The End of Everything Old

Hey guys, I'm closing the shop.

Not today though. About a month from now.

This is a hard post to write. I don't like disappointing people, and I'd much rather be telling you about some really awesome new things on the horizon that I'd love you to be a part of! I'll get to that, and to reasons and such, but first I wanted to share a shutdown timeline, for those of you who need the quick and dirty.

Timeline

Right now: No worries! The etsy shop is still open. I won't be adding any more items, but even were the shutdown not happening that would be the case because Fibres West is coming and I have to reserve stock.

• If you have been craving a sweater lot of one of my colourways, now is the time to see if it's in the budget and make a custom order. I will be taking custom orders up until Saturday, March 22. The next day I'll order the yarn, and dye it up as soon as it arrives.
• Custom order rules, limits, etc: Must be for three or more skeins of the same base, though they don't have to be the same colour. If you want less than that, try getting together with a knitterly friend to make your order! There is no extra charge for custom orders. I will be keeping the order options to a few select bases: Paragon, Kashmir, Lively, Sublime, and Squish. I might be convinced on others if folks can get together orders for 6 or more skeins.

March 21 and 22: Fibres West! This is my very favourite show, and I didn't want to miss out on vending one last time. I'll be bringing my entire stock, which includes some surprises, some awesome new colourways, sweater lots, and more! I'll be taking custom orders (same rules apply) there too. Please come see me!

March 23: Last yarn order. I'll be getting ready to fill all of your lovely custom orders. I'll keep you updated as they progress and ship them asap.

March 26 (ish): THE SALE BEGINS. Everything still in stock will go on sale, with the discount percentage going up as time goes on. It's gonna be madness! If there's something you love, buy it now, at Fibres West, or early in the sale because once things are gone there's no turning back.

Now that's out of the way, my reasons for quitting. In short, it's best for me, and for my family. The indie yarn market is full of wonderful dyers who can pick up the slack, and I need to seek out the more consistent paycheque of traditional employment. My kiddo would love preschool and I need to get my butt in gear so I can reliably pay for it. I've been a great boss (and so modest!) and I love working for myself, but I am also looking forward to the stress reduction and defined work hours. Dyeing is a creative process, and it needs to be filled with inspiration and love. I've been having a harder time dredging those up, and so it's time to pass the torch to people who are feeling it as strongly as I was when I started.

Things I am feeling inspired by, however, are pattern design and podcasting! I'll be introducing you to a new website very soon, and (yay!) I plan to have my first podcast episode out sometime shortly after Fibres West. I'm super excited! I'll post more on that later.

Thanks for bearing with me, my dear friends. 

Shop Update: and Valentines Snark

Today's Update courtesy of my cheerful disdain for Valentines Day.

But seriously - there's yarn too! You can see all the new pretties in the etsy window at the top of this page! Aren't they nice? I even included some bright pink in honour of the holiday :)

Shop Update: Bright Sunshiny Day

I know lots of you are trapped in some sort of polar vortex madness. That sucks. It's sunny (if a bit nippy) here and I thought I'd do a nice bright update to send some sunshine out into the yarny world.

Shop Update: The Blues (and greens)

I've got a pretty little update for you guys today! It features three of my favourite colours to dye - Deep Space, Supergreen, and Kozmic Blues. I took the photos with my ipod today to see how it worked out. I think next week I'll be going back to the regular camera. The colours are fairly accurate but the background isn't as bright as I would like. Ah well, I tried.

Thanks for looking guys!

 

Doing Inventory is Bad for the Stash

I had originally planned to do my shop inventory on January first, prior to re-opening for the new year. That plan was thrown off by the death plague (better now, thanks for asking!) and I didn't get to it until yesterday. By that point I was feeling pretty nonplussed by the whole process, which may have affected my grabby hands, because I kept moving things across the room to my stash instead of counting them.

Oops.

These pretties (Squish in Crabapple Jelly and November) will likely become Veera's Here and There hat:

A skein of Squish in Diva will morph into something lovely for a March girlbaby:

I will finally create the perfect Colour Affection using Kashmir in Havana Club, Pinkle, and Sweet Spot:

And this batt was just too perfect to let go (sorry guys, but you can hardly blame me):

Also detrimental to the stash - my holy grail in sock yarn form. I've been on the hunt for Trekking XXL in colour 550 (a better name would have been "giveittomerightthefucknowi'mgonnadiefromlackofrainbows”) for about a year now, and my awesome sister-in-law gave it to me this Christmas! I'm a lucky girl.

LOOK AT IT! Amazing. Have a peek at the projects using it on Rav. You're jealous now right? She got it at Paradise Fibers, if you're interested.

There are also undyed sweater lots set aside for me (yay! I'm thinking red for one!). I don't really know what happened - I've been so good in previous years. I am going to have to work so hard to decrease stash volume this year. Wish me better luck!

 

Shop Update!

Two listings went up today - it's a small update but a good one. Possessed Printer on Kashmir:

And luscious Havana Club on Sublime DK:

Yum!

I've been rocking a pretty bare-bones system for getting listing photos lately (I think the highest tech bit I've got right now is a bit of Scotch tape covered in pet hair), but lots of natural light means nice accurate colours! My only problem is purples - my camera hates them. Would you all mind terribly if I just started using my iPod camera for the purple yarns? I'm getting tired of the epic photo editing sessions.

Time for a winner!

Thanks for all your support over the weekend my dears!

I tallied up the purchases, with number one being the oldest, and drew a random number!

Lucky number 9! Who are you... let's see.....

Jennifer G!!

YOU WIN!

I'll email you so you can pick something awesome :D

Thanks for playing, everybody!

BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY SALE OF AWESOMENESS!

It's that time again! The super duper sale is on, the update is up, let the chaos commence!

Everything in the shop (even the previously marked down sale section) has been marked down by 20%. Each item you purchase is an entry into a super fantastic prize draw - the winner of which will receive an in-stock item of their choice from my shop!

The sale will run until 11pm on Monday, and if things get sparse I may stealth another update. Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram for instant notification! Help me cull the inventory a bit ;)

Shop Update: Colours to Fend Off the Frost

IT IS SO COLD OUT YOU GUYS. Ok the real problem is it's cold in. I'm trying to save my pennies and that means minimal use of heat in the house, and I'm wavering in my convictions. It was easy, right up until it hit freezing temps outside.

To help us all with warm thoughts, bright colour are live in the shop today! Also a skein of "November," because it is.

Shop Update: Lovely Lively

I've put six skeins of my gorgeous Lively sportweight base up in the shop today! It's such a luscious yarn. Look at it up close:

STITCH DEFINITION OMG

I've got two skeins of that lovely purple; "Pinkle," Two of the pinkest pink ever to pink; "Pinkie Pie," and a lovely medium sapphire blue with purple highlights; "Fan Fiction."

The three look pretty awesome together, I gotta say.

If you like the look of Lively, but your colour taste heads in a different direction, I have 10 skeins undyed that I'd love to make pretty just for you!

Shop Update: New Colours! Woot!

Can you believe it? A regularly scheduled shop update! And it's only about 6 hours later than I meant it to be! I might've forgotten to take photos until about 2pm today... maybe. I'm not good at managing my time on days I have to go out in the morning.

Would you look at all that gorgeousity!

The yarn is sporting my three new colourways, invented specially for fall 2013. Kozmic Blues (left) is a blend of deep turquoise, green, and purple, and it will never look as spectacular in photograps as it does in person. It's deep, man. Dragon's Blood (centre) is earthy and autumnal, featuring reds and golds under a saturated layer of mossy green. Tropical Storm (right) is perfect - neon yellow-green, chartreuse, and turquoise look amazing under a stormy wash of grey.

And batts! It's been ages since I've had batts in the shop, and these are totally worth waiting for. Yum. All the batts you'll see over the next while are inspired by My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, which I would probably watch even if I didn't have a three-year-old daughter.

My Knit City Sweater!

Hello friends!

Knit City was a fantastic weekend, and I had a wonderful time. It is truly amazing to be in a room full of people (2000 people came through the doors!) who share a common love. One of my favourite parts of fiber events is the ongoing fashion show - new sweaters, bright colours, favourite shawls, felted bags, and so much more, all on display! Random strangers compliment each other all day long, bringing such a positive air to the event. Hell, I don't even mind when people touch me to better see my knits at shows, and I do not like to be touched. It's just a big, happy, knitterly appreciation-fest.

My view, for the entire show. I was afraid to leave my booth, because there were so many gorgeous things to buy and I can't be trusted with my own cash-box.

So, what did I wear, you ask? My new sweater!

Also, new hair! Fun, yes?

I made Reverb, by Tanis Lavallee, from the Brooklyn Tweed Wool People collection. The pattern didn't quite include my size so there were several modifications to be made. I increased the raglan shaping a few more times, widened the cable motif so it wouldn't be lost on my ...generous... frame, and added shaping in the hip to better fit the sweater to my body.

And the fit is damn good, if I say so myself.

The yarn is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted in the Cadet colourway. The buttons, which I really think make the sweater, are from my local button and yarn money-sinkhole shop, the Button and Needlework Boutique. I love Wool of the Andes for its price, colours, and good sensible woolliness, and as I have nearly itch-proof skin (and I'm stubborn as a mule when it comes to minor discomfort - I refuse to give in to itchies), I can happily wear the sweater over just a tank.

I would definitely recommend this pattern to any more experienced knitter. I normally refuse to pay for patterns that don't come in my size (call me a bitch, but seriously dudes, why pay if you have to rewrite it anyway) but I've worked with Brooklyn Tweed patterns before and I know how well written, clear, and simple they are. The schematics are almost orgasmically good. Modifications were a snap, especially because I could try it on as I went. My only complaint about the finished sweater is that I would've liked to make the collar higher. Oh well, it looks fab and that's what matters.

So there you have it! More on my Knit City weekend purchases soon :)

 

New Patttern: The SABLE Scowl!

New pattern guys! I'm really in love with this one. The samples were a pleasure to design and knit, and they came from an idea I've been mulling over for a long time. I wanted a shawl-cowl (Scowl - get it?) that would work up in any weight of yarn, show off all the cool striping things that handspun has to offer, and be a relatively quick knit in heavier weights. Also important: a simple, non fussy lace edging that can pass as feminine, or not so feminine, depending on your styling, enough texture and detail to look fab in a solid colourway, and the ability to use the entire single skein of yarn. I can't be the only one drowning in leftovers, can I?

From the pattern:

Do you have a large yarn stash? I do. An appropriate knitterly acronym has been coined, I believe, by the incomparable Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. SABLE: Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy. Pretty grim, eh? My real stash weakness is single skeins of handspun. I love spinning beautiful colours and fibres, but it can be tricky to find a single skein project that shows off my yarny handiwork. Enter the SABLE Scowl - a single skein project featuring the wearability of a cowl and the styling of a shawl. It uses 100g (3.5oz) of any yarn weight, uses every last yard of your precious skein, and shows off gradients, stripes, and texture. It's everything you need to avoid SABLE! Not a spinner? Imagine the possibilities in variegated, hand dyed, or
striping yarn!

Size: 
61cm (24in) at neck opening. Bottom varies depending on yarn weight and gauge.

Gauge: 
Depends on your yarn choice. Choose a dense enough gauge that the cowl will stand up a bit at the neck.

Materials Required: 
Yarn: 100 grams of anything! The pattern allows for any weight of yarn. The samples are worked in handspun super bulky and heavy worsted weight.

6 stitch markers.

Needles: 
Depends on your chosen gauge.

Difficulty: 
Novice - intermediate. Requires the ability to cast on, bind off, knit, purl, work flat and in the round, and work simple lace. It helps if you are confident enough to chose your own gauge and read your knitting.

So many thanks to Amanda and Hayley for bringing the "lesbian heat" (ask Amanda, I don't know) to our impromptu knit night photoshoot, and to Kathryn and Rebekkah for test knitting! My knitting ladies are the bomb.

Shop Update: Cascadia Sale

Cascadia is here!!! The ebook is now available through Ravelry and the Cooperative Press website. I read through my e-version copy first thing this morning (is there anything better than a pretty new book and a cup of coffee in bed on a rainy morning?) and it's a really wonderful book. I'll have a real review with more details soon. Today, I want to celebrate! I am having a sale in my shop, starting now and going to midnight of Thursday October 3rd. Use the coupon code CASCADIA to save 15% on all purchases over $19, excluding custom orders (sorry).

Furthermore, because living in Canada is awesome, I have switched my shop currency into Canadian dollars. It made more sense to charge in US dollars before, but I'm happy to be using my home currency now! For some lucky foreigners, this will mean an overall price decrease! Have fun with that :)

New in the shop today are two colours of Solo Sock; lovely greys to celebrate the rain we are known for on the "wet" coast.

November

Haar

So, come by the shop and celebrate Cascadia with me!

 

Cascadia is Almost Here!!

I have hinted and suggested and pretty much outright said that I had a yarny hand in a book, and now said book is just about to launch!

Cascadia is a collection of patterns inspired by our beloved west coast and curated by Amanda and Fiona of Knit Social. The designers and yarn producers are all local, and I have to say this area is as abundant with creativity as it is with beautiful landscapes and flora. I can't think of a better theme for a book of knitwear designs.

I contributed the yarn for the Redcedar lace stole, designed by Emily Wessel of Tin Can Knits fame. It's a gorgeous, wearable scarf in two sizes (my yarn is shown in the fingering weight version, but there's an aran weight as well!). The pattern is a stunning woodgrain lace that is both hipster and grandmother approved. I am really looking forward to making one myself!

I should add that the pattern is the cover shot for the book! Woot! The yarn is my scrumptious Kashmir Sock and the colourway is Havana Club. If you want to make your own Redcedar, I'm happy to take custom orders in any yarn weight!

Cascadia will be available in digital and print form from Co-operative Press. Look for the ebook late this month, and the print book late in October! If you're coming to Knit City on October 26th and 27th in Vancouver BC, I bet you can get a copy! Think how many contributors will be there to meet and visit with!

I bet if you bought the book you'd also see a picture of me modelling Redcedar! Yes, I really am arrogant enough to think you'll buy the book because I'm in it. No I'm not. But buy it anyway!

Shop Update: Fall Colours!

It's cold today! YAAAAYY! I'm wearing a knitted sweater and it is awesome.

Fall colours today, in honour of the chill.

Chicory on Sublime, Dahlia on Signature Sock, Malachite on Solo, and Havana Club on Kashmir. Yum!

The Possessed Printer Mitts!

I released a pattern today! The Possessed Printer Mitts are inspired by my crazy colourway of the same name. I wanted a pattern that would show off the yarn, but had enough interest to carry a simple colourway just as beautifully. I couldn't find anything so I created something! I'm particularly in love with the stitch pattern I made up - I haven't seen anything quite like it before, and now I want to use it on all the things.

Kudos to my sister for looking like a rock star all the time so I can spring surprise photoshoots on her.

Shop Update and some Important Announcements

Hey friends! Update day is my favourite day, not least because it's Friday and knit night day for me! I hear a lot of you are finishing the school year today, either as teachers or parents. Bring on summer!

I'll show off today's awesome update photomontage at the end of this post, but there are a few things I'd like to tell you first. Promise not to hate me?

I will no longer be doing self striping yarn or sewn bags for my shop.

I'm sorry guys, I know you love the stripeys. I love stripey yarn too, and even though I'm brimming with cool colour ideas, I just can't do it anymore. It's a lot of work for very little money, and it's sucking out my creative energy. I need that energy to make awesome yarn and focus more on designing. That said, never fear because there are loads of awesome stripy dyers out there! Here are a few of my favourites, who have not yet become so disgustingly popular that you can't catch an update to save your life:

• Friday Studios - oh the colours! Located in the EU
• Fishknits - very affordable, and amazing colour sequences!
• Desert Vista Dyeworks - gradients, stripeys, and more, oh my! Loads of things in stock, pretty much all the time, and a loyal fan base.
• Fireweed Dyeworks - she mostly dyes to order from her previous colourways, so contact her! Beautiful stuff.

As for the bags, I adore sewing but not for production. My machine is slow, for one thing, and making a bajillion of the same thing when I'm also trying to get yarn dyed and patterns written is just crazy. I can't wear this many hats. But I do have two very strong suggestions for you!

• Miso Crafty Knits - I know Melissa personally and I have one of her amazing sweater bags. Her sewing is immaculate, her service is fantastic, and she has an eye for amazing quality and adorable prints.
• Tangerine Designs - you do have to catch updates, but Casey's bags are to die for. Buy one - you'll see. Perfect construction, great fabric, and competitive prices.

Alrighty, the update!

I've listed the last of the bags, and don't forget, everything is 13% off this month with the TDF13 coupon code!

Those supported spindle bags are a killer deal because the design didn't quite come to fruition the way I planned. They are super padded and gorgeously squishy, they're sturdy and cute, but they have a few little wibbles in the stitching. I have one myself and it's great for taking my pretties on the go.

Shop Update: TOUR DE FLEECE SALE!!

OMG you guys the Tour is almost here! I have my projects and teams all planned (more on that another day), and the only thing left to do is throw a party in my Etsy shop!

Save 13% on everything, all through June, with the coupon code TDF13

Today's update is fibertastic to kick the sale off!

More KAL Success: My Summer Snowflake

I've been having lots of fun (and only stressing myself out a little bit) doing several Knit Alongs. The first was the luvinthemommyhood Tops Tanks and Tees KAL (which I posted about a few weeks ago). Yesterday I finished my project for both of the sweater KALs hosted by the Knitgirllls Podcast and the Must Stash Podcast. I'm still playing along in the Fat Squirrel Speaks Podcast orange KAL, the Knitgirllls Stash Dash, and the Just One More Row Podcast self striping KAL. In other news, I love podcasts and KALs and you should too.

So, my sweater!

Apparently my default styling option for any outfit is "wear my duo boots and it will be awesome"

I knit a modified version of Snowflake, by Emily Wessel of the Tin Can Knits duo. I truly can not say too many nice things about this pattern. Here's a wee list:

• It is sized for babies all the way to a 58" bust (I'm pleasingly plump at a 47" bust and epic hips, and I love that my bigger knitting gals can make this thing too).
• The pattern is written clearly and concisely, and the layout and formatting is clear.
• There are several photos, a schematic, a size chart, and a picture of the lace yoke being blocked flat before the rest of the sweater is added.
• It's a simple top-down raglan, made special with lace details.
• The models are adorable, both in the adult's and children's sizes.
• The pattern was free because Tin Can Knits did an amazing holiday promo and gave a free pattern to everybody on the internet. Generosity and good marketing are a great pair.
• There are instructions for optional waist shaping (which tell you how much you'll be reducing the circumference by) and optional sleeve changes.
• Their patterns are supported by a great blog, and friendly designers who are full of web savvy.

I used my Boo! limited edition bamboo/merino blend fingering weight yarn in the Thunderhead colourway - a yummy silvery purple. I adored working with this yarn, and am happy to say that I have about 800 yards left from the dye lot to play with. I don't normally keep sweaters' worth of my own products, but this one really is a limited edition, and I absolutely can't get more. There is some in the shop still, so if you like it, get it!

I knew I wanted to do this pattern, but I really didn't need a Christmas sweater in May, so I made several modifications. I didn't do the colour block detail - instead I used a fingering weight yarn held single in the lace yoke and double in the body (to achieve the required DK weight). I knit it at a looser gauge to get the fabric I wanted for summer, and therefore had to modify for size and row gauge. I knit short sleeves and modified the neckline closure with some pyramid studs instead of buttons and button holes..

I love pyramid studs, they remind me of the days I thought I was a badass.

The fit is great, it's soft and light, and the style is perfect for summer. I am so smug. Did I mention I knit it in exactly 2 weeks? Supersmug.