A Yarny Weekend at Knit Fit!

   

The other weekend, I met up with my yarny friends Sooz, Ariel, and Kat at the Knit Fit market on Sunday. Along with some of my favorites on the festival circuit (Three Fates Yarns! Abstract Fiber! Yarnarchy!) and the local shops that I love (The Fiber Gallery! Tea Cozy Yarn!), there was a nice variety of independent dyers and designers, with booths and booths of beautiful yarn and yarn-related goodies. And even though I only got to stop by for a few hours towards the end of the show, it was an incredibly welcoming place to be. I've loved both of my experiences at Knit Fit, and I'm excited to see what next year's show holds!

So without further ado, here's some of my vendor highlights from the show.


Bumblebirch
Beautifully shaded colors inspired by nature

  

Portland-based Bumblebirch has been on my radar for a while now, so I was really excited to see her name on the list of vendors. The booth had weights and colors that I hadn't seen in person before - worsted and DK-weight, gently variegated floral colorways - and I had to restrain myself from taking home one of each. The colors are clearly influenced by the natural world, and gently shaded, as if viewed through fogged glass: fallen leaves, the morning sky when it's about to rain, an iris bowing on its stalk. Swoon.


YOTH
Sophisticated neutrals & deep, arboreal hues

  

I first encountered YOTH on a trip out to Tolt Yarn & Wool when they had just debuted their line of one-of-a-kind colors, and I've been watching with excitement for the last few months as they've grown and added more color to their lineup of repeatable colorways. I absolutely love their aesthetic: it's a gorgeous, distinctly Northwestern balance of practicality and worn-in beauty. And their yarn lines - DK & fingering weight merino/cashmere/nylon blends, charmingly named Big Sister and Little Brother - are wonderfully, squishably soft.


Hazel Knits
Vibrant, beautiful, color!

  

When I'm looking for a specific and flawlessly-executed color, I look to Hazel Knits first. Her color catalogue is a most magical paintbox, each shade evoking its name perfectly: Beachglass; Stick o' Butter; Vamp; Hoppy Blonde. The depth and clarity of each color practically sings, in a palette ranging from earthy neutrals, to pastels, to brights. And with an expanded range of weights - from sleek laceweight Filigree Silk, all the way up to ultra-squishy worsted Cadence - it's an exciting time to be a Hazel Knits enthusiast!


Spincycle Yarns
Handcrafted yarn, dyed and spun in Washington

  

Okay, I'm gonna be blatant here: I love Spincycle. My mom sent me two skeins of BFL Worsted for my 20th birthday - back when I was a wee knitter! - and I remember being absolutely captivated by its color and texture. I've been a fan ever since. In the last few years, Kate & Rachel have brought their signature color sense to locally dyed, small-batch millspun yarns that capture the organic color shifts and unexpected beauty of handspun, with the advantages of accessibility and quantity offered by millspun.

 

I also popped by my friend and coworker Ann's booth to say hi. As anyone who has read my poetic waxings about materials will know, I have a liiiiittle bit of a button obsession - and lucky for me, Ann brought her whole awesome collection of vintage buttons to the market! I swooped up some stunning cut glass buttons with gold leaf accents, because apparently I'm a large, girl-shaped magpie.

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Overall, I had a great time running around, taking pictures, and talking with friends, dyers, and designers! If you're out of state - or local and didn't get a chance to come - and interested in checking out a wonderful selection of independent dyers and makers, I highly recommend that you check out the Vendor page. And maybe you can come next year! (Wink wink, nudge nudge.)

A huge thank you to every vendor who graciously allowed me to take photos and chat, and to all the coordinators and volunteers who make this great event happen!

Happy Monday!
<3
Cory

A Yarny Weekend at Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival: Part 1 - Animals!

Oh hi!

So this last weekend, my awesome friend Rebecca organized a trip for a small group of us to take a trip down to the Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival. I had an amazing time hanging out with my friends - established and new alike! - and meeting some really cool artisans, fiber enthusiasts, and designers. Everyone I met was super gracious, letting me take photos and nerd out about yarn with them. Every time I go to a small, fiber-focused event like this, I am reminded of what a vibrant community this is, and how lucky I feel to be a part of it.

  

First up, I wanted to talk about the animals. It's always nice to be reminded of the origins of my yarn, and to remember that stewardship and sustainability are an integral part of a community like this. From shepherds and mills, to independent dyers and designers, we are all connected by these animals, and sheep & wool festivals are a great way to experience that connection.

So, after wandering around the market for a bit on Saturday, we went to the barns and met some wooly friends. I'd mostly seen alpacas and sheep at sheep & wool festivals before, so I really enjoyed seeing so many llamas. I was really taken by their spunky personalities, and surprised by how beautiful and agile they are. Unshorn llamas are where it's at in the majesty department! We stayed and watched some llamas walk an obstacle course with their trainers, which really demonstrated how different each animal's personality and strengths were.

They were super photogenic, too: they would stand there and mug for the camera for minutes at a time. I love photographing animals, but most are so active that it can be tricky to get shots in focus. Not so with llamas: they'd grab some hay and then chew and stare into my camera lens deeply and soulfully until I had plenty of shots. I'm sure they'd be masters of the selfie.

Stay tuned - I'll be talking about yarn people and vendor highlights in the coming week!

Sick Day Recommendation List

I woke up this morning with the beginnings of the same cold that Lumberjack had over the weekend, so I'm curling up on the couch with a giant cup of tea, chewing echinacea tablets like candy, and catching up on some reading.  I've also been thinking a lot about one of my illustration assignments, where I've decided to try different techniques in each one of 4 illustrations.  I've already done one in colored pencil and ink, and I think I'm going to try Copic markers, printed paper, and watercolors in the other 3.  I might do some experimentation with Copics today while I'm holed up on the couch!

Things I'm Reading & Looking At:

Paris in Color, by Nichole Robertson.  This little gem of a book is full of gorgeous photographs of Paris, grouped by color - and if you're anything like me, looking at it will make you seriously want a lemon pastry and a little mint-green motorbike!

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, by Susan Cain.  This book is a thoughtful and thorough exploration of what it means to be an introvert, with focuses ranging from physiology to education and beyond.

The Power of Vulnerability, a TED talk by Brené Brown in which she talks about both her research and personal experience with the subject of vulnerability in a really candid, wonderful way.

Colette Patterns Zinnia.  I've fallen in love with the sheer version of this swishy skirt!

Inspiration Library: Magazines, Catalogues & Quarterlies

  

Since taking Portfolio at school last quarter, I've become a lot more mindful of different types of media as sources of inspiration.  I already had a pretty large collection of knitting magazines and books, so in the new year I've been making it a priority to expand upon the genres in my library that are less represented: photography, history & fashion history, and graphic design in particular.

After I graduated from college, I got lazy about reading.  I equated choosing not to pursue higher academics with choosing not to care about academic subjects at all, but in the years since, I've come to find that I loved and missed those subjects a lot more than I previously thought.  It's taken me a long time to warm up to the idea of jumping back into scholarly reading on my own, but I've finally started seeking out - and enjoying - dense reading materials once again.

So as a result of my rekindled interests, my favorite media to explore lately have been catalogues, magazines, and quarterlies, particularly when they have an intersectional bent.  It's especially interesting to look at the fashions of my favorite sartorial period - immediate post-war to 1962 or so - and then contextualize them in history and culture, and then think about how they are problematic as shit, and then consider how to appreciate them without accepting or endorsing their shittier aspects.  (Still haven't figured that one out - it's a puzzle!)

I started collecting vintage pattern and clothing catalogues as a passing interest - a Frederick & Nelson catalogue from a professor here, a 1985 issue of Vogue Knitting from a friend's destash there - and somewhere in the meantime, I amassed a small collection of them.  Then, a few days ago my friend Sparkle sent me a big, fabulous addition of Vogue sewing pattern magazines and vintage clothing catalogues in the mail, and I realized that my collection is not so small anymore!  When I take the time to page through these magazines and catalogues, I see inspiration hidden everywhere - perhaps not as literal interpretations, but more as seeds of great design that are sometimes encased in '80s backassfugly details and styling.  (Case in point: huge matching angora neck ruffles and sleeve cuffs on perfectly lovely fitted blouse? Um thanks, but no.)

I've also been checking out contemporary magazines and quarterlies at my local bookstores.  Vestoj in particular gets into critical fashion theory, which is an absolute relief to find after crankily consuming contemporary Vogue for years.  The mainstream fashion industry so often leans on tired cliches of exoticism and normalized sexual violence in editorial and advertising content, which is waved away as insignificant by the industry because, well... "it's fashion," as if that explained anything.  It's a breath of fresh air to see fashion being treated like any other medium: significant, complex, reflective of culture, and worth discussing in broader terms.

Not to limit myself only to fashion, though - here are a few current favorite publications of mine.  They are all very pretty, and range from light-hearted explorations of indie design and culture, to gorgeous, challenging selections of writing and visual art.

Vestoj - fashion through an intersectional lens

Lapham's Quarterly - thematic selections of literature, essays, poetry, and art from history

Kinfolk - "discovering new things to cook, make, and do"

Uppercase - "a magazine for the creative and curious"

Sooo that was a very long explanation of what I'm reading and thinking about lately.  If you have any recommendations of magazines or quarterlies that you find beautiful, interesting, or inspiring, I'd love to hear them!

Things I Love: Non-Shawl Patterns for Laceweight

So anyone who knows me in a yarny context also knows that I have a teeny obsession with laceweight yarn.  I love working with skinny yarn, and I love the lightweight fabric that it produces.  Also, as a person with a large chest and smaller waist, lightweight fabrics are usually the most flattering for me to wear.  So why haven't I knit more garments with laceweight?

Short answer: I'm lazy.  Long answer: I have lots of ideas, but haven't actually put them into action yet.  (See: I'm lazy.)

So here's a few of my favorite non-shawl laceweight patterns paired with potential yarns.

Blouses

Pattern: Celandine by Jennie Pakula, from Twist Collective.

Yarn:  Madelinetosh Pure Silk Lace, colorway Mulled Wine.

Notes:  I love the delicate, '30s vintage feel of this blouse.  It would be a little fiddly to make, and I might grade out to a larger size through the lower body so I can have negative ease in the bust but still keep that lovely hip-skimming silhouette, but I think this would be a great layering piece and a gorgeous addition to my wardrobe.

Pattern: Plotted & Pieced Blouse by Caroline Fryar, from Juniper Moon Farm (also available in print in the Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled Booklet from 2012).

Yarn: Knitted Wit Shimmer, colorway Peacock.

Notes:  I've been obsessed with this pattern ever since it came out a few years ago - I love nupps, and I love laceweight, and I think this blouse would be gorgeous executed in a color or in soft white!  I can see it going really well with full skirts, which I wear a lot all year.

Cardigans

Pattern: Swoon by Juju Vail and Susan Cropper, from Juju's Loops.

Yarn: Madelinetosh Prairie, colorway Night Bloom.

Notes:  Not-quite-a-shawl, not-quite-a-cardigan, and the perfect use of a soft, slightly glossy single-ply laceweight like Prairie.  This pattern is only offered in one size, but I think with the drape of the fabric and intended ease of the garment, it would flatter a variety of sizes and body types.  I think this would be a great way to dress up a t-shirt and jeans, or to throw over a sundress on a chilly evening.

Pattern: Laar by Gudrun Johnston, from The Shetland Trader (also available in print in the Shetland Trader - Book 1).

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Lace, colorway Thunderstorm.

Notes:  I think this one would work best as a light layer over a camisole or short-sleeved shirt - it almost functions as a blouse on its own.  I like the simplicity of the body and sleeves, with just a little bit of interest in the picots and lace yoke detail.

Pattern: Hethe by Judy Furlong, from Fyberspates Scrumptious Collection, Volume 1.

Yarn: Tactile Fiber Arts Studio Arcata Lace, colorway Concord Grape.

Notes:  This pattern has been in my queue for a while now.  I love the romantic look of this cardigan - it feels very Edwardian to me.  Plus, it has nupps!  And it's shown in pink!!  So of course I love it.  As with the other cardigans in this section, this one would be less for warmth as an outer layer, but I do think that it would do well layered with a dress and light jacket.

Socks

Pattern:  Darrow Socks by Corrina Ferguson, from Juniper Moon Farm Findley Dappled Booklet 2013.

Yarn: Yarn Chef Crème Brûlée Lace, colorway Raspberry Ice

Notes:  I'm intrigued by the idea of making super fussy, gorgeous socks out of laceweight yarn.  I don't know how well they would hold up, but I do know that they would be the most beautiful socks ever for as long as they lived.  (And then I'd have to make more.)  Paired with a cream blouse, navy Pendleton pleated skirt, and mary janes, I can see these socks kicking pretty ass.

(As a side note, if you're interested in more laceweight garments, Juniper Moon Farm has quite a few more pretties in their Findley line of booklets!)

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And there you have it!  I might have to go swatch for my next 5 billion laceweight projects now.  Geez.

Happy Friday!

Four Things I'm Dreaming Of

Wearing

Rosa Boatneck Dress by mrspomeranz on Etsy

I have been obsessed with this dress for quite some time now, but it's only been in the last week or so that my fixation has become overwhelming.  I love everything about it: the sumptuous fabric, the slightly '40s-silhouette, the adorable model, the black-tights-and-shoes combo.  It's on the pricey side, but I'm considering saving up my clothes budget for a few months to custom order one.  It looks like the perfect winter dress.

Making

Nancy Straughan, textile designer

My mother-in-law sent me a link to this textile designer's website a few days ago, and I fell down the rabbit hole a little bit.  I love the simple elegance of Straughan's designs: her prints are modern but not trendy, rustic but graceful, geometric without losing warmth.  She talks about being inspired by Scandinavian and '50s textiles motifs - a designer after my own heart! - and I can see these fabrics working beautifully as vintage-inspired shirtdresses and simple sundresses.

Eating

Smitten Kitchen's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

I've been feeling under the weather since Sunday, so food hasn't been the most appealing, but this cake practically reaches out of my computer to taunt me with its deliciousness.  I might even have to attempt [gasp] cooking, just so I might have this glorious Cake in my grubby little hands.

Knitting

Braid Hills, by Kate Davies

Swoon.  This cardigan is gorgeous.  Beautiful detail, beautiful shape, and the most fetching neckline.  I'd better get going on sweater knitting, because my list is getting ridiculous - and if I'm going to get that perfect winter dress, I'm going to have to have at least a fabulous cardigan or two to wear with it!

November Favorites: Shawls, Scarves and Wraps

Lately I've been looking through a lot of patterns, trying to pair each yarn in my stash with the perfect pattern.  These are some of my favorites.  Some are old, some are new; some are by established favorite designers, and others are by up-and-comers.

1.

Anthemion Wrap by Miriam Felton

I didn't notice this one when it first came out in Knitty, but one night I was on a Miriam Felton kick on Ravelry and came across this gem.  I love how her designs are so architectural, and how beautiful and weightless they look in laceweight silk.  I have quite a bit of laceweight silk in my stash, so I think I might attempt this pattern with this Claudia Hand Painted Silk.

2.

Sakura by Leila Raabe

This one is from Brooklyntweed's new Loft collection.  I've really been loving my triangular shawls as of late - I wear them as scarves because they have concentrated warmth right at the neck where I need it and the ends hang out of the way.  Plus they're a great way to add color to an outfit!  So whenever I see pretty triangular shawl patterns, I'm automatically drawn to them.

I like that this shawl is textured, and just a touch lacy.  Plus, it's made out of Loft - I haven't seen it in person yet, but I love the colors and subtle tweediness.  I might be able to dig into my stash for this, but I almost want to hold out and make it in Loft in either Postcard (a soft grey-purple) or Camper (pink!).

3.

Lady of the Blue Forest by Ashley Knowlton

Okay, so I might be attracted to patterns in part because of the colors they're knit in.  I deeply love this shade of cobalt blue, and I like how the different elements of the pattern grow out of one another.  I also have a tendency to adore designs that have a motif at the back neck - although it's not always visible, I love knowing it's there.  Just like Calvin and his lucky rocket-ship underpants.

If I were to make the small shawlette version, I'd consider using this skein of Handmaiden Camelspin, one of the suggested yarns for the pattern.  I'm also tossing around the idea of knitting an Annis in it, so we'll see how that shakes out.

4.

Lucky Clover by Helen Stewart

I like the simplicity of this one - seems great for showing off a softly variegated yarn.  Just enough detail at the bottom and up the spine to keep it interesting.  Plus garter stitch looks smashing with a little bit of color variation.

This Pigeonroof Studios sock yarn I got in New Haven might be just the ticket.

5.

Berkanan Shawl by Anne-lise Maigaard

I think I saw test-knit pictures of this shawl in a Ravelry group, and it is gorgeous.  The leaves down the spine, the organic growth from the lace at the center to the leaf border, and nupps - oh, nupps! - on the edging.  Love.

I think Madelinetosh Prairie would be an excellent yarn for this project, as would Jaggerspun Zephyr.  For my purposes, I think this Prairie in the colorway Byzantine would be gorgeous.

6.

Daphnaie by Tori Gurbisz

Another shawl with a spine detail, which I adore.

It calls for Malabrigo Sock, and I have a skein of Ochre that I think would be perfect.

7.

In the Garden by Ilga Leja

Even though this is a capelet, which I don't usually wear, I think it could work really well as a layer over a t-shirt and jeans.  I think I'd want to do it in a soft grey color.  Maybe this alpaca/bamboo fingering weight by Classic Elite called Vail?

8.

Eiki (Strength) Shawl by Janel Laidman

As with many patterns I end up obsessed with, I passed this one over when I first saw it.  But the delicate border and the red color stuck in my mind once I saw a couple of stunning versions on Ravelry.

I think it would be a good pattern for this skein of Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga that I picked up at Sock Summit.  It's a deep, gorgeous shade of red.

9.

Farthing by Jared Flood

The contrasting edging on this really drew me.  It feels a little bit vintage, and would be a fun way to play with color.  I sort of like the idea of doing this in a laceweight silk and a contrasting edging of mohair/silk, probably because I'm thinking of this scarf featured in an Interweave Knits, from Feminine Knits by Lene Holme Samsoe.  I love the idea of combining two different textures to create a soft, lacy and feminine scarf.

All pattern and project photographs are copyright of their respective owners.  Yarn photographs belong to me.