Well, the Olympics are over (it’s been a week, when does the sadness go away?) and my sweater is still not done. While I do feel like a bit of a failure I have had lots of reassurances that it was a really hard project and I’ve done well. This tells me I have surrounded myself with nice people who had more reasonable expectations of how much they could knit in 2 weeks and a couple of days. Anyway, I’m over it and I moved on to a couple of new projects in the beautiful Cashsilk Lace from SweetGeorgia. I spent the weekend taking serious advantage of Emily’s lace expertise.

Brandywine

and Sunflower

They sound like hippy children kind of.They are coming together beautifully! I’m on a mission to master the world of lace this summer in an effort to knit all of the amazing lace and sock yarn I seem to have accrued. My hubby is out of town next weekend and it is time to reassess the stash. It could get ugly!

I have complete Olympic fever. I spent yesterday wandering around the crowded streets of Vancouver and it was amazing. The energy in town is infectious and the torch/cauldron was inspirational. I spent the day today cheering on our Canadian women’s hockey team at UBC’s Thunderbird. I even knit up a pair of Maple Leaf Mittens for mumsy to show her pride! (you can see them in this pic, very tiny).

I’m also working away on the Dude sweater for the Knitting Olympics. The sweater is  a tribute to the sweater in the movie The Big Lebowski. I so enjoyed drinking White Russians and watching that movie with my cousins in Winnipeg this past summer that I really just had to knit it. It is unfortunately all done in a 1×1 rib so that’s a bit time consuming but I still love the pattern. Very clearly written and well charted. I’m knitting the large size in Cascade Eco Wool.

Must get back to events!

February has begun and I am ready with some projects under my belt: I have finished some things! It was sort of my goal to knit up some of those hibernating projects that have been nagging at the back of my mind this year but with so many yummy yarns and colours flowing through the shop it has been damn near impossible!

The first project I finished that was not part of the stash was my newest pattern: The Canadian 2010 Headband. I thought this would be a nice little number to wear to the Olympics. I was lucky enough to get tickets to 2 women’s hockey games and 1 men’s hockey. I’m pretty stoked! I made this headband with some of my own hand dyed yarn (the blue/green) and Debbie Bliss Rialto DK. Kits will be available at Urban Yarns shortly. It’s a quick knit with snowflakes and maple leaves, who could ask for more?

The other finished object is my February Lady. I knit it up with Sweetgeorgia Superwash Worsted. 44″ bust meant 14 skeins but it was worth it. I’m still not sure the buttons were quite right but no matter, they are easy to change if I change my mind, right? I’m so smitten with the project I’m working on the baby version from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Knitter’s Almanac, FO forthcoming.

For those of you who can’t get enough Gourmet Crafter I will also be blogging for Urban Yarns on Mondays so you can check me out there too!

As I may have mentioned before I really quite like knitting for my dad. He genuinely likes knitted garments and appreciates the thought, time, and effort taken in creating said items. That being established I have had a few knitting fails over the years. One of my (many but let’s not talk about that) failings as a knitter is my lack of sweater experience. I have knit only a hand full and have a bit of trouble with sizing and seaming. It’s getting better but I’ve had to work my way to this point.

The first thing I knit for my dad on a slightly larger scale was a vest from Son of Stitch and Bitch. It was nice but a little short. The colours I chose were nice but hard to match with a shirt underneath. OK but not spectacular. Second was the Retropolitan Cardigan from the same book. I measured I considered and I knit. Many stripes and I did not carry the colours or knit it in one piece as I can so clearly now see that I should have. There were MILLIONS of ends to be woven in. I finally finished it and it was pretty good except for the arms. My very thin father has broad shoulders and thin arms. Tough to knit for. The sweater fits but the arms kind of look like flying squirrel arms. Unfortunate. He, of course, loves the sweater and wears it quite regularly. I told him it was OK to just wear that one around the house. Again, it functions as it should but lacks quite a bit in style.

This Christmas though, I figured I had it. I picked the pattern from a fantastic book: Queenland Collection Book 9. Many flattering and simple men’s patterns. Fitted, as is the style these days and with patterns I can follow. The sizing is also easy to follow and alter when necessary. I chose a nice green called Shiny Moss in Dream in Colour Classy yarn. A nice thickish yarn so not a painful project and the pattern: Dave. Everything went rather well, I knit it in 1 piece instead of three and the ribbing in the arms made the sweater a perfect fit! Dad loves it, it’s washable, and flattering. I can’t really ask for more in a sweater endeavour. Victory.

(Buttons purchased at Button Button of courses!)

This past August in Banff my cousin and I were camping out and I was never so cold in my life! As I shivered in my sleeping bag I had dreams of mittens and a scarf and a hat and some wool socks and…… I thought I would start my new cold summer night wardrobe with some warm mittens with a bit of an earthy feel to them.

That’s right, I just can’t get enough of a little stag cable. It matches my scarf and that makes me happy. One of my many New Year’s resolutions is to get out for a few more walks so I thought I would treat myself to some sumptuous mittens for the wintry air on Burnaby mountain in January and for the icy summer nights in the rockies. I used Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes, the colour is a lovely milk chocolaty brown. The stitch definition is great in this yarn, as needed to help the cables stand out.

The mittens fit snug through the cuff with a little increase after the thumb so that your fingers have some room to wiggle around. I realize some may not appreciate a long cuff like I do, so there are instructions to make it a little shorter.

To make these mittens you will need 2 skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas worsted hand dyes and some 5mm double pointed needles.

To purchase this pattern for $5 you can have it instantly through Ravelry here or you can purchase it though paypalhere and a copy of the pattern will be emailed to you.

I thought I would kick off the holiday season (I know, it’s the middle of December, whatever) with a free pattern. Sometimes really beautiful yarn just begs to be knit in a simple, no nonsense, way. I have been eyeing this skein of Handmaiden 4 ply cashmere for a while now, dyed in the ever stunning Nova Scotia colourway.

I would walk around the shop and every so often stop to admire it. Finally I decided to knit it up as a little treat, you just can’t beat cashmere around the neck. I devised this little number for a little texture but mostly to show of the lovely colour. I am already knitting up another one to combat this icy weather!

Ingredients:

3.75mm 16″ circular needle

1 skein Handmaiden 4 ply cashmere

Download free pattern Simple Yet Effective

Sometimes I like to think I am a crafty/somewhat artistic individual. I try my hand at many craftacular endeavours, some more successful than others, but I can never hope to master them all. I have scrapbooked, carded, beaded, dyed, macrame, baked, decorated, sewn (some awesome big pants, back when big pants were in, or at least when I thought they were in. Let’s talk about that later) quilted, crocheted, and of course, knit like there is no tomorrow. There are some things, however, I don’t even dare attempt. One of these things is pottery. I don’t think I’ve attempted any since my elementary and middle school days. I am luckily related to someone who is wonderful at creating pottery, my Aunty Nancy. She has been potting for some time and makes beautiful pieces.

At my cousin’s birthday a few weeks ago there was a large gathering of family and friends. I have a rather large family and we all hopped on the ferry to go the Vancouver island. My Aunt put on a lovely party in her welcoming home with many yummy dishes. One of my favorite things at her house was a table full of wonderful handmade mugs. When I say a table full, I really mean it. Full. A mug for everyone at the party. Dishes were served in beautiful pottery bowls as well. It was stunning. After dinner my Mom (another avid Alexander Pottery fan) and I took a tour of Aunty Nancy’s studio and I purchased this beautiful cream and sugar set. I am able to add these charming little items to an already solid collection. From my wedding I also have a tea pot, a set of dessert plates, and 2 large bowls. They look lovely on display and in use.

Nancy has recently started her own blog here and is planning a show the weekend of December 5th and 6th. If you are on the island you can check out her studio (details on the blog) or, if you aren’t local, her website is here for you to check out.

I suppose these patterns aren’t really that old but I thought I would give them another knit in some new yarns. It’s turning colder and I need something quick and satisfying to keep me going through my slog of Christmas knitting. I just read that sentence back and it sounds like I hate Christmas! This is not true, I love Christmas and I love knitting for Christmas. Really. Mostly. There are moments.

Anyhow, back to the scarves. I re-knit the 2×2 cable scarf and the mock cable scarf. For the mock cable I did everything exactly the same but with Luxury Alpaca Sport (a misleading name, it’s not really a sport weight yarn…..) I just added more buttons.The 4 button look gives the scarf a little more structure. It becomes a little more collar-like, which is nice.

I originally purchased these buttons for a sweater but it was not meant to be. I went to Button Button, which is definitely one of my top places to be at any given moment, to get buttons for my Dad’s Christmas sweater (are you picturing a hideously colourful fair isle sweater that is too big? That’s not what it looks like but that image jumps to mind when I hear Christmas sweater). I did not, however, make a note of how many buttons I would need or which size. I guessed it would be 6 buttons and purchased 8 just in case. It took 11 and they were much bigger than I had anticipated. While I am not saddened at the prospect of another Button Button trip, I did feel I should use these buttons wisely. I put 4 on the mock cable scarf and I feel that satisfied my quick project, buttery soft alpaca, and button needs all in one go.

The other re-knit I was working on is the 2×2 button scarf. The yarn I knit it in originally (Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky) has been discontinued so I felt it could use a revamp. We recently received some new colours in the Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky at the shop and being a big fan of blue I picked out 2 skeins of Atlantis. I knit this scarf on 10mm needles and omitted the first and last 2 rows of the pattern.

These patterns are availble through Ravelry (Mock Cable Scarf here and 2×2 Cable Scarf here) or you can order through paypal (Mock Cable Scarf here and 2×2 Cable Scarf here) and a copy of the pattern will be emailed to you.

It may have become clear from previous posts but I am completely smitten with mittens. Working with more than one colour and being able to add designs to these charming little items have not diminished this infatuation. The image of the bird has also been an inspiration to me before (see Birds of a Feather Shrug). While I always swear I’m done with mittens for a bit each time I complete a pair, it never seems to take. I am also quite inspired by some of the images and icons of Canada as of late, cowichan sweaters being one. These mittens combine each of these loves.

They are knit with one of my very favorite yarns, Blue Sky Alpacas Sport. This yarn is warm and just the right amount of fuzziness for my taste, that is to say . The lining (of course there is a charming lining!) is made with the super soft Brushed Suri which makes these mittens extra insulated. They are a bit of warm deliciousness as the weather gets chilly.

My lovely cousin Danielle was kind enough to model them for me and she thought they were perfect for our walk through Beacon Hill Park in Victoria. I used Blue Sky Alpacas Sport, 2 skeins molasses, 1 skein streaky brown, 1 skein cream for the outside and for the mitten lining (optional but really fabulous): Blue Sky Alpacas Brushed Suri 2 skeins whipped cream.

My hands are rather large (8 inches around) so I knit them on 3.5mm needles and they fit well. If your hands are a little smaller you may want to change your needle size. The mittens seemed rather large as I was knitting them but the lining made a big difference. They really filled out with a little whipped cream in them

To purchase this pattern for $7 you can visit my Ravelry page or you can click here to order via paypal and the pattern will be emailed to you.

You might be asking yourself, where has the Gourmet Crafter gone? Will she come back? Is she knitting? Or maybe (probably) you haven’t been wondering at all but hopefully you will be glad I’m back in action. Where have I been: dying. A few months ago my good friend Kalin introduced me to dying with Kool-Aid and I was hooked. I took a wonderful class with Felicia from Sweet Georgia yarns and took it to the next level. I was so smitten with dying, the satisfying feeling of taking blank yarn from white or beige to beautiful brilliant colours. That was when I had the bright idea to create my own line of yarn: Gourmet Crafter Yarns.

As usual, I wanted to combine my love of photography and colour with a love of yarn and knitting. I took some of my favorite photos from around town and a few from across the country and used them as colourway inspiration. Some are handpainted, some are kettle dyed. I had so much fun creating the concept and developing the yarns. I learn more each time I do it!

Without further ado I would like to introduce Gourmet Sock

115g (approximately 380 yards or 347 meters)

80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon

28 stitches per 4 inches

Suggested Needle Size : 2.25mm- 3.25mm (US1-3)

Colours:

Davie Street: So named for the famously flamboyant street in Vancouver. I have always loved the rainbow, so cheerful.

Whale Watching: So named for a fantastic whale watching trip I took with my husband in the Bay of Fundy. If you look closely you can see the spout of a Humpback whale in the distance. The beautiful blue green waters were the inspiration for this colourway.

Granville Island Cherries: One of my favorite things to do is to head down to the Granville Island market for some fresh produce, fresh pasta (Yam and Chestnut Triangolini is my personal fave), delicious bagels and much much more. Rainier and regular cherries (what are regular cherries called?) are plentiful in Vancouver in the summer and I always enjoy a bowl.

Hastings Graffiti: A few months ago my friend James and I went on a photography excursion with the goal of getting some cool graffiti. There were many pieces to choose from in Gastown and beyond. This particular piece is on Hastings street.

Moraine Lake: As I may have mentioned my cousin and I took a trip to Winnipeg and on the way we stopped in Banff and checked out the lovely Moraine Lake, so famously featured on the Canadian $20 bill.

Backyard Greens: I love the greens in my Mumsy’s backyard. She always has lots of plants and flowers in both her back and front yard, I had lots to choose from but I have been a bit taken with bright greens of any kind this year!

Fall Leaves: Living on Burnaby Mountain I enjoy watching the leaves change. Not only does it signal the start of knitting season (not that I don’t get my fair share in the off season but warm and woolies go much better with cold weather, let’s face it). As well as a changing of seasons I also love the colours of fall which make their way through the leaves. From green to yellow, orange, red, and finally brown. These bright red leaves with their dark burgundy veins (I know they aren’t really veins but I couldn’t think of a better way to describe them) were photographed just outside my door.

Robin’s Egg: Last but not least a speckled delight. Robin’s eggs are always so beautiful with their soft blue speckled with brown.

I started out with a small amount of yarn (30 skeins) and a few photos. I was originally planning on putting them up for sale on Etsy but when Anina and Jan (my awesome bosses at Urban Yarns and no, I’m not just saying that because they might read this!) saw the yarn they had to have it all! So, my yarn can be purchased at Urban Yarns and can be ordered via email (Urban Yarns contanct info here). If you have any questions, or requests for the next batch, you can email me at gourmetcrafter@gmail.com