The Naked Sheep Yarn & Fibre Emporium is stocked on my paper patterns as well as kits for Straw into Gold, my newest design for the Manitoba Fibre Festival Makers' Challenge. Colleen of Cog Yarns has dyed up many more skeins and there are lots of more kits available. She dyed on two different bases, superwash merino and superwash merino with sparkle! As you can see the day we release them, the sparkle was a big hit. She also has "Peaceful Haze" in her shop if you are looking to get your hands on it. This pattern is also the June pick for The Naked Sheep's sock KAL
This is the mood board we worked from. Colleen did pretty good eh? Both Cog Yarns and The Naked Sheep will be at the Biggar Fibre Fair on June 23 so if you are heading there, you should make sure to add them to your list of vendors you won't want to miss. My friend Val Fiddler will also be there teaching classes, doing demos and more. She is a great source of wooly info! Thanks to all those who have purchased my newest pattern. Remember from now until the festival any pattern you make from the collection is an entry into the MAL. Use this hashtag (#MbFF2018Challenge) to participate and post lots of photos.
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 Blue Hills Fibre Fest was on June 9th - which was also World Wide Knit In Public Day. Jeremy and I spent the day in Carberry with the always amazing Manitoba Fibre Community. If you haven't visited a fibre fest before, you MUST add this one to your list. It may be smaller on scale but it is overflowing with amazing vendors, classes, fleeces and pie! This was my booth all set up and ready to go. Aside from our regular items we also had Straw into Gold kits and Cog Yarns hand dyed skeins for purchase. I am always overwhelmed at the generous support from the people in Manitoba. You all made my day so bright and one I can say I honestly enjoyed. Looking forward to next year already Wool ShowI was very happy to judge the wool show this year. There were 16 fleeces in all and wow (!) most scored pretty high. Manitoba wool is exceptional.
Here are the first place winners as well as some of my favourites. My phone was a bit greasy so sorry about the shiny pictures hah!  Beautiful coloured Merino  Wensleydale/Cotswold/Polypay - What a wonderful mix. Look at that lustre!  Winning Shetland <3  Look how perfect this lock structure is More SpinningI had a few new skeins to bring with me. Watch for an update in my Etsy shop very soon, were I will be listing the skeins I have. You can also find some at The Naked Sheep Yarn & Fibre Emporium.   Cake!
 If you are ever in Winnipeg then you MUST go to Baked Expectations. The cakes are so unbelievable, you will need to decide on a few to go as well. Jeremy had the Tia Maria torte. Next time I might get the Red Velvet cake and likely another cheesecake or chocolate cream pie. Also, take it from me - the hot chocolate is one of the best! My Haul I did well. I could have bought soooo much more. The quality of vendors was outstanding and such a great variety. A new knitting wedge bag from Dragon Fibre Bags, project bag, sock yarn and t-shirt from Long Way Homestead, Sock yarn from The Sheep-ish Spinner, darning mushroom from Natural Knot Woods, french spindle from Homespun Tools and a cork wedge pouch, cedar/grapefruit handmade soap and merino hand dyed fibre from Last Dance Ranch.
Oh I love it all!!  Check out this year' Collection of designs for the Manitoba Fibre Festival! From now until June 7th the patterns are 20% off on Ravelry using the code Challenge20. I have a pair of socks in the collection called Straw into Gold that are knit with a beautiful hand dyed yarn by Colleen of Cog Yarns. We have kits available at The Naked Sheep Yarn and Fibre Emporium and I will also have them with me at Blue Hills Fibre Festival on June 9th. Why not pick one or two of your favourites and cast on during this MAL (make-a-long) until the festival Sept 14-15th. There are lots of great prizes available :)
 Wheat is one of the world’s most important and oldest cereal grains. Saskatchewan is often referred to as the “Bread Basket of Canada” and for good reason. Much of the prairies is covered in farm land and wheat is a common sight in the province as Saskatchewan is the main producer of wheat in Canada and one of the largest in the world. I really wanted to represent not only Saskatchewan with this design but the prairies as a whole. Agriculture is important here including both the flora and fauna. The leg of these socks proudly display wheat as it sways in the wind. The foot has a simple knit/purl textured pattern which I wanted to represent the soil and how I have been a born and raised prairie girl and my roots are planted here. Straw into Gold is part of the Makers Challenge in support of the 2018 Manitoba Fibre Festival. I partnered with Colleen of Cog Yarns who dyed up a special colourway for this challenge. This pattern uses toe up construction and features the Fleegle heel. Pattern includes written instructions followed by their corresponding charts Materials: • 1 skein of sock yarn approximately 425 yards I used: Cog Yarns – SW Sock – “Peaceful Haze” 425 yards (389 m) 115g Cog Yarns – SW Sock Mini Skeins (2) – “Squash” 60 yards (55 m) 15 g Cog Yarns – SW Sock – “City Blizzard” 425 yards (389 m) 115g • 9” Circular needle size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) • You may also use Magic Loop or 2 circulars • 4 Double pointed needles size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) • 3 Stitch markers (2 regular, 1 removable) • Tapestry Needle • 12” (30 cm) length of waste yarn for provisional cast on Gauge: 10 X 10 cm / 4” X 4”=36 stitches X 48 rows in stockinette stitch (stitches unblocked) using size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) needles Abbreviations and stitches used: cc – contrasting colour k – knit k2tog – knit 2 together k3tog – knit 3 together m1l – make 1 left m1r – make 1 right mc – main colour p – purl p2tog – purl 2 together sk2p – slip, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over sl1 – slip 1 ssk – slip, slip, knit sm – slip marker  Last weekend was very eventful! I spent my days at The Naked Sheep with Ash Alberg of Sunflower Knit taking a couple very informative workshops. On Sat I was able to play with natural dyes, and flowers to create this super cool napkin set. We used marigolds and pansies for the eco-dyeing and wrapped up our bundles to soak in their pots. I used Logwood, Osage Orange, Pomegranate and just plain water. It is such a cool process and just enjoying the creativity and experiment was fun, especially when there is a surprise outcome.
I also dyed a silk tarot cloth using the logwood dye. I am really happy with how it came out with bright colours scattered around.  Here it is in action with my Spirit Cats Deck by Nicole Piar  On Sunday I took an amazing Shawl Design workshop also taught by Ash. Such an abundance of good info and insight. Shawls are great projects and accessories that can be worn all year round. I am working on a few things at the moment that I hope to share with you soon. One design is with Coleen of Cog Yarns and we are working together to promote the Manitoba Fibre Festival this year in their Makers Challenge.  I am also heading to Toronto this month to attend my 4th Etsy Team Captains' Summit. I am excited to go but also a bit worried how I will get around now that I have a spinal issue that affects my walking and standing. I am excited to let you know how the trip goes when I get back. In the meantime I am organizing Regina's first Etsy Spring Made in Canada. You can find out more details on our Facebook event page.
After a long wait, I have listed 3 new skeins in my Etsy shop. I have 2 more drying and a couple more that just need plying. I have really been enjoying spinning on Saturday's at The Naked Sheep. I'm getting lots done so keep an eye out for more updates. Stay warm in this extreme cold!
 It has been a very busy start of the year, with 6 classes this month alone I have been very focused on fibre arts. I have updated my class schedule for what I know right now. Keep checking back as new classes are added. Crochet seems very popular lately! I am currently teaching in 3 different studios and all are such wonderful places. I have been at the Blue Rooster Cafe & Studio in Pilot Butte for several years. They are one of my favourite places to teach as they also have great food and drinks. I have been with Red Fox Creative Studio for almost a year now but have taught many classes there since they started up. What I really love about them is that they are also a wellness studio so they focus on not only being creative but also your well-being. Check out their classes for a wonderful variety! As you know my friend Nicole opened up Regina's newest yarn shop a few months ago. The Naked Sheep Yarn & Fibre Emporium has become a regular hangout for me because I can find all I need there. She has fibre, yarn, tools, notions, and more - many from local artisans (and who doesn't love hand dyed yarns?) She has opened up a class schedule this year and I am teaching a few things there. Some 4 week classes and some afternoon workshops. Check in to see other classes she offers for all levels.  I have also tweeked Bankhead once again after knitting one for my nephew Angus. I wanted to keep my pattern format similar so I changed the file. I also took it out of Canva and onto word so I could make a MUCH smaller PDF as I heard from some that the download size was on the big side. I was also talking to a friend who knit Bankhead in Noro and said the K3tog were cumbersome and I agreed. I changed the decreases yet again. I have updated the pattern on Ravelry and my pattern page on this site as well. If you want a quick reference, the decreases are as follows: Round 1: *k1, k2tog, k1, p1* repeat from * to * until end of round 48 (56, 64, 72, 80, 88) stitches remaining Round 2: knit across all stitches Round 3: *k3, p1* until end of round 48 (56, 64, 72, 80, 88) Round 4: knit across all stitches Round 5: *sl2kpsso, p1* 24 (28, 32, 36, 40, 44) Round 6: knit across all stitches Round 7: *k2tog* until end of round 12 (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) Round 8: *k2tog* until end of round 6 (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) For Adult M & XL sizes ONLY: Round 9: k1, *k2tog* until end - (-, -, 5, -, 6) I have also restocked on 16 oz bottles of Power Scour. This amazing wool wash is THE cats pyjamas if you are processing your own fleeces. I also use it to clean my carpets in our Bissel as well as washing our dog when she has been through the muck and dirt at the dog park. Use Power Scour for wool washing and wool cleaning fiber with heavier burdens of grease, wax, suint, dirt and clay, typically found in sheep, goat and bison fibers. Use lower temperatures, 40°-50°C (104-122°F), for fibers such as Cashmere, Alpaca, Bison ,etc. Use higher temperatures, 50°-55°C (122-131°F), for fibers with more oil/wax or oils (sheep, etc.)  - Optimize cleaning at lower temperatures - Incredible STAIN REMOVER - even Red Wine! - Eliminates build–up of cleaning agents - Cost effective –– use significantly less to scour - Reduces mats and tangles - Eliminates ODORS – Non–yellowing - - Leaves fiber with a clean, fresh aroma - Biodegradable – Earth Friendly – no Fillers- no Bleach  I have also been accepted to go to the 5th Etsy Captains' Summit in Toronto this spring. I will be mingling with other Etsy Leaders and Captains from all over Canada to discuss this year. I hope to learn more amazing things Etsy has planned and will share them with you when I come home. This will be my 4th year going. The Etsy SK team has also booked for 2 spring Made in Canada Sales (one in Saskatoon - May 12 & one in Regina - May 5) as well as two fall Made in Canada Sales on Sept 29th. Watch our Facebook page and our website for more info on those.
 I just finished reading this book I saw recommended on Instagram. It is all about handmade clothes, sewing, knitting and why making and wearing stuff we make is important. It also touches on taking care of our clothes with mending, buying quality when necessary and all the good this brings to both society and our own mental well being. As some of you know, I have slowly been working towards trying to develop a handmade wardrobe over the past few years with learning how to sew and to wear more of my handknits. I really felt this book was speaking to me as I am learning more about the process of making a garment, a wardrobe and to express myself how I have wanted to for years but haven't. It is definitely written as a doctoral thesis paper so there were some parts of this book that I found were getting TOO detailed, but I did find myself nodding in agreement for most of what she writes about. Here are a few excerpts I thought noteworthy. Page 3: "Making attracts people who are somewhat frustrated by their jobs and are searching for an activity they feel to be more meaningful." Page 146: "Go ahead, dive in, have fun, play with colour, break the "rules", and use colours that sing songs of joy to you even if only your ears can hear them." Page 161: "Putting together a wardrobe and a home will become a life long process and something of a quest" Page 177: "...they reflect the fact that these sew-ers are constructing, physically constructing, in the case - the person that they feel themselves to be. While everyday items may get a great deal more wear, these aspirational garments - even if never seen by others - help them to feel that their 'everyday self' is not all of who they are." Page 187: "The intrinsic motivations of the craft process meet our needs for identity and participation and create a positive sense of well-being. This positive feeling can be heightened by integrating a greater sense of creativity into the activity. In many cases. these satisfactions extend to the wearing stage; makers enjoy wearing on-off, personalized garments they have worked hard to produce. Page 192: "Making provides us with an alternative means of participating in fashion." She also has a list to sum everything up starting on page 199: "1) Make to suit the maker, the wearer and the materials 2) Spread your wings 3) Enjoy the journey 4) Seek and give validation 5) Share, reflect and act" If you are a maker of any kind, I feel this book is worth a read. It talks much about making and its effects on society and how us, as makers have a stronger impact in the world than we may think. We also need to focus on making just for the sake of making. Creativity is important in this digital world. With that said, it is also important to connect with other makers on the internet, whether it be on blogs, through social media or communities like Ravelry. Think of how making something with your hands and mind makes you feel, how this will get passed down (either as a skill or an actual item). These things are important. I feel that what all makers do is important so never give up what you do and never stop learning. I don't do resolutions but here are my goals for 2018 - Live more "handmade" when possible (including food) - Knit at least a pair of socks a month - this will be helped by The Naked Sheep's #SockFlock2018. When not working on a KAL pair I will try to have at least a vanilla pair on the needles - Wear more of my handknits (and make more handknits for myself that are wearable) - Work towards 65% handmade wardrobe, 25% thrifted, 10% store bought (with a focus on buying quality) - Learn more about mending, hand stitching and fixing clothing. Thank you to all those I met, talked to, taught, learned from and supported me in 2017. I have been doing what I can when I can as I suffer from chronic pain so please be patient with me as I am also trying to be kinder to myself this year and resting when I must. I appreciate everyone who has ever tried one of my patterns, read my blog, bought my yarn and handknits, visited me at sales and taken my classes, I hope to continue to keep up this year. I have so much up in my brain that one day it will get out and I can share even more of myself.
I wanted to send out a big Thank you to those who stopped by the Etsy SK Winter Market on Dec 2nd at the U of R. This was the 3rd sale I organized at this venue and it still is my favourite. I had a good day talking to a lot of great people and meeting new vendors as well. I bought some yarn from Midknit Cravings; some to make another Aura shawl and a sock appetizer (pics below). I also got some fat quarters from So Sweet Quilts which I am planning on making some quilted mug rugs. A hand blown glass tumbler from Glassy Eyed and some beautiful notecards from Sparkling Medusa. Thanks to my chronic pain, after the sale I slept from 9 pm on Sat to 2:15 pm on Monday.
I also finished 2 pairs of socks using the Straight Up Socks pattern again. One pair was for my dad's birthday and I used good ol Kroy sock yarn. I really like knitting for him because he truly appreciates it. When I gave them to him (as he was going out the door) he cam back in, took off his boots, ripped off his socks he was wearing and put my handmade socks on. I love that.
 My other pair I made in only a couple days using some new yarn from Midknit Cravings. It is one of their appetizers as I mentioned above. The colourway's I used were Bad Mood Monday and Wine Not! You get 50 g of the main colour and 20 g of a contrast colour. I was waffling between doing an afterthought heel, or maybe just tube socks but thought I would try to see how far I could get with the Straight Up Socks recipe and was left with 5g of the main colour and 6g of the contrast so I could have been ok. I just love them! Can't wait to make more.
 I also sewed a brand new dress!! It is the Fen Dress from Fancy Tiger Crafts and I highly recommend it! For starters it comes in a bunch of sizes and it has POCKETS! You can also make a shirt. I love the hem line and it is SO comfortable. I will be making more of these as well. I also just bought the Metamorphic Dress by Sew Liberated so it will be my next sewing project for my handmade wardrobe. It also has pockets and it is reversible.  I whipped up another smock the other weekend using some sheer, textured fabric. I didn't add pockets this time but kept it simple. I. LOVE. THIS. PATTERN. Everything about it is perfect. I wore this dress with some jeans and a black slip dress underneath and my thrifted pink Holt Renfrew merino cowl to my work Christmas party this past weekend where I received my 10 year award (a watch). I work in a place that is very male dominated and being one of 3 women out of 63, I felt very appreciated by all the guys I work with who cheered for me. It made me feel good and since many of them know that I make things, I did get asked about my smock haha. If you are looking for a really awesome sewing project you should make one for yourself as well.
My last couple of projects in the past little while have been socks. I really enjoy knitting socks and wearing handknit socks but sometimes I am not a fan of knitting items where I need 2 of something. As many of you know, sock knitting is addictive!!  My first pair I made with Wisdom Prose Sock yarn I got from Wolseley Wool in the colourway Vegitate. Normally I don't mind if my socks don't match exactly but these ones made it just so easy. I stated these just after the Manitoba Fibre Festival and finished them at the beginning of Nov. Can't go wrong with plain ol vanilla socks. I worked these cuff down and used my regular heel flap and toe.
Talking about mis-matched socks.... I was gifted this sock kit from my friend Nicole. At first I was a bit confused about what they would become, but it seems I am the only one on the planet who hadn't seen these amazing socks from the Yarn Enabler (and I even follow her on Instagram!) You can knit these either cuff down or toe up. These Paper and Pencil socks have been my most fun knit this year by far! I use my new ChiaoGoo 9" circular (2.5 US 3.00mm) and whipped through these in 2 weeks.   This kit is called Stationery and includes both paper and a pencil :P in the words of the Yarn Enabler "What good is a pencil without paper?" The larger white skein is the loose leaf which I knit as a plain vanilla sock. The other 3 skeins make up the pencil starting with the lead and wood portion, moving onto the yellow body and finishing with the metal cap and eraser. I used the No. 2 pattern for the pencil because - come on, you gotta give the pencil its true form. I used up pretty much every inch of yarn for these socks.  I used a few different techniques for this pair. I knit these toe up and since I am a fairly tight knitter, I have a hard time doing Judy's Magic cast on so I use the toe from Charlene Schurch's book "More Sensational Knitted Socks". This toe starts out using a provisional cast on and then you knit a little rectangle which you then pick up stitches on the side and increase for the toe until you are up to 64 stitches. I then used the heel and gusset increases from Kelie Oreb's Straight Up Socks pattern. Super easy, it didn't upset the stripes and I didn't have to switch to double pointed needles.  For the cuff, I did k1, p1 ribbing until I had enough yarn left over to do Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy bind off. 100% fun the whole way. I haven't worn the socks yet but I did hear somewhere that people who wear mis-matched socks are geniuses haha.   This glorious wheel was made between 1930 and 1946 in Sifton, Manitoba by a blacksmith named John Weselowski. He based the design on a wheel he had from the Ukraine. The Spin-Well wheels could be bought by mail order for the low, low price of $7.75. By 1938 John and his brother were able to make 20 wheels a day! John expanded his business to become a small milling operation called Custom Woolen Mills. Later on a descendent of his sold the milling equipment to Carstairs, Alberta which is what I know as Custom Woolen Mills now. Another cool tid-bit of information is that John partnered with Willard McPhedrain and together they started Mary Maxim. That's a lot of cool history to come out of a small town. In 1947 Spin-Well Manufacturing Co. was sold and became known as Made-Well Manufacturing Co. which continued until the 70’s. The above info from https://archaicarcane.com/workhorse-spinning-with-a-canadian-connection/  The orifice opening is 1/4" in diameter which is larger than many vintage wheels, much larger than my Haldane and my Kromski Sonata is 3/8" so pretty close! The height of the opening is 29" and it is centered on the wheel which makes it pretty comfortable.  The chair frame sets it apart from many other vintage wheels and is easily noticeable. Although not the prettiest, there is a lot of thought put into this design which makes it very versatile, lightweight and compact. The wheel diameter is 13.5" and it is 2" thick and made from solid wood slabs, laminated together. The footman is attached in the centre and uses a crank style motion in conjunction with the treadle to get the wheel spinning.  This wheel is a single treadle but you could easily use both feet as it is the width of the frame. Treadling on this wheel is much different from other single treadles as its motion is more like that of a table sewing machine. It is very easy to get going, and much easier to keep in motion.
 My friend Nicole will be opening a new yarn shop in Regina here in the next couple of weeks. I am very happy to get a real LYS again in my hometown. It is called The Naked Sheep Yarn & Fibre Emporium and it is located at 104 College Ave E. She will have a great selection of yarns and fibre from a lot of local dyers as well as all your favourite brands. I have sent her some Knit Natural handspun recently and will add a few more skeins as well in the next week or so. Keep an eye on her Facebook page for more info on opening date, upcoming classes and more goodies arriving daily.
 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.
 Many of you have likely heard of a recent movement called "Slow Fashion October", and if you have been following me on Instagram you may have seen some of my handmade wardrobe projects. A couple of my goals this year was to wear more handmade clothing and wear more of my handknits. I have been learning to sew and make my own clothes with the help of friends, my mom and Jeremy's boss. Even though I know many of my dresses, tunics and shirt have been faaaaarrr from perfect they make me so happy. I feel great in them and I get a lot of compliments which makes me want to continue. I can also pair this with another love of mine - thrift shopping. When you are a bigger gal like myself, sometimes it is hard to find nice clothing that fits properly. I have been leaning towards a more minimalist style with what I wear, simple designs, neutral-ish colours, something that I can pair in a number of ways etc. I have found peace in a few designs and designers who make it simple for beginners like myself who are looking for something to make them feel good AND look good in (no matter what size you are).
I have gained a lot of inspiration by going through #handmadewardrobe and have been making a list of items I would like to make. The fun part is changing them up with the addition of hand knits; cardigans, shawls, scarves, and more! Here are a couple patterns that I have in my queue that I want to add to my Handmade Wardrobe
These are just a few examples, you can understand now why my queue and unfinished projects list is so large. There are so many hats, skirts, and fingerless mitts you can add, and don't forget all the handknit socks you can wear with each item! You don't have to be an expert to participate in Slow Fashion October, @slowfashionoctober writes that it is “A celebration of the small-batch, handmade, second-hand, well-loved, long-worn, known-origins wardrobe.” I have been finding myself going back to the traditional ways of doing things and making my own clothes has been very rewarding. Just one more aspect of my life I am trying to make "handmade". If you need further inspiration you should check out these wonderful women who have really inspired me Sam Lamb Terhi Montonen Ash Alberg Jessica Lewis Stevens Cal Patch So why not play along? Anything you make this month that you post online, use the hashtag #slowfashionoctober. Challenge yourself, share your work with others and have fun! If you don't have time to play along, there is always #MeMadeMay :) My goals this month are to sew a few more dresses/tunics, finish my shawls in the works and a pair of socks. What have you got planned?
 Jeremy and I had SUCH a great time at the Manitoba Fibre Festival this past weekend. From meeting new people, teaching fun classes and seeing old friends, Winnipeg was the place to be. Since I was teaching during the set up, Jeremy was in charge of getting my booth up and running. He is my main man when it comes to shows as he supports me in all aspects.
  The Flatlands Collection was available for all to see and I was happy to see that Aura was so well represented. Thank you to all who purchased kits and patterns. Ally and I still have a couple more if you are interested!  I was SO looking forward to being able to wear my Aura for the first time at the end of the festival. I have plans to knit another. I also got lots done on my Liplatus shawl with some of Ally's yarn as well.... just a few more rows to go! Of course I had to make a stop at Wolseley Wool as well. They have a superb selection  Some knitting time at Baked Expectations (a must see)
Thank you to everyone who came to the festival, supported us all and continue to. You are what make all the difference. I appreciate you all and can’t wait for next year!  My treasures from the festival: Flatlanders Soap, Raiment Resource, Natural Knot Woods, Feet of Clay, Hilori's Magical Yarnorium, Wolseley Wool, Mandyz Moon. There was soooooo much more I wanted <3 SO many amazing artists. Manitoba Basset Walk 2017
Jeremy and I were invited to attend the Manitoba Basset Walk (#mbw17) as we have been meaning to go for the past few years now. As some of you may know, we have a basset hound named Jenny, and meeting other basset owners and seeing their dogs is something we love to do. They are all so different yet all the same haha. There were even 2 basset puppies that were adorable! We adopted Jenny when she was 2 so we never got to see her extra-long ears hanging from her domed head as a baby. We had a great time petting every dog and soaking up the drool. There are a couple basset rescues that raise funds for other dogs in need. You should have seen the great prizes! We are trying to plan next year to bring Jenny so she can do the walk with her as we really wish she could have been with us. She was sleeping over at the best friend Harley’s house and this is the state she was in while we were away….  That’s our girl, classy all the way but look at that smile. She is always pretty tired out from having fun with Harley but was excited to see us when we got home.
 If you are like me, lists are one of your favourite things. In my Midori Traveler's Notebook, have a list of items I usually pack for shows, classes and road trips. These are all very important items as a fibre worker, because there is nothing worse than being unprepared. For starters, I usually bring at least one knitting and one crochet project. Something that is easy enough to work on while talking to others, singing along to the radio and easy enough to pick up and put down without losing your place. Socks are always a great option. Since fall is around the corner, I am on a shawl kick and have decided to crochet Blurre. I have picked a few skeins and wound them into balls (very important) to prepare. I make sure I have a few hooks on hand in case my gauge is out. I am also really wanting to use a skein I bought from Dye for Ewe at the Blue Hills Fibre Fest. I decided to start Liplatus. I think it will show off the yarn beautifully and I can always adjust as I go. Both of these projects are in their own bags which I bought from Dragon Fibre Bags (who will also be at the Manitoba Fibre Festival!) Make sure you have a pair of scissors and all the appropriate notions as well. If you have any WIP's these are also great road trip projects to get them finished and off your needles.
 This should have me covered. Of course, there will be souvenir yarn and fibre purchased, as well as a few tools I'm sure. What do you bring on a road trip? Am I missing anything?
Have you been knitting one of the beautiful 13 designs from the Flatlands Collection is support of the Manitoba Fibre Festival? There is a KAL (knit-a-long) happening now until the festival Sept 15 & 16th. If you knit one of the designs you will be entered to win some great prizes like Festival swag and a luscious skein of the limited edition colourway by Cloud 9 Fibreworks. If you wear one of the designs to the festival you can get in for free! Not only that you are supporting both prairie designers, dyers and artisans who have all been part of this years' inaugural collection. I knit up Bandana by Joanne Seiff. It was a very fun, relaxing and fast project and I am SO happy with it. A beautiful soft pink, not normally one of my go-to colours but I can hear my grandma saying "it will brighten up your face" haha. There is a paisley design in the stitches and the texture it creates is super cool. This design can be worn in so many ways; as a bandana cowl, shawl, hood and even to keep your hair out of your face. I can't get enough of multi-use projects. They are a must in my wardrobe. I attached a bright, butterfly button to the end of the tie. This was the choice of many of my Instagram friends. Kits for all the designs will be available at the festival from both designers and dyers. Be sure to stop by the Flatlands booth to see the complete collection. I will have kits for Aura at my table and Ally of Dye For Ewe will have some as well.
 After several months of not spinning due to my chronic pain, I have finished a couple skeins for a fellow Guild member to use in weaving projects. Both are BFL, dyed by Sharon of Golden Willow. The one on the left is dyed with indigo in a gradient from white to dark (218 yards)and the skein on the right transfers from purple to blue to green (178 yards).
I am hoping to spin 40 new skeins for my upcoming sales in September (Manitoba Fibre Festival and Etsy Made in Canada) and I will likely have to take a bit of a break from spinning for a bit. This hurts my heart a lot as spinning is my life but I don't want to make things worse before they get better. You can always follow me on Instagram as well for handspun updates.
 As some of you may know, I teach knitting at Red Fox Creative Studio which is a great place for combining well-being, art, creativity and support. Today I was featured on their blog as the Maker Monday post. I am also going to be teaching another Learn to Knit Class this fall starting in October. It is a 4 week class where you will learn all the basics of knitting including casting on, binding off, knit and purl stitches, simple decreases and increases as well as reading a pattern and using stitch markers. I hope you will join me :)
 Alex Richards of October Evening made a beautiful Lookbook featuring all the artisans involved in this collection, click on the cover photo above to check it out
The Flatlands Collection has officially launched! This inaugural collection includes 13 designers from my local fibershed in and around the Canadian Prairies supporting the Manitoba Fibre Festival. All of these designs have been made using yarn/fibre from vendors at this years 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) Thank you to U&i / perspective for modelling. photos by Hilori Thompson, Ash Alberg, and Mandy Furney.
 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.
 This year, in support of the Manitoba Fibre Festival, they have come up with the great idea to start a pattern collection using designers, dyers and artisans in the Prairie fibreshed. This is the first year and you are in for a treat. 13 designs will be available for purchase starting Aug 1st and I have been following the sneak peaks and I'm super excited to be a part of this project. It is called the Flatlands Collection and if you knit one of the designs and wear it to the festival you get in for free! All weekend! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I am really looking forward to sharing my design with you and will post more about it after the reveal on Aug 1st but it is called Aura and I teamed up with dyer Ally of Dye for Ewe and just LOVE how it turned out. This pattern uses 3 skeins of fingering weight yarn and Ally will have kits available at the festival for purchase as well. These designs will be available on Ravelry as well as at the festival.  Fingerlicious  Are you interested in learning more about wool fleeces and how to choose a fleece at an auction or wool show?
In this workshop you will learn how to choose a fleece with an end project in mind. We will go over the judging card to see what the judge is looking for in a fleece and what the different wool classes entail. Methods of storing and washing will be discussed as well as different ways to process fleeces. This is a hands on class and will involve a few example fleeces to gain greater insight. Bring a fleece if you have questions! Please bring an apron to protect your clothes. Cost to register: $35/person Payable in advance by paypal to: [email protected] Location: Golden Willow Alpaca Farm. Thank you to Sharon for providing the perfect backdrop ♥ Time: 1 - 4pm Class size will be up to 15 people Join in on the Facebook Event Page  Just launched ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This design is part of Hilori’s Magical Yarnorium Cross Country Canada KAL July 2017 #xccroadtripkal. Head on over to her group to sign up and join in on the fun From now until my birthday (July 20th) please use coupon code LANDOFLIVINGSKIES for 30% off of this design This 6 layered cowl is a map of sorts taking you across my province of Saskatchewan. Knit your way along grid roads, passing canola and flax fields, and dipping your toes in one of our abundant freshwater lakes. Travel through the glacier carved valleys and up through the Canadian Shield nestled amongst the trees in the boreal forest up north. The scenery wouldn’t be complete without chasing the never ending horizon and the wide open skies watching the weather roll in. Hilori’s Magical Yarnorium has dyed up a special colourway for this road trip. This cowl is kit in the round using 6 different stitch patterns to keep your interest, but simple enough to make the perfect travel project. 
 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!
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