Weekend

Yesterday I spent most of the day cleaning. First H and I did our weekly ritual of cleaning the apartment - it's a small space so thankfully this only takes about an hour or so (that's tidying up, dusting, vacuuming, bathroom, floors, the lot…one of the things I love about living small). Then I decided to tackle the office. I honestly didn't think it was that bad - maybe a couple of hours of organizing and I'd be good to go. It's a pretty tiny room, after all. Four hours later I was still going through papers and sorting supplies. But it was worth it. Now the space feels calmer, brighter, even spacious despite its tiny dimensions. And it definitely puts me in a much better frame of mind to get things done.

For today, I'm going to start by stealing a quiet moment, pouring myself a cup of tea, and savouring this little treasure. 

It's Pom Pom Quarterly's Autumn 2015 issue (with my North Toque pattern in it! ). It arrived on Thursday, beautifully wrapped in pretty teal tissue like a lovely gift. What better way to spend a rainy Sunday morning?

North Toque

© Amy Gwatkin. Used with permission.

© Amy Gwatkin. Used with permission.

I am so happy to finally get to share some exciting news - my North Toque pattern is in the upcoming Autumn 2015 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine! If you haven't seen the magazine before, I urge you to check it out - it's just beautiful. I am honoured to be part of this issue and in the company of such talented designers, and was blown away by these gorgeous images shot by Amy Gwatkin (and which the magazine very generously shared with me to share with you).

I've been keeping this one under my hat (see what I did there?) for some time, having submitted the proposal way back in March. I literally danced around my kitchen when I got the news that it was accepted. Of course, then I had to actually write the pattern. It was the first time I'd ever written more than one size for anything, and let me tell you, it was hard work, but so rewarding. And everyone at Pom Pom was just so lovely - I really couldn't have asked for a better experience. A very big thank you goes out to all of them :)

The toque itself is made in Icelandic Álafoss Lopi wool (surprise, surprise), which fits perfectly with the issue's wool theme. You can see a preview on Pom Pom's website, as well as order print and/or digital copies. I cannot wait to get the print copy in my hands! Oh, and there's a Ravelry page too, in case you'd like to add this to your queue.