Year of Knitting: The Vera Tee

         With all the travelling between the Okanagan that we have been doing these past few months I have traded in my sewing machine for the knitting needles- knitting being the more portable of projects to pack for the weekend. Not only am I still making and creating in a very tangible way but the very act of knitting keeps me sane- I am by far a patient person- possibly the worst traveller ever and so the knitting keeps me busy.

        When I came across the Vera Tee from Mackenzie Sasser I knew that my girl needed one- or possibly more- of these sweet little tees- the very perfect layering layer! Initially I thought the Vera Tee would be great in the fall under her jean jacket or layered up when it gets frosty- to be honest I am afraid my children are going to freeze in the Okanagan! After this weekend though my girl wore her Vera tee almost everywhere- it turns out this knit is great for warm weather as well as layering!

      I knit this little sweater up in a week- yes the time spent in the car stuck in traffic helped but this pattern was so simple and a pleasure to knit up. I used two skeins of Malabrigo yarn in #035 Frank Ochre- this mustard shade is a favourite of both my Girl and I! The Vera Tee is knit inside out- once the shoulders are seemed up you flip the whole thing about before picking up the collar and tacking down the roll sleeves.

      As I mentioned I am slightly worried my West Coast kids are going to freeze this fall and winter- a real winter in Kelowna is slightly different than what we are used to! I will definitely be knitting a few more Vera Tees up to have on hand for when things get chilly!

Year of Knitting: Moonstone Pullover

           So kids grow- and fast at that! At the beginning of the year I cast on the Moonstone Pullover- in a beautiful neutral grey wool that I was so in love with. I knit it up quick as can be- popped it off the needles and attempted to put it onto my boy's body. To no avail- he had grown- and so little sister got a brand new sweater she never even knew she wanted!

        Needless to say the Boy was disappointed and so off to our favourite local yarns shop we went- I let him pick out the colour this time. The bright blue we came home with wasn't what I would have picked out but he felt strongly this was the colour for him and so I trusted in that. As you can see it was absolutely the right choice!

Year of Knitting: Moonstone Pullover

        When I read the description for this knitting pattern I knew this was just the pattern for us -"Named for the magical beach full of towering sea stack rocks and tide pools, this unisex child’s pullover can be worked in stripes or in a solid colour" . Hello a more perfect image has never been written! So it was with out hesitation that I dove into knitting my first Moonstone Pullover in some grey worsted wool from my Mom. When I say dove in I mean dove in- I didn't read the instructions properly and a sweater that was supposed to be for my size 10 boy has now landed on the size 8 frame of my girl! I misread the pattern- oops!

     That was just fine with her- she happily slipped this cozy little bit of knitting on right away and claimed it for her own- picking out the hand worked silver buttons which I think are just perfect! The Moonstone is a quick and easy knit- the first top down sweater I have attempted and with the exception of knitting the wrong size it was really so simple. From cast on to cast off I was done in two weeks. 

    It's so funny that a short time ago I didn't consider myself a knitter and now my hands get antsy if they aren't busy! I love how portable knitting is- I can have my basket with me wherever I go ready to continue with just a few rows if needed. I think what appeals to me most of all is the fact that I am making garments for my family- from my own hands- that might otherwise not be so ethically sourced. I am a part of the solution- it's easy with a gorgeous pattern such as the Moonstone.

       Friends it is Friday again! We are likely on the road headed over the hills to the Okanagan as you read this- my knitting basket at my feet- my kids squabbling in the back seat behind me. I am looking forward to a large glass of wine once we hit Peachland! Happy Friday Friends- much love and creativity!

Small Sewing: Gardenia Dress

          This weekend was so beautiful and sunny that I could not help but be inspired to do a tiny bit of Spring sewing. Truth be told we are headed south soon- back to California- sqeee- and we all need a few new things to pack in our suitcases. So with the fates colliding- sunshine and imminent travel- I dipped into my fabric stash for this precious yard of Liberty print fabric from last summer's travel's to Portland.

       This is one of my favourite patterns for my girl right now- the Gardenia Dress from Cali Faye Collection. I have sewed two of these full length dresses for Miss Lo and while they are well loved I thought I would change the pattern up a little. With only a yard of fabric we ended up with this wee flowey top- perfect to pair with shorts or jeans or even another skirt in warmer weather. What I love about Cali Faye patterns is they are so simple while remaining interesting and beautifully designed- sophisticated and fun!

   
         With every little scrap of fabric I send through the machine both my girl and I come one step closer to a fully home made wardrobe- totally unique- totally her! Most days sewing with Miss Lo is really sewing for Miss Lo- we start by picking out fabric together, we often place and cut out the pattern together but at a certain point in the early stages of the garment coming together she usually loses interest and pulls out the pen and papers. This kid is growing at an astonishing rate and I think her new top is just perfect for a six and a half year old- slightly sassy- super creative- just like my girl!

     

More Wee Knits for Small Beings

         As I mentioned part of whats kept me away from the Interwebs is all the making I have been doing lately. One wee little bit of knitting is for another small being that has only recently arrived into our family. This tiny little bit of wool is headed back East to Toronto and I can't help but be a little bit jelouse. I will totally admit that I miss those tiny newborn days! When my nearly eight year old measures his stinky feet next to mine and I see they are almost the same size- I miss those newborn days! When my sassy little monkey rolls her big brown eyes at me- I miss those newborn days!

       It is of great interest to me- as an emerging knitter- all the things I learned with this tiny vest. I think I can now safely say I know how to not knit button holes- my knitted buttons holes are almost atrocious as my sewn button holes- but continue on I shall! One success I will mention is the mastering of the Kitchener jointing stitch- hooray for the Kitchener stitch! And hoary for You Tube!

     So the real details of this tiny vest are quite simple- I found a free pattern online at the Thrifty Knitter. I found the instructions super easy to follow- this tiny garment was onto and off of the needles in a matter of days! The wool came to me from my Mum- so I'm not sure what it is beyond being wool that "cost a lot" for a sweater she never finished- I was more than happy to take it off of her hands and it was a delight to knit up!

     Overall I am totally content with this wee vest destined for a wee man across the country who was named after my Great Grandfather the shoemaker with the heart of a poet!

Year Of Making: Birthday Dress

            Last month when my girly turned six all she wanted was a nightgown- this is something I can do I thought to myself. In my mind I had a fixed image of the nigh gowns my sister and I used to wear in the summer heat- light and airy- slightly old fashioned. It was with this vision firmly planted that I dove into my fabric stash to see what I could come up with- voila a metre of organic cotton from Maiwa was produced as was the perfect antique collar for at the neck.

            When birthday morning rolled around and my newly minted six year old opened her package she was pretty happy and quickly declared that this frock was too pretty to be saved for bed time- and I have to agree. This lightweight, simple shift was perfect for the end days of summer! I took these photos the last time we were in Peachland- the Okanagan sunshine streaming down on our shoulders- catching in her hair as our bare toes sunk into the dewy morning garden.

         One week into our rainy season and we are already missing these easy days of the summer season- no jackets or socks or even shoes were needed. So with cooler days the birthday dress has become a birthday nightgown- sunshine tucked into the seams to keep my girlys heart warm through the rain!

Year Of Making: The Hayward Sweater

           Remember like months ago I started knitting myself a sweater- and it seemed to be taking forever? Even though all the knitting experts surrounding me assured me this is totally normal I couldn't help but think it was slow going- and then I took a ceramics class and the knitting went even slower! Well good news! Seven months after I started on this journey to knit myself a function able sweater that fit me I have completed my task!

           This sweater is a sum of it's journeys- it has traveled with me back and forth to the Okanagan all summer- it has been to the Painted Hills- it has been to Portland. Part of this sweater comes from Victoria! Knit into the fibres of this sweater are my fears- left by the wayside- I have come out the other side warmer and much more confident. Knit into the fibres of this sweater are deep talks on the road with my partner in crime- three seasons of laughter- and a lot of wabi sabi character- I am learning to let go of perfection.

        I will admit I am super proud of my first attempt at a hand knit sweater- I feel I am a bit further down my slow fashion path- this is knit with intention and care- it was not purchased haphazardly off a clearance rack. This sweater was knit by my hands and no other- the fibres traveled a very short distance- this is a sustainable garment- a fact that like knowing where my food comes from is growing increasingly important to me.

      As the days grow dark and rainy- my thoughts turn inward towards nursing my family once again and I am so pleased to be starting yet anther knitting project- this one a bit smaller for Miss Lo. My list of skills keeps growing and something I was once scared of is now like an old friend. Ummm also the yarn- hello new obsession!

         Friends it's Friday again! I know I always act so shocked when Friday rolls around but the fact of the matter lies that these weeks and months fly by just far too fast! This weekend we are staying at the Coast- tucking in and taking it slow. Happiness and Sunshine always dear Friends!

In The Studio: Eco Bundles

           This week's studio update can be considered the Holiday edition- because I am still on vacation but find it difficult to sit still! This week I tried my hand at something I have wanted to do for a very long time- Eco-bundling- essentially using plant materials on hand and wrapping them up to leave out in the garden to do their business. Possibly the most passive way to dye textiles I have ever come across!

        Lets start at the beginning shall we? Last week I took a length of lovely organic gauzy cotton and gathered handfuls of plant material from my parent's garden- calendula, marigolds, lavender, hollyhocks, Japanese Maple leaves, mulberry leaves- I even threw in some lavender and dill for flair as I was fairy certain it wouldn't dye but would smell good. I also had a handful of Logwood chips that I wanted to experiment with so I threw those in as well. I cut my fabric and folded it accordion style- laying it flat I started to add in the plant material and rolled the whole thing around a stick tightly- tightly trussing the bundles up with butcher's twine at the end. Once fully wrapped I left my bundles at the end of the garden in a spot I knew would get both water and extreme heat- effectively steaming the bundle for the course of the week.

           It was with great difficulty that I left my bundles at the end of the garden and walked away- I am the sort of artist who likes to poke and pride and hurry things along- this however is one of those beautiful things that can't and won't be rushed- possible life lesson here. I did flip my bundles daily- my Mum taking over that job when we journeyed up to Vernon- but essentially there was nothing I could do but wait and observe with fascination the changing colours on the outside of the bundles- I was dying (haha) to know what was happening on the inside!

       Needless to say it was with glee that I retrieved my eco bundles from the bottom of the garden yesterday and snipped the butchers twine binding- carefully unrolling these lovely gems of fabric I was beyond excited to see what changes had taken pace over the course of the last week.

         Once all the plant material was washed out I rinsed the fabric until the water ran clear- what was left behind was a lovely sunset of all natural tie dye. I have two large 36" x 36" scarves and one smaller one- it's going to be hard to part with these beauties but keep your eyes peeled for them to go up in the shop next week!

         This was so satisfying and to be sure something I will do again- I only wish I had brought more fabric this time around! There is really just a quality so ephemeral to these scarves that is difficult to catch onto- definitely the pictures do not do them justice! The beauty of such a slow process- is obvious- something lacking in much of today's busy world. Slow fashion on my summer holiday- yeah that fits just right!