Status Report

The leaves aren't the only ones busily changing around here - there's so much going on about which I should report!

Creative Needlework Festival

I went, I wandered, I bought nothing. The Shetland "display" consisted of a couple of dozen balls each of lace weight and fingering in dark brown, light brown, creamy brown and grey brown. The "booth" of the company from the UK that was the express reason I went to the show was an 8' long table manned by two women from the DKC. (I had been envisioning British knitters, fresh over here from the windswept Shetlands with wonderful thick accents,rosy cheeks and bushels of every colour of Shetland wool imaginable who would preach the "gospel" of Shetland as if channelling EZ herself. Where do I get these ideas?) Anyway such was not the case but all was not lost.

Fortunately Purple Purl was there (To my eye this shop is really leading the pack among the LYS's in T.O. although Passionknit is working hard to make that shop a going concern again. - they're carrying Koigu now! Just a couple of years ago I had to trek all the way down to Lettuce Knit just to see that stuff!) Anyway, at the Purple Purl booth there were some intriguing new (to me) yarns I spent quite a while considering...

Classic Elite Fresco in "Pink Sand" (This looked much more soft pink in person than the lilac colour it appears to be on the shade card in the link.)

Earth Collection Hillside Linen - this is beautiful stuff - I think it would make a great pullover for My Beloved who really doesn't need/wear heavy wool sweaters.

Cabin Fever Northern Lights Chunky in "Kiwi", "Pumpkin" and "Sweet Corn".

Rowan Silky Tweed in "Spinach" and "Bolero"

With the exception of the Cabin Fever yarn (the price, with those colours is too fabulous to ignore!) All these yarns are lighter weight as I'm feeling the impulse to work a few less bulky knits. After considering what I do have stashed at the moment I'm months away from that kind of knitting in the queue but I like to take my time and indulge in the planning phase.

Passionknit, Romni, Americo and a couple of yarn shops from outside the GTA were also there. There was a dedicated Yarn Cafe and a classroom set up with knitting specific presentations running all the time. There were also a bunch of classes on offer. Overall, the knitting portion of the show has definitely grown within what is still largely a Quilting/Sewing show and boy oh boy was it ever busy!

Breast Cancer Scarf

I'm having trouble getting some FO shots to post but its done and ready to go back from whence the yarn originally came - to the DKC Breast Cancer Scarf table at this week's meeting. I'll have to wrangle some photos today for a post tomorrow before its off to its new home.

New on the Needles

With the Fair Isle drying last night I cast on for the Eyelet Cabled Cardigan. Its made up of the pattern I used for the Breast Cancer Scarf so I've got lots of recent practice with the stitch pattern and it should be a very enjoyable knit with the Lion Brand Fisherman's wool I fell in love with back in August.

Fair Isle Cardigan

Its dry and blocked and fabulous and as soon as I'm though with the necessities around here this morning I'm going to race over to the fabric store in search of a zipper. I know from experience this can be tricky. I do so hope I don't have to trek all the way downtown in search of something that will work!

I still have to sew the safety stitching on either side of the steek. I decided that doing it before blocking was silly because it would hinder my ability to manipulate the wet wool fabric so I still have to do that before I'll be ready cut (gasp!!?!) the steek and install the zipper.

Scheming

I need a mindless travel-appropriate project so I want to cast on for an Elizabeth Zimmerman seamless somethingorother. Last week I picked up Sheila McGregor's "Complete Book of Fair Isle Knitting" and I've been playing around with ideas in my mind ever since. As last night's dinner "held" waiting for My Beloved to get home I finally sat down with paper and pencil, all the requisite resources (books, measurements, yarn) and started to plan something concrete. Lots of fun (the lovely "buttery rich" Chardonnay I was sipping at the time probably helped too!)

Ignored But Not Forgotten

We will not speak of Tangled Yoke at this time except to say that while it is in my thoughts it is also relagated to a basket in my Laundry Room - moved there from the primo spot the most favoured knits enjoy beside my bed.

The Cabled Lace Socks are still bedside but right beneath the swatching I indulged in Saturday morning en route to the cottage for a big simple bulky cowl.

Well I think that covers it. I'm off now on my hateful power walk. I loath the necessary evil of exercise but I do love it when you drop by and especially when you share your thoughts in the comments!

Have a great day!