London

After eleven days in Shetland, the next stop was London to do some sightseeing.  It was totally a surprising, happy coincidence that the London Knitting & Stitching Show was on at the same time.  I'd often heard people talk about Ally Pally, named for the venue, Alexandra Palace, but never really expected to be there myself.

Click to enlarge

It was very busy on a Thursday and I can only imagine what it would be like on the coming weekend. There were a lot of booths for the sewers, quilters and felters, but I was more interested on the knitting booths.  Even Jamieson & Smith, from Shetland, was there.  

Rowan was quite busy with a small runway show and designer Dee Hardwicke showing off her beautiful afghan and offering her new book.  

A signed copy is now in my knitting library.  She was lovely to talk with and I couldn't resist the book, especially since it featured intarsia, one of my favorite techniques.

I showed incredible restraint in not buying much (I have a lovely yarn stash at home) despite the temptation of a pile of yarn, full bags, various brands and colors, most very tempting.  This was only one of the yarn mountains.  I resisted lying down and wallowing in all that yarn.

Check out the beautiful window in the venue.  The Jamieson & Smith booth is on the left.

After a few hours, it was time to say goodbye to the show, with hopes of returning one day.  I didn't see all of the knitting booths and would love to come back with more time to spend.

Me, Pam and Sue
Photo:  (c) Col.

We did visit other places in London, too, for example, Covent Garden:

The Victoria & Alberta Museum (V&A) is an incredible place worthy of another visit.

Harrods Department Store - unique, and expensive.  John Lewis Oxford Street - huge, with something for everyone.  I even had an impromptu chance to help one of the customers with her knitting, which I enjoyed very much (I love to teach).  Liberty London fabulous architecture and one-of-a-kind beautiful fabrics.  Incredible stores, all.

Since I've been to London before, I passed on the tour of the city...this time!

At the end of Thursday, after the Knitting & Stitching Show, was a trek to visit Loop London.  It's a fun shop with a nice variety of yarn over two floors.  We had hoped to knit with the locals on knit-night but there wasn't a seat available.  Here is our friend, Col, from the UK.  We were lucky enough to spend the day with him.

I spotted this scarf in Loop, obviously knitted on very tiny needles with a small gauge.  Someone in France knitted it and it was available to purchase, but there was no pattern available.  Perhaps one day I'll try to duplicate it.  The photo really doesn't do it justice.  It doesn't show just how tight those little stitches are, how pretty the colors are and how many different colors were used.  You have to see it to really appreciate it.

It's was an amazing almost-three-weeks and, like all good vacations, it went by too fast.  By the end I was ready to go home and wear something different for a while.  However, I'm already dreaming about possible future adventures and wondering what I'll do next.

The Shetland Islands

I found this video on You Tube and for almost seven minutes I was back in Shetland.  I miss the place already.   It's busier than when I was there but I'm guessing it's because of the visiting cruise ship.

I suggest that you watch it in full screen mode.  Enjoy....

 ;

Hey, P....I think I saw Swatch!  :-)

London Calling Socks

I've finished up another pair of socks.  I still have a couple of other socks on the needles and I plan to finish them soon, too (fingers crossed).  While I certainly did not need any more sock yarn, this colorway called to me while I was in London.  I figured that, if I was careful, I might be able to make a block for my Travel Afghan with part of the ball, make a pair of socks and maybe have a tiny bit left over to add into other projects.  I achieved it with no yarn remaining.

Normally I try to make my socks match each other but I thought that it might mean some yarn would be wasted.  I'll live with my mismatched socks...this time!  Actually, I'm quite pleased with the way they turned out.

THE DETAILS

Pattern:  My basic sock pattern

60 sts, K2 P2 ribbing for 12 rounds

Stocking stitch leg for 75 rounds

Short row heel

Stocking stitch leg for 50 rounds

Toe - close with Kitchener stitch

Size:  Lady's Medium

Yarn:  Debbie Bliss Rialto Luxury Sock yarn

Color:  Mutek #5

Purchased at:  John Lewis, Oxford Street, London

Needles:  US #0 / 2.0 mm - double points

Ravelry project page:  Link

Moodboards

I took a class in Shetland on the subject of Mood Boards and Color, and I was asked by a good friend to talk more about it.  I'm happy to do it, B.  This definition, found on Google, fits the class that I took:

A moodboard (sometimes called inspiration boards) is a type of poster design that may consist of images, text, and samples of objects in a composition of the choice of the moodboard creator. Designers and others use moodboards to develop their design concepts and to communicate to other members of the design team.

The first thing is to find your inspiration.  It can be something in nature, architecture, food, an advertisement, anything that speaks to you.  In class we went through magazines to find a picture that we particularly liked.  I chose a picture of berries that had been sprinkled with sugar in a pewter dish that was accented with a piece of fabric in a similar color.  All of this was on a black background. I liked that the colors were close in shade as it gave a sense of drama and richness.

Our next task was to identify all the colors we saw in the picture.  There really are more than you realize when you first look.  For example, on the rim of the dish there is a small spot of blue.  The dish is not just gray, but actually several shades, leaning towards off white in places.  And the berries...how many different colors of red/pink are there?  Same with the fabric.  The idea is to train your eye to see all the colors.  There were actually a couple more than you see in this picture: sand and mermaid.

At Joanna Hunter's (the instructor, a designer and owner of the Ninian store) request, Jamieson's gave her a ball of every color that they carry, which Joanna spread out on the floor for all to see well.

We looked for colors that matched those in our picture and wrapped them around a piece of cardstock.  You can also use colored pencils, paint, markers, whatever matches your colors.  I wrote down the name of each color so that I could locate it again later - spelling doesn't count, if you see the error!

From these many colors we chose five or six (or however many we thought we'd like to use in our knitting) that we particularly liked and that we thought we go together well.  We kept in mind the intensity of each color, which color we'd like to use the most and which ones would be best seen as a pop of color. After holding them together to assess them, changing some, adding others, we put them onto a little shade card.  I liked these colors together.  The second color, below, is Port Wine.  I mislabelled it and I blame it on the fact that it was near the end of the class and I wasn't paying enough attention to detail.

Joanna took our colors and matched them as closely as she was able into a computer program that had a design loaded already.  A number of variations were tried:  different backgrounds, where to put the "pop" color, etc. Ideally, we would then take the chart and knit a swatch, or several swatches, before making the final decision for our project, especially since the colors from the computer weren't an exact yarn match.

The process is time-consuming.  This took several hours, but it was constructive, especially if you're working commercially as Joanna is.  In the long run, it would save time and money.  I enjoyed looking through her book of moodboards and then seeing the finished garments in her shop.  It was like watching the creative process come alive.

It's one thing to tell you about the class.  This gives you some idea of one process for creating a moodboard, but there is nothing like actually taking a class and having the teacher guide you on each step.  I learned a lot from Joanna and seeing the moodboards made by others in the class was also inspiring.  I was distracted during the class from time to time, admiring the walls of yarn.  This is only some of it.  There is much more!

If you're ever in Shetland and this class is offered, I highly recommend it.

Photos of Shetland - Part 4

One last look at Shetland with a some random photos.

If you've watched the TV show, Shetland, you may recognize this building.

Almost every morning a seagull was sitting outside the hotel room window.  I fed him cereal (it liked the Frosted Flakes!) and he (she?) seemed to like its treat a lot and didn't want to share with other seagulls who tried to grab a few flakes.  I named him Swatch.

I'm ready for Up Helly Aa.  This was taken during the Shetland Wool Week opening ceremonies.

This house in Lerwick is used as Jimmy Perez' house in the TV show Shetland.

From the room at the Lerwick Hotel - talk about a room with a view!

I took a class on color and creating a mood board.  Here is Joanna Hunter, the teacher and owner of Ninian, taking a photo of my mood board.  It was a really enjoyable class.

Wendy Inkster in her Burra Bears studio. Everyone we met, from visitors/knitters, to shop owners, to designers, to clerks, etc, etc,...EVERYONE, were so nice and friendly and always had time to talk.  I couldn't have felt more welcomed in Shetland.

It wasn't long until faces were familiar as we saw them time and again.  This included the Shetland knitting celebrities (Hazel, Donna, Ella), people I'd met a year ago in Shetland.  I finally got to meet Mary Jane Mucklestone.  We'd been in contact for a couple of years but had never met.  By the way, check out her books and designs.  She is very talented - she's wearing her Stopover sweater.

Very quickly, Shetland Wool Week was over and it was time to say goodbye to the beautiful landscape,

the Shetland ponies,

and the fields of sheep everywhere.

If you haven't been to Shetland I wholeheartedly recommend going, at any time of year, but Wool Week is the best for knitters,  The dates for next year have been posted:  September 23 to October 1, 2017.  Shetland is now one of my favorite places.  

Vacation wasn't over yet, however.  Next stop:  London and the Knitting & Stitching Show.

Mini-Mitten #20

It's time for me to get back to working on the Advent mini-mitten garland if I want to have them ready for December.  I have 4 left to knit.  Besides, it appears that Christmas is coming up quickly, or so it seems when you visit some stores.  I've seen a Christmas commercial on TV already too.  Have we passed Hallowe'en and Remembrance/Veteran's Day and I didn't notice?

I'll start mitten #21 this weekend, but first, here's the last one I've completed:

THE DETAILS

Pattern:  Advent Mini-Mitten Garland
by Kat Lewinski

Yarn:  All Jamieson & Smith:

Gray - #203. Red - #93, White - #1A

Needles:  US #1/2.25 mm - double points

Photos of Shetland - Part 3

This time I'm sharing signs.

I found two signs in the ladies room at the Peerie Shop Cafe that I liked.  First, this whimsical poem:

Click on picture to enlarge.

And this instruction that gives good advice about turning on the cold water tap as well as the hot water.  I don't know if they meant "scald" or if "scold" is a Shetland term.

Scalloway Castle - don't forget to lock up the castle at the end of the day!

Large Shetland Wool Week sign on the side of Mareel:

How is a knitter to resist going into Jamieson & Smith with this welcome sign painted on the window?

In case of emergency, break glass?  This isn't a sign, but cute and humorous.  A pane of glass was missing in this phone box and someone hung a piece of knitted lace where the window should be.  The phone booth can be found near the Shetland Times Bookshop on Commercial Street.

Photos of Shetland - Part 2

Some of the shops:

Shetland Designer in Cunningsburgh - gorgeous knits of the highest quality.  A sweater and a pair of gloves will be following me home.

Shetland Times Bookshop - the place to find everything that's been printed about Shetland, and more. 

Jamieson & Smith Wool Store. In the part of the building, to the left of the picture, you can talk to  Oliver Henry who works sorting fleeces. 

Inside Jamieson & Smith - and this is only a fraction of the wool that they have. They will ship yarn to you.  Note the stack of gray bags to the left that are ready for mailing.  

Ella Gordon works in the shop.  Here she is wearing her Crofthoose vest.  The design was inspired by Canadian Cowichan sweaters and incorporates her signature Crofthoose design. 

A display of colorful knitting belts.

Gudrun Johnston was teaching a class when I visited.

On Commercial Street you can find Jamieson's Knitwear store - no connection to Jamieson & Smith. They have gorgeous wool, sweaters, coats and accessories. You can also visit the mill, take a tour and shop in the mill store.

Photos of Shetland - Part 1

Only 2 of the approximately 80 Hap Shawls on display in Ollaberry:

Knitters and spinners in action - wonderful tea and cakes afterwards:

Ella Gordon designed the official hat of Wool Week, the Crofthoose Hat, based on this house near Ollaberry:

Opening ceremonies. The Up Helly Aa (fire festival) group joined hosts and speakers on the stage. At the intermission I got to try on the hat with the huge black feathers, which were real, and hold the ax and shield. 

Ella Gordon, this year's Wool Week patron, gave a lovely welcoming speech:

And knitting-themed cupcakes were shared with all: