little bag blue

the latest and greatest in the long line of fibre space project bags have arrived. today's model is tangled up in totally retro turquoise.

might you be concerned about your cute little project spilling out the top? no need to worry, these totes are fit to be tied! just knot the handles and your stitches are safe and secure. they make a charming container for everything from socks to shawls.

instead of seashells...

on the way home from this knit-cation, the chickadee cases were with stuffed souvenirs spun of wool and silk! there were several great yarn stores to visit and it was impossible to come away empty handed. here's a look at the haul:

quince & co.
chickadee (made just for me!)
100% wool. 100% awesome.

purchased at: cozycute knitwit


manos del uruguay
rittenhouse merino 5-ply

100% extrafine merino wool.
kettle dyed and delightful.

purchased at: cozycute knitwit


jaggerspun
4/8 wool/silk dk
50% wool. 50% silk.
and an entire cone of it!

purchased at: halcyon (house of amazing) yarn

there was also a stop at purl diva in brunswick that was fabulous if not fruitful. maybe next time...

and so concludes this chickadee's yarn inspired tour of the maritimes. many happy returns expected!

boothbay beach memoirs

here's the final bit of vacation knitting, begun on a front porch far far away...

stay tuned, blocking and weaving currently underway. she'll be finished up by the end of the week.

sea of love

sometimes it is hard to find the time to sit and knit...even when you are on vacation with a pretty little front porch to perch on. with so much yarn and so little time, what's a knitter on the move to do? become a professional passenger! a passive car ride becomes an absolute pleasure when you take your yarn for a ride.

this sapphire shawl was stitched together over multiple miles. the pattern is herbivore by the talented stephen west. this chickadee has now knit three westknits designs and they've all been stellar, very well written with interesting shapes and stitches. this one incorporates tons of twisted knits and purls that create pronounced ridges that contrast with a sea of stockinette.

even the yarn, trekking hand art, is well traveled. it was picked up on a trip to germany over a year ago and has been sitting in the stash waiting for the right project to come along. it seemed a little stiff while working with it, but became quite soft after being blocked. and the blending of the blue shades will be a reminder of the bright skies, clear waters and relaxing times spent on vacation.

everything that glitters

on a mission to actually use some yarn that's been around for a while, the chickadee suitcases were packed with several skeins from the stash. dream in color starry was singled out for the prized position of carry-on yarn. armed with size 6 bamboo needles that the tsa dare not take away and a sweet shawl pattern, we were cleared for take off and cast-on before we hit cruising altitude.

by the end of the trip, the shaelyn shawl (ravelry link) was completely knit. it was a great pattern for vacation, with a mix of stockinette and an easy to memorize lace pattern. rows were clear enough to count and keep track of. starry has quite a bit more yardage than called for, so one additional repeat was added. final verdict, a well written pattern that was a pleasure to knit.

starry was a bit tough to photograph, the actual color is more saturated and the silver strand throughout is more visible. as with the other dream in color yarns that i've worked with in the past, this softens considerably in the bath. it is a fun yarn to work with...something a little different while still maintaining the subtle color changes that makes hand dyed yarns so lovely.

for more on this project, see the ravelry page.

summer lovin'

this chickadee took a little break from the day to day and disappeared for a wee bit. but don't despair! i'm back with plenty to share.

first, let's catch up with with the freshest fibre space project bags:

and coming up later this week, find out how much yarn one little chickadee can cram into a suitcase!

hot to trot

the traveling woman by liz abinante has graced this here blog a few times in the past. it is a testament to the greatness of the pattern that it keeps getting made to be gifted. this lady really is a special shawl, somewhere in between a scarf and a wrap. giving them away has been joyful, but also a bit sad as they always sit so nicely on the shoulders or cozy up to the neck and seem to want to stay right here.

in a knitting slump and struggling to manage an unruly stash, i decided to travel by staying close to home and pulled out the pattern yet again. paired with some mystery yarn that had been left here by a friend on her way out of town chasing down new adventures, and the circle was unbroken. the yarn is probably alchemy silk purse...but that is a best guess. it was unlabeled and already wound when it got here, as if it had started down one road and then decided to to turn back. it is bright as the day!


the three little balls did their best to manage the pattern with an additional repeat of the first chart, but they ran out of steam just stitches away from the end of a row. luckily no yarn is ever squandered in these parts, and there were still remnants remaining from the first ever chickadee traveling woman. the leftover malabrigo silky merino lent itself lovingly to the edge of another far wandering femme.