Life LackaDaisiCal

It's coming up to Week 7 of the +RowanYarns  Pure Wool Worsted Mystery Afghan KAL.  Whew, that is a long title!  So far we have had six patterns, knit each one six times....that's 36 blocks so far! How are you doing?  There are only two more weekly pattern releases to go, that's 12 more knitted blocks before you will be able to get on with the finishing! You've probably heard the term....Hitting the Wall.  It is when runners feel like they have no energy left and can't take another step. Do you ever feel like that with your knitting? That gorgeous pattern, the perfect yarn....but you hit the wall, you lose interest, you feel like you just can't knit another stitch. By week 7 of the KAL you might feel like you have hit the wall, but the finish line is in sight! Just two more weeks of block knitting, then it will be time for sewing it up and then comes the edging!  (This may prove to be another "wall" for some of us, grinning here! ) Runners ha...

Quick links: "The Lonely Tree Shawl" by Silvia Bo Bilvia My  Lonely Tree Shawl project page  on Ravelry Yarn: Lorna's Laces Haymarket , in the shade "Flushing" Where'd I get my yarn?  At  The Needle Emporium  Knit Camp! I was determined not to buy any more yarn at Knit Camp... I'd arrived with a bit of my own to knit up, but I fell head over heels for this lovely shawlette and bought a skein of Lorna's Laces Haymarket on the spot.  I just couldn't resist the Flushing shade! It is hard to describe and hard to photograph..... I cast on when I got home from Camp, and cast off on our way to cottage country for the Thanksgiving weekend!  Lucky...as I ended up needing to wear it as it was cold out on the water! I added this shawl to my outfit for the day - it was cool on the water! I was already layered in wool with my Mary and my Easy Folded Poncho!   It was a glorious day, and the fall ...

A little Life LackaDaisiCal fairy tale..... A day out with a friend.... all dressed up with no where to go! Oh, a phone call from the hubby! Him:  Where are you?  You'd better not be at the yarn store! Me:  No dear....not at the yarn store.....yet! ha ha ha ha ha! Quick links: "Easy Folded Poncho" by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas there are 186  EFP's done in Felted Tweed on Ravelry My Easy Folded Poncho project page on Ravelry Yarn: +RowanYarns Felted Tweed DK , shade Treacle (145) My Rowan Stockist -  The Needle Emporium I love the sheer simplicity, the rhythm of stocking stitch....yes, it's a lot of stocking stitch!   When "yarning up" for this project, I knew I wanted the shade "Treacle" but I didn't have enough in my stash for the project.  I had 4 and I needed 7!  So what's a knitter to do! Well, you go to your LRS and buy some more!  I'd had my stash of Treacle for a while, so of course...

It's time for the Friday "Flock" update! Sorry about missing last Friday - but I was at The Needle Emporium Knit Camp up in Muskoka - the weather was great...until Sunday when it turned quite chilly....and that got me thinking about Mittens!  I sure wish I had taken some with me when I was having that early Sunday morning walk before breakfast and the classes started! This edition features lots of great mittens that you might be interested in for yourself, or even for Christmas gifts! Another way to keep the chill off is to wear something over your neck and shoulders!   Ambergate , this week's Flock cover design, is a  stunning cable wrap, and is the Row@n member’s monthly exclusive free pattern for September. Designed by Marie Wallin and using the beautiful yarn Cocoon (merino wool and kid mohair) this wrap features an exquisite cable stitch pattern and cribbed detail edging.  You can find it here. Remember - you must be a Row@n Member to...

This week's edition of Flock - lots of new and interesting things have been added...... The Cover is the "Earth Stripe Wrap", a Kaffe Fassett design from  +RowanYarns  Magazine 42 - one of my favourite Rowan magazines! Earth Stripe Wrap, Kaffe Fassett Kidsilk Haze Earth Stripe Tunic Dress, Kaffe Fassett Kidsilk Haze Fyne Slipover, Marie Wallin Felted Tweed Maree, Marie Wallin Kidsilk Haze and Wool/Cotton (I have the yarn for this in my stash - I'd have to do a bit of modification for it to suit me - lower the neckline, and change the sleeves - will I ever do it?  Who knows, I just love to open up the box and play with the yarns every once in a while!) #RowanYarns #knitting #magazine #flipboard #flock

When the +RowanYarns  "Tweed" collection was published, I immediately put "Merrion" in my queue... and I proceeded to acquire... Rowan Fine Tweed ! Unfortunately my LRS ( Local Rowan Stockist ) doesn't carry this particular Rowan yarn (although she does carry A LOT OF ROWAN!)  so I had to go to one of my favourite on-line stockists... Churchmouse Yarns & Teas ....with a few clicks of the computer....a few days later.... My yarn had arrived! Churchmouse packages their yarn so beautifully, and Susan included a thank you note..... "The colours are so beautiful - this looks like a lovely box of Candy" Susan said ....and I have to agree! Look at the gorgeous shades, the size and shape of the balls......yummy! This yarn has been safely stashed ever since.....then the unthinkable happened! The Nepal Wrap, Magazine 54 by Kate Davies... Kate wrote a wonderful blog post about this design...read it here ..... ...

This is, the 5th Annual Needle Emporium Knitting Camp ! I just love Muskoka in the Fall.  The leaves are turning, there is a crispness to the air and you get to wear sweaters!  It might be warm during the day, but yes, sweaters are usually required for your evening stroll.  What could be better than Knitting Camp, in Muskoka, in the Fall! A whole LONG weekend of someone else making the meals and cleaning up, someone tidying your room and leaving you free to attend classes, knit at your leisure, and enjoy the comfort of the fabulous Bayview Wildwood Resort ! September 19-22!  There are options - Arrive Thursday evening and stay right through until Sunday lunch!  Get the whole shebang - a Thursday fun night, 4 workshops, Friday night Fashion Show, all of your meals Thursday dinner to Sunday Lunch. Or arrive in time for Friday Lunch or Friday Dinner - customize your weekend to suit you! With three talented Instructors offering 12 different workshops... ...

My Colour Play Wrap was finished... time to take some photos! I think this will do....The St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London! Isn't this an amazing place! See that tower on the far left? There is a spectacular 5 floor staircase - hmmm.....this might be the place! Here I go....photography was a bit tricky with all of the light coming through those windows! and the bright light fixtures! Up, up, up I went.... It was a bit scary at times....trying to balance and hold onto my lusciously soft wrap! But I made it to the top!  Isn't this ceiling just too much for words? (I'm running out of adjectives here!) See the woman spinning - there in the dome! far left! The St Pancras station and hotel building were scheduled for demolition. When  Sir John Betjeman , a poet and railway lover heard of these plans, he led the campaign to save the building and it was given a Grade 1 listed building designation in 1967. The St. Pancras rail station i...

While I was at "the yarn store" the other day....Canada Post delivered a box.... I was there to witness the eruption....the  Colour Explosion ! These are sample knits of Churchmouse Yarns & Teas Color Play Mohair Scarf & Wrap Pattern Colour Explosion seems more appropriate - especially when you see them all together! My head started to spin... You know how much I love stripes and Kidsilk Haze.... Remember this ? I went to a lot of trouble here to make stripes!  (Not really, it was so much fun!) But now, you have beautiful Kidsilk Haze Stripe with shades selected by Kaffe himself! Rowan has put together this Mini Collection knitted using Kidsilk Haze Stripe. Each ball of Kidsilk Haze Stripe is the yardage of two balls of Kidsilk Haze ....so any design originally done in Kidsilk Haze  can be done in Kidsilk Haze Stripe! Think of the possibilities! ok.....I admit it...I am weak....

Design - Ellipses, a Design by Rosemary Hill used  Rowan Fine Art , shade Tawney 302 Beads by   Chivalry Beads and Supplies This is the kind of scarf you just have to throw on and play with.... I used almost the full skein - there were only  5 grams left of the  437 yards! The finished Ellipses makes lovely home decor! Here it is draped on the back of my kitchen stools! I added a touch of sparkle with just 3 little beads on each tassel! I'm not usually a pink person, but I love how the mauvy toffee colour shows when it's knit up! To see photos of all of the designs, visit the KnitRowan web site here... This yarn is glorious!  It's like knitting with air - it's so light and soft and cushy!  (Is cushy a word?) Read Clara Parke's review of this yarn  here . Knitted Pink started and finished so quickly, a lovely pair of socks from the Fine Art Collection booklet! I started the same pair of socks....but I...