May Newsletter

I'm designing a shawl in @maiwahandprints' newly released naturally dyed linen in a fingering weight and the yarn is amazing. I can already feel it softening up as my hands work with it. It is going to be mostly garter stitch and I've debated about whether to continue in knit stitch or frog it and knit it in purl stitch using Portuguese style knitting. The pattern will be written in knit stitch but I prefer to purl! □#knitting #purlstitch #garterstitch #portugueseknitting #linen #honestyarn #maiwa

A post shared by Vancouver Yarn □□ (@vancouveryarn) on May 12, 2017 at 7:29pm PDT

This month has been full of strangeness and sickness for me, so I've generally pushed back any/all self-inflicted deadlines that I have made for myself to focus on taking care of myself in all ways. I'm still in the middle of that cyclical cold that seems to never go away, but my energy is beginning to increase so I'm finally getting this out to you. Thanks for your patience.
Here's what I've been up to this past month (it's more that I thought! I also snuck in two weekend trips. No wonder I'm pooped.)

- I'm knitting this sweet cardigan by local designer Elena Nodel. I can tell already that I'm going to make a million of these. It's a beautiful pattern that develops before your eyes as you introduce new colours as you like. It's just so much fun and super easy. The designer, Elena is currently facing some major health issues and she needs financial help. So, buying her patterns is one way to support her. Or if you can contribute a larger sum go to her GoFundMe page here.

-A few weeks ago I blogged about why I like knitting with two strands of yarn held together.

-This week I shared on the blog about my Frankencardi that I made out of two patterns combined plus a lot of editing. I knit it over three years. I just wasn't loving it...until the very end, because it's awesome. 

-Last month I visited Urban Yarns' new-to-me North Van location and it's gorgeous! It's perfect for a quick stopover for people coming off Horseshoe Bay ferries on your way into the city. I picked up this seafoam green Sweetgeorgiayarn to knit the locally designed Hoar Frost Shawl with, which I can't stop thinking about but haven't gotten around to casting on.

-Last week I visited Maiwa's new naturally dyed linen yarn and took home two light indigo skeins which I'm designing a simple shawl/scarf with (above). I can already feel it softening up as my hands work with it. It is going to be mostly garter stitch and I've debated about whether to continue in knit stitch or frog it and knit it in purl stitch using Portuguese style knitting. The pattern will be written in knit stitch but when knitting Portuguese-style knitting I prefer to purl! 

-And this week I discovered a local podcast, Two Tips, and I love it. Seriously, people, you need to tell me about these things before they're in episode 37! This town is too happening for me to know all the things :) Oh, that reminds me,Kim Werker's podcast is back, too!

Vancouver, are there any other gems you're hiding from me? Of course there are! Be sure to let me know so I can list them. Email me at [email protected]

Events
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Plan a day on Granville Island to check out these three exhibitions

• CONNECTIONS just opened at Crafthouse featuring three textile artists in collaboration with four members of Nature Vancouver. They, "explore issues of cultural and natural destruction." (from the CCBC website)
• I stopped in at the Cocoon opening reception at the Silk Weaving Studio - an exceptional exhibition of woven artwork and home goods.
• While I was there on Granville Island I also popped into Emily Carr's grad show and wished I had more time to spend with this experiential embroidery installation.

Coming up in June...

• On the weekend of June 10th and 11th there will be a Textile Village at Maker Faire at the PNE. From what I can tell it will consist of volunteers who will be demonstrating different textile techniques and I think I heard something about a massive yarn bombing, too. I'll be there on the Saturday. Can you contribute 4 hours of hanging out and crafting? I'm interviewing co-founder Emily Smith on the blog about this, so, we will all know more soon enough :)
  
  see our calendar for events in future months.

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Canadian designs and yarn
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Workshops
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I cruised our Workshops page and here are few fun things I found:

• Forage and Lace is offering a Small Wall Hanging macrame class on May 23rd from 6-8pm at Neighbourhood Quality Goods in Vancouver.
  
  
• Caitlin Ffrench is offering an ecoprinting workshop on June 4th in her Vancouver Studio. Her workshops are so good!
  
  
• Bird on a Wire is offering a Needle Felting Animals class on June 10th 
  
  
• AND Felicia Lo at Sweetgeorgia Yarns just launched an online school!

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