I'm really loving my latest "Stashghan", knit with all kinds of red and orange shades (and one or two jaunty hot pink skeins of cashmere) in mitered squares.
At first I was just doing Garter Stitch, feeling that the jumble of colors and various textures of the yarns was satisfying enough. But a few squares into it and a
bunch of stitch patterns happened. If you want the directions for the basic square, send me an e-mail (jennifer@sophiesyarns.com) and you can start busting
your stash, too. I'm working on writing up the pattern, and would love some test knitters. It takes a US size 8 needle, and worsted weight yarns in a variety of
fibers and colors. The finer gauge yarns are working very well double stranded. Gotta warn you that this project is addictive ~ I left it at the shop,
and am trying to resist the urge to start another one at home, with my stash of browns and greys and tans.
But it would be easier than dragging it home every day...
Mitten knittin' season has finally arrived! Just in time for the Mitten Workshop, scheduled for next Sunday, 12/16 from 1-3 pm.
Somehow this one never got posted on the website (it's there now, with a few others as well). If you can't make the class, please enjoy this pattern ~ it's a
good one, modeled after a pair I did for "Knitter's Stash" a compilation (recently reprinted) of knits designed by yarn shop owners. Often you will find an in house
pattern collection available at your lys, please ask about ours the next time you're in the shop!
Oh yeah, the shelves are stocked full of winter yarns!!! All kinds of blends; mohair, alpaca, merino, llama; in great colors and plenty of them, are waiting to be
transformed into SCARVES HATS MITTENS HANDWARMERS SWEATERS SHRUGS SHAWLS AFGHANS and other great stuff. Especially notable,
(although we love all the new yarn) is Venezia, a soft and lustrous blend of merino and silk worsted. It's priced so well at 14. for a 218 yard skein, and all you
need is one to make the now classic Knitty "Fetching" handwarmers. More combinations for the very popular Blue Sky Brushed Suri and Alpaca SIlk scarf
will be in by Friday (whipped cream, toasted marshmallow, lollipop, sweet potato pie, snow cone, and pink lemonade, all as yummy as they sound). So come
and get it while it's cold, and knit on with your bad self!
If you don't yet feel much like knitting in this unseasonably (and unreasonably!) warm October, maybe these images will
get you going. The "Twisted Jumper" knit by Belinda in Rowan Kid Silk Haze looks great on everyone I've seen try it on;
so clever and simple. Just four easy pieces with a twist in the middle, and knit with just four skeins! Of course, any
light worsted or DK weight yarn would work; we've got a few for you to check out. And lots of soft chunky yarns for
scarves, shrugs, sweaters and hats, cuz I do think it will eventually be cold here! Sheesh.
Great issue from Vogue Knitting, it's been out for awhile, but if you haven't seen it come and be inspired. The best
article in this 25th anniversary issue is Meg Swanson's alphabetical list of knitting techniques (of course I is for
I-cord, we could guess that, we're not idiots after all).
Okay I have to mention the funny story Caryn told a few of us last Sunday. With the advent of the amazing
Ravelry (www.ravelry.com> sign up TODAY) computer geeks everywhere are now realizing that a) knitting is hot, and to
their surprise b) many knitters are very tech savvy. And, according to one, all obsessed with Cats and Chocolate...who knew!
And many thanks to Lauren McCutheon, (knitter, writer and hipster) for including us as an indie shop to visit
in Philadelphia for the Rachael Ray Magazine November issue. Yum-o!
How can we do it, how? How can we hope to squirrel away our wintry wool projects when it’s too dang hot outside to touch them??
It’s so understandable, the usual pattern we observe among knitters (and of course, ourselves). Warm and cozy sweaters are often begun late in the
Winter, as opposed to late in the Summer…and often, they can remain in our closets unfinished for awhile. We call them affectionately UFO’s (unfinished objects),
but I think it does make us sad. Especially when a sweater really has the potential to be great, or even just very good (doesn’t the model look so happy in her
Norwegian cardigan?).
Anyway, that’s what I pointed out to my sister Rachel when I recovered this abandoned beauty recently (circa 1995)!!! And I challenged
her to finish it, “like now!” I said. It turns out that it wasn’t even the intimidating steek that she will have to do that caused her to put it aside lo these many years; it
was simply an error in the spacing of the increases. She is up to the challenge, and urges you to revisit your favorite UFO (send a photo if it helps).
More on this
topic soon, when I get some photos of my other sister Mary’s new project,--she’s knitting a beautiful Winter Rowan design with Mission Falls cotton and Summer
Tweed. So smart, so tricky!
Okay, mixed message now: of course, some of you might prefer knitting (and hopefully wearing) this tube top from Stephanie
(Glampyre) Japel’s new book “Fitted Knits”, it’s great in cotton and I would love to see it done in the Hemp.
The madness has already begun, but it’s not too late to join… umm, at least if you can CLICK ON THIS LINK by
Midnight tonight!! The “Mystery Stole 3” knit-a-long is definitely worth checking out. It opened June 29th, and already has over 2300 members working on the
first “clue” of Melanie’s sure to be beautiful lace stole. “Clues” (charts and directions for the project) are made available every Friday, so sign on today and
download your first two clues if you can! I just found out about this myself from a wonderful spinner (thanks Sharon for this info and the impromptu lesson on
Navajo Plying) hence the short notice. But last minute or no, I really wanted to get the word out. This is a very user friendly group, with a week off given for the
knitters to read the new Harry Potter book!!
BAMBOO AND COTTON AND HEMP, oh my!
Of course plant fibers are always more popular for Spring and Summer knitting projects. But we are finding more and more of our customers choosing these
yarns for year round wear. We are enjoying the Hemp from Lanaknits a great deal. Lana is a very talented designer, who writes all of the patterns herself using
circular knit construction (thank-you!!) Hemp is a renewable fiber that you can wash and dry with abandon, it only gets softer each time.
Lindsay recently finished the lace nightie, a free pattern from the lovely folks at Interweave magazine, using Eden Bamboo. From the photo (above) you can see what a great job she did.
With Rowan Bamboo Tape, I made this BabyDoll dress (above) for Katie. The directions will be posted as a free pattern soon!
