Thanksgiving comes a bit earlier north of the 44th parallel in Canada, it has something to do with our harvest being earlier, therefore we dine earlier. We are open regular store hours (112 pm to 6 pm) on Saturday & Sunday, and closed on Monday. We wish you a great weekend, wherever you are!
Saturday, Oct 8: 12pm to 6 pm
Sunday, Oct 9: 12 pm to 6 pm
Monday, Oct 10: CLOSED
Yom Kippur
We are also closing an hour early on Wednesday for Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement …..
Wednesday, Oct 5: 12 pm to 5 PM
I haven’t been abe to find ay patterns for a Shofar, so this year I wish you a happy Yom Kippur Hawaiian style with the Ho’oponopono prayer for forgiveness:
I’m sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you
Thanksgiving comes a bit earlier north of the 44th parallel in Canada, it has something to do with our harvest being earlier, therefore we we dine earlier. We are open regular store hours (11 am to 6 pm) on Saturday & Sunday, and closed on Monday. Have a great weekend, wherever you are!
Saturday October 9: 11 am to 6 pm
Sunday October 10: 11 am to 6 pm
Monday October 11: CLOSED
Some Cieslak for the Weekend
Never wanting to leave you without some inspiration, here are a couple of pullovers by designer Jacqueline Cieslak. I love that Jacqueline’s designs are size inclusive, but I love even more that her designs LOOK GREAT on different sized women. Her casual little tops are always just right for people, no matter what shape they may be. Wear them over a dress or a loose shirt, it’s all beautiful! Plus, they aren’t immense projects, so they won’t break the bank, and you’ll actually wear it (an important factor to my mind). they’re pretty, and I think its good to make yourself feel beautiful on the outside, because you are beautiful on the inside.
I think my favourite yarns for these projects would be Fibre Co Road to China Light (’cause I’m indulgent when it comes to nurturing myself), but I’d make at least one size larger because the tension will be smaller. Another idea that gets me going would be two strands of Fibre Co Meadow held together (also indulgent, but I love nice textiles) – ideally this would be in 2 different colours to create a marl.
Bay Pullover
The Bay Pullover is your dream all-weather sweatshirt, whether you’re getting cozy at home or being tousled by a crisp ocean breeze. This relaxed fit pullover features dolman sleeves, uninterrupted stockinette on the front and back panels, and decorative 3-needle bind offs, making for a simple, seamless knit with a clean, modern look. The pattern includes 9 sizes, 6 original video tutorials, technical illustrations for understanding the unique construction, and detailed guidance for choosing your size and adjusting the sleeves.
Size
Because of the dolman sleeves and relaxed fit, BAY works with an extremely wide range of positive ease (anything from 6-20”/15-50cm). If you prefer more drape or a more oversized fit, feel free to size up! In the photos, Jacqui is wearing a size 7 (62”/155cm). Her bust circumference is 54”/135cm, her waist circumference is 49”/122.5cm, and her bicep circumference is 20”/50cm.
Finished Bust Circumference: In inches: (38, 42, 46) [50, 54, 58] {62, 66, 70} inches or (95, 105, 115) [125, 135, 145] {155, 165, 175} cm
To choose your size, measure the circumference of your torso around the fullest part of your bust/chest and add at least 6”/15cm.
To see how BAY looks across the size range with varying amounts of ease, check out the test knitting round up here!
Yarn Options
Because the recommended yarn is a silk/linen blend, both of which are fibres that stretch and have a lot of drape, I recommend using something that also has some stretch. Superwash yarns, blends with cotton, linen, wool, silk, or alpaca tend to be good at this.
The Bay Slipover is your dream all-weather slipover, whether you’re getting cozy at home or being tousled by a crisp ocean breeze. This relaxed fit top features dolman sleeves, uninterrupted stockinette on the front and back panels, and decorative 3-needle bind offs, making for a simple, seamless knit with a clean, modern look. The pattern includes 9 sizes, 6 original video tutorials, technical illustrations for understanding the unique construction, and detailed guidance for choosing your size and adjusting the sleeves.
Size
Because of the dolman sleeves and relaxed fit, BAY works with an extremely wide range of positive ease (anything from 6-20”/15-50cm). If you prefer more drape or a more oversized fit, feel free to size up! In the photos, Jacqui is wearing a size 7 (62”/155cm). Her bust circumference is 54”/135cm, her waist circumference is 49”/122.5cm, and her bicep circumference is 20”/50cm.
Finished Bust Circumference: In inches: (38, 42, 46) [50, 54, 58] {62, 66, 70} inches or (95, 105, 115) [125, 135, 145] {155, 165, 175} cm
To choose your size, measure the circumference of your torso around the fullest part of your bust/chest and add at least 6”/15cm.
To see how BAY looks across the size range with varying amounts of ease, check out the test knitting round up here!
Yarn Options
Because the recommended yarn is a silk/linen blend, both of which are fibres that stretch and have a lot of drape, I recommend using something that also has some stretch. Superwash yarns, blends with cotton, linen, wool, silk, or alpaca tend to be good at this.
Our local knitting guild, The Needlework Guild of Canada, very graciously invited me to attend their first Knit in the Park, so I whipped up a little kit for them, a Pumpkin Beanie. I figured it’s timely, what with harvest season approaching. Plus, there is no child ever who isn’t ADORABLE in a pumpkin hat. Since our guild knits for charity I wanted it to be something that was gender neutral, and makes a great gift for anyone. I sized the hat from preemie to kids of all ages, and you should be able to get 2 pumpkin hats out of one kit (and probably a third green hat too). The yarn is the ever soft and Berroco Vintage, but if you want to upgrade go for the combo I assembled with Malabrigo Rios.
We wanted the skill level to be accessible to knitters in the beginner spectrum, so there isn’t any colourwork or charts, you just need the following skills:
Read a knitting pattern
Cast on & Bind off
Knit & Purl in the same row
Work in the round on circular & double pointed needles
The best inspiration come from people doing things …. This sweater project by ElinorGray on Ravelry is gorgeous! She used Malabrigo Rios to make Nurtured by Andrea Mowry, and WOW, the two look like they were made for each other! I’d say the skill level is around an intermediate – not the perfect choice for your first sweater, but once you know what to expect when making a sweater you should be fine.
A few notes for a successful knit …
Make at least a 5″ x 5″ square tension swatch and block it. This yarn will let go and stretch when washed, so to get an accurate fit you need to do your prep work.
Because this yarn is hand-dyed no two skeins are alike (for the multi-colours different skeins within the same bag can look different). We always try to match the skeins as closely as possible when we send them out. To get the most consistent colour distribution possible, it is always suggested with hand-dyed yarns that you work with two balls and alternate them every couple of rows. Here’s a Videoto help you with this.
If you want your sweater a bit less cropped get an extra skein.
Size
Finished Bust: 36 (40, 44, 48, 52)(56, 60, 64, 67.5)” OR 91.5 (101.5, 112, 122, 132)(142, 152.5, 162.5, 171.5) cm
Intended to be worn with 4-6”/10-15 cm positive ease. To pick your best size, measure your full bust and add your desired ease, then pick the finished bust circumference closest to that number.
Sample shown in size 2 with 6”/15 cm positive ease.
We just received a big restock or Malabrigo Rios (and are expecting more to come in in a couple of weeks). There have been so many constraints over the last year, finally being able to get a decent re-stock feels so good!
Should not already be familiar with this wonderful yarn, Malabrigo Rios is a super-duper soft, machine washable yarn made from 100% merino wool. It’s hand dyed for subtle variations, and is great for anyone and any project except felting (it will not felt). Rios is specially suitable for babies, kids (it makes great hats, sweaters, blankets, etc). The dyeing tends to have a watercolour effect and it always seems to knit up even more beautiful than in the skein. The base yarn is silky soft and springy with lots of body. Whenever I can I like to use it for projects I make for my niece and nephew (sometimes the colours don’t fit their very specific requests).
Because this yarn is hand-dyed no two skeins are alike (for the multi-colours different skeins within the same bag can look different). We always try to match the skeins as closely as possible when we send them out. To get the most consistent colour distribution possible, it is always suggested with hand-dyed yarns that you work with two balls and alternate them every couple of rows. Here’s a Videoto help you with this.
Photo: Angeldogknitter on Ravelry.com
Flax
Make. All. The Sweaters. Malabrigo Rios has been used 889 times on Ravelry to make Tin Can Knit’s FREE pattern, Flax. Flax is an all-size design (but it’s limited exclusively to humans; canine, feline, avian, and reptilian sizes are note included) and will fit babies to the largest primate (you may need to make modifications if you’re knitting for one of our cousins on the evolutionary tree … and good luck getting a sweater on a gorilla outside of Photoshop).
Your needle sizes and yardage amount will vary based on the size you’re making, so I won’t list them here, but they’re basically:
Malabrigo Rios has been use 539 times to make this particular pair of socks, Rye. Rye is a great pattern for new sock knitters, it includes how-to instructions, and a full size range from baby to Adult L. Whether you’ve retreats the the cottage, your back-yard or the public park, socks are a great small project that travels extremely well and makes for a very impressive holiday gift.
BTW – getting your winter gifts done over the summer is the absolutely most satisfying feeling you’ll ever experience. It involves a little delayed satisfaction, but come October you’ll be extremely pleased with yourself, especially when you get the itch to make something nice for yourself and you find that you can!
Size
Baby (Toddler, Child, Adult S, M, L)
Finished Cuff (unstretched): 5 (5.75, 6.5, 7.25, 8, 8.75)” around
Finished Leg (adjustable): 2.5 (4.5, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8)”
Moss on the Old Oak is the kind of warp I yearn for on cool says and nights from the spring to fall. It’ll knit up beautifully in either the multicoloured or semi-solid colourways of Malabrigo Rios, and the pattern is offered in three sizes. It’s an advanced-beginner skill level, which is a nice niche for the spring.
Please forgive me for falling behind, I’m still catching up on my blogging (and knitting, and other things) … why does December have to consume such a large part of January? Anyway, I wanted to show you another success story, the Barbara cowl.
It’s a simple knit, and a free pattern, and makes for a nice splash of colour mid-way through winter. We used 2 skeins of Malabrigo Rios in colour 96 Sunset (I thought it would nice and sunny looking forward to spring, like Pantone colour Saffron), but any worsted weight yarn will do.
Mods
Barbara is knit lengthwise like a scarf and then seamed, so it isn’t particularly technically advanced. You can seam it into a regular loop or a mobius loop, whatever tickles your fancy. If you wanted to turn it into a scarf I’d work about 1.5″ in K1P1 rib at each end to give it a nice finish.
Barbara would of course look great in other yarns … I can see a nice fluffy version made with Drops Air (3 skeins). Something classic in a heathered colour would be great made with Cascade 220 Superwash (2 skeins/5mm-US8 needles) – a great knit for anyone who likes things simple. Personally, I’m really into Fibre Co. Road to China Light right now, I can see it making a super sexy accessory I’d never want to take off (3 skeins/4mm-US6 needles) … oh god, please help me, I think I just fell down a rabbit hole …. I’ll tell you about my progress with Road to China Light in my next post!
I’m sorry I haven’t written a proper post in a bit, I’ve been tied up with helping you guys in the store, humidity and life. Luckily, life works for us, and gives us little breaks where we can breathe, and contemplate, and write inspiring things!
I wanted to thank those of you who write, call, and stop by to tell me how appreciative you are – it means the world to me, and I’m very grateful for your feedback, it keeps me going! It’s the most rewarding thing in the word to know that I’m helping and inspiring you. It also helps me know that I’m on the right track, and when it’s time to make a change – both of which are incredibly valuable.
Thank you for connecting with me, it helps me connect with you. ~ Haley
First Winter Blanket
This pattern popped up on Ravelry last week and I think it’s absolutely brilliant in its simplicity. It’s a baby blanket that turns into a bunting – genius! It uses 3 skeins of one of my favourite yarns, Malabrigo Rios, an incredibly soft, hand dyed machine washable merino wool from Uruguay. The knitting is pretty basic, just garter stitch and seed stitch, so it’s accessible to knitters of all skill levels. The pattern is FREE, so Yay!
Plus, the manufacturer, Malabrigo Yarns, is committed to employing women who lack job opportunities, ecological sustainability and ethical animal husbandry. These things are important, and while it may sound kooky, I increasingly think that all the parts of the manufacturing process end up *in* the product. Trendy isn’t enough for me – I want more, I want JOY.
Does anything say Canada to Canadians more than the iconic Hudson Bay Blanket? It’s simple design is timeless and a hand-knit version would make for a super-special baby gift. The pattern is beginner friendly (it’s just straight knitting), and makes a great low-brain activity, summer project. And it’s FREE, so that’s a bonus too!
Yarn Options
The Hudson Bay Inspired Baby Blanket is made with worsted weight yarn, so you’ve got several great options to choose from! I’ve colour combined and art-directed the colours, so you don’t have to worry about which shades match and balance together – I’ve got you covered! Working with the palates available from each yarn line, I tired to create as many combinations that looked good as possible. I also tried to go for different aesthetics, the classics are closest to the iconic blankets sold by the Hudson Bay Company, and feature clearer, brighter colours. The subdued combos are a more modern, grown-up take on the hues, and are darker.
Cascade 220 Superwash is an affordably priced, machine washable Peruvian wool yarn. It’s soft enough for baby garments and blankets, knits easily, and has been a staple around here for a LONG time. If you aren’t into synthetics this is a great choice!
classic colours: six skeins of 817 Aran, and one skein each of 251 Evergreen, 809 Really Red, 877 Golden, 1924 Midnight Heather
slightly darker colours: six skeins of 817 Aran, and one skein each of 1950 Hunter Green, 893 Ruby, 877 Golden, 854 Navy.
Berroco Vintage is a super soft, machine washable blend of wool, acrylic and nylon. It’s easy on the hands and the pocketbook, and is another very popular choice for babies and kids. This yarn is also a longstanding resident around here.
classic colours: six skeins of 5101 Mochi, and one skein each of 5152 Mistletoe, 5151 Cardinal, 5121 Sunny, 51182 Indigo Heather.
somewhat subdued colours: six skeins of 5101 Mochi, and one skein each of 5193 Yukon Green, 51181 Ruby Heather, 5127 Butternut, 51182 Indigo Heather.
grown-up heathered colours: six skeins of 5101 Mochi, and one skein each of 5177 Douglas Fir Heather, 5181 Black Currant Heather, 5192 Chana Dal Heather, 51182 Indigo Heather.
Malabrigo Rios is one of my favourite yarns. It’s a hand dyed, machine washable, 100% merino wool that’s made in Uruguay. The colours are darker than the classic blanket combo, but no less beautiful.
subdued colours: six skeins of 063 Natural, and one skein each of 138 Ivy, 33 Cereza, 35 Frank Ochre, 150 Azul Profundo.
FYI, we were supposed to do the 25km ride, but we just kept going and scored ourselves an extra 25km … I’m a little tender in the posterior, but I totally earned my donations this year! If you wanted to donate but didn’t get around to it it isn’t too late – my brother is only $12 ahead of me, I think that needs to be rectified …
Me & my father at the half-way point on a particularly wet & cold Ride for Heart.
Ride for Heart
Some of you already know that every year I do a charity bike ride with my father. This year I managed to drag my BROTHER along, so all three of us are riding 25km up, and then back down the Don Valley Parkway (a local highway).
Anyway, the purpose of the even, besides getting out of the house and getting some exercise, is to rise funds for the Canadian Heart and Stroke association, who does A LOT of important work helping EVERYONE improve their cardiac health (after all, scientific research has no borders). According to an article in the news yesterday women are TWICE as likely to die from a heart attack than men. This is NOT GOOD, because I know from computery data stuff that 95% of the people reading this are WOMEN! Sure, I’ve got a vested interested in keeping you alive, many of you reading this are my clients, but I also feel strongly that the world needs women, as many as it can get. And as women, we deserve to be strong, healthy, and happy.
So not only am I going to ask you to donate to my ride for heart, but I’m going to ask you to write to your own Heart Health organization and ask them to fund research into women’s cardiac health (if you are Canadian it is the Heart and Stroke Foundation, if you are in the United States I believe it is the American Heart Association).
Thank You SO MUCH! ~ Haley
P.S. They symptoms of heart attack in women are often different than those seen in men. Women can have chest symptoms (the ‘Hollywood’ clutching of the chest & sweating), or any of the following:
profound nausea and vomiting with palpitations
lightheadedness
extreme fatigue
discomfort in the neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
Great Hera!
Since I’ve been talking about women’s health, who better to invoke than the head amazon herself, Wonder Woman. I’ve actually seen this hat in the wild, on some dude in the subway, and it was AWESOME. Sure, you can still wear your Pussy Hat to protests, but sometimes you want something a bit dressier for your day-to-day lady needs. The pattern isn’t free, but it’s only $3, which I don’t begrudge to have someone else do the work of charting the symbol.
To make things easier, I’ve pulled all the suitable colours off the shelf and come up with colour combinations that work well together (you can never really tell online which shades are actually going to look good). I personally like a darker, more sombre colour combo with a dark red, gold and blue, but I know that everyone has different Wonder Woman Toque needs, so I chose colours that were both thematically on cue and look great together. By the way, if this project appeals to you, you might want to bookmark or Pinterest this post for future reference – you’ll want to revisit the colour numbers!
Since this is such a cool project, and it is in honour of a charitable fundraising endeavour, we’re offering a one time discount of 10% Off Online orders of the yarns we think will work best (discount is applicable to all colours, you can have your order shipped or choose to order online and pick-up your order in store): Use code WONDERHAT at checkout.
Cascade 220 Superwash is a soft, machine washable, 100% Peruvian wool, it comes in a bunch of colours, and the price is very reasonable. You’ll need 1 skein in each colour plus optional 1 ball for pom-pom in colour 817 Aran:
Berrocco Vintage is a super soft, machine washable blend of wool and synthetic, and the price is right at $9.97/skein. You’ll need 1 skein in each colour, plus optional 1 skein for pom-pom in colour 5101 Mochi:
Clear Colours Combo: 5150 Berries, 5121 Sunny, 5143 Dark Denim
Medium Combo: 5181 Black Cherry Heather, 5127 Butternut, 5143 Dark Denim
Dark Combo: 5181 Black Cherry Heather, 5192 Chana Dal Heather, 51182 Indigo Heather
Malabrigo Rios is a hand dyed, SUPER soft, machine washable merino wool, and while the price point is higher at $23.97/skein, comparable hand dyed merino yarns tend to run north of $30/skein. You’ll need 1 skein in each colour, plus optional 1 skein of off-white for pom-pom in Manos Alegria Grande in AG2800:
Brighter Combo: 611 Ravelry Red, 96 Sunset, 415 Matisse Blue
Medium Combo: 611 Ravelry Red, 96 Sunset, 150 Azul Profundo
Dark Combo: 33 Cereza, 96 Sunset, 150 Azul Profundo (the dye lot of 33 is darker than the picture)
