'Tis the Season

It's gift knitting season, and I've made several items to gift.  I enjoy making things to give, and make items for my 'gift bin' all year long.  This makes giving to people like teachers, colleagues, and friends easier with minimal holiday knitting rush.  My gifts are small accessories - not all recipients appreciate hand-made.  This year, I made and gifted:

Old Castle set by Lisa Mutch (teacher gift)

Striped Stitchplay Cowl, my own design (gift for colleague)

Wislawa by Bristol Ivy (birthday gift for friend)

Gramps by TinCan Knits (baby gift)

Not a lot of gifts to give, but all were knit ahead of time which leaves me with lots of time to knit what I want to knit during the holidays.  Just the way I like it!

yarn of my dreams vs. yarn in my budget

I love knitting books and magazines, especially the ones that come with thick pages and lots of photos that come from overseas (Laine, PomPom).  They are more collectors items than recyclable reads for me.  Often, though, the cost of the suggested yarn is far beyond my means, and often quite literally out of reach to purchase even online.  (Note: I've never purchased yarn online, more on that to come).

I have learned to pay close attention to the fibre content, suggested gauge, and my own experience to pick something to substitute.  My LYS is a great place to go with a pattern - Tina will suggest something that will work that she has in stock. I also often rely on Yarnsub.com to help me find suitable alternatives to the yarn found in the patterns I want to knit.  I scroll down to see if I recognize a suggestion that my LYS might have, or one I know is comparable.

A few examples:

Nuuk (Laine issue 1) - suggested yarn is Brooklyn Tweed Shelter.  To purchase the required amount of this online from a Canadian store (which avoids exchange rates and international shipping), the cost of the sweater would be $142.38.   Instead, I chose Cascade 220 at my LYS and paid about $55.00 for the materials.

More recently, I knit Lanes (also Laine issue 1) - suggested yarn is Walk Collection DK, a yarn not available to purchase in Canada.  I'd have to buy it online in the UK at 125 GBP or $210 CDN before shipping and customs.  I used an alpaca blend from my LYS (purchased a few years ago) that cost about $60.

My next few projects from Laine, Pompom, or other sources will not use the suggested yarn, either.  I'll find a substitution that works that I can buy locally (or that I already have in stash, also purchased at my LYS).

Up next is Luoto (Laine issue 4) - suggested yarn is Quarry by Brooklyn Tweed. Purchased online, the skein with tax and shipping will cost $45.20.  A bit pricey for a hat.  I'll use Berroco Inca Tweed, purchased for about $22.00.

I know that purchasing online is the only option for some, and realize I'm fortunate to have two LYS within reasonable driving distance from home.  One day, I might change my mind but for now the hunt for a good substitution is part of the challenge (and fun!) of planning a project.

all FOs

Quiet on the blog, busy with the knitting.  Trying to carve out more knitting time and focusing on depleting the stash. 

Finished projects are almost all accessories:

Coastal walk by Joji Locatelli (Malabrigo Arroyo)

Sharman by Bristol Ivy - more like a shrug than an accessory but wears more like a shawl than a cardigan. 

Oldcastle Hat by Lisa Mutch (Malabrigo Mecha)

Tread Hat by Shannon Cook (Juniper Moon Stratus)

Lanes Cardigan by Joji Locatelli (Twilleys of Stamford Mist) - pattern is from Laine Magazine (No. 1), my favourite issue so far.  I've knit 2 items from it so far with a third ready to cast on.  All of the Laine patterns definitely match my aesthetic.  I find the muted colours, classic shapes, and natural fibres fit with what I want to knit right now.  More coming as I queue and cast on (next post?).

Trellis Mitts by Mari Muinonen (Briggs and Little Heritage)

Mittens are from Vogue Knitting, part of my "Then and Now" KAL - challenge was to pick a pattern from 2018 edition, and another from a decade prior (any issue with a year ending in '8').  These are my "then", coming from the Fall 2008 magazine. 

My "now" project is a four-colour shawl from the Fall 2018 issue.  It's knit in worsted weight and again I'm using yarn from stash (Cascade 220- black, Estelle Worsted - cranberry, Cornelia Hamilton worsted - gold, and Berroco Vintage - gray)

It's a lot of garter with a bit of lace and texture to break it up.  Easy knitting while watching tv!


Blogging seems a bit 'past' but I do like archiving the projects and my thoughts here.  May be to an audience of none, but I still have goals for the next few months.  December is here and as I think ahead I'd like to set more of a schedule so that I can get into a routine here.