Looking Back // April

I'm shocked that it's only been three months since my last post. It feels a lot longer with the amount of work I've been up to. Since I don't normally post about my "in progress" designs, till they are released, I feel it ends up looking like I haven't been doing too much. Since January, it has been quite the opposite. I've completed four new patterns including my first two sweaters patterns. Plus, I now have another six new designs underway at the moment. Six! So "busy" sums up my current state. Most of these new designs won't be released until the autumn but I thought I would share some photos of what I get up to in between knitting project and talk about some of the yarn I'm currently using.

At the very end of March I ended up sick just as the most gorgeous mountain of Hinterland yarn arrived. The beginning of April started with some simple swatching as I recovered in bed. I'm currently working with Hinterland's Range, with the pile above showing their colours Ash, Honey and a single skein of Snow. It's beautiful, hearty yet an incredible soft blend of 50% Canadian Rambouillet and 50% of their home-grown alpaca. I have one sweater in this yarn and I honestly lived in it this winter. I hope to add more to my wardrobe soon. 

My second yarn delivery in April came all the way from Paris! This is La Bien Aimée's Merino DK in Ash and Pom Pom. I was really excited to finally get acquainted with their yarn and fabulous colours. It was my first time using a speckled yarn. I tend to stick to heathers or semi-solid colours. However, it was a nice change to be working with something as fun as Pom Pom. I'm just about ready to ship this new design to its final destination. I've paired these two colours together and you'll be seeing the final piece in the autumn!

The past two months I've also tried to find time for other crafts that I enjoy. As much as I love knitting, it gets a little tedious when it's your job and past time. Plus, I need to be kinder to my hands and wrists and make sure I avoid repetitive strain injury. I completed these two small embriodery projects last month. The succulent and mandarins were my own designs, each one created from a photo. They're only about 10 cm in diameter and  were sent off to London, UK, for friends' birthdays.  

Besides embroidery, I've also started to sew again. I did study textiles and fashion when I attended the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University but haven't officially sewn a garment since graduating in 2011. Back in March, I did take a dress making workshop at  Patch, a local fabric store in Halifax. This was a great way to ease myself back into sewing and get reacquainted with putting a commercial pattern together. The workshop was based on the Farrow Dress by Grainline Studio. I also did manage to make myself the Camber Dress by Merchant & Mills. I purchased a few dress patterns and fabric from Merchant & Mills years back at the Knitting & Stitching show in London and it felt really good to finally find the time to make them. 

The shot above is my pair of Ninni Culottes, design by Named Clothing. I think these were my first pants I ever put together besides samples in school. I wanted a pair that were easy to sew up but still a little challenging. I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out. I used a lightweight indigo fabric from Patch. Now I just need the warmer weather to wear them!

Even though I'm super pleased with my new creations, my favourite discovery last month was at No. 9 Coffee Bar in Lunenburg, NS. Gluten free doughnuts! It might sound a little ridiculous but I believe this was my first gluten free doughnut ever and it was amazing. Whenever I'm down to visit The Mariner's Daughter, Lunenburg's local yarn shop, I stop by No. 9 to grab a tea for the road. That's when I discovered these delectable little treats!

I'm hoping to recap more often since it gives me an opportunity to talk about other things besides knitting all the time. I'll be sharing my next pattern which was just recently released. It looks like May is off to a good start!  

Fog Harbour

Please welcome Fog Harbour, my second design to be released this year. I'm also really happy to say Fog Harbour is a part of Quince & Co's latest accessory collection, Scarves, etc 6. This is my first time working with this yarn company but I am no stranger to their gorgeous blends. This fall amirisu published Phōs and in 2014, Pom Pom published Selsey, both which were knit in Quince's sport weight, Chickadee. Fog Harbour was my first chance to work with their yarn called Ibis. This a chunky weight yarn, 50% merino, 50% mohair and incredibly cozy. Ibis is sourced and milled in the United States like most of their yarns. I thought I would share the progress of this design. 

Photos from Pinterest. 

Often with submissions to knitting magazines or yarn companies I'll begin by looking over the criteria and theme for their issue or collection. However, this submission for Quince, worked a little differently. For Scarves, Etc. 6 the only criteria was that the design be unpublished, use their yarn and be either a scarf, cowl or shawl. There was no mood board or theme to begin sourcing ideas from so I decided to take an idea I had been thinking about for a while and bring that to life. I knew it would be a chunky Garter Stitch cowl with a hint of colour work. I started to narrow down the pattern of the colour work and found myself drawn to these strong black  geometric lines featured in the textile and bridge above. The final motif I settled on for this cowl, echoes the structure of the MacDonald Bridge, which spans the harbour of my hometown of Halifax. I used vertical lines to recreate its silhouette. 

The construction of Fog Harbour is fairly simple. It is knitted in the round, and primarily consists of Garter Stitch. Individual pieces of yarn, in a contrasting colour, are added to create each vertical line. These stitches are either knitted or slipped to create a geometric pattern on top of the Garter Stitch background. There is no need to carry the contrasting colour behind the work like traditional stranded knitting. Plus another great feature is that this project works up in no time. The Ibis is very light for such a thick yarn but other alternatives could be Quince & Co's Osprey or Puffin. The colours I used in my sample were picked for the final piece, Abilene and Longhorn. Here is a photo of what the cowl looks like in progress. I admit that it does look a bit messy with the many loose ends but the technique is very simple and creates a neat and tidy inside once it's finished.

Fog Harbour is now available as a single PDF download or as part of the Scarves, Etc 6 collection. You can find it through Quince & Co's website or in their Ravelry Shop. This year's collection has many varied and interesting pieces in it and I'm so happy to be included. I think the Quince & Co team did an amazing job. All of the gorgeous photography was done by Whitney Hayward. Visit the website to see the other pieces and more photos of Fog Harbour. 

Photography by Whitney Hayward. 

As I was putting this blog post together it dawned on my that my original sample would be a perfect size for someone I know. I swear I did not knit Fergus his own mini Fog Harbour but he does look so good in it! 

Fort Grey

I am really excited to share the release of amisiru's Issue 12 which contains my second design published by them. Before the release of my first pattern with amirisu, Phōs in Issue 11, I was already working away on this new design for their winter, Issue 12. Once Phōs was released and I had a physical copy of the magazine in my hands, I was in awe of their simple and stunning treatment of each piece and the overall look of the publication. I have been patiently awaiting the arrival of this new winter collection ever since. I knew I could look forward to seeing another gorgeous collection put together by the amirisu team. I'm honoured to be included alongside other designers whom I admire and a few new names I am happy to discover.  I thought I would share again some of the design process which went into creating my lastest pattern, Fort Grey. 

I started gathering ideas for this project by examining amirisu's winter moodboard. I was particularly drawn to the three photos displayed below. There were a handful of examples of traditional knitted sweaters from Guernsey on the mood board. I absolutely loved the simplicity of this style and wanted to incorporate this texture into my design. At the same time, I loved the intricacy of the all-over cable pattern on the sweater to the right. I thought socks would be a perfect way to explore multiple stitch patterns and textures since they are a small accessory. I was also drawn towards the photo of the two sweaters because of their neural colours, grey and beige. I had the pleasure of visiting Guernsey with friends last spring and thought these warm neutrals reminded me of the sandy coastlines and the driftwood that collects along them. 

Photo from Pinterest. 

Photo from Pinterest.

Photo from Pinterest. 

Below are my original sketches and samples which I sent to amirisu in my proposal. We settled on using Socks Yeah! by Coop Knits for the yarn. I used this yarn in the sample on the right. I thought it provided great stitch definition for the tiny over-all cable pattern. I also love the subtle heather quality that each colour has in the Sock Yeah! collection. Each colour is very interesting upon close inspection yet wouldn't distract from all the patterning which is happening in these socks. I had a hard time picking just one of Socks Yeah's soft neutrals so amirisu decided on the colour Axinite. 

So finally, here is Fort Grey, a pair of socks which are knit from the toes up. A traditional Guernsey inspired texture runs along the top of the foot and then interlocking tiny cables emerge from the heel and decorate the back of the leg. I decided to name the pair directly after one of the forts I visited during my trip to Guernesy. Fort Grey was originally built along Rocquaine Bay by the British as defence during the Napoleonic Wars. It is now known as the Fort Grey Shipwreck Museum, where artifacts from both historical and recent shipwrecks around Guernsey are housed.  

Photography by  amirisu. 

Photography by  amirisu. 

Photography by  amirisu. 

Just before I left for Finland to spend Christmas, I ordered more of Coop Knit's Socks Yeah! to knit my own pair of Fort Grey. This time I chose a slightly different colour for this pair, Obsidian. I was only able to cast them on while I was in Helsinki and worked on them a bit during my various flights home to Canada. They are now finished and ready to wear! One of my resolutions this year is to start wearing my own hand knit socks. I've enjoyed knitting a handful of pairs this past year but for me, they tend to sit out of sight and not get worn. I must change this! Fort Grey is now available as a single PDF download through amirisu's Ravelry shop or you'll see it when you purchase a copy of Issue 12!

Martinique Mittens

In continuing the celebration of the one year anniversary of Take Heart, I am releasing a free pattern as a small thank-you to my followers. It was this time last year when Take Heart was finally able to grace the hands of readers and knitters at Pom Pom's annual Christmas Party in London. Even though I had spent several months knitting each piece in the book, there were a few I was eager to cast on again and knit specifically for myself. I started with Martinique Beach. I was off to Sicily for the holidays and needed a project to knit along the way. So as a Christmas present to myself, I picked out four skeins of The Uncommon Thread's Lush Worsted. I went with a much more subtle colour combination that would fit with my own personal wardrobe. I settled on Tea Smoked and of course, three different shades of grey, Grit, Olive Leaf and Toast. You may recognize this project from last year,  as it has been featured in a few previous posts. 

It was shortly after finishing the cowl when I decided to make a pair of mittens inspired by the original pattern and I had plenty of leftover yarn to use. I was able to finish the mittens last January, just before my trip to Iceland. I posted one photo of the mittens on Instagram while I was away and had intended to write the pattern up when I returned. Of course, life and other priorites got in the way. However, nearly one year later, I have it for you now! In case you needed to purchase 100g of each colour to knit Martinique Beach, these mittens would be a great idea as to what to do with the left over yarn. 

You'll be able to find my Martinique Mittens as a free download through my Ravelry shop. Thank-you for the overwhelming love and support this year. Happy Holidays and I hope you enjoy the pattern! 

Take Heart Anniversary

This autumn was overwhelmingly busy with the various knitting festivals I got to attend. After a quick break, I moved into knitting and making a few plans for this winter.  Many new projects have been on and off the needles which hopefully I can share in the new year. I still plan to recap my trips to Vancouver's Knit City and Rhinebeck's Wool and Sheep Festival with a few photos soon. One of my goals lately has been to stay active and social on Instagram. Two weeks ago I had a lot of fun doing an Instagram Take Over for Pom Pom Quarterly to kick off some special celebrations. I can't believe a full year has gone by since releasing Take Heart: A Transatlantic Knitting Journey. We're celebrating the first anniversary by hosting a Take Heart KAL which is happening now on Ravelry. Head over there to see the details on how to join. It's running till January 2nd, 2017 so there's still plenty of time to participate! 

I thought I'd share my photos from the Take Over on here as well. You can always find Pom Pom on Instagram at @pompommag and my personal account at @fiona_alice_. I am so pleased I could share a little bit of my home, Nova Scotia, with Pom Pom's followers. Thanks for lovely comments! 

Hello Pomcats! I'm Fiona Alice and welcome to Nova Scotia! I'll be taking over the Pom Pom Instagram feed this weekend as Pom Pom and I are getting ready to celebrate the first anniversary of my book Take Heart: A Transatlantic Knitting Journey, which was inspired by both the Canadian and British landscapes. Nova Scotia is known for its varying coastlines so here's one of my favourite places, Duncan's Cove. Make sure you join in with our Take Heart knit along and tag your posts #takeheartkal and stay tuned for more pics from me @fiona_alice_. 

Hi it's @fiona_alice_  again with my #takehearttakeover of the Pom Pom account this weekend. Be prepared to see a lot of grey over Pom Pom's Instagram feed this weekend; it's my favourite colour whether natural or dyed. Luckily there's a never ending supply of beautiful greys along this rugged coastline, and Nova Scotia's overcast and rainy grey days make the perfect excuse for staying indoors to knit.

If you have a copy of #PPQ18you might recognise this design. Here's Kaali from this year's autumn issue. I couldn't resist using more of Elisabeth Beverley's Plant Dyed Cashmere, grey of course. Plus a few golden threads by Temaricious to match Nova Scotia's late autumn palette. The temperature is starting to drop here so the cozy cashmere is inviting to slip on cold hands. Stay tuned this weekend for posts from me @fiona_alice_ as I share more of my photos.

This is Fergus, my cat, knitting companion and biggest distraction. He constantly competes to be the softest grey item in my hands. To give him a run for his money I dug out some of @toft_uk Aran Alpaca which has been sitting in my stash for the past three years. Fergus loves alpaca and approves this yarn choice so I'll be casting on, just in time for the #takeheartkal. I feel like there is only one project this yarn is destined to become. 

Putting my @toft_uk Aran Alpaca to use and slowly working on #takehearthat. This pattern was originally launched 3 years ago in Issue 7, Pom Pom's Winter 2013 Issue. It's still one of my favourite patterns, and I love to see it knit up by others. I'm selfishly knitting this one for myself.

You can often find me knitting or with my laptop, here at Seven Bays Cafe in Halifax's North End. Thanks for letting me share a little piece of my knitting world with you this weekend. It's wild to think one whole year has gone by since releasing Take Heart: A Transatlantic Knitting Journey. I would not have been able to do this without your support. I can't wait to see where my next knitting journey will take me! Please keep sharing your projects with me, #takeheartkal - I love to see them. Signing off with much love, Fiona Alice.

Since Christmas is around the corner, Pom Pom put some very exciting knitting kits together. The Border Mill has graciously released a special yardage of their Alpaca Tweed for this. There's enough to make the Chester Basin hat and mitten set. Head over to the Pom Pom Shop to see the gorgeous colour combinations! I definitely wish I had more of this yarn in my stash. 

Photography: Pom Pom Quarterly 

I was also lucky to be invited back as a guest on the Pomcast last week. You can listen to Sophie and I catch up and discuss what has happened since releasing Take Heart. It has been an amazing year that just flew by but I'm getting excited about new plans to come in 2017. Here's my newly finished Take Heart hat, the project that started this all and just in time for the snow! I love seeing the project photos that knitters choose to share, please continue! I'll have a little treat for my followers here on the blog this week, a little thank-you for your love and support.