New Store Sample

Modified Carlisle

While we love this Carlisle scarf by Craig Rosenfeld of Loop Knits (pattern available on Ravelry), we especially love the spin his staff took in the design of a Multi-color Koigu version (pattern only available at Loop).  With 56 colours of Koigu now in stock here at the store, we purchased the Carlisle pattern and had fun creating our own version using 7 bright and inspiring colourways.  If you’re interested in knitting your own take on this great design from Loop, we recommend that you buy the Carlisle pattern as a guide and get creative with our Koigu colour wall.  Or take the opportunity to use up sock yarn leftovers in your stash! We think the more colourful and high-contrast the combinations, the more enjoyable this scarf will be – both to knit and to wear…

New from Tanis Fiber Arts…

Red Label Cashmere & Silk!

We have a beautiful new yarn in store this week from Tanis Fiber Arts.  TFA Red Label Cashmere / Silk is an incredibly soft, luxurious single-ply blend of cashmere, silk, and merino (75% Merino Wool, 15% cashmere, 10% silk).  The silk lends a beautiful sheen and intensity to Tanis’s gorgeous colourways – a perfect choice for spring scarf, wrap, and lightweight cardigan projects.  11 colours in stock. 115g. (4 oz.) = 385m. (420yds) gauge: 7-8 stitches per inch on 2.25mm needles (US size 1)

Rock Island Shawl / Grand Street Ink

We’ve had the hugely popular Rock Island Shawl pattern by Jared Flood in store since last spring but today we received a shipment of Helen’s Lace Solid in Grand Street Ink (50%silk, 50% wool).  This yarn is the result of a collaboration between Jared and Lorna’s Laces - an artisanal hand-dying yarn company – as part of their ongoing Color Commentary Series. Visit Jared Flood’s blog to learn more about this exquisite reversible pattern and the development of the gorgeous deep back-violet colourway. (Photos: Jared Flood)

Drive by blogging

I received a package last week. It was a bit surprising since I did not remember ordering anything. The box gave me and idea that it must be a book – still, no bells ringing.

I opened the package, of course. And wished in return for more than 24 hours in a day so I could commit much more time to reading this:

It looks innocent enough, I know. Let me assure you, the 712 pages are chock-full with everything about knitting you’ll ever – and maybe don’t – want to know.

The spine is more than 2 inches wide, it is a true scientific textbook – for any knitter who is geek enough to want to know pretty much  everything  that has to do with sticks and string. (Knowing me I’ll find something I won’t agree with. Will let you know when I stumble upon just that.)

I do not recommend you should go out and get it, I just wanted to let you know that – if needed – it exists. There are not many illustrations, as I said it is a textbook. Of text, though, there is a LOT.  The first edition was published in 1988, this is an updated version, yet a lot of techniques are named quite differently (the regular Long-Tail Cast-On is called “Knit Half-Hitch Cast-On” for example – I wonder if that is antiquated or if it is indeed the correct technical term?) so reading is a bit tedious at times, which is not to say that I don’t enjoy trying to retain as much as I can of this overload (in a good way) of information. Which, in return, is going to be hopefully helpful to you when at the store in need of advice.

- Mona

Free Pattern Friday

Lace Ribbon Scarf

(Photos: Veronik Avery)

The Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery has long been in my queue – waiting patiently for the right yarn to come along and bump it up nearer the top of the list. Last night we received an order of TFA Red Label - an exquisite new single-ply yarn from Tanis Fiber Arts (75% Merino Wool, 15% cashmere, 10% silk) and we may have a match made in heaven on our hands… The Lace Ribbon scarf is a beautiful spring-weight accessory and the easily-memorized pattern makes it a great portable project. First published in Knitty, Spring 2008.

Iced

(Photos: Carol Feller)

Iced by Carol Feller is a casual, loose-fitting cardigan with a flattering shape.  Knit with a bulky yarn, this is a top-down raglan requiring minimal finishing.  Peruvia Quick by Berroco would be a great yarn choice for this sweater! Published in Knitty, First Fall 2010.

February Knit-Along: Warm & Cozy

Begins February 23rd, 2012 - runs 4 weeks.
(Thursday evenings 6:00 – 9:00pm)

While spring is technically just over a month away, we’re still feeling the chill of winter and enjoying projects designed to keep us cozy and warm. Our next Knit-Along features three fun knits guaranteed to keep you toasty for the rest of the season. Make your selection and join us beginning February 23rd for four consecutive Thursdays of fun, support, and creative productivity.

The State Street Cowl by Pam Allen is a great piece which can be worn worn down over the shoulders or as a traditional cowl perfect for braving the elements. We knit our store sample up in SweetGeorgia Superwash Chunky - it’s squishy and soft without being overly bulky. Pattern available for purchase online.

Chevron Colour Block Blanket by Espace Tricot is a luxurious throw knit using 4 shades of Cascade Eco Cloud – a soft 70% merino / 30% alpaca blend.  As written, the blanket dimensions are 48″ x 60″ but this pattern is easily sized upwards / downwards.  Pattern is available in store – for free!

Astor by Norah Gaughan is a gorgeous cardigan with a stunning cabled front.  It is designed to be somewhat oversized and features shortened sleeves and deep pockets.  Knit with Berroco Peruvia Quick - a chunky / bulky weight yarn – this cardigan is a surprisingly quick project.  Come in and try on our store sample but, be warned, you won’t ever want to part with it! Pattern is available for purchase in store.

addi Click Lace Long Tip Set

Just in – the latest addition to the addi Click family – the addi Click Lace Long Tip Set. The needles in this new interchangeable set have the same sharp point as the regular addi Lace needles, but are just over 5 inches in length, which some knitters prefer. (Note: the regular addi Click Lace Tip set has shorter needles allowing for the use of shorter cords to make 16″ and 20″ Lace Clicks).

Each kit includes 3.5 mm, 3.75 mm, 4.0 mm, 4.5 mm, 5.0 mm, 5.5 mm, and 6.0 mm needle tips (US sizes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11) along with 3 pliable blue addi-Lifeline Cords which create 24″, 32″, and 40″ needles, 1 Click connector, and a gold addi heart pin.

The addi-Lifeline Cords make it easy to thread a lifeline or scrap yarn right through your project as you knit! This ingenious set comes in a vibrant pink case.

- Melissa

Interweave Knits – Spring 2012…

…has landed!

Click here to view the projects in this issue.

Kidsilk Haze Stripe from Rowan

In the late Fall we received a good sized shipment of one of Rowan’s newest yarns – Kidsilk Haze Stripe – but it didn’t last long! On Friday we received new stock in every colour so I thought I’d share some great pattern ideas for this self striping version of Rowan’s best-selling Kidsilk Haze (70% super kid silk Mohair / 30% silk). The colour combinations have been cleverly put together by the master of colour Kaffe Fassett and are incredibly beautiful when knit up – particularly in projects which feature lots of stockinette. One ball of 50g is enough to knit a scarf and can also be used for any Kidsilk Haze pattern.

Here are a few free patterns specifically for this yarn from Rowan – the directions for the scarf are actually printed on the inside of the ball-band while the poncho/wrap, called Megan, can be downloaded from the Rowan website for free when your register as a member.

The following are a selection of patterns featured in the Kidsilk Haze Stripe Collection which should be arriving in store shortly.

Finally, the patterns below are available for free on the Ravelry website.  The first is called Cloud Cowl and the second is the Alva Shawl.

If you’re thinking of taking on any of these exquisite projects, be sure to read Mona’s recent post on knitting with mohair.

- Melissa

You don’t have to be afraid

Of finishing, that is.

I am teaching a Finishing Class tonight. For three Mondays in a row six eager students want to learn about the techniques that make a knitted project ready to wear. We cover everything from weaving in ends, sewing seams and picking up stitches to placing buttonholes, binding off with a sewn bind-off method and much more.

Here are a couple of the things I am going to tell my students tonight:

Good finishing work takes time. While the knitting will take most of the time to complete a project, the finishing time should not be underestimated. This, however, should not discourage you from making your project as well made and good looking as you can – it is the step from not looking homemade but handmade.

Finishing does not start once all pieces of a project are knit up and ready to assemble. A lot of the finishing work on a project is prepared while knitting. Put some thought into your knitting and finishing will be much easier to handle. Here are some markers for successful finishing:

•  If the project is knit in pieces, you want a selvedge stitch for the seams on all edges, meaning the first and last stitch is kept in Stockinette Stitch. Well written patterns supply the information about selvedge stitches and specify how to work them.
•  All decreasing/increasing like waist shaping, armhole shaping etc., should not occur directly on the edge, but 1 or, even better, 2 stitches into the knitting. 1 stitch decreases are worked as k2tog or ssk – this makes any seaming easier. Decreases that cover more than 1 stitch are usually bind offs.
• All pieces that need to match (like the fronts and the back of a sweater) should have the same numbers of rows – yes, even when the pattern says “knit until piece measures xx inches”, count the rows and make sure they are the same on all parts to ensure even and easy manageable seams. Placing locking/split ring stitch markers every 20/50 rows prevents excessive counting. The row count on your sleeves should match also.

Regarding seams: My favourite seaming method is Mattress stitch. It is worked from the right side of the knitting and when worked row by row gives you a barely visible seam. Always take in one full stitch when seaming. If it turns out that you do not have the same amount of rows on all the pieces, with Mattress stitch it is possible to fudge the seam (for example taking in 2 rows on the longer side while only taking in 1 row on the shorter) and still get a good looking result. There are opinions about taking in one or two rows – I prefer sewing row by row.

Mattress stitch can be used to seam shoulders also. Instead of seaming row by row, you seam stitch by stitch and match them up accordingly. This way all stitches line up and that makes picking up stitches for neck line or the armhole finishing easier, that is why I do it that way.  There are other methods to seam the shoulders, after getting comfortable with mattress stitch you might want to venture out and try other techniques – I am always for learning new things.

If you want to know more and feel like taking a class, check our schedule on the Espace Tricot website. While there you might find something else that piques your interest and is worthwhile trying!

- Mona