Here in sunny Alberta, Canada, the polar vortex has brought what seems like a never-ending cold snap. So far, all of February has been very chilly and cabin fever is setting in!

It’s time to start thinking about spring knits and lacy crochet shawls to keep us motivated and inspired. Each of the projects below is made with just one Scheepjes Whirl. The Whirls are a huge love of mine. I get so excited for each gradual colour change.

Spring Cleaning

Spring also makes us think about spring cleaning and I’m doing some of that in the shop so you’ll see some great deals!

The Scheepjes Ubuntu kits are almost all gone and they’re all on sale. I just finished my medium Ubuntu and loved every stitch of it! The great thing is the pattern is free and will always be available. You can find more details and other amazing designs on Dedri Uys’ (designer) blog Look At What I Made.

The medium and large kits come with a bonus loom and beads to make a friendship bracelet and all three kit sizes come with an official label and button as well as some lovely vintage stitch markers.

If you’re a beginner, don’t be intimidated by how complex the finished blanket looks as you can follow along stitch-by-stitch to amazing video tutorials by Esther of It’s All in a Nutshell. Esther’s videos are amazing and she has great videos for beginners and seasoned crocheters.

If you’re starting to think about doing your own spring cleaning, you will need some supplies! Or (if you’re like me and would rather knit and crochet than clean) then a great way to put off the actual cleaning is making your own Swoofers (reusable Swiffer covers) and cotton cloths. I made some Swoofers for personal use and can attest that they do a great job picking up everything the disposable swiffer cloth does including pet hair! When I’m done swoofering, I shake off the pet hair and toss it into the wash. You’ve got to love cotton! Even better you save money and the planet by using your Swoofer over and over! I used this free pattern from Ravelry and Sudz Cotton which we have available in tons of colours ($2.50 CAD each for a 50g ball). Sudz Cotton is great for all of those projects that need to hold up with frequent use and hot washing. I use it for dish cloths, wash cloths, make-up scrubbies, Swoofers and anything else I need a soft, durable cotton for.

Socks and Sandals? Yay or Nay? We say YAY!!!!

One more thing that reminds me of spring is sandals. Now we all hear that socks and sandals are a faux pas BUT it is now trendy to wear socks and Birkenstocks and I for one couldn’t be happier. We’d love to see some pictures of you rocking your socks and Birkenstocks (or your socks and crocks or whatever you rock in!).

Hang in there folks, soon we will be able to knit outside and crochet on the porch while listening to birds sing and bees hum. In the meantime, stay warm and stay inspired and keep on making!

Happy Making!

~ Monika ~