#thegreatyarndestash

Here we are... My first ever sale on the blog. I really hope you will be inspired by it and knit this yarn - the skeins are really beautiful but not really my colours. And although I could probably make presents out of them, if I am not excited about a colour I usually procrastinate about the projects. 

The prices exclude postage, but I am happy to ship internationally. I will let you know how much it will be beforehand and make sure you are ok with it. Of course it is a better deal if you are based in the UK. 

Let me know in your comment box which skein you want and your PayPal address. 

First to comment on a skein, first to get it!  I will try to ship as quickly as possible. 

Don't hesitate to contact me for further details. For the TFA skeins there are patterns published for just that one skein on Ravelry. Happy shopping!

And the winner is

And the winner is Helen!! I sent you an email and all I need is your address! Congrats!

Le Béret de l'Ecolière | A Finish {Knitting}

 

I have posted quite a lot on social media about this project, and it is finished, gone to Canada, styled and now blogged! Whoohoo! It will be a free pattern to be released in a couple of weeks on the blog.

The Beret was knitted for the lovely Cee from Coco and Vera - and marks my third collaboration with a fashion blogger (my first two collaborations resulted in a slouchy beanie hat and, of course, the book clutch). I love these collaborations. They take me out of my comfort zone, and really make me think from the end result to the process to achieve it. I usually see a pattern and then try to imagine what it would look like - it is a very interesting point of view to do it the other way.

The brief was simple: a raspberry beret that would not be itchy. Cee happens to be allergic to animal hairs, and was really sad not be able to wear any knitting stuff.And the thread solution came from the TFA's Year in Colour Club 2013 January package, a skein of Mulberry Silk (100% silk). And guess what, it works for Cee!

 And it is amazing to knit with. And the colour, OMG the colour.. I have tried really hard to capture it - but I am still not sure I am doing it justice. 

In case you wonder, the beret requires one skein, held double. It is really not complicated, but makes a nice change of shape! Better get back to writing this pattern..

Watercolours | Finished Beanie Hat {Knitting}

Me: 'Look at my new beanie hat'

Mr MiH (not looking up): 'Yeah yeahI know, it is really good, but I have seen it many times you know'

Me: 'Really, because I have just finished it and you have not seen it finished'

Mr MIH (finally looking up): 'What? you have finished it, but when?'

I like how Mr MiH is always surprised that I can finish projects - every time it is a revelation to him that I can start many projects AND finish (some of) them (not all, otherwise he may have a heart attack). 

Pattern: Framed Slouch by Tanis Lavallee

Yarn: TFA Orange Label Cashmere/silk Worsted (in Mosaic)

Needles: DPNs 4 mm and 4.5 mm
Size: one size fits all

Modifications: None (needed to focus on the cable work), but if I were to knit it again I would knit the brim with even smaller needles so it is tighter. I would not want to lose this hat. Also I only had DPNs to knit it, and it was a bit of a nightmare - basically too many needles. I would buy circular needles, totally worth it, and would make it a much quicker knit. 

Result: The slouch is not too slouchy (some Ravelers have decided not to knit one repeat, I knitted the whole pattern and it is fine). I love the colours (should work with any outfit, hopefully), and the cable work is amazing, especially at the back. I think it would also look great in grey - here's a thought...   

Although you cannot get the pattern until next year, you should definitely think of getting a skein of this beautiful yarn. It is soft, not scratchy and a dream to work with. The colours will make any project interesting. I am just inspired by some of the colour combinations that you obtain throughout. I am not even sure how you end up with such colour on a skein - very clever. 

Looking quite scared - probably because it is
7am and I had 4 hours of sleep..

And my contribution to the knit 12 hats in one year!

TFA Yarn Club | a review {Knitting}

Around this time last year, I joined the TFA's Year in Colour Club that is run by Tanis Fibre Arts in Canada. It was before I had Baby MiH and I still had visions of hours spent knitting. I do knit, but nowhere the hours I had in mind as I prefer to spend them with Baby MiH.

I thought that joining a yarn club would also be great. A new skein of yarn every other month and a pattern designed just for that one skein of yarn. And of course It was clear to me that I would have time to knit all of them during the year. 

Fast forward nearly 10 months now, and I have not knitted any of the patterns. This is not just because of Baby MiH. It was true for the first one (came in January and there was no chance of me tackling a lace pattern with a one-month old), but I was not really inspired by the other skeins. The yarn was amazing but not really my colours. I suppose this is what I found when joining quilting bees or yarn club  I am not in charge anymore, and I don't like it (in other words I am a control freak). Someone else decides what I have to make and the colour scheme. And it does not work. 

Until this month... A worsted yarn made it through my door, and did you see that colour. It is amazing. So the great thing about the yarn club is that you can also get an amazing skein you would not get anywhere else. 

And I had to cast on then and there. This month pattern is also challenging - I have not knitted cables for a while, so that's also pushing me a bit. And suddenly I am reconciled with joining this particular yarn club. 

I may not join next year. I am going back to work and I feel this will have its own set of challenges, but I will definitely consider it when we get into our new routine. 

Have you joined yarn clubs or bees? What is your experience? Or more to the point I am the only control freak out there... 

PS: I am in France this weekend, so it is my first time blogging through the Blogger app. I hope it works. I may have to edit later though... Has anyone used it?