Not My Usual Thing

I've come to terms with the fact that I am a constant knitter. I love having a project on the go. It gives me something to occupy my hands when I'm traveling, watching TV, sitting outside over lunch, having a coffee (or a glass of wine - which hopefully I'll be able to start drinking again soon...) I really dig the click of needles.

As I mentioned recently, a new yarn shop - Ewe Knit - opened in TO a couple of months ago in Mirvish Village. It's on Markham St., just south of Bloor - a very quick jaunt from my home or from work. I've visited there twice now and I'm SUPER impressed. Increasingly so.

Do yourself a favour and check it out. Have an espresso while you browse for yarn in a gorgeous Victorian row house. (I'm biased as I live in the less grand version of this style of century home.) And make sure you chat with the very knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Claudia, the owner, is the chicest woman in a "I used to live in Milan" kind of way. (Note: I have no idea if she ever lived in Milan.) She is so passionate about yarn and has such a beautifully curated supply of high quality yarns in many different weights and hands. I do believe she leans to the fine and medium length fibres spun sleekly in many colours (Filatura di Crosa merino, for example), but if you want your natural yarn fix, there's a more than adequate selection.

I stopped in briefly this aft, on my way to acupuncture, and I could barely tear myself away. I LOVE to pet yarn! It's all so beautiful and soft and colourful and warm. There's inspiration and possibility in every ball. I find it harder to resist than fabric - which I find very hard to resist - because it's compact.

Anyway, I wasn't even intending to blog today, much less about knitting which I seem to write about compulsively lately. (Note: my first love is sewing. I just seem to have a lot to say about knitting at the moment.) And then I went into the shop and wanted to pitch a tent there and now I'm typing away...

One thing I was able to purchase in 3 seconds flat - and which isn't my "thing", particularly - is the latest Louisa Harding pattern mini-book, "Amitola: Fourteen Projects for Hand Knitting".

Seriously, I can scarcely stand variegated yarn and loose, flowy garments, but I was transfixed:

I found these pics at Designer Yarn

Perhaps it has something with the consumptive chic that gorgeous model is working. Maybe I can relate :-)

Or maybe it's that the entire universe seems SO drab, I'm desperate to stare at colour as those needles click.

I can't say if I'll be investing in some of this yarn, but I did buy the book. And the yarn looks so cheerful in those little skeins. What do you think?

Have you used this yarn??