Friday, May 6, 2022, Issue 246: Happy Mother's Day Weekend!!

• Posted on 6 May 2022
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in KAL, knit-along, May 2022, spring knitting
• 0

May has finally arrived, and while spring has not been as warm yet, we can see in the flowers starting to bloom and the trees that are budding or flowering!

Mother's Day is this weekend, that special day when want to show our love! While there isn't a lot of time left to make her a handmade gift, you can always wrap up the yarn and show her what you are planning. If however, she is a yarn lover, forget the flowers because your Mom wants yarn or something related to her passion for making! What about yarn for a tee or shawl like the ones below?

Tanis Lavallee designed the Floodlight Mini to be knit using a full skein of sock yarn paired with a coordinating mini skein. It is a seamless little tee that is knit top down with i-cord edging.

The kid-sized tee pattern includes 7 sizes from 0-6 months up to 8-10 years. The largest size requires approximately 430 yards of the main colour and 85 yards of the contrasting colour.

Gauge
26 stitches and 34 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch in the round using larger needles

Recommended Needles
3.5mm (US 4) 16” circular needles. You may want a larger length circular needle of the same size for the larger parts of the yoke, I don’t mind cramming all of my stitches on short circulars so the longer needles are optional.
3.5mm (US 4) dps for I-cord ties.
Or size needed to obtain gauge.

The Floodlight Tee by Tanis Lavallee follows her Floodlight Mini! Knit both for a great mother and daughter set in matching yarn or as Tanis did, knit yours with a more sophisticated fiber and colour pairing. Though it must be said that an adult Floodlight Tee worked in merino or cashmere or any other beautifully woolly fingering weight yarn would be a dream, she chose to knit hers in a summery fingering weight yarn with subtle mohair stripes in the yoke. She thinks the resulting tee is incredibly versatile being comfortable enough to wear everyday, but special enough to dress up for special occasions as well.

Sample is shown with about 6” of positive ease.

The sizes in the pattern are the actual finished measurement of the garment. Select a size that is 6” larger than your actual chest measurement to achieve the recommended ease.

Approximate yardage:
MC: 410 (450, 490, 540, 580, 640) (715, 750, 810, 875, 960) yds.
CC (Mohair): 60 (65, 65, 70, 80, 85) (90, 100, 110, 125, 135) yds.

OR 470 (515, 555, 610, 660, 725) (805, 850, 920, 1000, 1095) yds total fingering weight yarn.

Gauge
24 sts and 32 rows = 4” square in stockinette stitch knit in the round and flat. Same gauge for both yarns.

Recommended Needles
US #5 / 3.75mm 24 or 32” circular needle or size needed to obtain gauge.
US #5 / 3.75mm dps for I-cord ties or size needed to obtain gauge.

Sunshine Coast by Heidi Kirrmaier is one of my favourite summer tees - I have too many favourites! It appears quite simple but it’s A-line body shape and side details that are formed using basic increases and decreases make it special.

It is knit entirely seamlessly from the top down and is also quite easy to execute. The side details are formed through basic increases and decreases.

This has been knit by so many of our group and has been included many times in the newsletters!

Ingrid (quinoa) knit her Sunshine Coast using Berroco Elba!

I think Trina has knit five - this one she knit using a beautiful shade of Rowan Tetra Cotton (no longer available)!

Hush by Lisa Mutch is available as a free Ravelry download until Sunday, May 8th! This silky DK weight shawl is worked in garter stitch with fun, contrast colour lace sections.

Materials:
DK weight yarn:
Colour A - 350 yards
Colour B - 80 yards
Colour C - 120 yards
Colour D - 160 yards
Colour E - 180 yards
5 mm (US 8) needles
Stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Gauge:
4 sts= 1” in stockinette stitch

Finished Measurements:
(Post Blocking)
Length (At center point)= 33”
Width= 100”

caqknits' Hush was knit using fingering weight yarn. Her finished and blocked measurements are ~67” long and ~18” top to bottom.

LYS DAY 2022

Thank you to everyone who came out in person and purchased online during Local Yarn Shop Day to support me @sue2knits, @littlesheepyarn, and @the.hook.pusher locally and all of the LYS everywhere! We appreciate you all!

A special shout out to Paulette (@psknitting50), Linda (@lindamcnorton8) and everyone who helped me out!

Sharon, Karen and Sue (not in this photo) drove in together from London for the day while Tammy drove in from Wyoming, Ontario!

I had everyone put their name, phone number and email into my yellow bowl for our LYS Day draw.

Congratulations to everyone who won something!

Sharon O’Liari for the Grand Prize @koiguwool Wrapped In Colour Kit
Mirna for the @berrocoyarn Kit
Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) - knit stitch earrings from @birdieparkerdesigns 
Teri Woodrow for gnome earrings from @fangirlfibers
Sandi (@sandimagor) for the Wild Daffodil stitch marker from @fireflynotes 
Linda McNorton for the “D” is for Daffodil stitch marker from @fireflynotes and
Karen Prince for the stitch markers from @1geek2craftall 

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) put her knit stitch earrings from @birdieparkerdesigns on as soon she received them!

WIPs and FOs

I’ve already worn my blocked Hello from my Colours Crop by Jessie Maed Designs a few times even though I have not finished weaving in all of the ends.

On my Coterie Shawl by Jessica Ays (@doublethestitches) WIP, I have one repeat of 28 rows of the lace completed and am on row 16 of the second repeat. There are 375 stitches across each row with 24 repeats of the 16 stitch repeat. I am using Regia Premium 4 Ply Merino Yak.

I don’t think I will be able to finish Melanie Berg’s Pink is for Power KAL by May 15th because I haven't cast it on my needles yet but this is what I have chosen to knit mine with! Ancient Arts Yarns Socknado in Cindy Lou Who and Malabrigo Silkpaca in 857 Light of Love.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

I will post the winner for the last knit-along which ran from January 1 to April 30, 2022 soon!

Connie (knitnut246) here and above with her finished Love Note by tincanknits.

Connie (knitnut246) finished her Laurel (Jumper) by Along avec Anna using a self patterning yarn as the contrast colour.

Debbie (swifty849) is wearing her Donner by Elizabeth Doherty!

Teri is wearing the Lightweight Pullover by Hannah Fettig.

Mirna is wearing Harriet by Kim Hargreaves from Quirky: Thrown Together Again. Yarn is Rowan Felted Tweed.

Bev (Bevyknits46) finished her Basic Raglan Pullover by Joji Locatelli using Rowan Felted Tweed in 150 Rage.

Karen Prince knit her Ninjlchuk Swoncho by Caitlin Hunter with The Fibre Co. Arranmore Light in Crronin for the main colour and the contrast colours using Rowan Felted Tweed in 178 Seasalter, 154 Ginger and 181 Mineral.

Brandi (@thegreenbuttonjar) has finished weaving in all her ends for her Felix by Amy Christoffers knit using her own yarn!

Beverley finished another pair of Petty Harbour pattern by Rayna Curtis. Yarn is Zen Yarn Garden Serenity Worsted in French Vanilla.

Katherine has finished another Green Shoots Tam by Kate Davies Designs with an added I-cord edge. Yarn is Koigu KPM and KPPPM.

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!