Life LackaDaisiCal

It's not often that you get to be on the cover of a magazine!  :) But since Flock is my collection of knit/crochet and all things wooly, I get to put whatever I want on the cover! I hope you are enjoying Flock.....

Mary caught my eye when I first saw it on a preview of  +RowanYarns  Magazine 54. I was intrigued with the short rows.... Although I had knit short rows before, I had never attempted something of this magnitude! It started out on the deck in the early summer..... But it seemed to take ages to finish. This was only because as usual, I stalled at the sleeves.... and life got in the way for a while there too! I'm glad it's finally finished... in time to wear this Fall/Winter! The shades used in this design suited me perfectly, so I didn't contemplate for a minute changing them....until I saw a couple of other colourways on Ravelry! Look at this stunner. This is AnnR from Ravelry and her Mary is here .... While you are there, check out her other projects! And look at this one!  Bernadette's Blues are gorgeous! You can see her Mary here ! Be sure to check our her other projects too! These are seriously talented knitters! I

The life of a model....glamorous, exciting, thrilling......exhausting, tedious and perhaps even a bit boring! We don't really think of modelling as hard work.......professional models make it all look so darn easy, don't they. When I finished the Mary design from Rowan Magazine 54, I thought it might be fun to photograph it as a homage to the original photo...which is a bit edgy, a bit pouty....not at all me! My friend Renee accepted the challenge....so with camera in hand....and me doing my darndest to follow direction.....lights, camera.....shoulder up, knee out, suck it in.....hold it! This raised shoulder pose was very odd and with the out-turned knee...frankly uncomfortable... But it does give a bit of life to the short-row stripes... I decided to go for striped sleeves.....I picked a sequence that I liked...and repeated it. They  tie in with the stripe detail at the shoulder, don't you think? This sweater is a lot

The Needle Emporium has been hosting knit camp now for many years.   Usually Hubby and I are in the UK, just going to the UK, or just getting back from the UK, so camp hasn't really come up on my radar...until this year when I decided "I wanted to go to Camp". Remember Mrs. Tishell ? (My intrepid knit Buddy - we travelled to the UK in February?) Well, I asked her, and yup, she was good for a weekend of Knit Camp! Then a friend of mine from the UK thought perhaps she'd like to join in.  Come all the way from the UK for Knit Camp?  Why not!  I have done similar things.  (Remember my weekend trip to London to go to a workshop with Alice Starmore at the I Knit London yarn fest......? )  We knitters will travel far and wide for a great knit event! Well, here we are, the intrepid threesome.  (Someone's four legged friend is pleading to come too.) The car was full, we had our directions, and off we went! On the way to camp, we did a little detour t

Rowan's Fine Art Sock yarn has been a spectacular success! Launched with 8 multi-hued hand-painted shades,  knitters commented that they'd love to see more monotone colourwayss.... well, RowanYarns listened! Coming soon.....6 more shades of Rowan Fine Art yarn! 6 "Blended" shades - more subtle and absolutely gorgeous! 309 Elm 310 Maple 311 Hornbeam 312 Oak 313 Yew 314 Rowan There is also going to be a new booklet of designs....  "Fine Art Accessories Collection"   - expected release date is November  Sometimes I can get a glimpse of "sample skeins" at my favourite Rowan Stockist... the Needle Emporium .... Remember this photo? Look at the colour of that skein...yes, the one right at the front! Amazingly, it is 314 and it is "Rowan" Purple! Yes, it is Purpliscious!  (is that a word?) How would you describe it? If Purple is not your thing, tell me whi

Rowan Yarns  Fine Art ARAN! Rowan Yarns Fine Art ARAN!  A close cousin to the Fine Art Sock yarn, the Aran weight is Wool: 50%, Mohair: 20%, Silk: 5%, Alpaca: 25% This yarn has just popped up on the Knit Rowan web site - it's so new, they don't even have any patterns listed with it yet - it hasn't  hit the stores - but it looks drop dead gorgeous! 8 shades with names like Bolero, Conga, Rumba, Foxtrot, Flamenco, Fandango, Bachata and Azonto - all dances! Most of these are familiar to me, but I had to look up Bachata and Azonto. Bachata is a dance which originated in the Dominican Republic, while Azonto originated in Ghana! I can't wait to see these yarns knit up......there are lots of Rowan designs that are done for aran weight yarns...I'm sure that Rowan will pick great designs for a Mini Collection for this new yarn.  When will it hit the stores?  I don't know, but it won't be here fast enough for me!