Tag: brooklyn tweed

Nini Pullover

It’s been 2 years since I came across this pattern. I love that it came with 2 variations to choose from and the instructions were pretty straightforward. So what took me so long?

The sweater is knit in the round from the bottom up. It’s even super cropped so you would think I’d finish it in no time but as per usual, I procrastinate every time I have to seam.

It also became obvious that I was going to lose in yarn chicken for the contrasting color after I finished the ribbing.

I had some leftover Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in Arabesque from the hat I preview knit before. It paired well with the yarn I chose for this project, so in my efforts to use up what I had, I played the game.

When I realized it wasn’t going to be enough to finish the sweater, I asked around on IG if anyone happened to have leftovers sitting in their stash that I could buy. I didn’t need a full skein to finish the sweater and didn’t want to end up with leftovers again. It was a long shot, but to my surprise, someone in my community answered my call. Knitters are the best and I am so grateful!

I mentioned this pattern came with 2 options, a rolled hem neckline or a hoodie. I really liked how the rolled hem (loose neckline) looked in the pattern photos and intended to go with that version for my sweater.

But, after I tried it on, I realized it wasn’t for me so I ripped back and modified with a traditional 2×2 rib. It wasn’t until after I took my FO photos that I realized I probably should’ve used a 1×1 rib to match the sleeves and body.

Noted for any future mod’s – pay attention to the details!

I’ve heard of using markers for the decreases in the sleeves so I wanted to give it a try. I am forever an analog kinda girl so this was both weird and amazing at the same time for me.

It felt liberating to knit round and round without having to pause, grab a pen and mark a line on paper for each decrease. It was easier to keep track too.

Do you use markers for decreases or do you prefer to write it down? Those little checkmarks I get to put on the pattern after each section is so rewarding, but as for knitting sleeves, I think I’m converted 🙂

And here’s the finished sweater!

I’m really happy with how it turned out, even though I wasn’t as lucky this time around with my yarn not matching exactly. (You might recall this post where I used 2 different skeins of BT and had a different result.)

You can see a slight difference of Arabesque in this photo. The one from my stash (ribbing on body) is darker than the donated one (sleeves).

But honestly, you can’t really tell!

I love how it turned out.

My favorite design detail is the mini striping just before the ribbing on the sleeves and body.

And my favorite way to wear it is over my Smash and Tess Saturday romper in Forever Fawn.

// Pattern: Nini Pullover by Hannah Fettig //

// Yarn: Main color: Primrose Yarn Sport in Dreams //

// Yarn: Contrast color: Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in Arabesque //

Ardenwald

I was getting ready for another road trip back to Toronto when I received an invitation from Brooklyn Tweed to preview knit once again. This time, for their Holiday’19 collection.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I needed a project to keep me company for the 5+ hours of travel. I got to choose from 4 different accessories and surprise, surprise, I ended up picking the one described as “cabled beenie” 🙂

To me, cables in hats are so satisfying. It’s just enough to keep me engaged without dragging on forever. I really enjoy knitting it!

Ardenwald is nothing like I’ve knit or seen before in a cabled hat.  I got a modern Celtic vibe to the design and together with the name, made me think of Arwen from LOTR…

(Google Arwen, or her chambers in Rivendell and you’ll see what I mean!)

The pattern came with instructions for both DK and Worsted weight yarn which I appreciated. I like having options! I’m the kind of girl who will buy the same shirt in 3 colors if I really liked it. I’ve made the Blueberry Waffle Socks at least 3 times now because it’s easy to memorize and fits well. I definitely see myself making more Ardendwald hats in the future.

I had some leftover Brooklyn Tweed Arbor yarn in my stash in the colorway Sashiko which is what I hoped to use for my hat. Since the pattern calls for 2 skeins, I knew I was taking a risk in purchasing just one. I didn’t know if the dye lots were a thing to think about with BT so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I checked my LYS, Wabi-Sabi but they didn’t have the color in stock so I checked Rosehaven Yarn Shop in Picton, ON.

Turns out they had it so I just went for it! I pre-paid for the yarn over the phone and asked them to cake it up so it’s ready to knit. I was leaving for Toronto the following day and Picton was on the way!

My plan was to cast on and knit the ribbing as soon as we hit the road and hope that I had enough yarn to last me the time to travel from Ottawa to Picton which was about 2 hours. If the dye lots weren’t an issue, I would have the ribbing done at least and my next ball was ready to go. If there was a variance in the color, I decided I’ll just pick up 2 skeins of another color.  I didn’t mind having Sashiko back in my stash since it’s one of my favorites!

This was the best photo I could take on the road. As you can see, it’s a perfect match! The smaller cake to the left was purchased 2 years ago from The Knit Cafe and the one to the right was the new one.

While we were in Toronto, I stopped by my old LYS, The Knitting Loft to pick up a Lovafur Pom Pom. I didn’t see any on their website but I knew they carried this brand so I called to see if they still had some. Turns out they just received a new shipment in! It was my lucky day 🙂

I had navy in mind but I fell in love with this dark bluish grey!

No mods except for going up a needle size. I’ve noticed making this adjustment to most patterns lately so I went ahead and cast on with a size larger than what was called for on the pattern for DK. I finished the hat in 3 days and I am so happy with how it turned out!  I didn’t bother with alternating skeins and I also skipped the soak bath. I just sprayed it with a few bursts of steam to smooth it out.

// Pattern: Ardenwald Hat by Jared Flood //

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// Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in Sashiko //

Love it!!!

Thanks so much, Brooklyn Tweed for having me! xo

Weekender

// The Weekender Sweater by Andrea Mowry //

It’s been a while since I’ve updated this space. How are ya?

I’ve been juggling being a part-time single mama most days of the week and my what feels like 12+ hour days working on my small business. It is tremendously rewarding and exhausting at the same time. Knitting has always been my refuge even though I barely get the luxury to do so anymore. Most days I am completely wiped out to knit a single stitch so when an opportunity to travel presented itself in March, I knew I had to take full advantage.

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I’ve had both pattern (gifted by my friend Ashley) and yarn (Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Narwhal) in my stash for over a year. Honestly, I don’t know what took me so long to knit it up. I shared a sentiment on Instagram a few weeks ago about hoarding my most valued treasures, never wanting to “ruin” the state they came in and Brooklyn Tweed yarn is very very high on that list.  I’m ashamed to admit having a few sweater quantities just sitting in a drawer waiting to be used up.

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We (myself and my 2 younger mini me’s) traveled to Ottawa to visit my husband for March Break.

Wait… what? why you ask? This should fill you in.

I cast on for this sweater sometime during the 4-hour train ride on the way to Ottawa. We spent 2 weeks there and before I knew it, I had a brand new sweater shortly after we returned home.

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Incredibly fast and so rewarding!

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It’s knit in the round. Bottom up. Inside out.

The only thing you need to pay attention to is 1) the length and 2) refreshing or learning how to do a Kitchener bind off for the neckband and sleeves.

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I used this tutorial from Purl Soho. Easy Peasy!

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I loved knitting this sweater as much as wearing it so much I’m already planning to make at least one more. This is easily a wardrobe staple for me and I’d like it in black as well.

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These FO photos were taken by my soon to be 20-year-old son, Ryan.

He works for a photography company and with the wedding season now in full swing, he’s booked solid right through summer. He asked for a rain check to celebrate Mother’s Day due to this schedule. We went out on his day off instead.

The plan was to watch a movie then have dinner. He even made arrangements prior for my in-laws to babysit so that we could take our time downtown.

As per usual, we parked at Finch station (he even drove so I could knit!)  and we took the subway down. As a young adult, we barely get time alone and it was like a breath of fresh air to catch up with what he’s been up to. We arrived at least half an hour before our movie started so he took me on a tour around his school, Ryerson University. We ended up taking an impromptu photo shoot in the stairwell.

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We watched the movie “Us”. He’s currently taking Media Production and is hoping to get in the Film Industry. He’s a huge fan of Jordan Peele’s work and couldn’t wait to show me his latest film even though he’s already seen it before. I enjoyed it! So many creative sequences throughout the movie. Funny how I look at things in a whole new perspective now that Ry is literally dissecting it! Recently, he came home after a lecture from one of the directors of the TV series, Suits. He was so inspired and talked about it so passionately I could taste his hunger for this new passion.

Ahhh, life with young adults is the best!

For dinner, he took me to Assembly Chef’s Hall. We ate so much because we wanted to try as much food as we possibly could. Boy was I glad I was wearing super high waisted pants and a loose fitting boxy sweater 😉 Highly recommend this place. It’s like a food court at the mall except the dishes are 10x better! We plan on going back and bringing the entire family just so we can try more dishes!

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I shared most of the food we ate in my stories on Instagram. It’s actually one of my favorite things to share, for no other reason than I’m just happy I’m not cooking hahaha! My dream if when I win that million dollar lottery ticket is to hire a full time chef for life 🙂

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Dear Ry,

Thanks for being such an amazing kid. I had so much fun on our date and I feel so lucky I get to be your mom. I love how creative you are, whether it’s playing the piano, taking pictures not just for work but for pleasure whenever you can, and for this new passion you found in film. You constantly blow me away with your drive and motivation and I am so proud of you. I will always support you and be there for you, no matter what.

I love you so much.

xoxo,

mom

Rivulet

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I was honored to be invited once again by Brooklyn Tweed to preview knit their Wool People 12 collection. If you recall back in January, I preview knit the Freja cardigan by Jared Flood for their Winter 18 collection. (I talked about preview knitting before here and on the podcast.)

Wool People is Brooklyn Tweed’s annual collection of independent designers from around the world. It was tough to pick just one pattern to preview knit for this collection. There were so many talented designers to choose from – Annie Rowden, Isabell Kraemer, Emily Greene, Shannon Cook, Melissa Wehrle – just to name a few. In the end, I decided to knit Rivulet. It’s a lace cowl knit in fingering weight designed by Shannon Cook.

She is a fellow Canadian and I’ve knit one of her patterns before – twice – the Laylow shawl. I’m a long time admirer of hers. Totally drawn to her modern aesthetic and am dream knitting so many of her patterns such as the Veronika Cardigan, Haro shawl, Hudson, and Bradway.

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As I’ve previously mentioned, it isn’t mandatory to use Brooklyn Tweed yarn to preview knit. It just so happens that I enjoy using it! Another dilemma – choosing a color! I’m typically a neutral lover but I was just drawn to Hayloft. I pictured this gorgeous yellow mustard wooly goodness around my neck and shoulders.

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As soon as I got passed the border and completed the first half of the chart repeat, I knew this was going to be amazing.

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Slowly but surely, I could see the geometric lace emerging…

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I was enamored by the contrast of my turquoise handmade stitch markers against Hayloft that I decided to make a matching progress keeper from an old necklace. I also decided to wear OPI’s Closer Than You Might Belem nail polish from their Lisbon collection because 1) it’s a perfect match and 2) I was going on a trip and needed to get my nails done anyway. I can’t even describe how satisfying it was for me and how happy this sight made me feel!

pi_rivulet_5Radley and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary this year. As we sat and reminisced about the past 20 years (married for 10; together since high school), we realized we’ve never traveled alone as a couple before. It’s always as a family, with the kids so we decided while we’re young we’d do something totally different.

Kind of last minute – we talked about going away in passing earlier in the year but never really booked anything. We simply couldn’t decide where to go. Also, keeping in mind a  trip at the end of this month which was booked from last year,  we didn’t want to go to another all-inclusive.

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We decided to go to Amsterdam. At first, we were going to fly into Berlin then take a train to Amsterdam then Paris. It would have been nice, but we only had 10 days. We knew there were lots of things to do so we chose to just stay in Amsterdam and relax and explore. I’ll probably upload a vlog at some point (hopefully!). I brought Rivulet with me on this trip. I knew I will have lots of time to work on it on the plane. Towards the end of our trip, we ended up spontaneously taking a drive to see a little bit of Germany. So, we checked out 3 days earlier than planned and went on the road. More knitting time for me, yay!

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We read that it rains a lot in Amsterdam and even though I’m not a gambler at all, I decided to take a chance and only pack dresses and sandals. (Luckily, no rain that week) I brought a bunch of woolies with me for the flight because I get cold easily and I’m so glad I did. We had a pretty long layover in Keflavik, Iceland on our return flight home and Radley had surprised me to go to Blue Lagoon, Iceland! He even packed me a suit and a hat 🙂

Rivulet is a charted pattern but I was able to travel and knit on it easily. I figured out a hack that made it super easy to knit and read the chart. I’ll show it on my next podcast if you’re interested!

I’m so glad I was able to make this shot work…. I literally had 10 minutes to pull it off before sunset.

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Although this is a charted pattern, when I returned home and was able to knit several repeats without interruption, it clicked! It is very intuitive and relaxing. It had a nice flow which was an absolute joy to knit.

It’s my first rectangular shawl and I love how it wears!

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Like a big, cozy, hug!

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My son, Ryan took these photos for me. The day we planned our photo shoot, it had been raining non-stop but thanks goodness it cleared up about an hour before sunset.

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These were taken at Wilcox Lake in Oak Ridges – about 10 minutes away from our house. We go here quite often because of the stunning view and has a really great playground for the kids.

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There is an option to add buttons and I was waiting to see photos of my fellow preview knitters wearing it as a cowl before deciding on mine. This pattern was just released yesterday but I’m liking what I’ve seen so far! I’m going to see if there are any buttons from my mom’s old clothes I can use.

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I’m so happy with my Rivulet. Shannon did not disappoint! So elegant, so modern!

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Simple texture + simple lace. I just love it. And Hayloft is going get me in t-r-o-u-b-l-e!!! I’m obsessed!

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Pattern: Rivulet // Design by Shannon Cook // Wool People 12

Many thanks to everyone in Brooklyn Tweed for having me once again! 

Tiilda

This blog is not only for documenting my makings but to also have a place for future projects I’m excited about. That’s how Current Obsessions was born and I have every intention of making every single item I put into this category.

Back in November, I shared the Tiilda hat and mitten set by my friend and talented designer, Inese Sang.

Tiilda set

I finished it a while back but never got around to taking photos of me wearing them until now. We woke up to hail and snow yesterday. Yup, that’s right, I said yesterday and I know it’s the middle of April but I don’t think mother nature got the memo. Anyway, we had been delaying getting our passport photos taken for months now so, at the beginning of the week, I told everyone “don’t make any plans this Saturday because no matter what, we are going to Costco first thing to get that done.”

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Well, damn.

Tiilda mittens in progress

So, we dug out the winter gear, snow boots and all and headed out the door. It’s a good thing Radley never got around to changing the tires either!

Tiilda Hat in progress

[project bag is from my sweet friend, Sandy]

Brooklyn Tweed Quarry (Moonstone)

I used Brooklyn Tweed Quarry in the colorway Moonstone. I knew this yarn loves to cable and I’m so pleased with how they turned out. The only regret I have is not buying more for a matching cowl.  🙂

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I haven’t blocked them yet because I was too excited to wear them  lazy. I bought the faux fur pom pom from a fellow Canadian maker – Elle Desjardins.

I’ve received so many compliments (and requests) for this set.  I’m planning to make another one in black with this.

If you’re looking for a super fast, super fun, purposeful gift (unless you live in Florida) I highly recommend this pattern. Have I mentioned it’s free?

Mother’s day is just around the corner and I think this would be a perfect gift for mom (again, unless you live in Florida)

If you decide to knit it, why not print a gift tag as well 🙂

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Pattern: Tiilda Hat // Tiilda Mittens by Inese Sang.

Holy Grail

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It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Brooklyn Tweed. It’s always been a dream of mine to have a closet full of garments made from their yarn and designs. I have plans to make Natsumi, Ondawa, Aspen, Channel cardigan, Sundottir, to name a few.

[Images via Brooklyn Tweed]

So, of course, when I heard that the man behind it all, Jared Flood, was being interviewed in the Making podcast, I was ecstatic.

I’ve always enjoyed Ashley Yousling’s work on Woolful. It’s incredibly eye-opening and inspiring to hear about other creative’s journey and the ambiance she provides to tell the story is so my jam.

The quote above is from the interview. It resonated with me at this point in my life. Not just with my work but with life in general.

Isn’t it true that we always seem to wait for the right time? When the kids are older or when I win the lottery or when I lose that extra 10 pounds, I will…….(insert goal here)

What about right now?

What can you be grateful for at this very moment?

I’ve been trying to embrace mindfulness more and more as part of my new self-care routine and let me tell you, it’s not so easy. I’ve got so many ideas buzzing in my head. My to-do list is never-ending, the laundry is always overflowing and there aren’t enough hours in the day to get it all done. It’s very easy for me to be overwhelmed by things that in hindsight really doesn’t even matter if I look at the grand scheme of things.

It’s been a work in progress, allowing myself to pause and appreciate the little things whenever I can.

Bullet journaling (bujo) has been my holy grail. I love that it not only helps me keep my tasks and thoughts organized but it clearly lets me know when I’m in way over my head. What I think is important at the time all of a sudden gets shoved down the list or gets migrated. In some instances even irrelevant!

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[WIP: Summer Feelin’ Sweater by Wool and the Gang]

I give myself room to journal in there as well and I love that everything is in chronological order. From my tasks to my thoughts. I can easily go back and remember where I was in my life when brainstorming an idea. I don’t really focus on the “pretty/fancy layouts” that bujo can easily turn into. I keep it pretty simple. I carry it everywhere I go and I make the effort to note what I’m grateful for each week.

I find this practice helps improve my perspective. I scan the week I’ve had and find one or two things that might have otherwise been overlooked. There’s always something to be grateful for. Even if you think it’s the worst possible day. It really isn’t so bad.

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I love my Leuchtturm1917. It’s simple and classic (hmmm, sound familiar?) you know it’s right up my alley! I love that it comes with dotted lines, numbered pages, table of contents and 2 bookmarks. But mostly, I love the freedom of being able to customize the pages to however it best suits my needs for a particular time. I’m in total control of what I want to make a note of,  whether I want a diary section for this week/month or not.

I chose not to get the bullet journal edition (I got it for my husband though) because it comes with fewer pages and cost a bit more. Have to admit though, I do like the extra features of a dedicated Key and Collections page.

I use the 2 bookmarks it came with for 1) my Current Week 2) my Collections. I added a third which says “Escape the Ordinary” and I use it for easy access to my Future Logs. I picked it up from Indigo (obsessed with that store!) a while back so I’m not sure if they still carry it but there a few others I’ve got my eye on like this and this. Thing is, I only use this one notebook so I can’t really justify getting another charm bookmark (for now anyway!)

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It’s jewelry for my notebook. I just love it!

Anyway, back to the quote.

Lots of ideas and plans for the shop that I hope to accomplish this year.  But at this moment, I want to pause, reflect, and be mindful of what is happening right now.

I’m extremely humbled and grateful for the opportunities coming my way and I can’t wait to share it with you soon!

Holy Grail

 

 

Freja

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Back in October of last year, I was invited by Brooklyn Tweed to Preview Knit a pattern of my choosing from their upcoming Winter 2018 Collection.

Preview knitting is different from sample knitting and test knitting. At this stage, the pattern has already gone through an extensive knitting process and technical feedback was not a requirement. I was given the pre-layout version without the finalized pattern name.

A couple months later, I was delighted to find out that the garment I chose was named Freja –  meaning Lady, Goddess of love, beauty, war and death in Norse mythology.

I love the name Freja and if you recall from my first vlog, I had named my dress form after her!

How serendipitous!

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“For insouciant style you can dress up or down, Freja is a quick knit with big impact. An open front with a swingy A-line shape and a textured shawl collar make this sculptural piece easy to throw on over any outfit, and in chunky Quarry, it’s an ideal cozy overlayer. Add angled patch pockets for the perfect functional accent.” – Brooklyn Tweed. 

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Just my cup of tea!

I used Brooklyn Tweed Quarry in the colorway Gypsum. I hadn’t tried it yet and to be honest, was a little skeptical, having read too many tips on how to use this yarn. In the end, I decided to give it a shot and see for myself exactly what the fuss is about. I made notes – just in case…

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I’m happy to report that I experienced no breakage with Quarry while knitting. NONE. It was an absolute pleasure to work with – from hand winding the skein into a ball – to spit splicing (my favorite!).

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Every technique Jared incorporated in this design resulted in an effortless knit. If only I had a dollar for every time I stopped in awe to tell Radley “I am blown away by this”.

It’s not an easy feat to keep things simple. To know when to stop – when you’ve hit the sweet spot by adding just a hint of texture to keep interest.

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The classic stockinette paired with an easy to memorize texture along the neckline produced a sophisticated garment. The pockets are optional but I highly recommend. The construction is ingenious!

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At first, I knit the longer version of the sleeves (7″). I wore it for a couple of days and really thought about what I like and need for a cardigan. I still had about 70% of the last ball so I wasn’t worried that I will run out.

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In the end, I decided to go for a 3/4 length sleeve and for little me, that translates to roughly 10″. I ripped back the binding, added 3 more inches to each sleeve then re-blocked.

I’m so happy with how this turned out. Part of the reason why I was so impressed is that I had never worked with Quarry before. The stitch definition really made the texture pop. It works up really fast because you’re using a bulky weight yarn, but it’s not heavy. It blocks out like a cloud.

Freja is a timeless, carefree cardigan that I see myself living in for many years to come.

pd-freja-4Freja by Jared Flood 

I would like to thank Jared Flood, Korina Yoo, and everyone at Brooklyn Tweed for inviting me to be a part of this collection. It was a true honor and pleasure to preview knit and work with you! xo

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As always, here’s a list of shows I watched while working on this project:

  • The Walking Dead – Season 8
  • Vikings – Season 5
  • How To Get Away With Murder – Season 4
  • Top of the Lake – Season 2
  • The Handmaid’s Tale – Season 1
  • Outlander – Season 3