Life LackaDaisiCal

Marie Wallin's first "workshop holiday" was fabulous! When this workshop appeared on Marie's web site I immediately signed up.....to hesitate would have been disastrous as it was fully booked within hours of being offered. Luckily a quick call to a knitting friend in the UK and she was in too! A little bit of workshop for knitters who wanted a holiday break in a lovely country hotel in the Yorkshire Dales. Photo courtesy of The Devonshire Fell While it didn't snow while I was there, one morning the frost was so heavy that this Canadian girl thought it was snow! It looked like snow.....it looked just like this! My room was the middle windows on the second floor, on the left side ....you can see it just behind the large tree! The Devonshire Fell hotel.....located in the spectacular Yorkshire Dales, surrounded by gorgeous scenery (stone walls and sheep galore), in the company of fellow knit enthusiasts...it was perfect! Photo courtesy of  ...

It is September already! When kids go back to school, they are sometimes asked to write a report on what they did on their summer vacation....this is my report! The summer lingers but evenings are cooler. The garden is winding down...the Echinaceas are past prime, and the last Hostas are blooming! This is my favourite time of year for many reasons....Before we settle in for the knit season....I wanted to give you an update of what's been happening here this summer! So, i t's been HOT! Hotter than any summer I can recall! Hubby and I cancelled our June trip (a combination of circumstances) and this gave me a great excuse to spend my summer vacation (dollars) visiting yarns shops (both new and familiar ones). Recently I read an article from the perspective of a yarn shop owner....about "customers" who come in, look around, do research, maybe ask a question or two, finger some yarn, then turn around and order from an on-line source (because it is chea...

Watching the sunset is one of the attractions when visiting Saugeen Shores in Ontario...and the Southampton beach has quite the view. It was just a short one-block walk down to catch this sunset which brought to an end the Docknits retreat weekend. Last year I presented a workshop at the  2nd annual retreat . This year, Mrs. Tischell (my travel buddy) and I decided to go "all in" and booked into the  Chantry Breezes B&B  for the duration! I'd booked the "Garden Cottage" which is exactly that... it was adorable and I loved my tiny home for the weekend! It is Fall here in Ontario, but it was still summery this past weekend. Lucky for me as I was staying in the Garden Cottage....which while not insulated, was comfortable and reminded me so much of childhood summer vacations when the family would go to a cottage in Northern Ontario. The open beams and whitewashed walls were complimented by turquoise blue, slightly faded by summer sunlight. It wa...

 I think I've said it before, but I'll say it again.... I  L O V E Rowan's Pure Linen! The sheen of the fibre, the shades are subtle yet strong, the fabric it creates has presence... you know you are wearing it, and it drapes beautifully. If you haven't tried Pure Linen....get yourself to your LYS and pick some up. There are 11 subtle shades...8 original and 3 new ones added this season, including the blue I am wearing here, Patagonian! Then there is the bright orange, Monte and the gold, Simpson. It was so hard to decide, but this seems to be my "blue" knit phase! Lisa Richardson created the designs in the  Pure Linen Collection  last year....all classic summer shapes to knit and wear forever! This sweater is the  "Trinity"  design from this collection . The pattern as written is  perfect ! My only modification was to the neckline. I loved the shape and depth of the V as is, so instead of doing a ribbed finish...I ju...

Faraway Seashore A light and frothy scarf knit in alternating sections of Stocking and Reverse Stocking Stitch......inspired by the waves while on vacation at the English seaside. Scarf size:  approximately 200cm/80in in length, the "body" is approx 30cm/6inches wide (lightly stretched) and the Kidsilk Haze ruffled edge is 8cm/1.75inches Gauge: 15 sts to 10 cm Needles:  4.5mm, 100cm circular needle, or the size you need to achieve gauge Yarns: Yarn A: Rowan Finest, 2 balls shade Cool (067) Yarn B: Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe, shade Frost (203) (I used a half a ball leftover from stash) Using Yarn A, CO 300 sts Although there is no right or wrong side on this scarf...it is important that you identify the "right" side to make sense of the stocking stitch and reverse stocking stitch sections. Stocking Stitch (SS) - the all knit side is the right side Reverse Stocking Stitch (RSS) - the all purl side is the right side ...

My host here in the UK is a knitter....no surprise there right? On her coffee table I spotted the latest edition of pompom magazine.  With a cup of tea, I enjoyed this mini magazine..... love the size, the weight, the thickness of each page... One design caught my eye...this....how lovely.... not that I'll be needing a baby blanket any time soon :)  but...the yarn...Cashmere! 100% Cashmere! My hostess loves cashmere, so I commented on the lovely yarn in the pompom pattern...had she heard of this cashmere? "Oh yes, Elisabeth lives not far from here. Do you think you'd like to go? I could ring her up and sort something." Well, yes, I'd love to go!  (A girl can always add a little Cashmere to her stash!) Top to bottom, in my bag :) weld -reseda inteola hibiscus tea Walnut And another hibiscus tea Lovely...as a display :) You can find her at select fibre festivals in the UK (Unravelled for example)...but she does have a ...