it’s textile day in canada

as every crafter in toronto knows, today and tomorrow are the annual textile museum yardage sale. everything from thread to dressforms, fat quarters to knitting needles– for prices even an american will find shocking. i got there about ten minutes after it opened and can’t really say i was surprised to see a wall of people, slowly moving as one, through each of the tents. an hour later, i had filled two bags. i saw what some other people were lugging away and i didn’t do half bad. right?

(the yarn was $1-2 a bag, books were $.25-$2, and needles were $1. i spent a total of about $20.)

the “complete book of knitting and crocheting” was a really cool find– it’s from 1953 according to the copyright page and contains some extraordinarily outdated and weird designs, as well as some i’m embarrassed to say i really want to knit. (click to enlarge)

i also noticed some of the bags of yarn i was buying had partially finished garments in them, but when i began to sort through i realized there was actually a completed sweater– i don’t know if i’m going to seam it though. i might just unravel– i have to figure out what size it is. it’s not my style but i’m not going to argue with a $1 sweater– some assembly required.

anyways after that (and a quick stop for pizza) i headed over to lettuce knit for a dye workshop. i brought along some bristol yarn gallery buckingham and tried handpainting for the first time. i didn’t know what to expect but i think it turned out pretty well, eh?

now what to do with 220 yds of fingering-weight? hmm…

Tags: yarn, lettuce knit, handpainted, dyeing, buckingham, textile museum, yardage sale