:42:00.000-05:00

I thank you all for visiting and leaving comments! It is such a pleasure to connect with all of you who form our wonderful knitting community!

To celebrate the event, I decided to have a little contest! All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post. How about writing about what will be - has been! - your first FO in 2010 and what you like the most about it?

You have to comment before midnight (EST) Wednesday night, January 20, 2010 to enter in the contest. There will be one random winner! The prize will be given to you through the Ravelry gifting feature. If you win, I will "gift" you the pattern that you selected (up to $7) on Ravelry. I’ll announce the winner before Saturday, January 23, 2010.

I really look forward to see what is keeping you busy and, of course, the pattern that the winner will choose!

Thanks again for visiting!

P.S.1 I have to mention that the contest is inspired by Knittymuggins who did a similar contest just a few days ago.

P.S.2 I'm having a LOT of fun knitting my first sock as a training for the Ravelympics! Which I should get back to now...

VK Winter 2009/10

2010-01-17T08:15:00.001-05:00

How did you like the last VK?

I bought it for this pattern, but I prefer the photos at 50 villapeikkoa.

Then, how about those great mittens from another of my favorite blogger at Elliphantom Knits?

I also like those two:

Unfortunately, I don't plan to knit any of them in the short term. Have a great Sunday!

I think I have a new love!

2010-01-14T22:07:00.000-05:00

Just to say that I think I will love knitting socks. It is so delicate. I love those little tiny metal needles. The pattern and the yarn are both fun!

Have a great Friday everyone and for those who are interested to make a little donation for Haiti to the Red Cross, here is the link: http://www.croixrouge.ca/article.asp?id=33901&tid=001.

Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-09T10:09:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year 2010 everyone! May this new year bring you love, health, happiness and of course, a lot of time for knitting!

There it is, my first FO for 2010! Like the pattern pointed out, these fingerless mittens come pretty close to instant gratification. They were knit in less than two weeks which is a great achievement in my case!

Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath (Knitty)
Yarn: Filtes King Extra, less than 2 skeins
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
Color: Pink (2991)
Start to finish: December 2009 - January 2010
For: Me
Modifications: CO 40 sts instead of 45. Regular BO instead of picot. The two modifications were made in accordance to many comments I read from other knitters.

At first, I was not sure about the yarn because it gives an aspect quite different from the other Fetchings I had seen. The stitches stand out more than I had expected. I also found the yarn to be splitty when I casted on, but it was fine after that. In the end, I think my Fetchings are really pretty! This is a very warm pink. Final verdict: totally happy with them!

Now what is next? Socks! Today, I start training for the Ravelympics. I have some beautiful yarn that was given to me as a gift more than a year ago by Marie-Michèle at a knit night. It's so pretty! It is Lorna's Lace in a nice combination of pink, purple and blue. It will be used to knit one sock. I want to try knitting a whole sock before I knit a pair during the Ravelympics. I'm a little scared about the foot part. With 17 days to knit a first pair, there is no time for technical problems!

I have to go buy new sock yarn for this project. Probably next Friday. If you have suggestions for a yarn that is not too expensive (it will be my first pair of socks after all, you never know how they will turn out), feel free to make suggestions! I think I'd like a solid color but with darker/lighter shades in it... The pattern is Monkey and the motif is really beautiful in itself.

I also bought a copy of Vogue Knitting on my way back from work last night. What a great way to start the weekend!

A great weekend to you all!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T08:45:00.001-05:00

I would like to thank those of you who stopped by and commented on the thumb of my Handsome Mittens. Your opinion is much appreciated! However, I did need to try all options and it turns out that green is my favorite. What can I say? So, I have yet to knit it in green again!

In parallel, I'm continuing Thermal. I started the first sleeve recently! I still enjoy knitting it!

In a couple of days, I should receive my new kit of KnitPicks nickel DPNs to start training for the Ravelympics. We are the Montreal Area Team. I really look forward to start knitting my first socks. It will be just one sock. I have a beautiful skein of Lorna's Lace sock yarn that would not be enough for a pair of socks anyways. It will be perfect and mostly, lots of fun!

Are you participating to the Ravelympics? What will you be knitting?

Everyone have a wonderful Christmas weekend!

Question

2009-12-06T21:44:00.001-05:00

The more I look at the pictures I took of the Handsome Mittens, the more I think that I should have knit either striped thumbs or black thumbs. I now find the green is too bright and catch the eye way to much.

If the mittens were for you to wear, which would you prefer:

Green thumbs
Black thumbs
Striped thumbs

Would striped thumbs be too much? Wouldn't black thumbs give them a more casual look?

I know this is going to drive me crazy all week ;-) Why didn't I think of it before?

Have a great week!

Two of a kind!

2009-12-06T13:52:00.001-05:00

I finished my second Handsome Mitten today! It has been a tough one compared to the first mitten I knit last winter.

They are a little different too. I don't think it really shows unless you measure them, but I think my tension is not as tight now.

Pattern: Handsome Mittens by Cheryl Niamath, IK, Winter 2008
Yarn: Cascade Pastaza
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
Color: Green (069) and Black (008)
Start to finish: February 2009 - December 2009
For: Me
Modifications: The only modification I made is knitting the two thumbs with the same color. In the pattern, there is a thumb in each color.
Notes to myself: When knitting a pair of mittens, gloves or socks, knit the two at the same time. Or take notes. Otherwise, they may look slightly different and you may have a hard time remembering any changes you made.

But, here they are. The timing is perfect because temperatures are starting to drop below zero. Look at them, it is almost as if they were applauding me for finishing them!

There is almost half of the two skeins left. I think I will knit a striped scarf with it. I hope it will be enough so that the length is decent. I like the Skull Illusion Scarf by Ysolda. I will knit it without the skulls since I'm not sure when I will run out of yarn and it may then be difficult to balance the pattern.

Have a great end of the weekend!

Lazy me!

2009-11-26T20:44:00.001-05:00

Instead of being productive and finishing my mittens - that are 90% complete by the way - I'm surfing the net! Once again...

Have you seen the Minutia '09 patterns on Berroco's web site? They are soooooo... little!

Here is my favorite one - I think:
Isn't it incredibly cute?

I'm also shopping sock patterns, needles and yarn for the Ravelympics 2010! I've been convinced, last night in Rosemere, that a first pair of socks would be a great challenge for me! And I think it would be realistic for 17 days!

According to Ravelry, Monkey would be a good choice! Do you think it's a good idea for a first pair of socks?

And I need needles... Would you recommend nickel needles for socks? They are so pretty. Or should I go for Harmony wood needles - that I already love? Decisions, decisions ;-)

I should go train, right?

Lonesome mitten!

2009-11-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

It is supposed to be the "Handsome Mittens", not the "Lonesome Mitten"...

Seriously, I don't know if I took too long of a break from knitting this summer, but I seem to be a worse knitter than I was last year!

While I knit the first mitten in one weekend last year, I have been trying and trying - it must have been more than 10 times - to knit the second one.

First, I did not remember how to change colors. The instructions seem to confuse me. I don't understand why it says that I must bring the second color "from beneath" the first color. It turns out that I get the best results from just brining the second color in the front just as it is "from beneath nothing". I think it works out very well - see middle of picture below - even with the two increases. It's so simple in the end, no wonder I did not leave myself a note!

Second, I have had other times when one stripe became two - don't ask me how I do that! This morning, it turns out that the yarn was cut in the middle of the skein and when I wanted to undo a few stitches to have enough to weave it in, it resulted in having a stripe becoming two again... So, I tried and tried to correct that - without almost undoing the whole thing once again - but with no success. Hence, I started again the part with stripes. Grrr...

All in all, this is the current state of the second mitten. I've closed the TV hoping to concentrate better.

... and I will call the second mitten "Patience"...

I hope your projects are going well!

Have a great Sunday!

The multitasker of Montreal in Vogue Knitting!

2009-10-26T13:31:00.001-04:00

"Véronik Avery talks about her new yarn, pattern and magazine company, St-Denis." - Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2009.

There is an article about Véronik Avery in this issue of Vogue Knitting! I wish her a lot of success!

I have to admit that I bought the magazine for this article because I don't feel that there is any pattern that I would knit in that issue... Oh, well, you never know. Sometimes, I think there is no interesting pattern in an issue and it turns out that I see a version from someone else, styled differently, and I change my mind ;-)

Aside from that, I'm trying to knit the second Handsome Mitten and it's driving me craaaazy! I am having such a hard time with it. I make errors after errors... Pastaza is not a yarn that likes to be frogged! Don't know what's wrong with it or me!!! Obviously, I love this pattern, because I will not abandon, but... will I loose my mind?

Wish you all a great week!

Brrrrr...

2009-10-04T11:56:00.000-04:00

It got pretty cold over here this week! And days are getting shorter so fast. There has also been a lot of rain...

But, this morning, I thought that such weather was a good excuse for me to take a bit of time to knit and well, get ready for those colder times!

First, I swatched for Fetching. I think these fingerless gloves will be gorgeous in that yarn and they should feel very soft. I will have to order new dpns which is perfect because I'm pretty sure that I will also need new circular needles for Bliss.

Then, I decided to cast on for the second Handsome Mitten! It will make me feel good to finish this pair of mittens before I start Fetching. And I think I will be able to knit a Handsome Scarf ;-) with the remaining yarn!

Have a great week!

FO: Branching Out

2009-09-26T14:44:00.000-04:00

Fall has arrived. I started a class of Spanish and finished Branching Out!

I remember when I originally printed this pattern. It represented for me a challenge: learn how to knit lace!

I remember that I used to knit very tight and that k3tog was impossible... It's all taken care of now and I have a much looser tension, although I still tend to knit tighter than the average knitter.

The yarn is what was left from my first Thermal. The resulting length of the scarf is decent. It will be perfect for the autumn!

Pattern: Branching Out by Susan Pierce Lawrence
Yarn: KnitPicks Gloss
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
Color: Black
Start to finish: March 2009 - September 2009
For: Me
Notes: -

Mindless knitting

2009-08-16T09:30:00.000-04:00

I haven't started any new projects yet - not even swatching. The only thing I did is adding my next two projects on the side bar. Now, that doesn't mean that I am not looking forward to starting them, you know... ;-)

I'm still very enthusiastic about knitting my second Thermal, so this is what I do! It's going very well and it could be ready for the fall! Perfect!

As you can see, no mods for this Thermal. At least, I don't expect to make any. This one is going to be exactly like the original: same yarn, same color, same shape, ...

I bought my copies of Interweave Knits and Vogue Knitting this week. I really like the hat patterns in Vogue Knitting. Very tempting...

Have a great week!

New yarn

2009-08-01T12:01:00.000-04:00

In July, I went to Mouliné. This yarn store is located in south-west Montreal. It's a very good yarn store. It has a wide variety of yarns and very good specials. The lady is always very nice and gives excellent recommendations. I already knew what I wanted, but I was really excited about going there again (my second visit) and see what colors were available.

My next projects will be Fetching and Neoknits' Bliss Shawlette.

Fetching is a very popular pattern and I've always wanted to knit it. The recommended yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, but the lady at Mouliné told me that Extra Merino would be an excellent choice in substitution to it. I bought two skeins. I think I will really enjoy working with it. Although this is not a color that I am used to wearing, I find it rich and it will look great this fall!

Then, you will have to forgive me for my lack of originality for the Bliss Shawlette choice of yarn, but among the colors that were available, I was really drawn to HandMaiden Double Sea Silk in Topaz. The designer used the same yarn and color. I have to say, for my defense, that the color really inspired the name I suggested. I really like that it looks like if the sun was shining on it all the time! I bought two skeins as well.

Then, being in a very happy mood, I went knitting in a park. I had one and a half hour to kill before going out for dinner with my friends! Of course, when you knit, one and a half hour is a very short time!

Have a great weekend!

The good side of fall

2009-07-24T16:39:00.000-04:00

A lot of previews from our favorite magazines are appearing this week.

My favorite knitting magazine IK, among others, have great patterns. Unfortunately, I honestly don't think I will have time to knit any of them. At least, short term. But I always buy a copy. You never know ;-) Here are my favorite patterns:

Also, Vogue Knitting will be releasing the previews shortly. We can already find some of the patterns on Ravelry. I find this one especially nice:

HOWEVER, what really cought my attention is news about Brooklyn Tweed. He will be releasing a booklet of patterns with Classic Elite Yarns this August (if some of you see it in Montreal, please, let me know if you don't mind). You may go to SWAK News for a preview of the patterns.

You may also want to take a look at this interview with Jared Flood. I haven't bought any patterns yet from Brooklyn Tweed, but I regularly visit his blog. Every time I see a new pattern of his, I immediately fall under the charm! Here are my favorite patterns at first glance (but really, all of them are gorgeous).

There is a lot of talent in this community!

FO: Lilas

2009-07-21T10:39:00.000-04:00

Tonight, I went to knit night with my Lilas on. It is a "première" for me to wear something that I knit and that fits quite well. I am very happy!

Pattern: Lilas (no. 136) - This pattern is no longer on BdF web site...
Yarn: Coton Fifty - Bergère de France
Needles: US 2.5 / 3.0 mm
Color: Mauve
Start to finish: January 10, 2009 - July 21, 2009
For: Me
Notes: No modifications other than picking up the stitches to knit the button bands instead of knitting them separately and then, sew them.

Here is a link to instructions I found useful to knit the buttons:
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/3854/sew-buttons-securely-on-hand-knits.

Althought I am continuing Thermal, I will start some new projects soon (a shawlette and fingerless gloves). I already have the yarn and will take pictures to show you shortly.

I've spent a lot of time finishing Lilas and need to do something else now, like reading...

Have a great rest of the week!

Lilas ready for this summer!

2009-07-20T23:36:00.000-04:00

Ouf! Finishing IS a lot of work...

As we speak, all is knitted, sewn, woven in... Tomorrow, I will sew the buttons and soak it (it's been on my sofa for quite a while now!). And then, I can wear it! And then, I can move on to another project!

I will take more pictures when it is finished!

I wish you all a great week!

Neoknits shawlette!

2009-07-14T18:48:00.000-04:00

I just found out that I won the newest pattern of Neoknits Shawlette! What do you think? Isn't it a gorgeous shawlette?

There was a context this week to find a name for her new and gorgeous summer pattern. My suggestion (Océane) is in the top 3!

The suggested yarn is Hand Maiden Double Sea. I have never knit with this yarn before. It looks so luxuous and brilliant...

I will be going to Montreal this Thursday. Something tells me I will buy the yarn and start the project very soon. After all, I'm on vacation and I deserve it! Sorry current WIPs...

I just wanted to share my joy!

Summer

2009-06-30T21:33:00.001-04:00

Summer has finally arrived in Quebec!

Last year, I stopped knitting when summer arrived. This year, I'm still knitting! This afternoon, I went to Cafe Depot to knit with a good friend. It was very pleasant. I missed knit nights for the last two months. I really needed to go knit in public and see what someone else is making. I hope I can join the "North Shore Knitters" next week. We will see ;-)

I also joined a new group called Knit Crochet & Give a Little Warmth . It is a Meetup group (maybe there is a similar group near you) and we will be making blankets and hat and lots of things for organizations who help those who need a little warmth! I haven't attended any of the bi-monthly meetings yet, but I think it is a very good idea!

For those of you who wonder how my projects are going, well, no changes for most of them, except Thermal II. I started the third skein this afternoon. Soon, I will be splitting the front. It's going very well and I really enjoy it!

Hope you are having a wonderful summer so far!

Progress

2009-05-22T13:38:00.000-04:00

Here is a short update on my WIPs.

First, Lilas is going well. There remains a sleeve to be knit, plus finishing. Before I start knitting the second sleeve, I decided to verify if it fits. It does. I'm relieved! I spent quite some time to assemble it. Sewing is definitely not my favorite part of knitting. I should consider knitting more things that require minimal sewing. Still, here is how it looks like (the part that is finished). Note that the part that goes under the arm looks quite good due to the fact that it melts with the cables. I've had a little more trouble with that part in the back...

Then, I have knit a bit of Thermal with my new Harmony needles! I like them. I have not experimented with many needles in the past, but here are a few comments. They are definitely pretty and they don't make as much noise as metal needles. At first, I thought that the colors of the needles would make it more difficult to knit due to the fact that there is less contrast with the yarn color than with gray needles. It hasn't been a problem however. The cables are very well integrated with the needles. I would not know that they are interchangeable from the feel of it. All in all, I'm very happy with them. I look forward to see how they will age.

And yes - if you wonder - I do enjoy knitting Thermal again! The color has something to do with it I think...

A very French "déjà vu"...

2009-05-13T19:48:00.001-04:00

It's been a long time since I purchased some yarn. I got it last night! And even though it is not a new yarn to me and the pattern I will be knitting with it is not new either, don't ask me where all the excitement is coming from!

Here is Gloss in Woodland Sage for my Thermal II ;-) Did I say "déjà vu"?

I also bought KnitPicks Harmony Wood circulars needles in 3 sizes and a 24" cable. I will be trying them tonight! From what I heard, I will love them! Also a row counter (no more pieces of paper on the coffee table) and a tape measure (much easier to carry everywhere)! It will be fun!

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

Tough week?

2009-05-01T19:20:00.001-04:00

I don't know what's with me... The whole week, I've been thinking about knitting another Thermal. In a lighter color. Maybe teal...

The thing is, the one I have is too tight. I would want one that is more comfortable. I'm thinking knitting one size larger with bigger needles... With long sleeves and a longer body.

Well, goodbye, I'm off to KnitPicks web site... I'm crazy... Help...

Have a great weekend!

IK and Knit.1 on May 5!

2009-04-18T11:57:00.000-04:00

It's always exciting when previews from your favorite magazines become available!

Here are my favorites (at first glance)...

IK Treillis and Keyhole Tank

IK Spidery Tank

Knit.1 tank (no names yet)

Among them, I would most likely knit Spidery Tank. We'll see ;-) Have a great weekend!

Not much activity...

2009-04-05T14:50:00.001-04:00

Good afternoon! Spring is coming, days are getting longer and my knitting time is diminishing...

I've started the front of Lilas though. I hope that the fact that it could be worn this summer will bring motivation... We'll see ;-) In the meantime, here is a sneak preview of the cables on the left front. They are fun to knit! Very delicate too!

Enjoy spring... and the rest of the weekend!

Anyone can knit...

2009-03-22T15:17:00.000-04:00

by Rhymes with Orange ;-)