I was honoured when Karen at Shall We Knit? asked if I would participate in their Artist-in-Residence program. I’m among good company; in April 2013 designer Linda Choo’s work was on display and, in February 2013, Kathryn Matthews was featured.

For the month of June, my designs are on display in the gallery space on the second floor of the shop and each Saturday I’ll be on hand at the shop to answer questions, offer advice and chat about the new design I’m developing as part of my residency. Indigodragonfly sponsors the artist-in-residence and I’ve decided to create my design in their lovely Linen Silk. The drape and feel of this yarn has to be experienced in person. I’m using a luscious spring green – Türtljägr: For When Frögschläger Just Won’t Do. For now, all I’ll say is that I’m designing a stole with the same construction as my Vieux Carré Stole (the light blue stole in the photo below).

Stop by Shall We Knit? this Saturday or the next and say hi! I’ll be at the shop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

P.S. Thanks for the photos Dad!

Looking at the photo above, you may wonder about releasing a pattern that looks like it should be worn in deep winter. And yes, it is perfect for that time of year. The secret is that the sample of the Angular Path scarf is knit in luscious Lang Seta Tweed, a beautiful, nubbly silk/cotton blend that makes this unisex design perfect for any season.

Comprised of only knit and purl stitches, the scarf is reversible and a perfect beginner project.

Get all the details of the Angular Path Scarf here.

I was paging through Japanese stitch dictionaries and found the main pattern used in this shawl. It reminded me of an Egyptian cartouche and I visualized it in a deeper vibrant red. That design, the Cartouche Shawl, was published in Knitty, Winter 2011.

I received a number of requests for a rectangular version using these stitch patterns. The Cartouche Stole is worked in two sections, beginning with a provisional cast on in the centre back. The stitch patterns flow seamlessly one into another. To accomplish this, transitional charts are used. These are marked as such and must be followed with extra care as stitch patterns are altered to flow into the next design.

Get all the details of the Cartouche Stole here.

Fossetta means “dimple” in Italian and this stitch pattern really reminds me of dimples in fabric. It may be late for winter in some parts of the world, but really, can one with ever go wrong with a cozy cowl or hat?

The red-brown cowl is knit with Verdant Gryphon’s beautiful Mondegreen worsted yarn, a divine concoction of Blue Faced Leicester, Silk and Camel. (A mondegreen is a misheard phrase, especially a song lyric and this colourway is “I Like Smoking Ice Cream”) Mondegreen is a seasonal yarn for Verdant Gryphon – carried only in the fall and winter – and they have good stock levels at the moment. Once you knit with this yarn, you’ll want more of it so this is the time to stock up. The cowl uses two skeins and the hat one.

The blue set is knit with Lang Yarns’ Yak, another luscious yarn made up of 50% merino and 50% yak. Seriously cuddly stuff (and if you want mittens to go with it, I recommend this pattern knit in this yarn).

Get all the details of the Fossetta set here.

One of the signs of spring for me is the annual Knitter’s Frolic held by the Downtown Knit Collective in Toronto – April 26 & 27, 2014 at The Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (map of location). So many great vendors, including many of my favourites!

I’m so excited about teaching this year at the Frolic! So if you’re attending, why not take my class on Intentional Pooling on Saturday afternoon (1-4 p.m.)? There’s still space and, as an added bonus, you’ll have a chance to buy some of the new Indigodragonfly colours in the class. Kim and Ron’s new colours work exceptionally well for intentional pooling (colours such as Beige) and, since the class runs until 4 p.m. and the market closes at 4:30, I was worried that people may not be able to get to her booth to buy yarn after the class finishes. So there will be a selection of these yarns for sale in the class!

If you are attending, just a reminder that the Gardiner Expressway will be closed in both directions for the weekend so you may need to adjust your transportation plans accordingly.

See you at the Frolic!

Somehow, in the rush to get ready for my trip to Haiti, I missed posting here about the interview I did with Red Leather Booth – although I did manage to get it posted on Facebook and Twitter. Yikes!

I was so thrilled when Jude Doble asked if I would be willing to be interviewed. I’m so pleased with the result and the promotion she has done. If you have the time, read some of her older posts. She’s interviewed fascinating people and I’m thrilled to be counted amongst the “arts and culture superstars in Waterloo Region!”

Despite the winter deep-freeze here in Ontario, I’m dreaming of the sun, blue waters and airy shawls. Sargaço Shawl is a perfect fit for dreams of tropical warmth.

Sargaço is the Portuguese word for sargasso, the type of seaweed for which the Sargasso Sea is famous. The Sargasso Sea sits in a still part of the ocean, providing the plants a place to grow and develop “a central point at which the floating bodies unite.” (from chapter 11 of Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys) The central panel of this shawl provides the point of stillness, while around it swirls the foam of the ocean. Slowly one begins to see the stems of seaweed emerging until the plants fully form along the bottom edge. Sparkling among the fronds are beads, highlighting the movement of the seaweed among the waves.

Read all about it here or head on over to Ravelry to buy it now.

I’m so very pleased to announce the release of Whitman Hat, designed to match the Whitman Cowl, which was released in November 2012. With one skein of Indigodragonfly Polwarth Silk, you can make both and have enough left over for the matching fingerless mitts that will be released in April/May 2014.

Read all about it here or head on over to Ravelry to buy it now.

Tabi Ferguson runs Sericin Silkworks, a small business selling hand-dyed luxury fibers. She produces skeins that have an astonishing depth of colour and luster, that beg your fingers to fondle. Many of us buy single skeins of precious fibers because we can’t resist, but then wonder what to make. Inspired by a skein of Sericin Silkworks 100% cashmere, I designed Gothic Forest Scarf, a scarf that uses up every yard of that special skein.

The stitch pattern used for the body of this scarf reminds me of a forest of trees, their branches forming high, mysterious arches. The shape of those arches are gothic in nature and that, plus the muted yet rich tones of Sericin Silkworks’ beautiful cashmere, led to the name for this decadent scarf.

Read all about it here or head on over to Ravelry to buy it now.

P.S. Tabi was recently interviewed by Robin Hunter on her blog. You can find the interview here.

I’m pleased to introduce the Every Which Way Cowl, so named for the lines of eyelets pointing in various directions.

The cowl (and the set) were inspired by Bare Naked Wools ‘Confection’. The natural colours of the yarn made it so difficult to choose just one and so I selected two shades of grey and the natural figuring on deciding on a pattern later. A few days later this cowl sprang fully designed into my dreams and quickly flew off my needles.

Also released today were the Hat and Fingerless Gloves. An eBook featuring the entire set is also available for purchase – buy now.

Read all about it here or head on over to Ravelry to buy it now.