FO: Local Color Arionette

Several months ago some friends and I took a little road trip over to Tolt Yarn and Wool  for the Local Color Fiber Studio trunk show. Hang on. I need to pause for a moment. That may be one of the happiest sentences I have ever written. There are so many good things packed into that one little sentence. And I didn't even mention that our trip also included brunch at The Grange Cafe!

I think I've swooned about Tolt in this space before. It's basically the perfect yarn shop. Even its distance from Seattle is perfect, because it stops me from spending absolutely all of my money there but is still within an easy drive for special purchases. I know, I know. I said I was stash busting this year. BUT WAIT! This trip wasn't just to buy any old yarn. It was to buy super special fantastic yarn, which is totally within the rules.

This super special yarn is made by Local Color Fiber Studio, a duo of super talented women based on Bainbridge Island. They are basically everything. First, all of the wool they use is US grown, sustainably raised, and domestically milled (including some of my favorite Imperial Stock Ranch Columbia). It's just the best wooly, wool. Second, they use all natural dyes which are grown and foraged right on the island. Third, they are just so good at what they do. I mean, look at these colors!


If that wasn't enough, all of their yarns come with these super cute tags to let you know what the yarn was dyed with. Adorable. And also really fascinating. I just wanted to look at every single hank of yarn to see what it was dyed with. I may have done that.

Plus. Plus. They're really nice people. Can you tell that I love them? Yep. Like I said, they basically encompass everything that I love about wool and yarn and crafting in general.

On to the pattern! The patter is from the Autumn 2014 edition of Pom Pom Quarterly. I purchased it at Churchmouse Yarns and Teas on my annual birthday trip to Bainbridge Island. See! It all comes back to Bainbridge. We visited the Local Color ladies at the farmer's market that day, but I had already spent my "birthday allowance" at Churchmouse so I had to walk away for the moment. But! The sock yarn they had available really stuck in my head, and I thought the colors would be great for this pattern.

I have been wanting to knit myself a pair of socks for awhile now. I've knit quite a few pairs of socks in the past, but they have always been gifts. I also wanted to try a different construction method to hopefully learn some new skills. My preferred method (because it's really been the only method I've used) has been top-up construction, with a few different heel types. This pattern is written ankle down with a heel method I've never used before, and I LOVED the look of the slipped stitch pattern and the finished product. Slip stitch patterns are super fun to knit. This one was a little bit of an exception to that since I was working with three colors and the rounds are so short. I was finding it really had to work hard to keep my yarn from getting super tangled, and so this turned out not to be the "small, mindless, portable" project I was expecting it to be. Once I got that sorted by being more mindful of my balls, things went pretty quickly. The second sock probably took me about half the time as the first!

In the end I can say I like both toe-up and ankle down. Now I know I can use either method for future patterns and don't have to limit myself to just one type or another. Hurray! Knitting skills expanded!

DETAILS

Pattern: Arionette by Wencke Lucas from Pom Pom Quarterly Autumn 2014
Needles: Size US 1
Yarn: Local Color Fiber Studio Rambouillet 2-Ply Fingering

All the Sweaters

As I packed up some of my winter clothes for the season (sorry Wisconsin...I saw you got some snow today), I realized I've amassed quite the collection of vintage and handmade secondhand sweaters. And then I felt inspired to document them all.

The crowning achievement of any thrift run is of course a beautiful sweater. I really can't pass them up. I typically look for pieces made from 100% natural fibers as a rule and am very flexible when it comes to size since I'll end up wearing most as an outer, jacket layer.

So, for your viewing pleasure, here is my hoard.

 A few details on batch number one, clockwise from the top left:

1. This is my newest addition. Purchased in Portland a few weeks back. Tag says "Nordstrikk A/S Made in Norway". It's doubleknit, but cut and serged rather than seamed which makes me assume it's machine knit and not actually that vitage. Which I'm fine with. You can't see the ribbon edging very well in this photo but trust me it's lovely.

2. Alpaca! At least I'm 99% sure. There is no tag. It definitely needs new, smaller buttons because these one's are too big for the holes. Also, those pockets are fake. Only about an inch and a half deep. Purchased at the Salvation Army thrift store in Sodo (Seattle).

3. Oh my lordy I wear this puppy all the time. I love the zig-zag cable. Tag says "100% Wool Made in Hong Kong". There's also a really detailed and charming washing instruction tag which cautions the owner not to dry clean it. Purchased at Goodwill in Monroe, WA.

4. So. Pretty. And of high quality. The yarn has a wonderful feel to it and I suspect it will never, ever pill. Both the body and the sleeves are knit in the round then joined at the yoke and steeked from what I can tell. Tag says "Norway Design HANDKNITTING Shrinkresistant Colourfast 100% Pure Wool". Purchased at the Value Village in Lake City. I think this was my first big sweater score at thrift store.

5. A lopapeysa! What a find. Definitely falls into the sweater coat category, and I love wearing it that way. Tag says "Samband of Iceland ICELOOK Handknitted in Iceland Natural Colours". Found at a small thrift store in Lynwood, WA.

6. My one and only sweater vest (although currently I'm knitting myself another). I love the combination of lace and cables, and the fit on this one is just spot on. Tag says "J.G. Hook PETITES". Guess I'm a petite in sweater vest. Can't remember where it's from.

7. The opposite of petite. This one I'll admit I rarely wear out of the house. It's completely oversized, although the sleeves are actually quite fitted. Despite not being my "out and about" go-to, I wear it a ton in the wintertime inside the house as an extra layer. Tag says "Mayo Handcrafts Ballyhaunis". Again, can't remember where I found it.

8.  If you've been reading since the very beginning then this one should look familiar. I've waxed on about how special this one is before. It features a traditional Shetland tree and star yoke and is just gorgeous. Tag reads "Kate Drewyer Knitted in the Shetland Isles". I'm not sure if Ms Drewyer is the knitter or the owner, but either way I find the tag quite charming.

In photographing the gang, I couldn't help notice some trends. First of all, it's clearly cardigans for the win. Which should surprise no one who sees me on a regular basis. Cardigans forever. Beyond that, I must also have thing for collecting as many regional styles as possible, and absolutely every item features either colorwork or cables. Yep, I'm definitely not shy on color. Although the amount of red in the mix was a bit of a surprise.

And finally, there's this. My absolute most treasured sweater by a thousand miles. It gets it's very own full-sized picture for a couple of reasons. First, it's not from any thrift store. Second, it belonged to my grandmother.

I'm pretty sure I literally gasped when my aunt first pulled it out of the cedar chest. It was just so awesome and special and a complete surprise. To be honest, I don't really know its story. I don't know who made it or out of what (although there is some acrylic in there for sure) or really even 100% for whom. My grandmother was a knitter, but for some reason I got the impression that it was made for her and not by her. But even that I'm not sure of. I was unaware of its existence until after she passed away and certainly never saw her wearing it. The colors, yarn, and shape (slightly belled sleeves) read 70's to me, which was before my time. If anyone has any details to share please feel free to share! Regardless, I feel extremely honored, thankful, and blessed over the fact that it got to come live with me.

And yeah, I totally wear it.