 This shawl has been created in honour of Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900). He was an Irish playwright, author and poet. He spent much of his days enjoying life to its fullest and sharing clever witticisms with everyone. He absolutely LOVED interesting names and “Speranza” is just that. It was also his mother’s pen name when she wrote fairy tales. (Besides, Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde would be too long for a shawl name). If I could have lived in the Victorian Era, Oscar and I would be great friends, drinking absinthe (or Darjeeling tea), going on adventures and enjoying interesting company. I wanted this shawl to reflect a similar style that the Victorians would wear, while also keeping it an accessory that would be fit for a well-dressed person regardless of gender. The stitch pattern creates O’s & W’s and is a simple repeat that also looks like books stacked on shelves. “The mark of all good art is not that the thing done is done exactly or finely, for machinery may do as much, but that it is worked out with the head and the workman's heart.” - Oscar Wilde
Materials
Gauge 10 X 10 cm / 4 X 4 inch =18 stitches X 10 rows in dc (stitches unblocked) Measurements Before Blocking: 32” X 27” X 23” (81 cm X 69 cm X 58 cm) (a, b, c) After Blocking: 45” X 39” X 30” (114 cm X 99 cm X 76 cm) (a, b, c)  Abbreviations ~US Terms Ch – chain Dc – double crochet Hdc – half double crochet Puff – puff stitch (see special stitches below) Sc – single crochet Sk – skip stitch St(s) – Stitch (es) Yo – yarn over Special stitches used: Puff Stitch – YO, insert hook into indicated stitch. YO, pull up loop. (YO, insert hook into same stitch, YO, pull up loop) 2 times. YO, pull through 6 loops on hook, YO, pull through last 2 loops on hook 
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 I have just released a new shawl pattern on Ravelry called Windswept. It is a 2 colour asymmetric shawl with sections of lace and garter stripes. The yarn I used for this pattern was dyed by Ally of Dye for Ewe. The prairies are well known for their winds. Between the Rocky Mountains, lakes, valleys and lack of trees in some areas, the winds have a mind of their own. Sometimes these winds are welcome to cool a hot summer day and other times they can be a big burden (chinook headaches), or cause destruction. I wanted to create a shawl with alternating sections of lace and garter stitch representing different winds across a landscape. I hope these winds carry you along and you enjoy knitting this shawl. This shawl was designed for The Naked Sheep Yarn & Fibre Emporium’s Spring Retreat. The yarns dyed by Ally of Dye for Ewe are special colourways specifically dyed for this event.
This design has charts as well as written instructions
Gauge Using size 7 US (4.5mm) needles; 24 stitches and 32 rows in stockinette = 4” (10cm) Measurements - Before Blocking: 23” X 28” X 37” (58 cm X 71 cm X 94cm) - After Blocking: 34.5” X 55” X 57” (88 cm X 140 cm X 145cm)Materials -465 yards of fingering weight yarn in 2 colours Samples knit in yarns below: Dye for Ewe – Snug 465 yards (425.2 m) 115g 80% Merino 20% Nylon Colour A: Spring Showers Colour B: Blossom Olive Park Yarn - SW Merino Sock Weight 420 yards (384 m) 115g 80% Merino 20% Nylon Colour A: Box of Chocolate The Wacky Windmill – BFL Sock 400 yards (366 m) 100g 80% BFL, 20% Nylon Colour B: Kiss This
c2b – slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in back of work, knit 2, knit 2 from the cable needle c2f – slip 2 stitches to a cable needle and hold in front of work, knit 2, knit 2 from the cable needle cdd – (centre double decrease) slip 2 stitches knitwise together, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitches over the stitch just knit. k – knit k2tog – knit 2 stitches together as if they were one k3tog – knit 3 stitches together as if they were one kfb – knit into the front and back of the stitch ktbl – knit through the back loop of the stitch p – purl p2tog – purl 2 stitches together as if they were one p3tog – purl 3 stitches together as if they were one rs – right side skp – slip 1, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch sk2p – slip 1, knit 2 together, pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitches ws – wrong side yo – yarn over 
I wanted to make a bunch of the Manitoba Fibre Fest Collection patterns this year. I decided to cast on Ice Flow by Johanna Giesbrecht using Feet of Clay Ceramic's colourway dyed by Cog Yarns. All of these women were vendors at the festival as well. The other awesome thing is the yarn went perfect with my newly made Carson Dress sewn specifically for the weekend :) and of course my Jul designs Sheep shawl stick.   I finished my Liplatus Shawl on the drive home for the Saskatoon Etsy Made in Canada sale last month and just got around to blocking it this weekend.  I knit it in Dye for Ewe's Snug sock yarn in the colourway Growing Pansies. Isn't it such a pretty colour scheme? I started this shawl on the way to the Manitoba Fibre Festival and really enjoyed it as it was quite a relaxing project. I really wanted a simple looking shawl to show off the yarn as best as I could. If I had a lime green yarn I might crochet a fancy border along the bottom one day.
  Photo by Hilori Thompson
The Flatlands Collection has officially launched! This collection includes 13 designers from my local fibershed in and around the Canadian Prairies. All of these designs have been made using yarn/fibre from vendors at this years Manitoba Fibre Festival. I have been waiting to show you my design and here it is! I love versatile patterns that can be worn in a variety of ways. I wanted a meditative pattern that is also very functional yet still stunning with a nice drape. Aura is part of the Flatlands Collection featured at the 2017 Manitoba Fibre Festival. Join us on Ravelry, Facebook and instagram (using the hashtag #flatlandscollection) for a KAL. Official FO posts can be made on the Manitoba Fibre Festival Forum to qualify for a prize. Join us and purchase your patterns between August 1st and 6th to receive a 30% discount (automatic at checkout) This generously sized rectangular shawl will become your new go to accessory. Knit on the bias with 3 different skeins, you can play up colours, maximize yardage and wear it in a number of ways! Aura: is the ever-changing flow of life energy around one’s body, the essence of an individual, an invisible force surrounding a living creature, a breath of air
The stitch patterns lend themselves well to solid colours, stripes, gradients, speckle dyed, tonal, hand painted yarns and handspun! I am proud to partner with local prairie artisans with this design, including Ally of Dye for Ewe and Ash of Sunflower Knit, in support of the Manitoba Fibre Festival. Materials: - 3 skeins of fingering weight yarn approximately 465 yards each Dye for Ewe – Fingerlicious 465 yards (425.2 m) 115g Single Ply 100% Merino Colour A: Can’t See the Forest for the Trees Colour B: Fall Shadows Colour C: Plum Dandy
18 stitches X 24 rows = 4” (10 cm) over stockinette unblocked using size US 9 (5.5mm) needles Measurements: Before Blocking: 63” (160 cm) length X 21.5” (55 cm) depth After Blocking: 69” (175 cm) length X 33” (84 cm) depth Skills Needed: Basic knitting and purling, increases and decreases, slipping stitches Abbreviations and stitches used: k – knit k2tog – knit 2 stitches together kfb – knit into the front and the back of stitch p – purl rs – right side sl – slipped stitch ssk – slip, slip, knit ws – wrong side yo – yarn over You can purchase the pattern on Ravelry, as well as in person at the Manitoba Fibre Festival this Sept 15th & 16th in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kits will be available so you can knit your version in the scrumptious Dye for Ewe Fingerlicious Merino single yarn.
 I finished a crocheted shawl this week that I wanted to share with you. The pattern is Doris Shawl by Kat Goldin. I had started with a G hook and felt the shawl was going to be too small... that's when I actually did a gauge swatch and realized I needed to go up to a J hook. I also didn't work in the back loop of the stitch as I wanted to make this shawl slightly larger without going through too much yarn. I used The Wacky Windmill Tough Stuff Sock yarn in the colourway "Remnants" and Knit Picks Stroll in Butternut. I was working on this with two friends of mine; Donna and Kim, who's shawls are beautiful. My next project is the Degreenify Shawl by Josh Ryks using Knit Picks Hawthorne Sock yarn in these colours <3  I am also heading to Carberry, Manitoba next weekend for the Blue Hills Fibre Festival. I will be judging the wool show and selling some of my handspun, and other goodies. If you see me, say hi!
 I have a list of goals this year: 1) knit a sweater for myself 2) crochet a sweater for myself 3) learn to sew 4) make a few projects that have been in my queue for a long time like Wurm, Hitchhiker and Sheep Heid, Morning Surf Scarf with handspun 5) challenge myself each month on something crafty 6) spin 4 oz on a supported spindle 7) Finish as many WIP’s as I can 8) Wear more of my hand knits on a regular basis I've started working on a few items and cast on for the Hitchhiker shawl this past week. I am using a Merino/Tencel blend which is the Jan 2014 club shipment from Spunky Eclectic. I spun the fibre straight from the braid without splitting it up. I wanted to have longer colour runs which of course "make" this shawl. The other nice thing about this pattern is you knit until your run out of yarn so I can use up every last inch of my precious handspun.
I'm really liking the gradation of colours, looks like a sunset to me. It also makes for great work knitting.
 When doing lace work, its essential to block your finished project to really bring out the pattern and show off your hard work. In this tutorial, I will show you how I block all my lace knitting/crocheting and prove to you that blocking isn't scary and show you what a huge difference it makes. I crocheted the Mia's Lace Collar from Piecework May/June 2013 using Malibrigo Sock in the Lettuce colourway. The project is semi-circular and has a very nice granny-style main section with a beautiful picot border. I wanted to block this project to accentuate the picot points and make the shawl larger. I gathered my materials: Blocking wires, pins, salad spinner, blocking mat, and a wool wash.   Before blocking my shawl measured 42" X16" you can see that it needs to be opened up in the middle. Doesn't look like much does it? I also should mention that I don't weave in my ends until after blocking. Since I am going to be stretching out the shawl, I find that if I weave in my ends beforehand, they kinda get pulled out a bit so if I wait until afterwards I can weave them in and hide the ends better.
 I let my items soak for about 15-20 mins. This lets the water and wool wash work its way through the fibres softening and opening them up. Remember not to add too much soap, a little goes a long way.  When the time is up, bring out your shawl and put it in the salad spinner. This tool saves time and energy :) Spin all the excess water out of your shawl. You don't want to wring out your lace, this could cause a bit of felting and won't get out as much water as the salad spinner will. You can also roll up your project in a towel to remove water but again, the salad spinner is faster. You may find that the yarn colour will bleed a little, this is ok and it is also another good reason to block these types of projects before wearing. Now we are ready to block!
Once I have the top centered and stretched to as large as I wanted, I worked my way down each side pinning out each picot point. I made sure the centre spine of my shawl was centered and stretched down as far as I could. Once your shawl is pinned, you can adjust as you need, blocking harder or evening the points out. If you are using blocking wires this becomes very easy.  Once you have everything pinned, leave your shawl to dry completely. This ensures it holds its blocked shape. After blocking my shawl measures 60" X 22" and as you can see, its shape is much more pronounced than it was originally.
Here are some other lace shawls I have made and blocked using wires and pins. You can also see how I used wires to my benefit depending on the shape of the shawl. I hope you found this tutorial useful. Let me know if you have any tips or tricks when blocking and I'd also love to see your blocked projects :)
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