Wee Wednesday- Struggling

 The Botanical Knits e-book giveaway winner is..... Charlotte!! Congrats, Charlotte!! I find it pretty neat that  knitter from Paris, France won, since I was there so recently. Oh random number generator, you are funny.

 Lila eating an orange with her Grannie. She always has this sort of 'don't take my food, okay?' look on her face when she's eating.

I feel like I'm having a bit of a difficult slog lately. Feeling a little burnt out, more than a little run down. And I have hesitated to 'go public' on the blog, but we're all friends, right? Let's say that you came over to my place, and we're sitting in the living room having some tea or coffee. After we got a bit caught up, I'd curl my hands around my mug, and I'd tell you what's really on my mind.....

Before we went away on our trip, Lila was diagnosed as having a brain lesion, which I guess is only a partial diagnosis- they still have to figure out what sort of brain lesion it is, but I'm not aware of any 'good' brain lesions. It started out when she was about 5 months old and I noticed that she had a twitchy eye. I mentioned it to our GP, who referred us to a specialist, who referred us to a paediatric ophthalmology clinic, who referred us for an MRI.... which revealed a small brain lesion in the area of her brain that is likely causing the eye twitching. We have since been referred to the neurosurgery department of Sick Kids hospital here in Toronto. As Lila is still meeting all her development milestones, the doctors are adopting a 'wait and see' approach, which makes sense. She will have another MRI in 6 months, and they'll monitor it. Which is good news, really. Better than a lot of the alternatives.

I've got a few weeks left on my maternity leave (I have a full time day job, fellow knitters often seem surprised to know that), and then we'll be adjusting to Lila going to daycare that has a great baby care division. I think she's going to love it, she is always really happy when we go to playgroups and she has other babies to interact with. 

And for some really good news- today is our wedding anniversary. Guy and I were married four years ago today.

 In Paris, last month.

Happy anniversary, Guy! It's so incredible to see what an amazing dad you are, it makes me fall in love with you all over again. Any challenges thrown our way are nothing compare to what we have. I'm the luckiest woman ever.

Modification Monday: Pomegranate

Original Pattern: Buttercup

Knitter Extraordinaire: Larisa (Ravelry ID)

Mods: Added vertical lace to the body, added lace and buttons to the sleeves, and reduced increases for the boy for less of an A-line silhouette. Project page with great mod details can be found here.

What Makes This Awesome: The original Buttercup pattern is a lovely and simple top that allows for a lot of experimentation, as Larisa shows us with her gorgeous take on the pattern. I love the vertical lace she chose- it's simple but great visual detail. And the sleeves! I love the sleeves, the buttons are perfection. I also love that shoe reduced the A-line to make a better fit. Sometimes I've shied away from A-line sweater patterns because they  don't really suit me, but Larisa shows that it's easy to adjust for a better fit, with beautiful results!

Botanical Knits Review and Giveaway

I'm a long time fan of Alana's (aka Never Not Knitting) design aesthetic- remember this, this and this? oh, and how about her amazing collection with Hannah Fettig, Coastal Knits? If you have knit an Alana pattern before, then you know that they are thoughtful, well-written and yield stunning results. 

So if you haven't yet seen Alana's beautiful new collection, Botanical Knits, then holy moly, are you ever in for a treat. I recently made Forest Floor in a weekend, and I am still loving it. And I can't wait to work my way through the rest of the collection. It's really hard to pick a favourite out of the 13 patterns, but these 6 are on my personal knit list (since I've already knit Forest Floor): 

 Top, from left to right: Spring Foliage, Pressed Leaves, Twigs and Willows.

Bottom, left to right: Twin Leaf Loop, Autumn's End,  Entangled Vines.

The collection is heavily inspired by nature, with different types of leaves featuring strongly in the designs. All the designs seem timeless, and the silhouettes are very flattering. There is something for everyone in this collection, but if you enjoy knitting hats and sweaters, I think you'll be particularly smitten.You can check out the whole collection on Ravelry, or on botanicalknits.com .

Want a copy of this collection? Of course you do. You can order the print copy for $22 + shipping. As a special thank you for preordering, you get the e-book for free immediately. Or you can order the e-book by itself for $18.

OR... maybe you'll be the lucky winner of a copy of the e-book right here! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment (don't forget your Rav ID or email!) telling me which pattern you would most love to knit right away. Bonus entries for posting on Twitter or Facebook. Deadline to enter is Monday, March 4th, 6:00 p.m. (EST). The winner will be announced on Wednesday. Good luck!

FO: Forest Floor

Pattern: Forest Floor

Yarn: Tanis Fiber Arts Yellow Label DK in 'Poppy'

Needles: 3.75 mm and 4.5 mm (US 5 and 7)

Mods: Changed the brim to k1, p1 ribbing, for a bit more elasticity. Ravelled here.

Notes: I'm so in love with this hat, it's absolutely perfect. It's got a little bit of lace, a little bit of cabling, and lots of great slouch. The hat is super comfortable and easy to wear, and how perfect are red accessories in the blah days of February? Also, I knit this hat in a weekend. which is crazy accomplished for me, because I have a pretty demanding baby.

What's that? You want to know about my scarf? Ah, well- it's a store-bought scarf from England, a gift from Guy who knew I was in love with it- it's got hearts and hedgehogs!! I saw it on a girl in a restaurant, asked her where she got it, but it was all sold out. Somehow he tracked one down for me. It even has pockets at the end! It would be an easy knit, I'll have to make a chart for it.

Modification Monday: Another Honey Cowl

Original Pattern: Honey Cowl

Knitter Extraordinaire: Sher (Ravelry ID)

Mods: Used two colours, used one skein of each and alternated colours for each row.  Also used a worsted weight instead of DK. Project page can be found here.

What Makes This Awesome: When I saw this two colour version, I immediately thought that this was a perfect destashing project. Two skeins, one in each colour is all it took for Sher to create this beautiful version. It's a simple modification, but one with a lot of impact- using two colours enhances the texture and depth of the stitches, and makes even the 'wrong side' look really pretty. And is it just me, or does the heavier gauge make it seem extra squishy and warm looking? I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to go dive into my stash right now and see if I can come up with a couple skeins that will result in a beautiful cowl just like this.

FO: Mudra Cuff

Pattern: Mudra Cuff

Yarn: Sweet Georgia Tough Love Sock

Mods: Added extra beads, so that each strand has one more repeat of the bead sections. Thanks to Laura who very kindly mailed me extra beads!

Notes: I had a tricky time with this. The instructions were really clear and I loved the videos on Laura's site to show how to do everything, but it still was very slow going for me- the combination of tension with the i cord and beads were not really my forte. Still, I very glad I tried it, and this kit was the perfect way to dip my toe into beaded knitting and see. It's accessible the finished result is really wearable and pretty.

I finished this Mudra Cuff a little bit after Christmas, but it's been tricky to photograph- I actually wear it quite a bit, but with the winter evenings still coming on fast, it's hard to get photos. It's not like a hat or sweater; something about the wrist feels like you need cozy indoor shots which I find tricky. Long-time blog readers will know that my best photos are outdoor ones, in any season.




So, we finally got some clear shots while at a cafe in Paris that serves the best hot chocolate I have ever, ever had in my entire life. Guy ordered it, and said, 'you have to try this.' He was so right.Amazing hot chocolate, family time, and a cozy knitted bracelet- it was a lovely afternoon.

Modification Monday: No Hood Vivian

Original Pattern: Vivian

Knitter Extraordinaire: Olga (Ravelry ID)

Mods: Changed the gauge, added short rows on the back for the shoulders, and changed the hood for a ribbed, mandarin-style collar. More details can be found on her project page, here.

What Makes This Awesome: The original pattern is very pretty, but there is something about that fabulous little collar that makes this a real show-stopper! Using a slightly small gauge also helps this cardigan look very polished, and eliminating the hood emphasizes the streamlined shape of this great little cardigan. It's also clever to add the short rows to help with the shaping of the saddle-shoulder construction, for a smoother fit. Every mod Olga made is perfect!

London, and New Goodies

We had a very short stopover in London, just before we flew back to to Toronto:

I had the opportunity to meet up with Allison, who used to live in Toronto but now lives in London (lucky girl!). We met up for coffee, pastries, and a cruise through John Lewis and Liberty's haberdashery departments (she also very kindly took photos 4 and 6 in the above). We were originally planning on going to Loop, but it was much further away and more than a little awkward to get to with a stroller... so I'll have to save it for another time. But I did pick up some goodies:

Wonderland was purchased at John Lewis, buttons and measuring tape are from Liberty of London. 

Wonderland is a great little collection of stunning kid's knits, I'm really impressed with how stylish and lovely they are. And I like that they have a good size range (2-7 years old), I feel like if I don't get around to knitting some of my faves for a little while, it's okay.  I'm definitely going to make the Lovisa cardigan for Lila, as it features three buttons and will be perfect for my new Liberty buttons. A big thank you to Allison for making time to up and tour me around, it was fun!

Paris, and La Droguerie

 My favourite photo from Paris.

Towards the end of our trip, we spent a couple days in Paris- because really, if you're a short train ride away, why wouldn't you?! We had an amazing time. The food, the sights... ah, Paris.

I even had an opportunity to go to La Droguerie, one of the better known yarn and haberdashery shops in Paris. And.... it was an epic disappointment. And not just because one of the staff berated me for taking a photo. It's a very pretty shop, but it is not customer-friendly at all. Even if you speak fluent French (I had some help with the fluent part, I went with someone who was). The yarn that you see in the store is only display yarn (and it is a modest selection, but with a good colour range), so you have to ask someone to get you the yarn that you would like. Except you don't just find the nearest staff person and they are able to help you, you have to hover near the yarn (they provide benches for you to sit on), and wait. And wait. And wait. It is apparently the norm to wait around 45 minutes for someone, even if you can see three staff members at the back of the shop near the swifts chatting with each other. Even if the woman at the cash register is sitting right there by the yarn, in a booth. I assume that this is clearly a cultural difference. Obviously it works for them, or they would change it. But I left empty handed, and that was disappointing. They do have an impressive button selection, though. And it looked like you had a better chance of getting service if you were only buying buttons.

 It's okay, though. Who goes to Paris for the yarn, anyway? And it was the only down moment of the whole trip- otherwise I found that Parisians were generally quite friendly and helpful, and the food was spectacular. Plus that photo of Lila on Guy's shoulders with the Eiffel Tower in the background pretty much just made my year.

Modification Monday: They'll Always Have Fresno

Original Pattern: Fresco Fair Isle Mitts

Knitter Extraordinaire: Eliza (Ravelry ID, blog)

Mods: Using the colourwork design form the mitt pattern, Eliza turned it into a hat and reversed the light and dark colourwork. More great details can be found on her project page, here. 

What Makes This Awesome: I actually have this pattern and I didn't even recognize it when I saw this hat! This is one of the easiest ways to make a big change on the look of fair isle- reverse the light and dark yarns. It changes the contrast balance and often gives a stranded knit a whole new look. As for turning it into a hat, I love Eliza's solution with working the design to create an X with the diamond motif, and the decrease sections worked with the dark seam is perfection. It solves the problem of decreasing in a stranded pattern beautifully. This hat looks amazing!

Modification Monday: Barely Recognizable Annis 3

Original Pattern: Annis

Knitter Extraordinaire: Jody (Ravelry ID)

Mods: Used a new way to make nupps, and made a much smaller version, and included eyelet sections.
 Project page with great details can be found here.

What Makes This Awesome: The Annis shawl is one that has been featured a few times, as the original pattern is a great one for modification- the beautiful edging and stockinette are very flexible for new interpretations. I love Jody's mini version, it's a great way to customize for a certain yardage or special yarn, and the eyelet addition is very pretty. Plus, Jody learned a new technique to make the nupps much easier, and any knit that you have totally customized AND managed to learn something new is a slam dunk! Love this pretty little shawl.

Bristol UK, and the Giveaway Winner

And the winner of the ISLAND pattern giveaway is....... Retha! congrats, Retha. I'll be in touch to get your mailing address.

Guy, Lila and I are in England for a bit, visiting family. I love Bristol, Guy's home town. The food:

The street art:

 

And just generally hanging out as a family: 

 We're going to be heading to Paris and London soon, so more photos to follow!

Review and Giveaway: ISLAND

 ISLAND collection: Arbutus (far left), Strathcona (center), Renfrew (top right), Rathtrevor (middle right), Grace (bottom right).

I've been a fan of Jane Richmond's designs for a while- her knits have a clean, minimal aesthetic that is very modern and very timeless at the same time, traits that I really admire. When Jane first starting talking about doing a collection on her blog, I was excited to see it- I knew ISLAND would be gorgeous.

The photographs from the book are all beautifully done, and the layout is really inviting. The book feels very thorough and is consistent in the experience of the book, which truly evokes a west coast vibe, true to Jane's Vancouver Island roots. I have a really tough time picking a favourite:

  Arbutus is fascinating in it's construction and looks very wearable, and Grace looks like a perfect raglan cardigan that would go with absolutely everything. I was especially interested to see a table of information for all the sizing measurements and stitch counts for Grace, the sweater. I've never seen a more thorough outline of the specifications for a sweater, which makes is perfect for altering to customize a perfect fit, and if you are beginning to think about sweater design, shows just how much work goes into crafting a well fitting garment.

You should check out all the amazing FOs from these patterns on Ravelry. When you see all the beautiful FOs from this collection it is clear that the knits speak for themselves.

Would you like a chance to win a copy of this beautiful book? I bet you would! Leave a comment (including your Ravelry ID or email, so I can get in touch with you if you win!), comment on Facebook, or tweet about it! You can get extra entries to win if you comment AND facebook/tweet. The winner will be posted Sunday, Feb 3rd.

Modification Monday: Asymmetric Ribbed Tunic

Original Pattern: #04 Asymmetric Rib Tunic

Knitter Extraordinaire: Jennifer (Ravelry ID)

Mods: Converted sizing to fit an 8 year old, and changed construction knit in the round. Great details on the mods and construction can be found on her project page, here.

What Makes This Awesome: Kids look extra cute when they are in hand knits, and custom ones are even better. Jennifer made an excellent pattern choice for her mod- a sweater with a lot of ribbing like this guarantees a more forgiving fit, and there's room for growth not only with the stretch of the fabric but also in the length. Knitting this as a dress means it has room to grow for length, too- can always be a tunic! Knitting it in the round helped minimize finishing, and the result is fantastic.

Newly Released Pattern, and a Peek at a Forthcoming Pattern

In early 2012, the Sencha Scarf I designed for the March instalment of the Tanis Fiber Arts Year in Colour Club was released. Now that the 2012 club is over and 2013 is in full swing, the pattern for Sencha Scarf is now totally available for purchase:

I'm really happy with the Sencha Scarf, it turned out exactly the way I wanted- a drape-y, swingy, silky scarf that is more glam accessory than cold weather neck warmer.This was a custom yarn base for the club, and it was a silk and merino blend that had lots of sheen and drape. I love how Tanis styled it in the photos, it's exactly how I imagined it. A little rock n' roll!

And here is the new pattern I designed for the 2013 Year in Colour Club:

It's exclusive to club members until 2014, but hey, it's never too late to join the club!