Month: May 2013

Covet: Malabrigo Silky Merino Yarn

Leave a comment

sm4

I received an exciting package in the post last week. I love packages, especially packages full of yarn. This package didn’t disappoint. And what was in said exciting package? It was stuffed full of Malabrigo’s luxurious Silky Merino yarn. Yummy! I had to play with it immediately, a moral imperative if you will.

sm1

As you do with new yarn, I rubbed it against my cheek – soft as a cloud! Of course, I’ve never tried rubbing a cloud against my face but that’s what I imagine it would be like. The Lavanda colourway looked absolutely splendid, a new colour added to Malabrigo’s extensive colour roster for 2012/2013. Deep, dark purples to hints of dark grey to lavender. I definitely have a purple thing this spring, judging from recent yarn purchases.

sm3

I confess this isn’t my first interlude with Silky Merino. I have said yarn in Sand and Smoke as well. Love! The 51% silk, 49% merino wool sparkles under the light, all 150 yards per skein (50 grams).

sm2

I have to behave myself, show some iota of restraint. I don’t do restraint very well… but yes, restraint. I will have to wait to use this yarn. It’s in a queue for a garment to be released later this year. It’s all I can say. And maybe also that I have to release and submit a couple things before knitting the lovely Silky Merino up into its destined form by the fall.

Meanwhile, I can stack it and put on my office nook shelf to admire and inspire. That doesn’t hurt anyone one bit! Right?  I was saying something about restraint…

x Rena

Advertisement

Finished! Owlets Pullover

Leave a comment

Image

I am pleased to share that I have finally finished knitting an Owlets pullover for a close friend’s baby that was born last month. For those of you who aren’t obsessed with Scottish knitwear designer Kate Davies, Owlets is the infant and child size version of her fiercely popular adult size Owls pullover on popular knitting hub Ravelry.

Don’t worry, I’m not spilling the beans prematurely here – Maia’s Mom has seen the sweater over the magic that is Skype all the way in London, UK from my home in metro Vancouver.

owlet

The pattern was a delight to knit, both well written and nicely laid out. For Maia, the new arrival, I chose a Madelinetosh Rios superwash worsted yarn in a lovely green variegated colourway called ‘Lettuce’. I used most of two skeins. The yarn was so soft! And durable, to keep up with a young baby’s adventures. I chose to knit the 1 year old size, thinking that this will be ready for her first fall / winter later this year. I hope this clever plan works out.

Image

I finished by embellishing the owlet eyes by hand sewing Swarovski crystal flower buttons for eyes, secured with a small bead at the centre where a pupil should be. I am pleased with how they turned out!

Confession time: the package with this pullover should have gone a long time ago, but I was procrastinating on the underarm grafting to take care of the underarm holes made when attaching sleeves to a round yoke. Truthfully, grafting is much more simple than it would first appear. I feel kind of silly for having delayed so long. There was an excellent kitchener stitch tutorial on Knitty to ease the pain of grafting. I felt so accomplished afterward – it really does work.

owlet 1

At last the parcel is truly ready to go, with another surprise in it for good measure. Now that is a secret I can keep.

x Rena