Remember these sweaters from Sask Fashion Week 2013? Here is how it all started.... A question was asked on Facebook inquiring about someone who could knit a few pieces for Sask Fashion Week and a friend/co-worker of my husband's recommended me (thanks Kelcey Harasen!). I was contacted in Feb 2013 by Fashion Designer Riley Lawson to knit a couple of her designs for her fall/winter collection. We met and she showed me her drawings that she had made of two sweaters; one pullover and one cardigan, and we discussed details right down to the fibres. I had brought with me a couple swatches I knit in a few different yarns, and she decided that the pullover would be best knit with Baby Alpaca Glimmer from Diamond Yarns Luxury Collection. This amazingly soft yarn has a silver thread in it that really added to the awesomeness this sweater would become. Riley told me her favourite colour is shiny so we had a winner :P For the cardigan she chose Rowan's Creative Focus (Wool/Alpaca blend). This was beautiful yarn to work with and I loved every moment knitting with it. I was happy with both these yarn choices, as it showed that Riley had high standards in the quality of her designs and I was very happy that she wanted to include me in her ensemble. I was also humbled that she included me in her decision making process. I got started right away as she needed both sweaters done before the photoshoot in early April. I started with the cardigan as I knew it would take me longer. I made all the pieces separately and blocked them with Soak Wash (Lacey scent). I knew I was really going to cut it close on time and I asked my very good friend Sara Yip if she could do the seaming for me. She was one of the only people I trusted, who I knew would do a professional job. I am so thankful for her as she didn't hesitate to help me out and not only did she do a professional job with the seaming she did it absolutely perfect! I don't know if I can thank you enough.
The pullover went much better, with the bulkier yarn and a looming deadline, I pondered which stitch pattern I could use that would give me the crosshatch pattern used in Riley's drawing. I knit up a swatch and sent it to Riley.
The photoshoot was April 13th at Kiriako Iatridis' studio. This was a new experience for me as I've never been to something like this before. It was very emotional to see the sweaters I had worked so hard on worn by professional models and seeing the pictures on the photographer's big screen was really remarkable and I don't have words to describe it. The days leading up to Sask Fashion Week were very exciting. Riley showcased the pullover on Global News along with one of her eco-dyed blouses. I was itching to see everything come together on the runway and I brought Jeremy, my sister Nancy and Sara with me so we could experience it together. It was put on SO well, inside the tent it felt like we had entered another world, in a fancier city but this was all happening in Regina! Riley's collection was going to be later on in the evening but it was worth the wait! All the designers that night put out great collections and the collaboration of so many talented Saskatchewan people was really mind blowing. I know we have really creative people in this province but so many of them in one place was really cool. Here are a couple shots from that night: The knee high socks in the centre were also knit by me. They have a really cool dropped stitch pattern with a hem at the top enclosed over an elastic. The yarn I used was Shibui Staccato (Merino/Silk) that was supplied to me by Riley. I used every last inch and finished them in 6 days.
As you may have heard, Riley won the award for Best Emerging New Designer for Sask Fashion Week 2013 for her designs and her wonderful collection. She received a standing ovation and I was so happy for her! She really deserved to win for designing items that can be worn to work as a professional in the city or her items are really adaptable for pairing with other items already in your wardrobe. My favourite piece in her collection were the eco dyed silk blouses. She used berries to naturally dye silk which not only makes these blouses one-of-a-kind but it also she created wonderful splashes of colour and a cool story for people who own the tops. On that note I also wanted to tell you that her collection is available at Stella and Sway downtown on Scarth street! You can see her designs up close and become the proud owner of a Riley Lawson design. You should check out her facebook page and her website, and this article on her award. She will be one to look out for in the city. She does fashion styling for the Cornwall Centre, morning segments on Global News, writes a column for Pink Magazine and so much more. Such a talented woman and I consider myself lucky to have had met/worked with her. Finally check out Sask Fashion week this year, you will love it!
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Handspun buttons made a nice, unique addition to a project. I have used them as functioning buttons, embellishments and they also make a nice addition to a swap gift. Each one is made with handspun (spindle spun) yarn and each button is one-of-a-kind. 2 packs are $2 each and the 3 packs are $3 Today's Deal ~ Buy 2 packs & get 1 free! If you are interested in some, message me with your choices. **Keep your eyes peeled in the new year as they many more will be added to my online shop. Well the first day of Christmas was fun, but we must move on to day 2! This deal is for a Felted Soap Trio. 1 Unscented, 1 Lavender and 1 Green Apple. This would make a unique gift for those people who have everything or are hard to buy for. You can even maximize your Christmas spirit and give 2 away and keep one for yourself!
Its like a soap and washcloth in one! These usually sell for $10 each or 3 for $25 Today's Deal ~ All 3 for $15 That's a 40% discount ~~SOLD~~ Wet the soap and work it around in your hands until the later starts coming through the fibre. Use as you normally would. Wool is naturally antibacterial so this soap won't turn moldy in your shower. When not in use, store it in a self draining soap dish and the bar will last up to a year! As you use it the wool will felt tighter around the soap, so it just keeps getting better and better with each use :) These are my last 3 soaps. This last day for this deal will be Dec 5. This soap is a vegetable/glycerin base. The wools used are Merino & Romney. This year was a big success for both the sheep and wool shows in Drake Sk. The event kicked off with a wine and cheese sponsored by Granite Quarry Farms with sheep cheese from the Cheesery in Kitscoty. I have to say the maple/chive spreadable sheep cheese was the best I have ever tasted. It didn't hurt that the wine was my favourite too :P I spent the whole weekend surrounded by sheep many of which are common in this province and the prairie provinces in general. Down breeds such as Dorset, Suffolk, N. Country Cheviot and Arcotts are known for their superior meat but I like them more for their wool. Down/Medium breeds have wool that has bulk without the weight. Their staple lengths average 3-5 inches and the fleeces can be quite large. To many of the producers in the sheep industry, the meat is the main focus and their wool takes a back burner, even though it also has a value. The point of the wool show is to show producers that there is another side to their industry and wool DOES have a value and as a renewable resource it can be productive over and over. Rambouillet sheep are also common in this province and their fleeces can be gorgeous. I bid on one that was entered into the wool show and won. Their fleeces fall into the fine category and can weigh between 9 - 14 lbs! Next year we are promised a Targhee fleece :P I am still learning and seeing more breeds this year was great. We had double the amount of fleeces entered this year compared to last and we even had an audience. We had the fleeces categorized by fine, medium (down) and coarse (longwools). Winners were awarded ribbons at the end of the show and I chose a coloured BFL X Corriedale to win the "Judges Choice" Ribbon. Prizes were awarded at the banquet on Saturday night. Special thanks to my friend Lindsay of Wired WhimZee for helping Val and I make everything go smoothly. My friend Val Fiddler from Wooly Wool of the West co-ordinated the show and is a big supporter of the wool industry. She has a lovely flock of sheep and brought a few for the breed display; a Corriedale ewe and her lamb (so cute!), a big, beautiful Blue Faced Leicester and a handsome Black Welsh. I also had a booth set up with all my wool items. I sold lots of SOAK, t-shirts, yarn and all my buttons :) I even had one customer say "It's SO nice to see wool at a sheep show!". Thanks to everyone who came out, I can't wait for next year. Wow, what a great weekend! I planned to post everyday but by the end of the day I was so tired I fell asleep as soon as I sat down. This will be mostly a picture post with a little bit of commentary. As you can see the grounds are beautiful. Although there has been terrible flooding in Alberta during this time, the rain helped make these grounds even more lush (although the mosquitoes were relentless). Jeremy found a really cool wetland area on the college grounds that has a great walking path that lead up to a gazebo that would be a great spot to relax and read a book (or knit). There are also barns on campus, we visited the horses and their babies <3 One thing that could be good or bad depending on how strong your will power is... there are always items for sale, at really great prices and available everywhere you look. This spinning wheel was for sale and looked very interesting. I helped out with the wool show again this year. I had fun scribing, laying out the fleeces into sheep shape and filling out the judging cards. We had over 50 fleeces this year. The wool judge, although a tough marker, showed a lot of knowledge and kept the audience - yes we had an audience, interested. The whole point of the wool show is to educate and I believe we achieved that. We spent the day laughing and making friends. The following day was the wool auction. People could bid on fleeces based on the judges marks/comments or by feeling the fleeces themselves. As usual the auction was a big success, people went a little crazy when it came down to crunch time but that's part of the fun ;P There is also another auction which creates a lot of excitement and wow there were so many great items to chose from. I bid on a couple things and won a couple bags of cotton. There was fibre of all kinds, fibre tools, a spinning wheel, an antique sock knitting machine (!) bags, books, clothing and SO much more. There are social events put on by the college every night during the weekend. I went to see a fellow guild member talk about how spinning changed her life. Colleen Nimetz is a master spinner and is a silk expert. She talked about her time spent at a silk farm in Laos and all the work that's goes into reeling silk. The most impressive part about her presentation is at the end she showed a picture of her sitting with a live tiger and spinning tiger fibre on her Tabachek spindle... now that's cool!! We also went to a pub night in honour of Shuttleworks who became a Titanium sponsor this year. There is also the fashion show on the last night, you can see all the wonderful work people do and all the talent that surrounds you during Fibre Week. Saturday we stayed up late to watch the fireworks put on by the college to celebrate their 100th year. I have to say the show was VERY well done! A lot of thought and effort was put into it. They shot off fireworks to music and they were perfectly timed. They even had fireworks that when they exploded they made hearts and the number 100. Well worth the wait! Olds is a beautiful town and had lots to offer during our visit. We also checked out the Summer Oldstice street fair and car show and ate at the BEST restaurant ever called Stonewood Grill. Can't wait for next year. I received this gorgeous wheel this past weekend... (Thank you to Brenda!) stunningly gorgeous and I have always wanted a dark wood wheel. It is a Haldane, made in Scotland. To be honest I have never heard of this wheel maker before. They are not very common and stopped making wheels in the 80's to focus more on staircases. They had a few different styles; Orkney, Shetland, Hebridean and the updated Lewis. The wood is a kiln-dried European Beech with a dark oak stain. The bobbin capacity is about 2.5 oz, maybe 3 if you pack it on tight. The wheel is actually smaller than it looks in the pictures, the diameter of the wheel itself is probably just over a foot. It is a double drive and after putting on a new drive band I spun on it instantly without any trouble. It is soon to become one of my favourites. I have 4 wheels now and they have all been previously owned. They originate from New Zealand, Poland, Scotland and Vermont. Not a squeak can be heard from this beauty, and it even comes apart for easy portability win, win, win. :D I have spun some BFL/baby camel fibre on it and loving every minute. Riley Lawson I have been asked to help out fashion designer Riley Lawson, create some unique handknit items for the upcoming Saskatchewan Fashion Week May 9 - 11!! Riley has a passion for her work that is truly unique, she's knows what she wants and she works hard to get it. Riley is the fashion manager for Stella & Sway, she writes a monthly column in Pink magazine is seen on Global TV has done advertising work for the Cornwall Centre, Midtown Plaza, Rockbridge Reality, just to name a few and she is an image consultant on top of it all. She has a very exciting collection to showcase this year you won't want to miss it. This is a very big opportunity for me and I am very grateful to be a part of it. About a month ago, I was knitting with some friends at Wok Box on south Albert St and we were discussing neat ideas in knitting. My friend Sara had showed me this clock that knits a complete round on a circular knitting machine as the time ticks by. At the end of the year you have a scarf!
"A unique concept shows the passage of time using an accessory that is knitted 24 hours a day for 365 days." This idea is from designer Siren Elise Wilhelmsen. I think I need a circular knitting machine...... I found this pretty cool idea on Ravelry near the beginning of the year. The designer has separated up temperatures in 5 degree increments and she suggested colours to represent these temperatures. So what you do is knit a row depending on the high of the day. I am making this for my great uncle and he lives in Weyburn so I have been checking the high's everyday and knitting his scarf. I am using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes yarn in 15 colours. I have to say that so far the pattern has been surprising me because we have been having really weird weather. As you can see in my uncles scarf it was from +1 to -19 in one day! The months are separated with white and I think at the end I will add the year. I am knitting this in garter stitch so each ridge counts as one day. Even if my uncle never wears this scarf, he will like the history and that I will have worked on it everyday for a year. This scarf tells a story and if I make one next year it will look different. You can customize this scarf in so many ways if you are planning on starting one. You can use any yarn, any needle size and any stitch pattern, you can even crochet it if you want. I'll be interested in seeing how it comes along, its like a mystery and it writes history one row at a time. In my quest to learn as much as I can about natural fibre (and wool in general), and since I had an opportunity to attend Fibre Week at Olds College this year, I decided to enroll in their Wool Judging course. Not only did I get to immerse myself in greasy wool (literally) I learned SO MUCH more about the fibre than I ever thought. We looked at over 40 fleeces and learned about the scientific side of wool as well as the artistic. I learned what to look for in a good fleece- not only from an artisan’s view but also what a commercial buyer would want. We learned how to count microns with the naked eye (more or less) and how to score fleeces based on characteristics of breed. This last part is the most difficult because there are hundreds of sheep breeds and crosses within those breeds. Kemp (the coarse, usually white, kinky hairs you sometimes find in roving) is a huge point deduction in most breeds, except Icelandic and Scottish Blackface breeds. You wouldn’t dock points in this case because kemp is characteristic of those breeds. We learned about seasonal effects or health effects which can have a huge impact on the quality of the fleece for example, the fibres might break apart easily (called a broken fleece), and this is bad news for both the artisan and the commercial buyer. If a sheep isn’t sheared regularly their fibres can become matted or cotted, and this takes away from your useable content. Dyes, paints or brands will lower your overall score as well as too much vegetable matter or manure. Proper skirting is important. You may lose weight initially but the overall clean yield is crucial, especially in a “by the numbers” judging method (which is used for a commercial judging card). Commercial buyers usually look for fine, white fleeces. This way the yarns they can make will be good for next-to-skin articles and they can dye white fibres. Whereas from an artisan’s perspective, we love all the natural colours. I also learned why the Blue Faced Leicester sheep are called that… the skin on their faces is a dark grey and with their beautiful white fibre their faces look blue. Very cool. Wool is such a wonderful fibre with so many benefits; it’s antibacterial, has a good memory, keeps you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot, it’s breathable and fire retardant just to name a few. Sheep are so cute too, how can you not love them? This little guy was one of the sheep at the Grasslands Sheep Show in Drake Sask this past July. I was lucky enough to be asked to judge the show and I had 13 fleeces which I had categorized from fine to coarse, and judged it with a commercial judging card. People were very interested and asked a lot of questions and I was happy to explain what I was doing as I went along. I awarded prizes after a few hours and I was happy with the results. Val Fiddler (one of my classmates in the Wool Judging course) was my scribe and we got to get close and personal with some great Saskatchewan Sheep breeds. She also had a good display with several of the sheep breeds we looked at for others to see, and it’s true, BFL sheep DO have blue faces. You can read the article she wrote on the Sask Sheep Breeders Blog. My picture was on the cover of their Oct issue of “Sheep Shape” and this article was in their magazine. I had a great time. |
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