Why I decided to start blogging again

At some point last year, after having consistently blogged for over a decade, I just kinda stopped. I blame the pandemic and the overwhelming feeling that everything was just too much and I felt like I could just barely keep my head above water. Treading water was the best I could do and I had to let go of some things in order to stay afloat. That sounds very dramatic but honestly isn’t that kinda how we’ve all felt this past year? TFA is no exception. So there was that need to let go of anything that was requiring more energy than I had to give but there was also this other thing… this HUGE thing called Instagram! Man has the gram ever changed EVERYTHING for small businesses and the way we engage online. I love Instagram and have grown a significant following over there. Posting is so quick and easy and it is at the same time both super quick and efficient and also the biggest time suck in my life! The thing is, it’s crucial for my business and also I just love it. Conversations feel like they’re happening in real time, there’s lots of back and forth and I have discovered so many amazing artists and made actual friends through the platform. So, I love Instagram BUT it’s not the blog. In a pinch, when I felt that I only had the bandwidth to do one or the other, Instagram won out but over the past few months I’ve realized how much I’ve missed blogging.

So, this is the thing, when I asked my Instagram followers if I should make a return to blogging or podcasting the vast majority (like close to 80%) said that they preferred the YouTube podcast. And I get it! You sit and knit and watch a podcast and that’s fun! Chris and I loved making the vlogs too. And I think we will again, it’s a really fun way for Chris to be involved. For me however, the blog gives me so much more that’s kind of hard to describe. Sitting down and writing a deep dive blog post makes me spend an hour or so focussing on one thing. I feel like without the blog I haven’t had an opportunity to sit with a complete thought. In my life I’m always jumping from one thing to the next. Getting thoughts out of my brain and onto paper (or screen) is very cathartic for me. It clears my mind and I think does for me what journalling does for many. Which makes a lot of sense since I consider this blog my personal journal. I love writing and though short Instagram captions do the trick for a quick post they don’t fill my cup the way writing out a long blog post does.

So there you go. That’s why I’ve started blogging again after an unplanned break. Just writing this has me excited! I’m going to keep it mostly to knitting but I may throw in the occasional home post or family update - TFA is a home based family business after all! There will almost definitely be some overlap between blog content and Instagram content - and I’m ok with that. I spent a good amount of time fretting over whether posting the same thing in 2 places was redundant but I’ve decided to let you decide where you want to view your content and not worry about it. I asked for blog topic ideas over on Instagram and got lots of good stuff, but if you have any topics you’d like to see my cover here I’m all ears!

Five Things

I used to blog 3-4 times a week without missing a beat. The longer I went between blog posts the harder it was to get back into it! I’m breaking the fast by just jumping right in with a very random Five Things post. It’s good to be back!

My current WIP. A Flutter Buttshirt by Jessie Maed Designs knit in our Red Label Cashmere Silk Single ply yarn in Retro.

Let there be light!

We are just days away from no longer having to wash dishes in the bathtub!

The world’s sweetest pjs!

Very satisfying. Ready to colour!

Dyed To Order Willow Update!

✨DYED TO ORDER WILLOW UPDATE TOMORROW! ✨

Starting Saturday, August 15th at 9AM while quantities last.

We are back! The truth is, we never left. This summer has been a strange one for everybody. While it was nice to get some downtime away from my inbox, I’m always happy to get back to work after some time away from my precious yarns. We are kicking off our return to work with a bang: a DYED TO ORDER Willow update! Please allow up to 4 weeks processing time. You will receive a notification of shipment with tracking when your order has shipped.

Willow is our newest yarn, a summery blend of linen and silk. It’s a dream for all your summer tees and shawls. My Willow Rock It Tee (Ravelry link) has been in constant rotation this summer.

Willow:

• 65% mulberry silk, 35% linen

• 115g (4oz) = 448m (490yds)

• gauge: light fingering 6 sts per inch on 3.5 - 3.75 mm needle

• needle: varies per project

hand wash, lay flat to dry.

I’ve prepared the listing with all of the available colourways there for you to peruse, but it will be marked as SOLD OUT until tomorrow morning at 9am at which point there will be *almost unlimited amounts of yarn for you to order at your leisure!

I say *almost unlimited because the truth is we do have a finite amount of yarn available to us, and at some point I will have to start limiting the quantities so as not to oversell. It’s always a bit of a juggling act, some colours will sell way more than others, often not the colourways that I predict! I keep an eye on the action and adjust things accordingly throughout the day. All that to say that if you have your heart set on a certain number of skeins in specific colourways it’s better to get your order in earlier in the day as quantities will become more limited as our stock of raw yarn begins to dwindle. I think that I’ve got enough yarn for the update to remain open for the better part of the weekend, but I just wanted to give you as much info as possible so you can plan!

This update is the first step in our gradual reopening of the shop and should keep us nice and busy for the next few weeks. It will be a little while still before things are business as usual around here as we continue to have the kids home full time for the next few weeks and what things will look like when our schools reopen is still completely unknown. Thank you for always being flexible with us.

See you at the update tomorrow!

xo Tanis

Summer Vacation plans + Willow Update + 5 Things

What better way to get back into blogging after a 3 1/2 month blogging vacation than to announce that we’re going on vacation? LOL! We have built a pretty extensive summer break into our business model and though this summer is one like no other we are determined to make the most of it!

The web shop will temporarily switch to an inventory based system on July 6th before shutting down completely on July 13th. We will reopen when we’re refreshed and ready towards the end of August.

At the end of the day, on Monday, July 6th, the website will temporarily switch to an inventory based system. That means that this weekend is your last chance to order any of our Core Collection yarns and colours in whatever quantities you need! The shop will remain open for orders until the end of the week but we won’t be dyeing to order, inventory based means that I will count every last skein in the office and list the exact numbers available so when your order comes in I can ship it right away. There will still be lots in stock but quantities will be limited. This will make the transition to shutting down easier for me to manage.

BUT… Before we shut down we’re doing one last Willow and Rock It Tee Kit Update! The update will be tomorrow, July 4th at 12pm (noon) ET and will feature the 5 colours shown below.

Beautiful, subtle speckles on Willow. Swoon. Bisou, Crystal, Metropolis, Rocket, Speckled Iris.

And because I used to do a “5 THINGS” post every Friday and I miss it, here are 5 random things!

My brother and his wife brought this beautiful baby boy into the world last month and I finally got to hold him! He is perfection. He looks just like my brother. It’s amazing.

My little elf.

My heart!

I cannot get enough of this I-cord bind off in our Metropolis Rock It Tee Kit!

Not sure what’s happening here but I love it!

an update for a cause + a general life update

I’ve posted the photo below on social media and in my newsletter already but it’s just so cheerful and makes me happy and I’m not over it so here it is again!

I’ve got lots to talk about so I’m going to get the big important stuff out first and then I’ll be able to take my time and get real chatty afterwards. Here we go!

Do you need a pick me up? Because I could certainly use a spot of sunshine in my days right now!

This Wednesday, March 25th will be a big day at TFA headquarters! We’ve got a big Pop Up Shop update happening on Wednesday at 9 am ET with more Fade Sets than you can shake a stick at! We’re donating 10% of all websales and 100% of all pattern sales from the day to Food Banks Canada. I’ll also be launching my City Limits sweater pattern on Wednesday and it will be FREE for the first week. We’re hosting a TFA Colour Riot KAL AND will be doing weekly giveaways on Mondays (on Instagram!) We’ve resurrected the TFA Podcast! So if you’re looking for some knitting content to keep you company while you, well, knit! we’ve got you covered. ;)

As of today Canada Post is still operating as usual, so we’re proceeding as normal with this update and will get orders in the mail asap. Should the situation with the postal service change in the coming days this could obviously affect delivery times, feel free to reach out with any questions if that happens. We’re doing our best to continue with business as usual while at the same time making sure that the safety of our family (I would say staff, but it’s just me and Chris!) is a top priority.

We’re very excited to be donating a percentage of the sales from Wednesday to Food Banks Canada. There are so many businesses and individuals in need right now it can be hard to know where to even begin! Rather than allowing myself to get overwhelmed by the need or paralyzed by uncertainty I’ve chosen to do this small thing. I feel so lucky to be safe at home with my family - still able to knit and enjoy the comforts of home during this very weird time - I don’t take any of it for granted. Not everyone is so lucky.

I’ll officially be launching my City Limits pattern on Wednesday but between you and me I’ll try my best to get it up on Ravelry by Tuesday night so you can download it and take a look at the pattern in time to plan for Wednesday’s update. My sample is knit using our Orion 5 Skein Fade Set held with a strand of Metropolis mohair. I knit the size 37.25” finished bust and was able to get the whole thing out of a single set with enough leftover to knit a pair of socks for Chris (and maybe more - I’m not done the second sock yet). One 5 Skein Fade set should be enough to knit the pattern up to a size 40”. Sizes 43.5” and up would do better with a 6th skein. I’ll have recommendations in the 5 Skein Fade listing for which colour would work best as the 6th skein - something from our Core Collection (for example, with that Pool Fade above I’d recommend adding a skein of Midnight or Cobalt to the darker end - it would be stunning! I’d add Fig to the Spicy red fade etc.) Plus I’m always available by email to offer advice if you’re having trouble choosing a colour. You also very may well have something in your stash that could work and that’s a great option too! My idea behind the pattern is that it would be a great stash buster (much like my Marled Metropolis) BUT since not everyone has an epic stash of leftover sock yarns to work from I’ve offered up a more methodical system with the Fade Set as well. But, as always, I encourage you to get creative and make it your own!

I also have to add that the addition of the strand of mohair is totally optional! I’ve done it because I’m in a mohair phase and I love that halo! It makes the fade very gradual but it also subdues the colours. You should be able to get gauge without without the mohair. The gauge is 4.5 sts per inch - which is a relaxed worsted weight gauge so I’ve also knit up a sample for my almost 7 year old using a single strand of PureWash Worsted in the Leo colourway and I love it! He’s been wearing it stockinette side out. I did the ribbed cuffs and hems on his (mine has the icord option) and the result is a completely different sweater. Which is MY FAVOURITE THING EVER! You could knit this sweater with positive ease, negative ease, a fade, a single colour, wear it purl side or knit side out, you’ve got 2 hem options… I’m thrilled. I love a good basic that you can knit over and over with different results. I hope this pattern becomes that for you.

This update will also feature a whole lot of Limited Edition Palettes which are very much my happy place right now. Putting together these palettes is so much fun. I was photographing them today and I literally gasped at every single one of them. They’re perfect for Camaro’s, for baby blankets, for colourwork, for everything! A multicoloured DK weight stash is always a good idea. The Speckled Rainbow Palette is an oldie but a goodie. We haven’t made it in ages because I kept figuring that since we have done so many new colours since the last time we made it we must have a better speckled rainbow option that we could put together by now but the we did it and it officially can’t be beat! We tried swapping out colours and kept settling on this original scheme as our favourite. We’ll have lots of the Speckled Rainbow Palette so if you’ve been waiting for it, this is your chance!

So, how are you doing? This is such a strange time we’re living in. Here at TFA our mission is to continue to provide you with colourful moments to brighten your day and lighten your spirits. We’re hanging in there just fine. We miss the grandparents terribly but we talk to them everyday and are finding lots of ways to stay busy. I’ve rearranged the office a bit so my desk is now double sided and the kids can set themselves up with a puzzle or some colouring while I’m doing computer work. That last shot up there is a screen shot of Willow cracking jokes while we were trying to film our latest podcast episode! It’s definitely different but we’re all in this together and we’re trying to make the most of it!

Atari Sweater Pattern & Kits!

Atari pattern on sale here on Ravelry and Atari Kits are here in the shop!

Today feels like as good a day as any to jump back into blogging after a month long hiatus! I’m excited because I’ve got something fun to share. In case you couldn’t guess from the title of this post: I’ve published a new pattern and I’ve made kits for it! The pattern + kits is a direction I plan to move in more in the future. I’ve got a bunch of patterns from my collection that are just begging to be nicely kitted up (Hello Camaro and Luminosity!) and I just need to do a bit of reorganizing so I can make it happen. But, for today, here is Atari!

Cloak kit: Smoke, Mint, Cloak // Graphite Kit: Smoke, Saffron, Graphite

Ravine Kit: Chris Grey, Rocket, Ravine // Midnight Kit: Crystal, Orchid, Midnight

Spruce Kit: Retro, Chartreuse, Spruce // Chestnut Kit: Sand, Orange Blossom, Chestnut

Atari is FUN! And I mean it, from beginning to end. The hardest part - slash - the most fun part is picking the colours because there is really no wrong choice! Take a second to peruse the test knits on Ravelry and you’ll see 30 different colour combos, all gorgeous. I had a hard time breaking out of the light on top, dark on the bottom with a pop in the middle scheme for my versions but you definitely don’t have to stick to that. The sky is the limit!

The pattern is sized from baby to adult - 17.5” to 64” finished chest circumference. The fit can be whatever you want it to be. Me and my crew are wearing ours sweatshirt style - with a few inches of positive ease for a relaxed vibe but check out this project to see what it looks like without ease. Gorgeous!

Now for a little behind the scenes. All of my photos that have a white background like these are taken in my dining room with the table pushed out of the way and the painting removed from the wall. Chris stands in the kitchen and I stand against the wall and it’s the best we can do for a neutral background with decent light in our house. It works for us! But - there is definitely a sweet spot in terms of where exactly we need to be standing and at what time of day the photos can be taken. Early afternoon when the light is streaming in equally from the sliding doors in the dining room and the big window in the living room is our magic hour for this specific spot. That’s also when Willow naps. It was -20C most of last week and I wouldn’t ask my kids stand outside without jackets on to take outdoor pics in that weather. Anyways, I had to wake Willow up from her nap, pull this sweater on over her head (she’s wearing her pj shirt underneath!) wrangle the boys (one of which is very cooperative the other… less so) and hope for the best. Willow looks so dazed in the photos! And now you know why. :)

Taking photos with kids is HARD! My only advice is: embrace the chaos, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a pattern shot or FO shot featuring a child acting like a child. Funny faces and all. Also - if they aren’t feeling it, don’t make them do it. That’s all. :)

Both boys have “feature” sleeves which cracks me up! I knit the grey version first while we were out of town and I underestimated the amount of yarn that I would need for the body. I knit as much as I could and then cast off with every intention of completing the sleeve when I got home to my stash. I really wanted to work with the yarn shortage and knit some colourwork on the cuff but Rowan would have none of that! He loves the unfinished sleeve look! He’s totally committed! My mom knit the Brick sample for Micah and we opted to add a feature cuff to his sleeve and I think it’s so cute! She used the little yoke chart and it worked out perfectly. Check out this tester who did something similar when she ran short of her body colour. It’s such a cute mod and I’m seriously considering ripping out my cuffs and adding the colourwork!

I love all of these little sweaters but I have to say that Rowan’s Smoke/Saffron/Graphite version was my original vision and it’s probably my favourite. Having said that, I’ve been wanting a sweater for myself in Cloak ever since I knit Willow’s Little Luminosity Dress with this colourway and it does not disappoint! I consider myself a turquoise girl through and through, but this specific shade of blue/purple is maybe my all time favourite. That’s a bold statement but I stand by it! I painted an elaborate mural in my closet as a teen and this colour was the background. It’s the best.

And the very last thing I have to say about this pattern today is this: when designing baby to adult sized patterns I’ve always figured that people would be making matching baby/parent sweaters but recently a Raveller left a comment in our group about baby/grandmother matching sweaters and my head nearly exploded from the cuteness. I think that might be my new favourite thing.

2019 Pattern Recap + BOGO pattern sale!

In case you missed it yesterday I launched my first pattern of 2020! The Luminosity Sweater pattern, big mama to last year’s first pattern launch, the Little Luminosity Sweater Dress (or just sweater, multiple options are included). As a complement to the launch of a new pattern I’m running a Buy One Get One free (BOGO) pattern sale in my Ravelry shop. There was a mistake in yesterday’s post where I said that you didn’t need a coupon code… you definitely do. Add 2 patterns to your cart, enter coupon code BOGO and one will be free!

Since we’re still early enough in January to be doing recap posts (are we? or did I already miss the boat?) I thought I’d take a little walk down memory lane and revisit the 5 patterns I released last year.

Little Luminosity

Little Luminosity is a special one for me because it was step 1 in finally turning my Luminosity hat pattern into a sweater and also because I associate it so much with my daughter! She has gotten so much wear out of this sweater dress over the past year and continues to wear it since it’s the perfect grow-we-me shape. It’s colourful and cheerful and adorable just like her and I will always remember knitting it for her as well as her wearing it at this precious young age. I’m so sappy and knitting for babies really brings it out in me!

Ol’ Reliable Top Down Socks

Trusty Toe Up Socks

Last year I released two basic, can’t live without, FREE sock patterns. I’m an avid sock knitter and between these two patterns I have everything I’ll ever need. Of course I still love a pretty cabled, lace or otherwise inventive or fancy sock design from time to time but these tried and true methods are my go-to. I have wanted to publish these patterns for years and I am beyond thrilled that last year I finally did. Since they are the types of patterns that every knitter needs in their arsenal I made them free and I hope that I have perhaps encouraged a few knitters to try socks for the first time with these fail proof patterns.

Wave Rider

My Wave Rider shawl is the only shawl I knit last year and is pretty much the only shawl I wore! It features my favourite colours, lots of pretty texture, I was thrilled with how the pattern shots came out and it really is a blast to knit. Despite being one of my favourite designs in a long time it has been, Interestingly enough, one of my least popular patterns. I promise that doesn’t bother me and I only mention it because sometimes that happens! As a designer I can tell you that I have absolutely no idea what makes one pattern popular and another not. I only design things that I love to wear myself and if I’ve accomplished that then I’ve met my goal and whatever happens, happens. Despite how successful or unsuccessful this pattern is, I will always love this shawl with all my heart! What better result could I ask for then that!?

Metropolis

Last, but certainly not least, the design that dominated my fall/winter knitting, Metropolis! I’ve already knit this pattern 3 times. As I was designing it I knew that I wanted to make it a free pattern because I felt that it was so basic, but as the design came together and the simple details started to add personality it kind of took on a life of it’s own. I personally think that it definitely could have been a paid-for pattern in terms of value, but I have no regrets about making it free because I have seen so many amazing modified Metropolis’, and I think that free patterns really lend themselves well to modifying because mentally you don’t have the struggle of having paid for a pattern and then doing loads of work to modify it, y’know? The neckline on this design is customizable, the hems, the sleeve length, the colour(s), it’s been a thrill watching knitters express their creativity on this blank canvas design.

2019 wasn’t my most prolific year in terms of designing, but it has been pretty darn satisfying to revisit my work here today and it has me feeling excited about the designs I’m dreaming up for the coming year. I consider myself a hand dyed yarn business first and designing is something that I do in my spare time and because of that it’s still something that I love. If I put too much pressure on myself or impose too many deadlines I know that I would resent having to design and it’s such a slippery slope when you turn your passion/hobby into your work. You hear stories about people who hate the thing that they used to love so much because all the joy has been sucked out of it by making it “work”. I refuse to let that happen to me! Every time I release a new design I consider it a nice little bonus and I am forever grateful to be able to do this.

Luminosity Sweater Pattern + BOGO Pattern SALE!

The Luminosity Sweater pattern is available on Ravelry!!!

To celebrate the launch of my new pattern I’m running a Buy One Get One FREE pattern sale in my Ravelry pattern store through Monday, January 13th at 11:59PM ET. Add 2 patterns to your cart and enter code BOGO for the discount to be applied.

Yay for new patterns!

As my 2019 obsession with knitting sweaters continues into 2020it’s only fitting that I start off the year by publishing my first pattern, a sweater, that fittingly I designed and knit in 2019. Makes sense right? I think that I’ve summed up my thoughts on my Luminosity journey pretty succinctly in the pattern:

Sometimes a pattern takes a roundabout way of making its way out into the world. My Luminosity Sweater pattern definitely didn’t follow a straight and narrow path. Several years ago I dreamed up the Luminosity chart. I had plans for a sweater for myself but decided to test out the chart in a hat before committing to an adult sized garment. I published the Luminosity Hat pattern and absolutely loved it. Next I decided to play around with the same chart and knit it in a more subdued palette as a sweater dress for my daughter. Little Luminosity was born! Finally, it was my turn to have the magical neon rainbow yoke Luminosity Sweater of my dreams. And let me tell you, it was worth the wait!

I published my Luminosity Hat pattern nearly 3 years ago! It’s taken me that long to make this sweater pattern a reality and thankfully I’m still as into it today as I was when I first started thinking about it.

If you liked my Christmas in July pattern I think that Luminosity will be right up your alley. I explored a few different elements in this sweater design. With short rows both before and after the charted yoke the garter stitch neckline has a subtle scoop. The chart is deceptively simple and repetitive making it really easy to knit. Even if you’re new to colourwork you could handle it! The potential for colour play is limitless! The wonderful group of test knitters who knit this sweater explored lots of different colour combos and they are all beautiful.

These photos were taken about a year ago and I love them! Babies are SO WIGGLY!!! Willow still wears her Little Luminosity Dress - though now it’s more of a t-shirt - and though she’s gotten so much wear out of it, it will be a very sad day when she outgrows it.

By publishing this sweater pattern, I think that I have officially let my Luminosity obsession run its course. It’s been a wild ride!

The Year Of The Sweater

Luminosity Sweater, Magnolia Chunky, Flex Tee

Love Note, Metropolis, No Frills

Cumulus, Metropolis, Metropolis.

I feel really good about the knitting I accomplished in 2019. It was probably my least prolific year in terms of pattern releases in a while, but it was a very satisfying year in terms of finished objects. Every year is different for me and I don’t set myself goals for knitting, I simply knit what I want, when I want! As my family and business grows and our lives get busier I’m definitely noticing that I have less free time to devote to designing. It’s a task that I’ve historically done in the evening since my days are filled up with running TFA (and parenting!) and this past year I just haven’t had the energy or the brain power in the evenings to devote to much designing. Some year’s are like that I guess, I’m totally OK with it because instead I seem to have devoted the year to building up a pretty great sweater wardrobe!

While I don’t have a favourite per se I do have a few happy thoughts that stick out. My Magnolia Chunky was such a departure for me (I had never knit anything like it) and it just makes me happy. I love wearing it. It makes me feel cool.

My original Metropolis sweater is the sweater I never knew I couldn’t live without. Honestly, I’ve worn it so much since the temperatures started dropping and can’t remember what I used to wear on cold days before I had this amazing chunky turtleneck.

My Cumulus and No Frills sweaters are each worn at least once a week. They are simple perfection and I would definitely knit them each again in a different colour. I wore my sparkly No Frills sweater on Christmas with a black leather mini and felt so chic. Though it’s definitely a casual silhouette the sparkly mohair and deep dark colour make it so easy to dress up. I have so few “dressy” knits so this one really fills a gap in my wardrobe.

And of course my Marled Metropolis! I could knit marled sweaters for the rest of my life and never get tired of them. This version is less toasty than my chunky turtleneck version and I find that I grab it how I might usually reach for a sweatshirt. It’s so comfortable and easy and even though I’ve already knit 2 Marled Metropolis’ (the green one was a gift) I just might knit a third. In shades of blue of course.

My Luminosity Sweater will be my first pattern release of 2020! Stay tuned for that any day now. :)

I knit other things last year as well, a few kid sweaters, hats, socks and mitts, but a quick glance at the 2019 tab on my Ravelry project page shows a distinct preference for sweaters. I don’t know what it is but I just can’t seem to stop knitting sweaters! I may branch out in 2020 and aim for a few more bite sized projects but then again I may not! I currently have 2 sweaters in the works and a pair of socks on the needles that I can’t seem to muster the motivation to finish (dad’s Christmas socks… oops!) so it’s looking like it could be another sweater year!

Happy 2020!

We snuck away for a last minute trip to the cottage this past week. We kept saying how nice it would be to go, how we wished we could, talking about it as though it were totally out of the realm of possibility. Our cottage is a full 12 hour drive from our house, so it’s not a quick weekend trip, it’s a commitment! But one day (around Dec. 22nd!) it hit me that it would be lots of driving, but that it would be worth it, we should be spontaneous and do it! So we did, and it was awesome.

It was the perfect way to ring in the new decade. To be in a place that we love with our little crew doing simple, favourite things. January first doesn’t usually feel like the beginning of the year for me, but this year is different. Chris and I were married and bought our first home in 2010, exactly a decade ago and having the decade bookmarked by such round numbers (2010! 2020!) feels somehow poetic. It’s been a decade of extreme growth and change yet much has stayed the same. I’m feeling very nostalgic, looking back on the decade and also very excited about what the next 10 years have in store for us.

Happy New Year friends!

Boxing Day Etsy Update + Free Shipping!

BOXING DAY ETSY UPDATE, DECEMBER 26TH AT 12PM (NOON) ET. FEATURING FREE SHIPPING!

FIND OUR ETSY SHOP HERE.

The shop will appear empty until exactly noon on the 26th at which point it will be overflowing with yarn! 

Alright friends! I know it’s been quiet around here and there is a very good reason for that… we have been working tirelessly getting ready for our annual Boxing Day Etsy Update!!!

This year we are upping the anti by making it FREE SHIPPING on both Etsy and our website. Woohoo!!!

(CAN & US only, so sorry international friends! International shipping will still be a bargain ;)

I always do my best to catch any multiple orders and bundle them together to save on packaging and trips to the post office. With free shipping there are no overcharges to refund so it saves me a lot of time in administrative tasks. Win-win! I am marking each item as being ready to ship in 4-6 weeks. I expect to have things out the door and on their way to their loving homes sooner than that but I won't be starting to ship immediately as I'll be taking some time off to chill with family after the 26th and I think it's wise to build in a little wiggle room. 

There is lots of good stuff in this update. As always we try to do a mix of old favourites and hot new colourways. We’ve pulled a few colours from Fades we’ve done this past year since we thought that they deserved to shine in their own light. Below is a close up of Leo on PureWash worsted that I am OBSESSED with! Leo was featured on fingering weight in our Gift Bundle Fade and it deserves a chance in the spotlight don’t you think?

Some batches we have just a few skeins of, others (like Leo) we’ve dyed loads of because we hope that you’ll love it and that many people will get a chance to get some.

We will have just about all of our bases featured. We’ve also put together a few new kits to debut during the update. We’ve got HAT KITS where we’ve paired worsted weight with a coordinating mohair and pompom, perfect for the ultimate cozy hat!

And SOCK KITS! I’ve been wanting to do sock kits for years and I can’t believe we’ve finally done it. These include a full skein of Blue Label Sock yarn and a 105 yds of a coordinating solid for heels and toes. I love these kits. I expect to be making many more of them in the coming months/years.

We will also have A TON of our Mystery Skein Sets. These are always one of my favourite things to put together and every year as I’m bundling them up I stop and squeal and take a photo of all of my favourites - which ends up taking forever because I love them ALL!!! I can’t tell you how many pictures of colour combos I have on my phone right now. These things rock. They include 1 skein each of Red Label Cashmere/Silk Single, Purple Label Cashmere Sock and PureWash Fingering. Lots of speckles, a few solid, endless possibilities.

A pretty picture of Amber Label Crystal because I will never EVER get over how much I love this colourway.

I’ve got gifts to wrap, cookies to bake, yarn to label, sweaters to knit, movies to watch… and I am so happy to be doing it all! This time of year is so full and chaotic and I love it so much. Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season and I look forward to seeing you on the 26th!

xo ~ Tanis

Cumulus Blouse

Pattern: Cumulus Blouse by PetiteKnit.

Yarn: TFA Kid Mohair in Mona Lisa held double throughout. (Lots of ready to ship Mohair added to the Pop Up Shop today!)

Ravelry Project page here.

Sigh… This sweater. Love! LOVE! L-O-V-E!!! I don’t know what more I can say about it. Bye.

For real though. This sweater is pure heaven. It’s light as air yet somehow still warm and cozy (but not too warm, not hot, y’know?) It’s drapey and flowy yet fluffy and somehow also sexy. It’s almost sheer but not see-through. It’s magic? Every time I wear it Chris tells me that he likes it - which is really saying something because he sees me in hand knit sweaters that I’ve made almost every day so he’s not easily impressed. My mother also adores it, so it works for all demographics! I would absolutely knit this again in a richer/brighter colour. I love this neutral version and feel like this colourway really complements the etherial quality of the fabric and design, but after seeing this version I am SHOOK! Also, her pink suit! Wow.

Overall the Mona Lisa colourway reads as a lovely neutral grey, but upon closer inspection it has a lot of life to it. It’s subtle but it’s there and I love it. Metropolis would lend the same subtle neutral vibe. I’m finding that most of our colourways knit up more subtle than they appear in the skein in our mohair base. All that halo really softens things up. A pretty wild multi can still give a very wearable result. Especially since this sweater is knit holding 2 strands of mohair throughout so any pops of colour are tempered by the second strand. We’ve added a bunch of Mona Lisa as well as lots of other perfect-for-Cumulus-colourways of our Kid Mohair to the Pop Up Shop. Ready to ship this week!

The way the light shines through when it’s backlit is so beautiful. Despite what these pictures would have you believe I actually don’t spend that much time standing in front of a window fixing my hair but… whe I’m wearing this top, I think I’ll make a point to more often. :)

Happy Monday friends!