Well, That Explains It

It's been a while since I've knitted with Sandnesgarn's Babyull. Really, the last time I knitted anything out of it was when I made this.

 

 

Since then, I've commented several times on how much I loved the Babyull, how it comes in so many adult-suitable colours, and how it doesn't do all the bad things that most superwash yarns do. It holds its shape fantastically and doesn't grow or do anything weird when wet-blocked. See how beautifully the rippled edge on Brookline (above) turned out? There's a reason. The Babyull ISN'T A SUPERWASH WOOL! I honestly don't know how I got the idea that it was into my head. 

I'm working on a new project now with the same lovely stuff.

No doubt about it; that explains everything.

Nordica

I seem to have an affinity for most things nordic. Perhaps it's because Scandinavians and Canadians share a northern climate and its consequent quest for light. Whether it's TV (Anno 1790), pared down home decor, or knitting, the nordic aesthetic beckons. So, it shouldn't be any surprise that I just bought a ridiculous quantity of Norwegian and Danish yarn.

Yes, there might be a bit of a colour trend going on here--soft cream, pewter, and plum, colours that always work with my colouring. 

On Friday, my pal Cheryl, of Little Church Knits, and I made a road trip up to Wool Tyme in the south of Ottawa. Here Cheryl is outside my front door just before takeoff on our journey--she's such a good sport when it comes to posing for the camera.

We gassed up the car and grabbed coffee in Smith's Falls, where I couldn't resist this photo for my non-Canadian readers. It's maple syrup season! The sap runs best when the days are a little above freezing and the nights a little below. March, in other words.

I hadn't been to Wool Tyme in ages. Clearly, I've been missing something. This has become the go-to place for yarn in this neck of the woods, especially for sweater knitters. You know how difficult it can be to purchase sweater quantities of wool in the colours you want at the prices you need? No problem here! The inventory is mind boggling. The shop/warehouse seems to carry the entire line of Sandnesgarn yarns from Norway. I found beautiful natural fibres (wool, alpaca, silk, cotton, mohair) in stunningly lovely colours and equally stunning prices. My retired IMF/World Bank economist husband informs me that Norway is not part of the EU and this may have something to do with the price break.
What else is going on here on the north shore of Lake Ontario? So far, the ice hasn't disappeared, although the snow is long gone. Apparently, breaking up is hard to do.

In my knitting universe, while I contemplate what to do with my recent acquisitions, I'm moving forward with the aran jumper. This morning I unvented (to use a Zimmermannism) the "Twisted Perpendicular Join". More about that next time...
P.S. Wool Tyme is totally set up for mail order both in and outside of Canada. Think of it as WEBS Northern Edition.

Surreal

Just back from my daily walk down by the lake. The air temp is pretty warm for March--9C--but the ice still hasn't broken up. Without ice, the lake is all motion all the time as waves lap (or crash) onto the shore, and there's the constant noise of the water in motion. Today, with the water held in check under the ice, there was no noise at all other than some occasional creaking and cracking from the movement of the melting ice. No wind, no movement, no people. Lots of fog because of the difference in temps between the air and the frozen expanse of lake.

Eerily silent, like the end of the world.

Ganseys Galore

It's no secret, if you've been following my latest series of designs, that I'm in love with gansey texture, and have been ever since I purchased Beth Brown-Reinsel's "Knitting Ganseys" (many, many years ago), with its minimalist black-and-white photography. Here's a summary of my own modest efforts in this direction.

Wolfe Island Gansey

Snakes and Ladders Socks

Bibliogloves

Modern Gansey (his)

Modern Gansey (hers)

Buttonbox Waistcoat

Penelope Hat

Inverness Gloves

Now, Brooklyn Tweed has just come out with a collection of gansey designs. I'm so excited. I hope you'll check out BT's mix of innovation and tradition, and understand why I'm not the only one to find these fishermen's sweaters so fascinating and inspiring. And really, Jared Flood, Veronik Avery, Norah Gaughan et al. do it with more panache than I can possibly aspire to. Check it out!