We're going to Gibsons!!

The Darling One and I are headed to the Sunshine Coast this weekend!
We are going to Unwind Knit and Fibre Lounge in Gibsons!

There will be a trunk show of my yarns, and I will be giving free demonstrations!
My demos will be on solar dyeing, eco printing, and making your own mordants.
Both Friday night and Saturday morning I will be teaching all three of these things.

I do have to admit that my most liked thing that I do for work is teaching people to naturally dye- every time I teach natural dyeing, I learn as well.

Dear Toronto...

Dear Toronto!
(And others out in the East)
I have sent off yarn to Lettuce Knit in Toronto!
And I am terribly excited to be working with them!!
Here is an armload of cashmere, silk, and BFL yarns that are going to arrive shortly!

I have sent a Cashsilk which is getting it's very own pattern put out this December (Free on Ravelry), as well as a DK BFL superwash which is the perfect weight for Uphill,  as well as a 100% silk in a 4-ply weight! 

The natural dyestuff includes walnut husks collected by my Mom from a tree that I used to climb as a child, flowers that I grew this past summer, onion skins collected by friends (And my local organic grocery store)... and many more!

Also... there are two other super-secret patterns on their way for these two yarns!!

TOLT!

I've been following Tolt on Instagram for a number of months... anxiously awaiting for it to open.
Their photos are super dreamy, and it looked like a place I needed to go.

So my lovely Ange and I set out early on Saturday, and adventured off to America! We even rented a car called 'fiesta' which really was a party!

I ended up with many lovely yarns... (Peace Fleece, Spin Cycle, and a book by Tiny Owl Knits)

I recommend you adventure out to Tolt... I'm already planning my next adventure there!

(Here is a photo I got from their website... so lovely!)

And please note: when you tell the border guard you are crossing to go to a yarn shop opening... they're going to look at you strangely!

Travels and Fun

I haven't gotten to our photos of San Fransisco yet... those are coming.
BUT I went to San Fransisco!!
Want to Know my highlights?
1. There was a Stitch n Bitch held for me at a comic shop around the corner from Princess Animal!
This super-rad yarn shop is fantastic. I couldn't walk away without a few amazing skeins. One was a self-striping Pink/black/white sparkle skein! Seriously... I love it!
2. The gardens at Alcatraz. We went there and toured around... BUT the gardens! The lady working in them and I totally nerded out about the dye plants there. !! I love it!
3. Imagiknit. They get to test all of Malabrigo's new yarns before they go to the rest of the world. I walked out with an armload of special yarns. <3
4. A Verb For Keeping Warm. I went to their monthly yarn tasting. !!!!

I love San Fransisco. SO MUCH!!
I am waiting on the darling one to edit photos... then you can see for yourself!

Teaching

I just got finished teaching a workshop on using the Ashford Knitter's Loom at Baaad Anna's Yarn Store.
I am always SO nervous whenever I teach.
I get nervous the night before, and begin to doubt myself, and question why I agree to teach.
BUT THEN!

I get to the class, and then I realize that teaching is just explaining what you know to other people!
I just get to show people things that i'm passionate about!

How rad is that!?

SO with that I have to admit tat I do like teaching! Wow.

Learning life lessons. 

Princess Animal

I got asked to do an interview!
So this rad lady from Princess Animal in San Fransisco (A rock n roll craft bar! So cool!!) contacted me... she found me because of the 'Once Upon a Time' blanket I made!

Check out the blog post here....

Now I just need to send her a skein of yarn as a thank you!!

Blogged at work...

I took this from the blog at my work. I wrote it about holiday things...

We’re coming up on holiday gift season! Which sounds pretty silly to the non-knitters/crocheters… because it is still sunny and warm. What they don’t understand is that September is when the leaves start changing colours, the air gets cooler, and the days grow shorter. All of these brilliant changes into Autumn give us fibre crafters the push into “OMG! I have so many gifts to make!!! OH NO!” but also, “I get to go to my LYS and check out some one-skein-wonders to make as gifts!”
Now is the time (Leading right up to December 23^rd usually…) that I get asked “What are you making as gifts this year?” So here it is… My list of my top 5 things that I love, and will be making as gifts. Also, the yarns I will be using! Also, Mom… if you are reading this, I am not putting what i’m making for you on here.
1. Amy March’s Slippers By Tiny Owl Knits. These are the SWEETEST things! And you get to add your own flare with ribbons and lace! I’ve made these before, and the pattern is simple! Also, this designer is amazing. She makes the sweetest things… they makes me want to become a forest creature. I will be knitting these out of the Diamond Luxury Collection Galway Chunky. It is a sturdy yarn, but is beautiful and softens as you work with it!
2. Regina By Carina Spencer. This hat looks like something a mermaid would wear. A slouchy cloche is a simple one-night-project. I love it… and am thinking it would work really well with Malabrigo Rios. Those hand-painted colours will look lovely!
3. Wtich Hat for Pets By Barbra Szabrowicz. It is pretty self-explanitory. I am a cat person… and I have many lovely cat people in my life. And this holiday season… it is time to dress them up! I am going to be using the Diamond Luxury Superwash Merino Aran. I can probably get around 2-3 hats per ball! Genious!
4. The Figurehead Shawl By Alexis Winslow. This is a small, striped neckerchief that is so, so sweet!I have a few people that i’m thinking of that this will look SO great on! Making it from the MiraSol Miski. Such a soft, slouchy baby llama! I’m in love!
5. Baktus Scarf By Strikkelise.http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baktus-scarf I’ve made this one many times before… but I love it! I will be using the Diamond Luxury Mulberry Merino. Soft and lovely! I will make a bunch of these I think . Maybe some out of the Asland Trends Royal Alpaca… aka, the softest thing i’ve ever felt!

Twenty

There will be twenty new skeins of naturally dyed yarn at Baaad Anna's early next week.


What colors would you like to see?

Oh Montreal!

So i've been back for about a week, and settled back into my life!


So my Darling One was sent off to Montreal for a week to tattoo at Tatouage Royale.
And I got to go too!!


We stayed with a dear friend downtown. He gave up his room, and slept on the couch. (That guy is a doll. I love him!) The apartment had two amazing roommates that were very hospitable, and fun to hang out with... and the most beautiful HUGE terrace i've ever seen!


About Montreal-
Two things: 
1. I get lost. A LOT. Even in Vancouver. Often.
2. I speak terrible french. VERY terrible. I stress out going into stores, and I practice in my head what I am going to say. 

My big plan- Go to all of the yarn stores.... take the metro or busses to do so.... and don't get lost. 

HA!

Yarn Store #1- Escape Tricot. 
They by far, hands down were the friendliest... nicest yarn store. They had a GREAT selection of local and independent dyers, had couches to chill on... and an all around great atmosphere. It was close to a metro, and easy to find. 


The customers that they had chilling on the couches were super-friendly also. 


I waled out with a few skeins of hand dyed yarn,some locally made buttons, and the new 2012 Jane Austin Knits magazine. 

Yarn Store # 2- Effiloche
This was a yarn store/Fabric Store. They has a super selection of fabrics.... which I resisted. Because I instead bough MUCH yarn. I got 2 skeins of Fleece Artist. In the same colour... which may end up being a warp for a scarf... once I get myself a knitter's loom. 
Again, close to a metro... in a pretty area. Good cafes all around there!


Yarn Store #3-Magasin de Fibre l b
They are very similar to Yarnia in Portland. It is the DIY yarn store... meaning that you choose fibers from comes, and they spin the yarn together for you! BEST!
I got some red yarn, and made some knitted red squares! (More to come on that later!)
Mount-Royal is a rad area of town.


Yarn Store #4-Mouline

This place is moving soon... so they were having a super-sale... meaning, I went super-wild on buying things! The lady working there nerded out on yarn with me, and she was really nice. I like getting to chat about working in yarn stores with other yarn store employees. We love our jobs! 
They had SO MUCH YARN! This place is chalk-full of yarn.  For reals!
And they had so much Madeline Tosh! (So I got some... and made a scarf for a friend that took care of our cat while we were gone!)
Again... Close to a metro stop. Easy to find!


Yarn Store #5- A la Tricoteuse
They had a bunch of regular name brand yarns. Cascade... Diamond. All the usual suspects. I ended up with some Cascade Cloud in a grey colour. 
This yarn- Soft like a cloud. FOR REAL!
It is close to downtown, and many other fun places. 


Yarn Store #6- À La Lainerie Lépine
This place was pretty far out of the city... but you can get there by taking the metro, and a short bus ride. 
They had A LOT of yarn. Mostly acrylic... but some good natural fibres scattered throughout. I ended up with a few balls of linen, and some angora/wool mix. 
The lady that worked here was so terribly sweet. We got to have some good yarn talk! 
This is the kind of yarn store that you need some time to lurk though, and you will find gold! (At super-great prices too!)


IN OTHER NEWS!
The student protests were heating up when we got there. 
One night there was a report that 400,000 people out marching. 


It was INCREDIBLE! I was proud to be able to take part. 


I did see a lot of police brutality.. against people that were (for real) not doing anything illegal. Not a surprise to me.... but true. 


But let us look at the happy parts of the protests.... There were people from every demographic out. This is a movement with real heart. 


Also:
Lightning storms- DUUUUUDE! So beautiful! 
Photo Booths- They are everywhere in Montreal! (I took many photo booth photos while I was there!)
Cheap Wine- Montreal has it all! 


So all around. Great!
Thank you Montreal!

My frst yarn store in Montreal.

Yesterday I went to Espace Tricot!
First: I got there all by myself (with a map). This is a BIG deal.
I am lost all of the time. It isn't as though I meant to be lost... I think I may just pay attention to other things....

Second: I got there by Metro. I figured out how to re-load a metro card (OPUS) that a friend lennt me. Everything was in french. I'm slowly catching on to this french thing... remembering grade 11 french...

So now! The yarn store!

They were AMAZING!!
Their space was beautiful, with much natural light. They carried SO MANY nice yarns.

They had just recieved a big shipment of Sweet Georgia Yarn, and there was about 6 people stikering the skeins.

They also has HUGE selections of Hand Maiden, and Tanis fiber arts.
So I bought some.

The Hand Maiden is going to be the weft for a woven scarf, and the Tanis is going to be a cowl for my darling one. (He got a motorcycle, and would like a cowll for riding)

I also got a copy of Jane Austin Knits Summer 2012. Very many sweet patterns in that mag!

Finally I got some locally made buttons. They are super-sweet!

---Now I have to say, I have been to friendly yarn stores before... but the ladies that worked here (As well as the patrons) were SO NICE!! They had a genuine interest in my life. So touching to feel that much positivity!

They also reccomended a few other yarn stores for me to check out... so rad!

If you're ever in Montreal... please go there! Just going to see their beautifully knitted store samples is eneough to pull in the non-knitters!

Yarn store #2

So today I went to Effiloche.

It is a yarn store/sewing lounge.

They had some pretty lovey stuff. Cute neighborhood too!

The fabric prints were beautiful... But all I walked out with was this Fleece Artist Sea Wool.

New yarn at the yarn store!

Check it out!