Debbie Bliss Billy Jackets

Ugh, so this isn't the first time I've ordered a kit from Webs that despite knitting a gauge swatch first, the pattern still ended up being WAAAYYY too big.  

Anyway, it isn't really the end of the world but even after knitting the Debbie Bliss Billy Jacket for Xena first in size 5-6 (which I knew would be big, but not nearly THAT big) and 3-4, even the 3-4 is humongous on her.

As usual, I've been knitting these sweaters all over the past during the past few months.

I generally post my UFO action shots in my IG stories.

I knit the size 5-6 sweater with the Debbie Bliss Rialto yarn included in the kit.

 

I still to knit the bear stuffies with matching cardis.  I actually hate teddy bears so I haven't been very eager to start them.

 

I haven't blocked the sweater yet so it's going to grow even more!

For the size 3-4 cardigan, I used Kindred Red Rad DK (100% SWM) in the Teal OOAK, Larimar and Clementine colorways.  

 

I have raved on about this yarn plenty of times before.  It's one of my favorite yarns to knit or crochet with.  The colors are so vibrant, you really just need to see them IRL to best appreciate them.

I've been really busy lately and I barely even finished seaming and finishing this cardi before Xena's first day of public Pre-K, today!

Because our ironing board is in the bedroom, I literally woke up at 3:30AM, laid in bed until 4:30AM with anxiety about whether or not I forgot to do/pack anything for school, got up and steam blocked the cardi on the kitchen table while Matt and Xena were still sleeping.  So you're supposed to use snaps on the sweater.  I bought a whole Dritz kit.  I applied one snap and it was so hard for me to remove as an adult, there's not way in Hell Xena could do it.  It also looked dumb.  The shiny black wasn't a good match.  So in removing the snap, I nearly destroyed the top of the sweater but eventually managed to get it out without causing any damage in the end.  

 

Even though Xena didn't wear it to school, I still took some photos because I am proud of it, but just pissed that now I have to knit a third F-ing sweater??!!

I wonder if it will even fit her by the end of the year.

 

Anyway, drop off went OK.  The school yard kind of reminds me of a prison yard but my mind is still completely blown by the fact that Xena is going to school with so many kids from different races and cultures.  I almost broke down crying in public (something I was idiotically taught never to do) thinking about how horrific my first day of kindergarden at an all white school in WNY was in comparison but let's not go there today.

I am so proud to be raising my kid in the Bay Area!

Crochet Summer Butterflies Shawlette, Vancouver yarn shops and recent acquisitions

 I bought yarn to knit and crochet a variety of patterns promoted by the Wine Country Yarn Hop.  

 

Because I wanted some relative instant gratification, I completed a crochet pattern first.  

After knitting so much, I sometimes forget how quick and mindless most crochet is in comparison.

 

I was informed by Purls of Joy that the Summer Butterflies Shawlette was designed by someone's mother so maybe it was just mis-transcribed but there were a TON of errors throughout.

 

The recommended yarn (which I used) was 463 yds of Comfort and Joy Yarn Co. 75% SWM/25% nylon Fingering weight yarn with a F hook.

I crochet loose and even after using almost the entire hank, adding 5 additional rows to the edge and aggressively blocking the shawl for nearly a week, it was still only big enough to fit my 4 y.o.  I get that a shawlette is just a mini-version of a shawl but this isn't even large enough to cover both of my shoulders.  So I definitely recommend crocheting this pattern with DK or Worsted weight yarn and using a G or H hook if you're making it for an adult.

I've already communicated my revisions to the shop.

 

I am thankful that I learned to crochet lace patterns at a very young age.  At this point in my fiber arts journey, there is no lace pattern that has ever stumped me.  Overall, this was a fun and beautifully simplistic pattern made even more flattering with indie-dyed yarn.

Mommy's little helper. <3

 

This past weekend I travelled to Vancouver, BC, Canada to visit some friends/penpals of mine and escort my friend Sankari to visit her son who lives there.  She's in her 60s and rarely ever travels alone.  This was her first time seeing her son in 3 yrs.  I hadn't been to Vancouver in like 1ike 15 yrs and it was such a joy to revisit this wonderfully green city!

This is Baaad Anna's, a yarn store that I was really impressed with.  They carried a lot of Canadian yarn I've never seen before and also some incredibly vibrant German yarn.

Another cute shop I visited was Three Bags Full.

 

I was really impressed with their Koigu and Jamieson's of Shetland selections.

I really wanted to buy this bulky Canadian wool but there was literally no more room in my backpack.

 

Above are photos of a few recent acquisitions of yarn I bought in Canada, through the mail and purchased locally.  The photo on the right is the yarn I've selected to use for my #Alpenglow Rhinebeck sweater which I may or may not even have time to start/finish before Rhinebeck.  Trying to finish projects for Xena's back to school wardrobe is my main priority right now.

My penpal, Claire, who is also one of my IRL BFF's is an incredibly talented sewist and she made me this project bag with THEE most perfect themed fabric for a knitting philatelist!