Another Marled Metropolis WIP

Well, I’m doing it! I’ve jumped right in and started ANOTHER Metropolis sweater. This one will be very similar to my first Marled Metropolis except it will be GREEEEEEEEN! I am toying with the idea of a split hem too. We’ll see how wild I’m feeling.

I don’t always work this organized when I’m playing with colour but this time I wanted to go through a specific colour gradient (I was much more go-with-the-flow on my first Marled Metropolis, I didn’t have a set plan but just went where the yarn took me!) For this one I wanted to be a bit more deliberate with my colours and rooted through my stash and chose all of my yellows, greens and a few super dark blues and blacks. (FYI - this is way more yarn then I will need for my sweater, I just pulled everything and will use a little bit of each - so don’t let the volume intimidate you!) I’m using our mohair in Green Light throughout - I find the mohair really helps make all these colours blend. It adds a fuzzy halo that smooths out any rough transitions. Another trick that I’m fond of for this style of gradient marled knitting is to choose a few “anchor” skeins and keep them pretty consistent throughout. This is kinda hard to explain but I’ll try. Basically, I’m holding 3 strands of fingering + 1 strand of mohair throughout. The mohair stays consistent and that helps to ground it, but I’ve also chosen a light speckle (Retro) and a dark speckle (the dark rainbow/green that you can see pretty clearly in the photo below) and I will use those more than my other colours. I’ll switch the other 2 strands before I switch out those ones. The lighter one will be held for the majority of the top section and then when I get to the darker bit towards the bottom I’ll use the darker speckle and switch out the other 2 fingering weight colours more frequently.

Yeah, so hard to explain! Perhaps a photo will help. See the photo above of my pink/purple Marled Metropolis? I held a light pink speckle for the first third of the sweater switching out the other 2 colours from natural and sand to yellows and golds. There’s lots of action and lots of colour variety but that light pink speckle is consistent (along with the mohair). Then when things got brighter and more orange/red I switched my “anchor” speckle to a hot pink and you can see that though the light purple section. The entire bottom third of the sweater features a really dark purple held with various dark blue/blacks. So even though I used upwards of 20 colourways and so many odds and ends in this sweater I used 3 anchor colours that I think really help to make the gradient work. If you’re curious, the 2 pinks I used are leftover from my Find Your Fade Shawl.

I hope that kinda makes sense! I know that working with so much colour can be intimidating and though there is no right or wrong way to do it I find that this little trick really helps. And when you’re picking your anchor shades, don’t be shy to go with something really crazy! The extra colours of a rainbow speckle help add a randomness to the gradient and also tie in colours that came before and after.

I finished the yoke and separated for the sleeves last night and hope to just cruise through the body this week. I’m dying to get to that darker speckle and see how it knits up with the rest of these beauties!

Marled Metropolis

Pattern: Metropolis by Tanis Lavallee (moi)

Hat: Grammy’s Hat knit by Chris in a dark version of our Stormy colourway.

Yarn: I held 3 strands of fingering weight with 1 strand of mohair throughout. Stash buster!

Ravelry Project page here.

Boots (because I know someone will ask!) are 6 years old from Mjus shoes.

Sigh. This sweater. Is it possible to love a sweater more than I love this one? No, I think not. This is the absolute highest level of girl/sweater love and I feel lucky to have reached it. :) Believe it or not this is a very slightly modified version of my Metropolis sweater pattern. Isn’t it amazing what a difference the different yarn + the lack of turtleneck make? It’s a completely different sweater. That blows my mind.

Here are the details of my super simple mods:

• I omitted the turtleneck and instead worked 1” of ribbing around the neckline for a perfect crew. Otherwise I made no mods to the neckline shaping.

• Worked 2” of ribbing at the cuffs and hem rather than the longer ribbing of my original sample.

• Went up a size from my original sample - this version has about 6” of positive ease on me. The fabric created by the fingering held together has a nice drape that I wanted to maximize.

• For this sweater I held 3 strands of fingering weight with 1 strand of mohair throughout. I achieved a chunky gauge that matched the pattern specs perfectly. There was no real plan, or rhyme or reason for how/when I changed out the colours. I usually dropped one strand at a time when switching colours and tried to stagger my colour changes but since I was working from scraps that didn’t always work out and I would run out of 2 yarns pretty close together. The sleeves and body, though very similar, are not identical as I ran out of some yarns on the body or on the first sleeve so I substituted whatever I had to achieve a similar look. Go with the flow, do what feels right. It’s an art, not a science.

And that’s all there is to it!

I knit this sweater exclusively from leftover sock yarns in my “leftover sock yarns” bin. Some leftovers were the size of a golf ball, others were almost full skeins. It’s incredibly satisfying to take a pile of odds and ends and turn it into something so beautiful. If I’m being completely honest the sweater came out brighter and more colourful than I had in mind because once I got going with colours it was so hard to reign it in! It’s just SO MUCH FUN! I absolutely love how it turned out though and am not at all mad at the bright colour scheme. Would definitely do this again because it’s like painting with yarn. It’s magic.

If you don’t have a huge stash of rainbow sock yarn scraps to work from a Fade Set would be a great substitute. Something that I think is interesting is that despite the fact that I held 4 strands of yarn together throughout this sweater it only weighs 478g, making it not an especially heavy sweater if you ask me. My original Metropolis with the turtleneck is heavier. Because of the looser fit (nothing clings to the body) and the more open neckline this is a chunky sweater that is totally wearable and not too hot. I dig it.

There are lots of great Metropolis sweater popping up on Ravelry. It’s a great basic pattern to get creative with. Wether it’s with the colour(s) or the hems, the neckline or the length, start with the base pattern and then make it your own! If you’ve never tried modifying a pattern to add your own special signature, this would be a great place to start.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Headband With A Twist

Pattern: Headband with a twist by Mirella Moments.

Yarn: The Fibre Co. Road to China Light in Hematite.

Ravelry Project page here.

Do you ever have those days when you sit down to knit (because if I’m sitting I’m knitting) but you don’t have anything on the go that you can just pick up and stitch away at? In those moments do you feel completely lost and confused? No, that’s just me? Oh. Well, that’s how I ended up knitting this simple headband. I sat down on a Saturday and my hands were empty and I panicked. I tossed the stash for inspiration and found a 50g skein of this super soft yarn and thought aloud to myself: “this would be perfect for a headband!” I’ve had a few single skeins of this yarn in my stash for years and have never had a clear vision of what to do with them. Now I’m thinking that they may all become headbands! I used 26g of my skein for this headband but could definitely get a second out of the leftovers because I wish that I had made this one about an inch shorter - it’s not quite as snug as I would like. An easy fix. The fabric is so soft, it’s remarkably warm because of the alpaca/silk/cashmere/camel fiber composition.

I happen to find this headband super cute with a bit of hip vintage flair. The pattern is free by a new to me designer. She only has two patterns on Ravelry, both headbands, both free. This pattern was very clear and straightforward with the twist part coming in at the very end in seaming. You knit a long rectangle and then fold, twist, sew the ends together and voila, cool twist! The neat part is that the designer has a photo tutorial as well as a video on how to knit the entire thing so it would be a great project for beginners. The ribbing is done in Fisherman’s rib (aka: English rib) and it is extra cushy and gorgeous. It reminds me a bit of brioche and I’m a big fan.

If you’re in the market for a quick and easy gift idea (‘tis the season!) consider a headband.

I’m wearing my brand new Cumulus Blouse in these photos (FO post coming soon!) and I’m so crazy about it.

Pop Up Shop Update + Kits!

The Pop Up Shop as well as the Kits Section of the site will be updated and re-stocked with favourites tomorrow, Wednesday November 27th, at 9AM ET.

This update will feature a little bit of this and a little bit of that - the big news is lots of kits will be in stock and ready to ship! Believe it or not we’re coming up on crunch time for holiday deliveries to the US (Canadians still have a few more weeks I’d say). We’ll have Mini Skein Sets in 2 colourways, Star Blanket Kits, Several Fade Sets (perfect for a Marled Metropolis!) as well as a selection of yarns in the Pop Up Shop. See you tomorrow!

Five Things

I finished my Marled Metropolis for our Metropolis KAL and I am OVER THE MOON! It’s a very quick knit on 8mm needles. The KAL ends December 1st and I daresay there’s still time to knit one if you haven’t yet.

The start of a new design that I think is going to be ripped out. It was going to be a hat but now I’m thinking it really wants to be socks… This is our 8-Ply Twist sock base in Retro. One of my faves.

My new obsession. This Rope Hoya is so unique and cool!

Flash Back Friday to this photo of Micah and I. He still has the best cheeks! The hat I’m wearing (sorry it’s a bit blurry) is a design that Sam was working on a few years ago that she never got around to publishing but that I will continue to nag her about until she does. ;)

I have finally found the perfect home made playdough recipe! Our kindergarten teacher last year gave it to me. It’s so easy, has a beautiful texture and lasts forever.

1 cup flour

1 cup water

2 tbsp cream of tarter

1/4 cup salt

1 TBS vegetable oil

food coloring

I put it all in a pan on the stove over medium. Start stirring and don’t stop until it looks like playdough. Takes a couple of minutes. It looks crazy until it looks great That’s it! Foolproof.

No Frills

Since I am about to go on and on about how much I love this sweater (and since I have another PetiteKnit FO coming up soon!) I think it's necessary that I address the lack of size inclusivity included in the pattern. The pattern currently goes up to a finished bust measurement of about 48" and recommends that you allow for 3.5-6" of positive ease, meaning that it really only accommodates an actual bust size of up to 45", which isn't very inclusive. In the pattern comments on Ravelry PetiteKnit has said that she is working on adding more sizes, which is great. As a designer myself whose earlier work wasn't particularly size inclusive purely due to ignorance on my part, I can sympathize. I've added expanded sizing to a bunch of my older patterns and am working on updating the rest. I don't blame her for having released a pattern in 2016 with limited sizing, and I'm happy to see her expanding her range and I hope that she (and the rest of us) continue to do so going forward.

Pattern: No Frills Sweater by PetiteKnit

Yarn: TFA PureWash Fingering in Spruce held with Debbie Bliss Party Angel in Black.

Ravelry Project page here.

So, I’m pretty slow to hop on a bandwagon. I mean, if I even realize that there is a bandwagon to hop on I generally avoid it. This sweater pattern has been around since the end of 2016 and it has over 3000 projects on Ravelry! Last year it felt like everyone and their sister was knitting a No Frills and frankly, I get it. It’s because it’s perfect. The proportions are just right, it’s hip and fashion forward yet it’s so simple and wearable. This sweater is the sweater that feels like it’s always been there, sitting in your closet like an old friend. It feels timeless, effortless and chic and like something that I will wear forever. I’m a fan.

PetiteKnit is a Danish designer who I think is part of the reason why mohair is having such a big moment right now. Many of her designs feature a strand of mohair held with a strand of something else and the knitting community (myself included) just can’t get enough of the gorgeous halo that it lends. I wrote about the magic of mohair in my Love Note blog post and the same magical colour transformation effect is in play with today’s sweater. I held a strand of our PureWash Fingering in a dark green (Spruce) with a strand of sparkly black mohair and the combo is so pretty. If you ever come across sparkly black mohair I’d recommend scooping it up because it really steps up the bejewelled factor of any jewel tone you hold with it. I’m really happy with this darkest forest green shade. I have zero green in my wardrobe so now I finally have something to wear on St-Patrick’s day. Phew!

I think that other than the colour/fabric, my favourite thing about this sweater is the slouchy, cozy yet never frumpy fit. It’s the roomy sleeves and lower underarms. It’s a silhouette that I find so flattering. Don’t be afraid to size up a bit with this sweater. You want that drape! I’m wearing a size small with about 8.5” of positive ease at the bust. And because you know that I ALWAYS do a front tuck with my sweaters, this one is no exception and it handles the front tuck like a boss!

I had a lot of fun with these photos. As always we were pressed for time. I was heading out for the afternoon and really wanted to take advantage of the fact that I was dressed and put together. I was wearing a skirt for crying out loud! The sun was in a weird spot but we decided to just go for it. On the camera I thought that these photos were a wash but then when I uploaded them and did a bit of tweaking in photoshop I was thrilled to discover that they had this really cool sun-flare action happening! Taking photos in the middle of the day with harsh sun is not usually a good idea, but sometimes the stars align and your bad idea gives you surprising results. I think the fates were just trying to reward me for getting out of my jeans and putting on a skirt. I’ll take it! And how fun is this skirt BTW? It’s a gorgeous black/white/neon coral tweed. I mean, who knew that even existed!? I found it at a consignment shop in Ottawa and I love it. I’m seriously considering hemming it to be more of a mini skirt rather than a pencil skirt (there are just so few occasions in my life where I feel that a pencil skirt is appropriate and I find mini skirts much more flattering/easy to wear on my frame). Fun fact, I’m wearing this great skirt all wrong in these pics! I wore it out like this all day and then went to my parents for supper and my mom took one look at me and told me that my skirt was on sideways (of course a mom would notice!) I don’t think it looks crazy like this but apparently the slit in a pencil skirt is supposed to be in the back, not the side. Oops!

That last photo is completely useless other than to prove that for once I was actually wearing shoes. :)

Five Things

PSST :: Don’t forget the 2019 Gift Bundles went live this morning!

The custom Fade Set that we made as part of the Gift Bundle option this year is so pretty! I’m pretty sure I’ll be knitting something marled…

Cleaning out my cosmetics and still can’t part with these high school staples. I don’t use them anymore (I’ve had them for 20 years, it’s probably not hygenic) but I keep them for nostalgia’s sake.

Is there anything more fun than stomping leaves in the bin? I think not.

Learning to read. So proud!

I thought that you guys were here for the knitting but clearly you’re really here for the cake. I got so many requests for this recipe! It’s a good one. ;)

2019 Gift Bundle Coming Friday!

It’s that time of year again friends! The 2019 Gift Bundles are launching on Friday, November 15th at 8am ET and I am so excited about it! I’ve kept it pretty streamlined this year. Included in the bundle is a TFA Calendar (also available individually as of Friday) a skein of PureWash Fingering in the exclusive bundle colourway Orion (pictured above) and a drop dead GORGEOUS project bag custom designed for us by JésabelleB. Bing Bang Boom! The Gift Bundles with a single skein of yarn will be $89. There is the option to add as many skeins of the Orion colourway as you would like and the bonus this year is that we’ve also created a custom 5 Skein Fade designed around the Orion colourway, which will be an available option as part of the bundle as well.

After meeting Jésabelle last spring and picking up one of her beautiful bags I immediately knew that I wanted to work with her on this year’s bundle. I was thrilled when she was game to work with me and am delighted with what she came up with for our collab. The fun thing about working on projects with other artists like this is coming up with ways to mesh each of our styles. The project bag had to be reflective of my personal style while still staying true to Jésabelle’s established esthetic. A mix of cool toned neutrals with a pop of metallic is so perfect! This bag features a navy blue corduroy bottom, a stunning gold metallic denim top (you have to see it to truly appreciate it!) and is lined in grey denim. I couldn’t be happier with it!

We used the navy/gold palette as the jumping off point for the 5 Skein Fade and I think it’s both beautiful and unique.

See you on Friday!

Five Things

The Metropolis KAL is well underway! We’re less than a week in and I’ve spotted an FO in the KAL thread already! I’m 2 sleeves away from being done my own project. Hopefully I’ll have a productive weekend!

We’ve been shipping so many gorgeous fall colourways of our PureWash Chunky base and it has me pumped!

Our little girl has been under the weather this week. Though I don’t love that she isn’t feeling well I do love the extra snuggles. She’s back up on her feet today so I think we’re getting past it!

This is my go-to desert. I thought that I had shared the recipe before but now I can’t seem to find it on the blog so I’ll have to share it soon! It’s an oatmeal chocolate cake (so moist and delicious!) with 7 minute frosting and sprinkles. Heaven.

The pattern I can’t stop thinking about: Oak Hollow by Dianna Walla. Very good chance someone on my Christmas list will be getting a pair of these this year.

I learnt a new trick!

Pattern: Flax by tincanknits.

Yarn: Variety of TFA worsted weight yarns in: Chartreuse, Mint, Lucky Penny, Retro and Gold.

Ravelry Project page here.

I’ll never tire of scrappy sweaters. I seem to only knit tiny scrappy sweaters but I’m making it my mission to change that this winter. A Tanis sized scrappy sweater is definitely in the works! So, the super cool thing about this sweater, other than the fun colours obviously, is the fact that I learnt a new knitting trick while making this one! I tried a new way of dealing with the inevitable holes that you get in the underarms when knitting sweaters from the top down. Suzanne Bryan’s tutorial Avoiding Holes at Underarms is a game changer. It’s essentially what I’ve been doing all along, but much more clearly explained than I’ve ever managed to do in a blog post. Watch the video, try the technique the next time you’re picking up sleeve stitches, and thank me later. :)

Five things

I finally updated the TFA Star Kit listing to feature actual finished shots of the blanket. Pretty right!? If it’s sold out now that means we’re already busy making more. I’ll keep restocking as frequently as I can so check back often!

Up to our eyeballs in Metropolis orders and not the least bit mad about it. The Dyed-To-Order Update orders (how many times can I write the word “order” in this caption?) are almost all out the door.

We’re doing a Metropolis KAL over in the Ravelry group. Check it out here! Also, this is the spookiest photo you’ll find of me… if you look closely there is a spiderweb in between the bars in the top left corner. Spooooooky!

We made these cinnamon rolls over the weekend and they were amazing! I thought that we might not get through them because they are so decadent, but we totally polished them off by the afternoon.

This was the scene in my bedroom when I was putting away my knit samples after Knit City. My samples are actually just my wardrobe and it is definitely very wooly!

Five Things

Don’t forget that today is the last day to order from our Metropolis Dyed-To-Order Update! The Metropolis listing will come down at 8pm tonight.

As you may know, Chris and I traveled across the country last weekend to participate in our first knitting event in 7 years and our first ever Knit City. Logistically it was more than I’m used to but once we wrapped our minds around shipping a pallet to a logistics company and paying all the extra material handling fees etc. it turned out to be not so bad after all. I wouldn’t want to do it all again next week, but next year? I could totally handle that. The Knit City experience was profoundly positive. The vibe of the show was so supportive and friendly. I was nervous going into it, but the experience was one for the books.

Something that I wasn’t expecting was just how great it was to see all of our yarns set out on shelves like this. Since we work from home and do not have nearly enough space to properly display all of our inventory I never get to see it like this. It made me proud to look around and see our booth looking so cheerful. It definitely makes me yearn for a little shop front that we could have permanently set up.

Here are a few pics from the weekend plus a new knitting kit I’m coveting.

Chris workin’ the booth! I love seeing all of our yarns displayed like this. It’s a wee bit crowded but… SO MUCH COLOUR!

Chris again… workin’ the booth. He really came into his own last weekend and embraced being part of the dynamic duo that makes up Tanis Fiber Arts. He’s enjoyed his role behind the scenes up until now but I think that the Knit City experience helped him come out of his shell, which is very exciting for me.

The Love Note Sweater by Tin Can Knits was a show favourite. This group shot was awesome! We’ve got Love Note kits for sale here.

Now that we’re back home it’s time to unpack all the samples! It was pretty cool to see so many of my hand knits hung up around the booth. Maybe I need to start hanging them up around my house like art? Also, DANG I’ve got a lot of colourful knits!

Speaking of knitted art… How awesome is this new pattern from Stephanie Earp!? Yoke O’Clock is my new favourite thing ever. She’s selling kits with all the hardware on her website. Run don’t walk!