Operation Sock Drawer

Sometime last fall, I had a YouTube channel recommendation pop up. It was a crafty podcast by Jooles Hill under her brand Sew Sweet Violet. Jooles had an idea for 2021 through community activity and she called it, The Rainbow Sock Chronicles. Rainbows make everyone smile and her suggestion was that this could be a year where we seek out “rainbows”. I don’t think that we can deny the continued devastation on our globe as this pandemic rages on. However, could we somehow seek solace in creativity and a sense of accomplishment through activity? I say, yes!

The challenge is for a person to knit a pair of socks every month in a particular colour theme determined by Sew Sweet Violet and Lay Family Yarn. At the end of twelve months, you would have created a rainbow of handknit socks. On an impulse, I decided that I was on board with this idea thinking, socks are tiny compared to sweaters. I was determined that I would get this done in a week. I wound up some pretty pink yarn and cast on.

A week! Hah, how naive!! I had forgotten about Parkinson’s Law…

“Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”

– C. NORTHCOTE PARKINSON, The Pursuit of Progress

When I next looked at the calendar, we had about ten days left in January and I had a forgotten sock at the bottom of my knitting basket. The finishing frenzy began and I completed them two days ago, whew!

From the sock chronicles logo, January is colour pink. My socks are pink, well, pinkish with a bit of pizzazz thrown in with neon and black speckles.

Socks aren’t my only creative goal for this year. I’ve got a bunch of sweaters lined up, of course. And maybe a class or two on how to do watercolour. A lofty goal because my artistic ability is only of the stick figure variety. Then again, I never thought I would be knitting socks for a whole year, so there’s that!

For some technical knitting related stuff… I knit these toe up using what Jooles calls a “beanie toe”. So they are a bit rounded at the toes compared to traditional socks. Also, the heels are knit using a “godet heel” which is another new-to-me technique. It produces a textured wedge shape to accommodate the heel very nicely. They turned out a tad bit big so if I were to knit these again, I would adjust my heel placement. Overall, I love these cozy and oh-so pretty socks!

Winter Bird Socks – January
Pattern: Winter Bird Socks by Jooles Hill
Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Sock Yarn in “Comeback”
Needles: Sizes US 1.5 / 2.5 mm

Posted by & filed under Accessories, Finish It Friday, Finished Knits, KAL, Socks. This post has 6 comments.

A Creative Recap

Here we are, closing the final chapter of 2020. While a lot of this year was upside-down and inside-out, there were many things that went right. I’m choosing to remember the good things. My heart is filled with gratitude for all that has been and I look forward to all that is to come.

Though this is blog post is different from the way I usually write about my finished projects, I wanted to document my creative 2020 makes. With all the uncertainty that filled our days and months, each project gave me solace through the process of creating and a sense of accomplishment when I was done.

My creative mojo was strong this year right from January 1. Every new years’ day, I begin a new project. This year I chose to knit a Cumulus Blouse by PetiteKnit using Shibui Silk Cloud.

This sweater is definitely cloud-like. I have a bit of the sleeve and neckline left to complete and then I can wear this fluffy sweater… we do still have a bit of winter left to go 🙂

There were two stripey sweaters by Joji Locatelli that I tackled. Sweater #1 was done using Retrosaria’s Mungo, a Portuguese recycled wool-cotton yarn.

Sweater #2 is really close to being finished and is knit using Brooklyn Tweed’s Dapple. Dapple is a merino wool-organic cotton blend and is dreamy!

There were a couple of projects that were started in previous years and finished during lockdown. First up, The Weekender by Andrea Mowry. Knit using Shelter, this pullover is the perfect oversized cozy sweatshirt.

The next finish was this tee by Caitlin Hunter called Navelli. This was my first real foray into stranded knitting or colourwork. I’m on the fence about this technique and I clearly need more practice with my tension. I loved working with the yarn – a cashmere/merino blend from Stitch Mischief.

A quick project next – a pair of socks in a fun rainbow speckle. The pattern is by Christine of Sweet Lavender Knits and the yarn is from Hedgehog Fibres. My daughter ended up swiping these for herself and can you blame her?

Then came spring and summer knitting. This sweet tee from Lete’s Knits called Chonita is one I enjoyed knitting and love wearing. Yarn is from Sweet Fiber Yarns in the loveliest shade of pink.

A project that flew off my needles was Ranunculus in a linen/silk/wool blend yarn called Twig from Shibui. Such an interesting pattern to knit. There will definitely be more Ranunculuses (Ranunculi?) in my knitting future.

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Rift was another fun project to make. The designer, Jacqueline Cieslak, has this pattern laid out like a workbook and it was so interesting to see how everything comes together to produce a great fit. The yarn I used was Luma from The Fiber Co.

Next up was a nod to beach weather with Cancun.

Knit using Zooey from Juniper Moon Farm, this lacey tee can be modified to be really unique. I subbed some of the lace patterns with interesting designs I found online.

Still with summer knitting is this Rock It Tee using Willow a linen/silk blend from Tanis Fiber Arts. Cool and breezy all ready for next summer.

With the arrival of fall, sweater weather was upon us. I reached for the ever-so cozy Shelter from Brooklyn Tweed this time in a gorgeous gold to knit a Felix Cardigan by Amy Christophers.

I have to block this and attach the buttons but the knitting is done and boy, is it one cozy sweater!

The last project of 2020 was the adorable Adventure Gnome called Gnutmeg. Full of whimsy, Gnutmeg was my advent knitting project for 2020. The fun pattern is from designer Sarah of Imagined Landscapes that came as “clues” each day in December leading up to Christmas Eve. So much fun!

I read a pile of books and did some sewing too. My sewing consisted mostly of drawstring bags – some for my projects and a few that were gifted to friends.

Despite all the curveballs in 2020, doing the things that I love helped to keep me grounded and content. Here’s to a new beginning with 2021 and many good things to follow!

** All the projects that I have mentioned in this post are linked to my project pages on Ravelry with details about yarn, needles and any modifications. **

Posted by & filed under Finished Knits, KAL, Knitting, Lace, Reflection, Sewn Finishes, Socks, Sweaters, Tops, Toys. This post has 4 comments.

Coffee Talk Socks

I hadn’t knit socks for a while but last year, I knit 3 pairs! Two pairs for the men in my life and one for myself. I owe my daughter a pair of ankle socks but I haven’t started those yet.

Today, I want to talk about the socks for the guys. I knit them both the Coffee Talk sock pattern by Tracie Millar from the Grocery Girls podcast. I liked this pattern so much that I knit it twice. Now, that’s rare for me but I really enjoyed it.

For both socks, I used Hedgehog Fibres Sock yarn for the body and contrasting cuff, heels and toes. I knit the large size using US 1.5 / 2.5 mm needles. They turned out fitting the guys’ feet perfectly.

Knitting socks is no small task. Knitting socks for men definitely ups the ante. My son wears a size 10.5 shoe, say what?!!! I have to give total credit to the yarn colours though because I really enjoyed knitting both pairs and didn’t have second-sock-syndrome with either pair.

For the first pair, I used the colour Anime for the body and Shamrock for the contrast. The Anime is a lovely grey with neon speckles throughout. The bright green Shamrock worked out to be the perfect contrast.

Coffee Talk Socks 
Pattern: Coffee Talk Socks by Tracie Millar of the Grocery Girls Podcast
Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Sock Yarn in “Anime & Shamrock”
Needles: Sizes US 1.5 / 2.5 mm

For the second pair, I fell in love with this colourway called Kimono. It is a vibrant blue yarn with gorgeous stripey speckles. I went with a neutral contrast for the cuffs, heels and toes using the Typewriter colourway.

A few technical pattern-changes for the second pair that — I ran out of Typewriter for the toe of the second sock and so I striped it with Kimono. I extended the textured stitch pattern throughout the top of the foot omitting the bands of reverse stockinette on the sides and on the toes.

I literally had 3 inches of the Typewriter colourway left after I wove in the ends on my second sock. Close call!

If I had to knit this again, I would definitely follow the pattern as written as it has a better fit. Also, I won’t be playing yarn chicken and have the stripes transitioning nicely into a solid-coloured toe.

Coffee Talk Socks II
Pattern: Coffee Talk Socks (slightly modified) by Tracie Millar of the Grocery Girls Podcast
Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Sock Yarn in “Kimono & Typewriter”
Needles: Sizes US 1.5 / 2.5 mm

Of course, the knitting watchdog has to scrutinize all my handmade things. These socks passed his inspection 😉

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Creative Dents

When the whole pandemic saga unfolded and we were suddenly forced to stay home for the collective good, my first reaction was despair. It was the beginning of spring break and we had to cancel a few planned trips. Added to that, the pressure of finding a rhythm where the four of us in our household were stuck together for weeks on end seemed so daunting. Our family soon found a flow with these changed circumstances because it’s amazing how quickly we humans are wired to adapt.

Like so many others, I was overwhelmed by the barrage of doom and gloom reported by the media. I had to walk away from that onslaught and direct my energy elsewhere. I decided that this was my chance to tackle long-standing projects in the works.  We’ve all got a “few” of those!

Granted, these projects are not members of the instant gratification camp. Some knitting projects have a million teeny stitches with skinny yarn.  Others need many ends to be woven in (not my favourite part of any project!)  I had to finish an online watercolour course that I had signed up for ages ago. Oh and also, the many sewing and quilting projects had to be finished. 

I picked up the first half finished project out of my stack and got going. A few days passed and I was done with that one. Then it was onto the next task. I finished piecing not one, but two quilts, sewed together project bags for which I had cut out fabric over a year ago and completed that online course. This finishing streak also extended to jobs around the house and the yard. I was on a roll! I realized that with laser focus, I was able to tackle and finish projects that were weighing me down.

This whole exercise made me realize that the more tasks I finished, the more energy I had left to devote to increased productivity. It actually refuelled my creative tank.

Don’t be overwhelmed by all that you’ve got going. Just pick a task on your list and get it done. I promise it will not drain, but invigorate you!

Posted by & filed under Finished Knits, Quilts, Scrappy, Sewn Finishes, Sweaters. This post has 4 comments.

Pint-Sized

Baby knits are super quick and really fun to do! After knitting a couple of Beloved bonnets, I wanted to knit a present for my cousin’s new baby.

I picked an adorable sweater pattern called the Norwegian Fir Cardigan by OGE Knitwear Designs. This time I stayed away from angora and went with a more practical yarn choice — Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk. I love this yarn, it is super soft and has a lovely sheen to it. The sweater turned out really cute!

To accompany the sweater, I made the Garter Ear Flap Baby Hat by Purl Soho using the same yarn. Quick, easy, done!

Garter Ear Flap Hat 
Pattern: Garter Ear Flap Hat by Purl Soho
Yarn: Baby Cashmere Merino Silk by Sublime Yarns in “Dusty Pink”
Needles: Sizes US 7 & 8 / 4.5 & 5 mm

I really enjoyed making this sweater and would totally knit it again. The lace detail works beautifully to create the raglan yoke.

I think I’ve found the perfect baby shower ensemble! I love the soft pink paired with this cotton dress. Momma approved!

Norwegian Fir Cardigan 
Pattern: Norwegian Fir Cardigan by OGE Knitwear Designs
Yarn: Baby Cashmere Merino Silk by Sublime Yarns in “Dusty Pink”
Needles: Size US 6 / 4 mm

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Pause

The world is on pause as we navigate through the Covid-19 Pandemic. A push to protect ourselves, our loved ones and the most vulnerable in our communities. A coming together by staying apart.

With the ever-changing situation the globe is in, I have been looking to the constants in nature to soothe and comfort. The air is cleaner, the birdsong is chirpier, the world is quieter.

While the world is in lockdown, there have been reports of Orcas spotted in the Burrard Inlet. Peacocks are roaming the streets of India. Wild creatures are claiming back their territory as people #STAYHOME.

With everyone staying home and only venturing out for essentials or walking the dog while being socially distant, it sometimes feel like there is no end in sight. But surely, this pandemic has an end date. Weeks or months, no one knows. But in the meantime, we do the work and stay apart so that we can #PLANKTHECURVE!

What a strange time this new normal is. We are all in this together, none of us is truly alone. I hope you find moments of calm and happiness through this time, whatever your situation may be. Sending some neighbourhood sakura magic and virtual hugs <3

Posted by & filed under Rambling, Reflection. This post has 2 comments.

Beloved Bonnets

Happy New Decade 2020! Last year whizzed by in a flash, didn’t it? It was a good year for me. A year where I learned to slow down and be thankful for so many things I simply take for granted.

I accomplished a few creative things during 2019. Plenty of knitting, some sewing, a bit of watercolour and lots and lots of reading. Um, baking… still pretty much stumbling with that.

I want to share my makes of 2019 but instead of listing them all down in one blog post, I think I’ll break the list up. This post is all about fluffy baby hats.

Every knitter knows the fantastic pattern company that is Tin Can Knits. Emily and Alexa are the brains behind creating patterns that are enjoyable to knit and easy to style and wear.

I knit two store samples for Black Sheep Yarns from one of Tin Can Knits’ stand-alone patterns, Beloved. I used “Incredible” which is a 100% Angora from the Orkney Islands. Perhaps not very practical for babies, but this yarn is incredibly fluffy and soft.

These hats (bonnets, actually) were really fun to make with hardly any finishing required except to tuck in the ends and call it done. The angora yarn creates these cloud-like hats that are great to display at the shop. I used some fun colours for maximum visual impact and I have to say all of our customers love squishing these hats.

Are these practical for a real baby to wear? Probably not with all the fluffy angora fibres. But, they are pillowy soft though.

Beloved 
Pattern: Beloved Bonnet by Tin Can Knits
Yarn: Incredible 100% Orkney Angora 
Needles: Size US 6 / 4 mm

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Words

With visual media taking the spotlight, are words becoming an antiquated form of expression?

If this is an online journal for me to keep track of things that I want to remember, then I’d better write those things down! I was reading through some of my older blog posts a while ago. Wow, I loved blogging back in the day and sharing things I was making or places we were visiting as a family. I really did enjoy that. Sure, I can write things down in my journal, but the reality is that I can type faster than I can write! All this to say… hello, Blogland!

So, a quick recap since my last quick recap. I’m still making stuff and enjoying every moment creating things with my hands. I will share details of the projects I’ve been working on and those that I’ve finished. But today is all about words. Reading is by far my most beloved hobby and my favourite way to relax. Give me a good book and cozy corner any day.

I love that Goodreads offers an annual reading challenge and I’ve done this successfully for a few years. For 2019, I challenged myself to read 52 books and so far I’ve finished 40. Yup, certified bookworm and proud of it!! Some books have been astounding and some have been doozies.

A few of my favourites reads so far this year have been:

“Sometimes she heard night-sounds she didn’t know or jumped from lightning too close, but whenever she stumbled, it was the land who caught her. Until at last, at some unclaimed moment, the heart-pain seeped away like water into sand. Still there, but deep. Kya laid her hand upon the breathing, wet earth, and the marsh became her mother.”

― Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing

A Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine selection from September 2018 and a Goodreads 2018 Choice Awards Nominee. This story stayed with me long after I finished reading the last paragraph.

“My life was narrated for me by others. Their voices were forceful, emphatic, absolute. It had never occurred to me that my voice might be as strong as theirs.”

― Tara Westover, Educated

Named one of the Best Books of 2018 by the NY Times, this memoir by author, Tara Westover is a must read.

“I know it’s a strange thing for me to say, but you will honor them by staying alive, surviving this place and  telling the world what happened here.”

― Heather Morris, The Tattooist of Auschwitz

I’m sure all book lovers have come across The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris. I couldn’t put this one down. Lale and Gita, your story lives on.

** Any fellow book lovers out there? Do you have any book recommendations? **

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High Pines – Finished Knit

Oh my, I forgot all about this one!  Last summer, I finished a sample that I was working on for Black Sheep Yarns.  The High Pines cowl.

I knit this neck warmer using Brooklyn Tweed’s Arbor in a rich, earthy colorway called Klimt.  The pattern is very engaging and every round is just a bit different from the others.  As with any BT pattern, these sort of stylistic nuances are fun and to be expected.  High Pines is completely charted and you can mark off the rounds as you progress, which is handy especially with the traveling stitch pattern and the twisted rib.

Plenty of texture in this cowl.

An interesting design element is that decreases are worked on the upper third so that the cowl is tapered at the top near the neck.  A tubular cast on and bind off give this cowl a nicely-finished look.

I enjoyed knitting with Arbor.  This worsted spun yarn has a smooth hand although, it is not superwash.  The colors of this yarn are deep and vibrant.  I think it is is a great base to showcase textured patterns.  I don’t know if I’d knit a whole garment using Arbor as I prefer the lightness of fabrics produced by woollen-spun yarns.  Shelter, Loft, Rauma, Tukuwool and Jamieson and Smith are fabulous for sweater knitting.

Who am I… embracing all these woolly wools, LOL!

High Pines (Ravelry notes)
Pattern: High Pines by Jared Flood
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in “Klimt”
Needles: Size US 4 & 6 / 3.5 & 4 mm

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Beach Bunny Hat

The hat, it is done! This is the coziest hat I’ve ever made. Also, the sweetest.

That mohair halo! That pom!!

It was truly a pleasure knitting every stitch of this project. Holding the hand dyed merino from Hedgehog Fibres together with the fluffiest Rowan Kidsilk Haze produces a fabric that is so dreamy. I would love to wear a sweater knit with this stuff!

My daughter wanted it extra slouchy and she is super thrilled with how it turned out. I scored major tween points for the pompom too! Now, I don’t have to remind her to wear a hat when she goes out the door.

For the pattern, I used the framework for the Barley Hat by Tin Can Knits and then added a panel of mock cables. The pompom is detachable and is secured to the top of the hat using a piece of cotton yarn and a large button.

I’m quite happy with this first finish for 2019. Next, I have a pair of socks on the needles and a sweater. Oh, I also have fabric cut out for some project bags that I’m looking forward to finishing.

So many fun things to make. So little time.

I have quite a bit of yarn left from each color, maybe enough to make a pair of fingerless mitts or a more fitted beanie sans pompom.

Beach Bunny Hat 
Pattern: Inspired by the Barley Hat
Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Merino DK in “Beach Bunny” and Rowan Kidsilk Haze in “Natural”
Needles: Size US 6, 7 / 4, 4.5 mm

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