Lemon!

You know that phrase "when life gives you lemons make Lemonade"?

A while back we were given a lemon, a sock sample that was knit so poorly it was not suitable for display.  Even though you could say we received it as a 'free' sample, it still was not going to help us.

The nice people at Regia sell beautiful creative sock yarn.  If the shop owner orders enough a particular yarn you get a free sock for display. It makes sure that they sell a lot of yarn and because there is a sample already knit it makes it easier for the store to show customers how the yarn looks when knit.  (A win, win!)

This is the sock when it arrived:

Last week Betty showed us a sock she was knitting with the yarn at the right gauge!  Beautiful!

I really don't have time to knit a sample, besides it would cost me a ball of yarn to knit a sample sock.  (Just because I own a yarn shop the yarn still costs me money, plus now I am short one ball to sell!)  Then I was inspired.  Rip out the sample and re knit the yarn into another sock, or at least start one.
I cut the toe, ripped back the sock and began.

I had planned to finish it over the 'weekend' but left it at the shop.  Last night I knit as much as I wanted and gave it a quick soak to remove the wrinkles left from knitting with pre knit yarn
 

 

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That's much better!  Did you notice that I managed to centre the design of the pattern into the sample, totally by accident.

 

See You soon.

 

You know 'that one'

There is a newborn pattern on Ravelry called Puerperium Cardigan.  It's not easy to pronounce so one of the of our local Midwives and I have renamed it: 'you know, that one'.

It's been on my list to knit for a while, as its cute, top down and one 100 gram skein of something lovely will make it.

Last week we received and order from our friends at Fleece Artist and in the box was a yarn called Merino 3/6; 100% superwash merino, knits to a slightly heavy DK.  It would be a nice Canadian replacement for Madelintosh tosh DK.  (We will still get that yarn, but its becoming more difficult to get and the currency exchange is making it more expensive.)

I began knitting the cardigan while watching 'Call the Midwife' and finished last night.  It came into the shop slightly damp from its little soak I gave just before going to bed. 

'The Boy' noted that I am willing to make sweaters for random unknown babies but never for my own children.  Knitting for a human 20 times the size of a newborn is just too much of a commitment at this time!

Hopefully it dries before I leave tonight so I can add the buttons and tie in the loose ends.

See you soon!

Summer Knitting!

'It's interesting how we behave, we like to knit winter things in the winter and summer things in the summer.  We need our winter woollies when its cold why do we start to knit them when we are cold?  Same with summer things, we make them then, but there are fewer summer days?

It should be the other way around.  We should have been making our summery things in January!

I did start this wrap in April, I have been planning to make it since I was shown the yarn in January.

The pattern is Cordelia from Classic Elite Yarns.  It was an easy knit, but I have to admit that near the end I really pushed to get it done as the one row of K2tog, YO across the row was a bit of a drag!

The pattern does call for 4 balls of the Bella Lino yarn, but you could easily make it from 3.  Just remember to leave 25 grams for the last 2 rows and the bind off!

 

 

 

I think this will become part of my summer wardrobe!

 

How doI know that you need 25 grams for the last few rows? Its because I have that much left over.  I really liked using the yarn and thought I could do something else with what was left.  First I tried a cowl with an interesting construction, but it wasn't working out.

The I tried to make a triangle shawl, scarf thing but I wasn't happy with that either.

So then I tried something really radical, I got out the crochet hook and decided to attempt a summer cowl.  The 25 grams worked up really quickly, the pattern was okay. In my hurry to get something made I managed to create a loop with multiple twists.  

It really needs as second ball, but for now it's in 'time out' until I figure something else out.

 

I started this instead:

 

 

Biscotte & Cie sock yarn, the colour way is called 'Hallucination'.  It's lovely to work with I might try an after thought heel to keep the stripes even!

 

Go create something beautiful!

See you soon!

Mother's Day!

Yesterday I received a lovely card from "The Girl'.  Handwritten and thoughtful.  We have been through a lot together, nothing nasty just regular growing up (for both of us!).

I adore my Children, they inspire me and sometimes frustrate me but they have grown into nice people!

I joke some days that the Shop is another Child, not as needy, but sometimes 'she' can be difficult!  Quiet days, busy days, paying bills, ordering stock finding time to fit it all in can be a chore.  But I am proud of what it has become; a place filled with colour and inspiration.

We are heading into the quiet season here.  Many of you will be out in the garden or travelling to the cottage and beyond!

The shop will change to summer hours beginning in June and even close for a few days in July.

To those who are Moms in any way:  Happy Mother's Day!

See you soon!

Too many Tulips?

Never!

This week there are celebrations all over The Netherlands. 70 years ago the country was finally free from the occupation during WW2.  

I am of Dutch descent, I was actually born in a small town in the northwest of The Netherlands.  My parents were very young children throughout the occupation.,

One story that I remember my Mother telling us:

She remembers the day that Liberation was confirmed and their town was free from the occupation. My Grandfather went up into the attic of their small home and retrieved all their precious things.  He had put them away to keep them safe; safe from harm and from the temptation to sell them to buy food.  I was given a set of teaspoons still beautifully packaged in a presentation box.  I can imagine them hiding in the attic for 5 years and then being Liberated in 1945!  

  

It was a terrible time, many Dutch citizens lost there lives through starvation and diseases caused by malnutrition. There were losses for Canadians too, as thousands lost their lives fighting for the freedom of another nation. They choose to come, they felt it was their duty.  Canadian Families lost their young men, just boys really. Canadians sent food, they made a home for the Dutch Royal Family.

Every year since 1945 the Dutch Government sends thousands of tulip bulbs to Canada, they are planted around the Government Buildings each fall. One year 'The Girl' planted Dutch Bulbs around the buildings as part of her job. 

There can never be too many Tulips as the people of The Netherlands could never thank the citizens of Canada enough. 

To all of you who were and are Soldiers, who have lost family members through service, who participated to ensure the freedom of all people , we are eternally grateful!

With my Beppe, about 1960.