Beautiful Bariloche

The new Aslantrends Bariloche is so nice! It is a very lofty yarn, almost a thick and thin but subtle enough not to change your gauge. It shows stitch definition well, is soft and comes in amazing colours.

I made an earwarmer in Sky Blue from my free pattern (on the website) and some wristers to match. The set is for a silent auction for a friend's son's class going to Quebec.

Setting the Vibe

The sun was shining, colliding with the water and creating a million shards of light. While standing on the ferry, I noticed a little commotion off the bow. Too small to be whales, but certainly something playing in the water. Going out for a closer look, I saw two porpoises dart through the water to the left backside of the boat. No one else seemed to notice.

I walked to the back and looked out into the glittering water. There they were. Seven porpoises, jumping and diving and surfing in the wake of the ferry. No one else was there to see it so it felt like my own private show.

Such a sense of joy and being in the moment I felt watching them! Only one photo was in focus, I was too busy watching the porpoises to pay attention to what I was doing with the camera.

That's what I love about coming to Fun Knits, the journey itself is part of the adventure.

Kauni KAL

As the fall weather is just around the corner we turn our thoughts to knitting for the holidays. What could be a better way to start than with a cuter than ever stocking?!

Knit Kauni With Us!

Here at Fun Knits we love Kauni. So much so that we want to do another Kauni knit along! We have chosen a pattern designed by Shelley (Fun Knits owner). The Christmas stocking is a fun knit, and only takes a small amount of two Kauni colours.

The pattern is available for purchase here; and for the month of September we are offering the pattern free with a purchase of Kauni yarn. As Shelley explains in the pattern notes, this stocking was done with EM and EK, but would also look great done in other colours (what are your Christmas decorating colours?), or even one colour such as EQ started at two different colour sections.

Happy Anniversary Spinners

We just celebrated the second anniversary of our Tuesday Fun Knits Spinning group. Vyvyan, our original spinner/weaver/knitter/teacher extraordinaire, baked a scrumptious chocolate bundt cake, and Shelley and Linda took everyone out for pizza at the Lovin' Oven next door.

Below is a photo of the lovely Vyvyan wearing her handspun, handwoven (completed with handknit ribbing at the bottom), silk-lined vest. She's posing in front of several colourful rows of gorgeous sock yarn, including koigu, malabrigo and diamond footloose.

First, let me apologize for not hearing or retaining many of the details of everyone's first experience with handspun - it was a lively group with lots of laughter and talk.

Below are a few photos of the spinners....

Maria, myself and Carol with Roz and Linda talking in the background (Linda is a godsend - Shelley calls her ZP, short for zesty partner....go ahead and ask, the story's a good one).

Carol and Diane (If you can see her, Shelley is sitting quietly at the till.)

A vibrant Shelley proudly holding her first skein of handspun yarn. Thanks to Shelley for her inviting, creative spirit - she dreamed the spinner's group into a reality.

Maria holding her first handspun (the small white skein) which was so finely spun - almost threadlike. I think her hat is a brioche (sp?) pattern for which she used her handspun, hand-dyed yarn.

My first handspun using a fine shetland fibre - it was a wonderful experience.

Carol holds up the fisherman's sweater she knit for her husband with her first handspun - she's the one whose fingers seem to hypnotize the fibre into perfectly spun strands. Carol, you're wearing a hat, no doubt one that you handspun and knit but I didn't hear the details - looks great on you.

Our lovely Roz, holding her first handspun/handknitted items - she used Northern Lights for the gorgeous sweater in front. Roz has been knitting for over 50 years and produces so many perfectly beautiful knitted garments.

Here is Diane who lives on a boat with her husband (a beautiful boat - all dark wood and cozy spaces) that faces a forested shoreline and families of soaring eagles. She holds her first handspun which she wove into a beautiful pillow casing. Diane is a master weaver as well and creates exquisite tapestries, blankets and scarves.

Joy is our newest member - she was given an Indian Head Spinning Wheel for a wedding gift. Sharron seemed very interested in the workings of this wheel and attentively taught Joy about her new wheel and how to use it. Joy poses with her first handspun which she actually spun before she even knew how to use the wheel - amazing!

And here, Sharron and Diane talk about spinning alpaca fibre (I think) with her drop spindle. Sharron has been spinning for years and continuously offers invaluable fibre information and teaching tips to all of us. Check out her website to see her gorgeous weavings and quilts.

At noon we walked next door to the Lovin' Oven and sat down for more laughter and talk, delicious pizza, and Vyvyan's superbly delicious chocolate bundt cake. Happily, Marg joined us as well (on Shelley's left in the first photo) - she has been spinning, weaving and knitting for decades. Sorry Marg, I didn't see what you were working on but I'm sure it was beautiful.

I marvel at how inspiring it is to share time with so many wise, wonderful women -- all of us walking our own individual fibre paths and building community along the way.

Happy Anniversary Spinners.....