It's raining today, and it has been raining a lot lately. I do not love rain. I know that rain is necessary and good, but it is not my favourite weather.
However, rain makes me want to snuggle up in a warm quilt or, even better, slip into a snug, cozy sweater. Rain also triggers thoughts of yarn – a marvelous material with endless potential. Is that skein destined to become a scarf, the first skein of a sweater, a pair of mitts, or a toque*?
*For those unfamiliar, a toque is a winter hat made of yarn, either knitted or crocheted.
Yarn is simply waiting for someone to pick it up and start crafting something delightful. It's a luxury that can be both affordable and transformable into something lovely.
Recently, I received a shipment of yarn from Berroco, and I must say, the colours and texture are perfect. I am most excited about the 100% Llama yarn named Talara. It is soft and squishy and feels divine. I am looking forward to saying. “Oh, my toque is made of Llama.” Talara is a worsted weight and came in four solid colours.
The second yarn, Carousel is a wool/acrylic sport-weight yarn that comes in three shades, each composed of multiple colour plies. The third, Millefiori Light, is also a wool/acylic sport-weight with colours that ebb and flow through each of the four colour waves it comes in.
Last but not least, we have UltraAlpaca, a worsted weight yarn made of Alpaca and Peruvian Wool. This one comes in seven glorious solid colours, each calling out to become a cozy sweater. I can't decide which colour would be best, and I don’t need seven sweaters, do I?
However, before I dive into these new yarns, I must abide by my rule – I cannot start a new project until the previous project is finished.
The key to this rule are the words, PER CRAFT. So I can have only one crocheted sweater in progress at a time, but I can also have a quilt front, knitted hat, needle felted owl and linen dress in progress. One PER CRAFT.
Currently, I'm working on a "bunny hug" (or hoody for those not familiar with the term). It's made from two colors of Berroco Remix Chunky, a recycled yarn that behaves much like cotton.
I am using a Crochet World pattern called Harvest Hoody. Of course, I am making a few changes. It'll be shorter than the pattern suggests, and I've decided to add a few stripes, foregoing the front pocket. I suspect this sweater will be my go-to choice for cool, rainy days.
In response to some of your requests after my last blog, I'd like to share the pattern and fabric I've chosen for my Bear Quilt project. The free pattern is called Bears and Paws, and I have copies available in the store if you're interested in creating it yourself.
Here's the fabric I selected for this project. I've already completed piecing the top, and it's currently with Charlotte Smith, a premier quilter in my village, for finishing touches. Once it's ready, you'll find it in the store so I can proudly show it off.
Stay tuned for updates on this and all my other projects. As always, once they're finished, I'll share the details on my blog.
That's all for this time. Oh, and by the way, the sun is shining now!
Until the next one,