Year Of Making: Baktus Scarf

          In amongst all the gift making, cookie eating and bouts of croup we sunk in some time at the beach to frolic in the pale winter sunshine- to celebrate the longest night of the year and also this striped scarf! Quite awhile ago I admired this striped goodness over on Christine Chintis' blog- OK I may have stalked this scarf for some time until I found the perfect wool - Madeline Tosh-over the summer in Portland at Knit Purl. The pattern was traced back to the Baktus Scarf pattern a quick and easy knit indeed!

         Those who know me in person can attest that this little bit of softness has been in constant rotation since it came off the needles- a comforting weight on my shoulders as the days get cooler. I love a good stripe- some say I may have a problem as there are just so many stripes in my closet! I am nothing if not consistent!

        Once again in my knitting journey even the most simplest of patterns has taught me something- with this Baktus Scarf I learned about knitting with two colours of wool.  Something I really struggled to wrap my brain around- thanks You Tube for helping me figure that one out! Now that I am able to knit my beloved stripes there really is no stopping me - perhaps instead of store bought striped socks I will knit my next pair!

PS- no I did not knit my hat- a hat for myself is in my queue
PSS- I am not sure how much more Pacific Northwest I can get here- feel free to mock away at the Buffalo Plaid- black rimmed glasses- Blundstones ect ect!
PSSS- thanks to my Mr for taking these pics- I love that guy!

Simple Needle Felting- Valentine's Cardi

           I love Valentine's Day- what I don't really love is being told what colour to wear or indulge in on that certain day- and so when faced with another day of pink and red I decided it would be fun to change things up a bit! I love hearts and turquoise and I especially love my Littlest one wearing her heart on her sleeve - this Valentine's Day in addition to the red and pink we will have some little blue hearts. This adorable felted heart project was inspired by a post over on Design Sponge- hop on over to check out all the V-day fun!

            To make your own felted heart patches you will need one wool sweater- we thrifted this one- a small square of dense foam from any upholsterer- single barbed felting needles which we picked up local at Maiwa and some fun colours of wool roving- also from Maiwa- nothing like a visit to Granville Island for supplies!

            Decide where the hearts should be placed on the sweater- we chose the elbows- to mimic elbow patches- but this is a great little project to mend holes in sweaters and blankets. Once you have decided on placement slide the foam block inside the sweater- which allows the needle to go through the fibre and beyond without damaging the needle or the surface below. Working in small sections I started near the top half circle area of the heart and started the felting process by shaping and placing the wool roving on top of the sweater- the best approach to needle felting is a straight up and down with the needle. Start at one end of your shape and work your way around the shape- working your needle up and down integrating the fibres until you have one solid shape.

         Once you have achieved a solid felted piece remove the foam block from the sweater- separating the felted sweater and fibres from the foam. Again this technique is fantastic for fixing holes in wool blankets or worn areas on sweaters- like elbows. Weather for Valentines Day or every day this is a great way to perk up any tiered sweater from the thrift shop! Meanwhile if you need me I will be wiping up a pie with heart shaped crust!

Some Knitting For A Small Being

          The requests for hand knits keep rolling in and I do the best that I can to follow through on my promises- of course when it comes to my own small girl requesting a new hat for the winter how could I resist! She is the bright spot in my winter- sporting head to toe pink this season it is unlikely I will misplace her. Now I myself am not a fan of pink- in fact I feel like far too much is marketed to girls by simply being pink. I have had to really duct tape my mouth shut when it comes to opposing the colour as my girl really- really likes it. This is about her not me- and for a five year old a colour like pink comes with zero connotations- no baggage with loving the colour pink for this kid!

        So I have started to refer to the shade as "watermelon" and when she decided she needed a hat to go with her new coat I knew I had just the wool in my stash- locally made in Chilliwack B.C. this is a yummy soft alpaca died with Logwood and Cochineal-  I bought it years ago at a farmer's market. I decided a little Keaton Hat was just the ticket for this magical wool- quick and easy to knit up- the shape is super simple- all topped off with a bit of fun!

         As much as I try to keep my Littles- well little- they just seem to keep growing- far too quickly for my taste! Looking back at this time last year my girl still napped and enjoyed being pushed around in the stroller- how it is that she walks to and from school each day with very little complaint I have no idea. While life moves pretty fast these days and children seem to be so savvy I feel it is my job to keep her little- to try and slow things down a bit- in the city especially I feel this slow life is a necessary foil.

       All this to say that my girl asked for a new pink hat and I made her one!

Thrifted Thursday

          These crisp days are probably my favourite fall weather- cold and crisp and sunny- no rain- which means bring on the layers of wool! Wearing wool on the west or wet coast has it's merits but it also has it's draw backs- usually my wool is worn in layers- topped off with waterproof rain gear. These days it's the wool thats the star of the show- so many good outfits to be seen- layers of sweaters and scarves- not to mention all the great boots that have been spotted lately! Not a speck of rain wear to be spotted!

          On a recent trip to good old Value Village I happened across this vintage Alia wool plain topper- now I realize the risk associated with such a brand- it is easy to venture into crazy cat lady territory when sporting Alia! To keep this cute topper youthful I'm pairing it with my ever present dramatically cuffed boyfriend jeans and some basic desert boots. This light weight yet warm jacket is the perfect thing to throw on for school pick up or to run out for milk. Functional for my Mom duties yet still cool enough for me to channel my inner beatnik!

P.S. yes I am growing out my hair- again- and yes it is a bird's nest these days so thank heavens for hat season!

In The Nest

            The cold weather arrived with a gust the other night- actually several gusts- all night long- our first real storm of the season sent umbrellas inside out and patio furniture scattering. I am feeling that once the clouds part we will see snow dusting the North Shore mountains- it's just that time of the year. With the less than delightful weather I have been pushing myself to stay active outside- which can be tricky because I would rather spend my winter curled up in the corner of the sofa next to my knitting basket.

           So much can be said about self care and for me it is so easy to just hibernate- spend my days inside where it is warm and dry- my inner bear really likes this behaviour. I've been around this old sun enough times to know better though- my mental health is always better when I am breathing the fresh air and stretching my legs. Striving to find that balance between the cozy nest that is our home and the bracing elements which always give me a clearer head is hard and something that does not come easily to me.

           My new goal or challenge every week this winter is to document the delightful surprises I find on my urban hikes- juxtapose them against the splendid coziness of home and be celebrate the extreme differences. To be honest this little challenge will not be all that hard- not only do we live in a beautiful place but lets be honest the elements in Vancouver are not all that harsh! A fun game I will make of it all indeed- tricking myself into a fun fall adventure!

           As the days get darker and the earth starts to fall into slumber I notice like most animals our family wants to tuck into home more and more- drawing in closer to the light. I love this time of year-  when the veil is thin- this is truly the season for relaxing- slumbering and recharging.  I'm bringing lots of yummy textures into our living space- warm, nubby blankets from Mexico- fuzzy pillows- of course the lovely texture in my knitting basket- all encouraging us to cozy into our den.

In The Studio: Dyeing With IDye

         Recently I have had a number of folks asking questions relating to dyeing fabric and wool- mostly friends who want to dye old clothes- either to cover up a stain or with an eye to a customized wardrobe. What ever the reason behind the dye questions a running theme keeps coming through- folks want to learn how to dye textiles but are intimidated by the process- so much so they often don't even try. I totally understand this intimidation- unsure about what dyes to chose, what pot to use and what the heck is a non- iodized salt! So in an effort to lesson the veil of mystery surrounding textile dyeing I thought I would introduce my readers (and friends who want to dye) to a few basic, commercially available dye options. Today we are talking about IDye- and easy to use, no mess dye- an excellent starter dye for someone dipping their toes into the dye pot!

           To start with- when dyeing any fabric- including pre existing garments it is necessary to wash textiles in a pH neutral detergent- I used Synthrapol. This removes any impurities from the textile- including grease and starches from the production process- allowing the dye to bond properly and evenly to the fabric. For wool I would suggest using the detergent as more of a pre-soak- do not put your skeins of wool into the washing machine- that would be a hot mess. Pre- wet all fabric before placing textiles in the dye pot- again this allows the dye to bond the the fibres more redly and evenly.

         Follow the directions on the Idye packet- they actually are very straight forward and easy- place the tablet of dye in a non- reactive pot along with enough hot water to cover textiles- add a cup of non- iodized salt and dissolve- before adding fabric- very straight forward.

          When it comes to the cooking time- this is where a bit of experimenting is needed- as you can see I managed a variety of shades of grey from the same dye pot- using both the boiling method and dip dyeing a range of finishes can be achieved. The darker colours were created following the packet instructions- I placed my textiles into the dye and simmered the pot for about a half an hour- stirring frequently. The lighter shades came about by twisting the fabric slightly(sort of tie dye but not really) and simply dipping both the wool and the t-shirt into the dye pot for less than five minutes- it was all about experimenting.

 
             I think the key to successfully getting started with textile dyeing is to be open to experimentation- be open to the unknown. Some things to think about- not all fabric is created equally- some cottons will dye differently than others- natural fabrics by their "nature" often have imperfections which tend to show up more so when dyed. When choosing a dye make sure to chose the correct dye for your fabric type- for example IDye makes a dye for natural fabrics- which I used here- and synthetic fabrics- if you use the incorrect dye it will not attach properly to the fibres and come out blotchy or possibly ruin your garment.

      When dyeing a pre-made garment consider what the thread used to sew the garment was made of- for example a cotton t-shirt sewn with polyester thread is very common- the dye will bond the the cotton t-shirt fabric but not at all to the polyester thread- leaving behind stitching that is a different colour. If over dyeing a garment to cover a stain often the stain will still show through- make sure to try a dye that is darker than the stain- protein stains- like baby formula and blood- are incredibly difficult to cover.

   You may still be scratching your head over what non-iodized salt actually is and why it's needed in the dye process- non- iodized salt is simply salt with no iodine added. Pickling or canning salt are both pure salt with no iodine in it. The salt is used in the dyeing process to help drive the dye into the fibres creating a more vibrant colour- not all dyes call for salt- follow the manufacturers suggestions.

    One last health and safety tidbit- when choosing a pot and utensils for dyeing please excersise caution- these dyes are chemicals so please do not use any pots or utensils that will be used for cooking. I have a separate set of pots and wooden spoons just for dyeing- they are never left on the stove or in the kitchen once I am finished dyeing so there is no confusion. I would suggest hitting your local thrift store for a second hand pot- look for stainless steel or enamel.

    So friends now that you have the ins and out of a very basic dye I hope to hear of a few of you jumping into the dye pot! Commercially available acrylic dyes like IDye are great for beginners- really accessible with fairly good results. While I still prefer natural dyes as they are a bit gentler on our environment- as well as being straight up magic- this was a fun little experiment. I have a few more dye projects I'm working on that I will bring you soon- including what I am doing with all this fabric thats been dyed over the summer!

Thrifted Thursday

           Today's Thrifted Thursday is a little bit thrifted and a little bit crafty- truly the best of both worlds- made all the better because it came in the guise as a gift from a dear friend. I have been meaning to write about this for quite some time but honestly so much has happened this summer that I just haven't had the time to write about yet! At the end of July we were paid a visit from my dear friend Sarah- who incidentally wrote a guest post for me last summer which can be read here- she and her family were visiting from Wisconsin. Sarah truly is one of my kindred souls- we bonded in University over beer and thrifting- some things really never change!

          So anyways Sarah and her sweet family stayed with us for a few days and of course she and I both had a few gifties for each other- I almost died laughing when we essentially exchanged wool! Into my yarn stash went this dreamy, soft neutral skien- from a local Wisconsin mill- Blackberry Ridge- the perfect base for one of my natural dyes. Along with this yummy little treat was this wee maroon satchel- purse to you non fashion types! I used this diminutive little bag only a handful of times before my little Miss declared it perfect to tote around her treasures- so I feel I may never get to use this bag again- shades of things to come!

         In other news as much as I am desperately trying to hang onto these final gentle days of summer I can see and feel fall creeping in. The mornings now hold a crispness that simply wasn't there last week- soon it will be boot and sweater weather. The nights come quickly now and the beach toys have all been packed away- I'm reassessing our rain gear- patching jeans- starting to think about soups and baking bread again. The Littles are still out of school- which feels a bit strange and yet totally right- their nature collection is growing daily as we wander and explore our way through our city- easing out of our summer skin and on into fall.

Craft Camp: Solar Dying

          I have long been intrigued by the natural dye process and all of it's possibilities- the idea of collecting items from nature and harnessing the colour as opposed to industrial dye practices really resonates with me. There is however a lot of science that goes along with natural dying- this intimidates me and although I have dabbled a little bit I knew I wasn't doing something quite right- hence all my natural dyes stayed in their nifty little jars sitting on my self. So when Ally of Oolawoola approached me with the idea of taking a Solar Dye class with local dye maven Caitlin Ffrench of We Will Tell You All Of Our Secrets  at a near by wool store I jumped at the opportunity to learn from a pro.

        First off I should mention the evening was perfect for this kind of natural magic- one of those brisk fall nights with the fog just starting to creep back in around the buildings- it seemed very fitting that we were learning an ancient technique. When we arrived at Baaad Anna's Wool shop most of the class was already gathered around a large table- dye stuff and wool was set out at each spot- everything was very cozy and inviting. Caitlin had gone out collecting eucalyptus and marigolds earlier that day- she knows all the alley ways and secret spots to find just the plant for her purposes- and she shared her secrets!
       

       Solar Dying is much easier than I anticipated- essentially you are using passive solar energy to set the dyes as opposed to cooking them on the stove top. In the hot summer months the dye process goes much quicker but right now heading into the shorter days of winter we will need to wait at least until after the Solstice before we open our jars up. The basics needed are Alum and Mordant- we used an Iron Mordant that Caitlin had prepared herself- the different mordants are what had me flummoxed but all my questions were anticipated and explained clearly- I left with a much better understanding of how the dye process actually works.

      I am really excited by this new process I am just at the cusp of learning- as I mentioned this method of dying really resonates with me- so gentle and easy- and natural. I have big plans of my own which involve natural dying- I want to start dying the fabrics I am using in quilting and home sewing projects- as well as wool. I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to learn from such an expert as well as get my feet wet in the natural dye waters- to be shown and have it explained just how easy this actually is.

       A century ago women would gather and make light work of projects like dying fabrics and wool- they did it together as part of a community- as they did with much of the daily work including raising their families. People lived their lives as a part of a community or tribe- I feel that is something that is lost today- we live our lives so compartmentalized. To become involved with and learn these traditions and ways- knitting, quilting, dying- creating the fabric of our lives- we need to seek out those who have the knowledge.  I gather these skills to me and wear them like trinkets around my neck- close to my heart- part of something bigger than myself- part of tradition

P.S. when I open up my jars I will be sure to share how they turned out- for now they are sitting pretty in my window sill- to be joined today by a few more jars!

I Am Not A Knitter...

         I am not a knitter- not really- not yet- but I feel I am on my way! I learned how to knit for my knitting badge in Brownies years ago when I was a wee one- my Grandma and my Mom patiently helping me with my tight stitches- frantically wrapped around my first set of needles. After receiving my badge I remember knitting various items for my dolls- a blanket- scarves- you know items that were square and flat- in thirty odd years not much has changed in my knitting ability.

        Until I got it in my head that I want to knit myself a sweater- I'm going to do it- I'm determined! One day while obsessing over wool and stalking the Quince & Co blog I decided to jump out of the pan and into the fire- I ordered a pattern book- which is shocking because as far as I can tell all knitting patterns are in Greek. I had completely fallen in love with the images with in this little tome- completely fallen in love with the romantic notion that I too can knit one of these gorgeous items.

      So this week I grabbed my double pointed needles and started with the easiest project in the book- The 70 Yard Mitts. It may have taken me almost a week to knit two- OK three- little mitts- but I did it! And they actually look like the picture in the book! Between this book and YouTube- I think I may just become a knitter yet- one day- soon!

P.S- this mitties are going to be perfect for sitting around a campfire with a hot mug of coffee- oh I can't wait!

The Story of Sunday

        February was put on the calender for one thing and one thing only- to give people and the earth a chance to rest- to relax and catch up on sleep- in my totally scientific opinion that is what February is for. That and Birthdays- but Birthday month is technically drawing to a close! Sunday in Vancouver this week was wet and the perfect day to spend indoors- relaxing. So the Mr. and I grabbed a second latte and settled in to watch the weekend news while the Littles played one of their favourite games and munched on P.B. & J sandis- a perfectly relaxing Sunday morning.

      While last weekend was all about connecting with friends and community this weekend was spent fairly close to home- just relaxing- not really doing anything at all. After lunch on Sunday we tried to get some fresh air with a walk through the neighbourhood and as you can see it was  pretty damp. The Littles went with the Mr. over to his office and I strolled home for some much needed quiet Momma time.

     Being kid free does not happen too often for me- I usually have at least one of them with me- so I took full advantage of the situation and stopped into a few favourite shops on my way home- Community Thrift is seriously the best thrift store in our neighbourhood- really well curated- fresh stuff all the time. I scored this adorable embroidered dresser scarf that I am going to sew up into a summer top for Miss Lo. There are two Community Thrifts- one of Cordova for men and one on Carrall St for women- they also carry a small selection of children's clothes- really unique and interesting finds.

     I also could not pass up the opportunity to stop in for a gander at our neighbourhood yarn shop- Wool Is Not Enough- between Carrall and Columbia on Cordova St. This shop is a super cool space and the owner is really an interesting lady to chat with- lets not even talk about the friendly cat who lives there and can often be seen chillin in the window display. I found some gorgeous linen and silk yarns that I am excited to try out in a project later this week- not your regular knitted item- stay tuned!

     Now this lovely chunky Merino wool will pair nicely with this over sized wood button (picked up on Saturday) - either I'm going to knit a cowl for me or another pom pom hat for Miss Lo. I think the successful domination over my tunic pattern last week has spurred me into creative mode- all I want to do is sew and make things!

    I am by nature a very quiet person- as in I like to be quiet and be in quiet- I enjoy meditating and just listening- I was so grateful for the opportunity to do just that for a few hours Sunday afternoon. A few hours to sit and sew- I didn't even turn the radio on- although I may have talked to myself a bit! I think like a baby my senses get over stimulated by the busyness around me and I can get out of sorts- a few hours of quiet is balm for the soul- the whir of the sewing machine and the rain outside was music enough for me- plotting and planning what to do with that wool!