I am so behind on my blogging! I've been posting relatively regularly, but I have so much more to share and I don't know how I've fallen so behind. I've woven 3 scarves that I haven't posted about. I have a new pair of socks, I never posted about Rowan's awesome Schoolboy Vest... Chris has a new sweater, I've put up a new yarn wall in my living room... I may never get caught up, but I'm working on it. A project doesn't feel complete unless I've blogged about it. It's just no fun to have these new knits that I'm super excited about and then just keep to myself. The process is much more rewarding when it's shared. I also don't like only blogging about FO's, that's no fun, I love reading about what other people are working on while they're working on it. Luckily, I'm about to cast on for 1 million new projects, so hopefully I'll have plenty of WIP's to share soon!
Last weekend I attended the Stephen and Steven Mix Tape Tour trunk show at Espace Tricot and it was awesome. I got to peruse the gorgeous shop, try on beautiful samples and best of all hear the Steph(v)ens talk about knitting. For me, the biggest takeaway was in learning that they don't take themselves too seriously and they both embrace "mistakes" as opportunities. Stephen West's Lost & Found sweater is a beautiful example of that. It started off as a shawl, but he wasn't happy with the proportions so he added a few rectangular panels, sewed a few seams and turned it into an utterly beautiful sweater. It looked fabulous on everyone that tried it on. Stephen also approaches his designs in such a fun and loose way. There are no rules. Two skeins from two different dye lots create a striped feature rather than a reason for a knitter to cry. If you want a bigger shawl, keep knitting, if you want something smaller (or you run out of yarn) just stop! Change needle sizes, yarn gauges, no rules. It's liberating and inspiring and I think we would all be much happier knitters if we were a bit more open minded with our progress. This attitude is more realistic when approaching accessories, because no amount of open mindedness is going to make an ill-fitting pullover look good... but it's definitely a nice, light-hearted approach to knitting in general that I admire.
So, here's the loot I picked up while at Espace Tricot (it is physically impossible to walk into that store and leave empty handed). Actually, first things first, that gorgeous set of Knitter's Pride Marblz interchangeable needles was a Valentines Day gift from Chris. A total surprise. I had mentioned them to him in passing because they are colourful and fun and he called the shop and conspired with the staff then snuck out and picked them up when I thought he was doing groceries. I love them and I love him! On the right we have some beautiful Habu Wrapped Merino in the most gorgeous shade of Teal. I bought it with the intention of knitting Veronika (they have a gorgeous sample on display in the shop) but I'm having second thoughts. I've never knit this sort of bat-wing style before and though I love the light as air quality it has I worry about never being able to raise my arms. I'd love your thoughts. Next to the Habu is a skein of Scrumptiouspurl self striping sock yarn in Baby Beluga. The dyer, Samantha, works at the shop and I just couldn't leave without a skein. It may become socks, or I may try and get creative and knit a baby sweater with it, I think with a little fiddling it could make a really pretty striped Blank Canvas. And lastly, on the left in the photo above is a softer than soft skein of Woolfolk yarn that will become a perfectly simple hat with that luscious rabbit fur pompom on top.
Is there really anything more exciting than starting new projects!?