I wear knit shorts!
At a feverous clip of approximately two weeks, these Twisted Tea Shorts might be the fastest garment I’ve ever finished. I was adamant about wearing these bad boys to the Gathering Threads Festival in Edmonton — the city’s biggest fibre craft festival — this past weekend. The show started at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 6, and I cast off the second leg at 9:45. Booyah.
Designed by Briana Luppino of The Little Wolf Knits, the Twisted Tea Shorts are part of a collection of garments that feature a section of twisted rib accenting both sides. Along with shorts, she’s designed a cropped tee and a skirt with the same design elements.
The shorts also include an i-cord drawstring, but I decided to use a black silk ribbon for mine since I was in a hurry. Maybe one day I’ll have the time and energy to knit up an i-cord long enough to go around my waist, but until then, I quite like the mixed-medium vibe.
With a pattern calling for two contrasting colours of fingering-weight yarn, I used two hand-dyed skeins from my local yarn store. Blackbird Knitting and Needlework has been dyeing up a storm over the past year and a bit, and for 2023 has been putting out a new colourway every month inspired by different local birds. The main colour of my shorts — a vibrant green with speckles of brown and white — is the March 2023 Bird of the Month, Mallard.
For the accent colour, I used a light brown yarn left over from the Wolverine hat I made for my dad when he started chemotherapy earlier this year. It’s another hand-dyed creation from Blackbird that the owner, Carmen Straka, pulled for me. It hadn’t even been put out on the floor at the time and as far as I know, still hasn’t; so it makes the gesture all the more meaningful and my shorts unique.
I got loads of compliments on my shorts at Gathering Threads, and when people asked about the yarn I’d proudly sing the praises of Leduc’s local yarn store. I also posed for some glamour shots with the professional photographer flitting about the show floor, and I can’t wait to see the results!
I’m excited to get lots of use out of my shorts this spring and summer, proving that a knitted wardrobe can be applied all year long.
I saw your shorts but can’t find them now. Thought they were adorable. Pls snd pictures of you at the event when you get them. Still never cease to amaze! Love you.
They look great! I would never have thought of knitted shorts. The colour is amazing too! Great work Centaine!!