Fresh Ombre

We have a fresh batch of Freia Ombre Lace in the shop.  Adreinne used one ball to make the Bateaux Mouches Scarf we spoke about last month.  We also received a bag of the beautiful blue grey Isager Alpaca 2 that Jenni used for her sample, too.  I know quite a few of you have been waiting for this shade.

Come claim your favorite!

Knitscene Accessories

With the temperature finally on the rise, my mind is turning to thoughts of little projects.  Fortunately, Knitscene read my mind.  Knitscene Accessories 2013 is full of great stuff.  Let's take a look!

First up, the Cimarron Shawl, which is actually an excerpt from Free Spirit Shawls.  We had the book in the shop, but it has been bought up.  There are many beautiful shawls in there, so I'll let you know when we get it back.  In the meantime, the Cimarron Shawl seems like a nice place to begin.  Who doesn't love chevrons?

The vibrant colors of the Back Road Scarf are certainly pretty.  There is even a fabulous article on how to execute that crocheted edging.

The leafy greenness of the Eloen Cowl looks luscious and cozy, don't you think?

I love the Morgantown Hat, knit with fingering weight wool.  The stripes pinch together periodically around the hat, adding just a little extra detail.

Truth be told, I bought the magazine for the Morgantown Hat and the Icelandic Star Cowl.  Oh, man, I love that crazy color combo and blown up scale of the traditional star motif.  Love love love.

There is a whole section of miters and stripes.  Check out the Zed Scarf and Resistance, just to name a few.

 

I really appreciate the techincal articles included in this magazine.  Not only are there patterns for these stunning pieces, but there are full articles explaining how to do the Latvian braid of the Riga Bonnet, the crazy cool knitweaving for the San Cristobal Shawl, and the roositud on the Rukkilill Mitts.

 

The Avesta Shawl combines ribbing, lace, and garter stitch.  Best of all worlds.

The Rosita Hat and Mittens will satisfy any kind of colorwork cravings you might have, and the cover shawl, the Valois, is nothing but lacey goodness.

There is a section of more modern designs, too, including the Preturnatural Hat, knit with Shibui Staccato and Silk Cloud, and the So Faux Cowl, which is just begging to be knit up in some crazy colors.

Accessories are great summer projects, in my opinion...highly portable, not too heavy, and quick gratification.  Things are finally warming up in our fair city.  Let's knit some fun little things!

Also, we are altering our hours a bit for the summer.  The new hours are: 11-6 M-F, 11-5 Saturday, 12-5 Sunday.  Open Knit Night is still in full swing on Wednesday nights from 6-9, and we are hanging out at the Cruzroom for Cocktails and Knitting on Monday nights from 8 until late.  See you soon!

Project of the Summer?

I've been working at our little shop for almost six years, and in that time, I have noticed that certain projects catch like wildfire with our Close Knitters.  It's always hard to predict, but when it happens, it is enthusiastic.  I think Sally new she had a contender when she brought in the L.1 sample knit up in Shubui Linen.  We all fell head over heels in love, and now it seems that you all have, too.

What is it that has you all so smitten?  The yarn itself is unusual and luxurious...fingering weight chained linen.  But who would have thought that would grab you?  Maybe it is the sophisticated Shuibui color palette.  Perhaps it's the chance to play with color to such a stunning end.  With the lazy days of summer approaching, I'm sure the basic stockinette holds some serious appeal.  

It doesn't really matter what it is, but I know we will be sending many more knitters home with Linen before summer is out.  Sally recently restocked our supply with some fresh colors and old favorites.  

The Poppy at the top has been wildly popular, and I love Suit (navy) and Cascade (bright blue).  The Brick, Apple, and Scale (orange) are great, too.  So are the neutrals.  I'm going to have a hard time deciding.  The Ash (grey) in the sample scarf is on backorder until the end of July, but we have so many other shades to mix and match.  We will be happy to help you create your own color combination.  

I included this photo because the guy walking in the background gave me a weird look and laughed at me for taking photos of yarn outside.  I just needed someone else to know.  The things I tolerate for knitting...

I usually suggest that people look at the yarn in the natural light outside the shop to see how the colors play together...hopefully Dude from the above photo will walk by again and we can really mess with his head.

Rowan Fine Art

Rowan's first sock yarn is certainly getting a lot of attention.  

No wonder, right?  Say hello to Rowan Fine Art, a blend of wool, mohair, silk, and enough nylon to give it strength and durability.  Each 100g skein will yield a standard pair of socks, but the Rowan designers have some vivid imaginations.  

The Fine Art Collection is chock full of some really creative sock patterns, including some of the best tall socks I've seen.  Take a look at Quail, Ibis, and Warbler.

The Grouse socks feature a little fancy colorwork, which looks really interesting in the subtle variegated yarn.

The scarves and lacey wraps are fabulous, too.  We have a sample of Lark Scarf at the shop, and the drop stitch design looks great in this yarn.  Plus, it's really fun to execute.

Sally and I agree that the Osprey Wrap is stunning.

You can read more about Rowan's first foray into the world of handpainted sock yarn on their website, but you really need to come see it in person to appreciate it for yourself.

Socks make great summer knitting!

Firefly Tunic

Hello, Firefly Tunic.

Photo from Espace Tricot Ravelry page.

The simple lines and elegant details of this not-so-basic pullover certainly grabbed me.  How about you?  The generous designers at Espace Tricot in Montreal have offered this up as a free pattern on their blog. (There are other nice ones, too.)  They have included a simple colorblocked cowl to top it off.

Photo from Espace Tricot Ravelry page.

Available in eleven sizes, simple knitting and finishing, and surprisingly minimal yarn requirements...why wouldn't you make one?  

We have some beautiful shades of Classic Elite Firefly, and our supply is still rather robust right now.  Go download the pattern and swing by to choose your favorite.  The rain can't last forever.

Garter Stitch is Good For Your Soul

Oh, Oregon spring...how we love thee.  The rains have returned and it is chilly willy again, so my thoughts return to warm scarves.  Garter stitch scarves, in particular.

The Bateaux Mouches Scarf has been getting a lot of attention lately.  Jenni used two and a half skeins of the light-as-air Isager Alpaca 2 on a US7 to create her denim blue/grey version.

Adrienne decided to play with the new Freia Ombre Lace that arrived a few weeks ago.

She used a US8 and lace yarn to achieve a very open knit, which squishes down into a warm cozy wrap.  The Ombre version is certainly more lofty and floaty than the Alpaca 2 version, but both are so soft and warm.

Garter stitch just feels like sustenance to me when it comes to knitting, you know?  It's not flashy or fancy, but it really serves its purpose and does the trick.  I feel this way when I'm knitting it and when I'm wearing it.  And with the weather doing what it is, a little satisfying warmth is just exactly what we all need right now.

Color Therapy

After a winter of grey sweaters, I needed some color.  I showed you my work-in-progress Palette Cowl in the brightest neon green I could find.  The Manos del Uruguay Maxima in Chartreuse certainly did the trick, and the cowl itself is perfect.  (Click on over to the stunning new Manos website.  It really highlights the yarns, patterns, and the company itself.  Such a great story.)

While I was knitting, I worried that it would be too small to double wrap, especially since my bind-off usually comes out way too tight.  I decided to experiment with Jeny's Surprisingly Stretch Bind Off.  It was perfect and totally worth the tiny bit of extra time it took to implement!  It looked a little wavy and wobbly at first, but I blocked it out to size, and then everything was right with the world.  I love this, but apparently my need for color therapy did not end with the cowl.

I immediately fell in love with the Chartreuse Royal Alpaca that arrived from Aslan Trends last month.  And I immediately needed to pair it with the Turquoise, obviously.  Completely inspired by this lovely thing on Ravelry, I'll try a colorblocked cowl with these three colors, maybe a fourth..either winter white or chocolate brown.  I'll cast on enough stitches to fit on a 16" circular and knit a tube until I'm done with my yarn.

And still, I keep buying neon-colored yarn.  I have had the colorwork itch lately, and Grettir from BrooklynTweed Winter 13 looks like it might satisfy.  

Photo from BrooklynTweed Ravelry page.

Bright blue body with yellow, white, and charcoal yoke?  Perfect.  There are two versions, and I'll do the men's, skipping the turtleneck and waist shaping.  I'm going for pure cozy comfort here.

Finally, the subdued color changes of the Freia Flux Lace were too much to pass up.  I pretty much bought this because the colorway was called Metal Earth, and that spoke to me.

I thought maybe a triangular shawl, maybe the Age of Brass and Steam.  But Heidi Kirrmaier's Windward is on my list, too.  I love the idea of playing with the color changes is unexpected ways.  So many possibilities.

I think I might have sated the color craziness for now.  The last thing that came home with me is a nice dusty shade of purple.  

This is two skeins of Manos Wool Clasica, destined to become another Palette, because I loved knitting the first one so much.  This colorway is called Slate, and it is definitely on the grey spectrum.  Ahhh, back to normal.