Close Knitters

Three summers ago we organized charity knitting, using patterns from Knitting For Peace.  The store window was full of doves, and we sent off chemo caps, tiny hats for premies, and two afghans went all the way to Afganistan.

Wednesday morning was the designated time to stop in and knit.  Some knitters came once, some came a few times, and some decided that they were having such a great time together that they have kept on knitting together.

Their knitting experience is vast.  They settled on afghans, knitting squares and crocheting them together.  As so many other knitters have noticed, social knitting is best when the knitting is simple enough that it doesn’t interfere with good conversation.

Here’s the most recently finished-

Afghan for Afghans

Since it’s all wool Afghans for Afghans is a good destination for the blankets.  This one isn’t complete, but you can see the arrangement of the colors and patterns.

A schedule change meant that they had to switch to Monday, so now the week begins with a knitting session.

Here’s the crew

Monday Knitters

Jean, Iris, Marilyn, Marge, and Kathy- I think a couple are missing.

Wonderful ladies, great knitters.

The girls have been coming in all during the fall- or, if you prefer, fall semester.  Most of them want the same thing- two skeins of Baby Alpaca Chunky, and a size 11 circular needle.

They choose a color, often in consult with the mom or dad who brought them, and then wander the store touching yarn while we wind the skeins.  Sometimes a mom will point out one of our store samples, and tell her daughter that this scarf should be next on the list.

They are students in the Fashion classes at Indian Hills High School.  In the Fashion class they are working on all aspects of fashion and clothing construction, so of course they need to knit as well as sew.  Some have even progressed to tailoring.

What have they been up to?  They sent us some great photos.

Kara's Circle Scarf

The circle scarf is the basic project.  In alpaca it’s nice and drapey, and the stockinette is great for beginners.

Cabled neckwarmer

This one has several cables in it, which adds more texture to the scrunch effect.

It’s great to see new knitters get started.

Announcing the Sweater Support Group

Don’t you wish you had a support group cheering you on while you were knitting some items?

Wouldn’t it be nice to have lots of people to ask questions of?

We’re starting a sweater support group- moral support and problem solving, whether it’s your first sweater or your thousandth.

Once a month (the last Thursday of the month) from 7 to 9 pm.  There is a $10 fee- this is a drop in, so you don’t need to pre register.

Chocolate will be available as needed, for really big problems that need major ripping or other surgery.

UPS brought several big boxes this week.  For a while we were buried in bags of yarn, and kept saying to each other “Hey, look at this!”

So though the calendar says January it’s starting to feel like spring in the store.  After all, if you want a new sweater for April you should really start knitting now.

Sirdar Baby Bamboo

This is Sirdar’s Baby Bamboo, it’s 80% bamboo with 20% wool.  The wool lightens the bamboo a bit, and will help it to keep it’s shape.  Bamboo can sag a bit.

Sublime Baby Cashmere Merino Silk

Also from Sirdar is the Baby Cashmere Silk- 75% merino, 20% silk, and 5% cashmere.  Can we say soft and silky?  And great colors?  It’s sportweight, so nice for baby clothes as well as lighter weight adult garments.

Ella Rae Bamboo Silk

The bamboo silk is incredibly silky.  The manufacturer sent us a child size sweater knit out of it that has incredible drape.  It would make a wonderful shawl or lacy sweater.  And it’s worsted weight, so it will knit up quickly.

Ella Rae Lace Merino

And last but not least is Ella Rae’s hand dyed sock weight merino.  We have samples knit out of this, too.  Come see the great colors.

Most of the yarns above are machine washable.  The bamboo silk is handwash, but think of washing it as a time to commune with this gorgeous stuff.

In the boxes with these beauties were several pattern books from Ella Rae.  We have a collection of patterns from Sublime for the Sirdar yarns, too.  There are patterns for babies, kids and adults.  Many of them are interesting adaptations of classic styles, and we have samples of some of them.

Lois Cooper stopped in to show us her latest felted bags.

Here’s the “everyday” one

Felted Handbag

Beautifully knit out of Cascade 220- she used two strands of one of the heathered colors for the body of the bag, and a strand of the heather with a strand of black for the ruffle.

It’s not just a felted bag, however.

Inside of bag

It’s a lined, organized bag.  It even has a matching change purse tucked inside, with a zip top.  And of course a cell phone pocket, pen pocket, and pad of paper  pocket.

Her friend was carying another of Lois’s beauties.

Clutch

The clutch is the same basic shape as the handbag, with an asymmetrical flap and nice button.

Thanks for bringing them in for us to see.

Sherry and Diane both mentioned entrelac in their comments- what is it?

Entrelac is French for “interwoven”.  It’s a knitting technique that creates an interwoven fabric.

Noro Silk Garden Entrelac

See how it looks like there are strips of knitting that got woven together?  It’s knit that way, block by block.  It’s another form of modular knitting, which is so much fun with the self striping yarns.

Like ribbing, it’s something that you can use in a lot of ways.

Entrelac Blankie

Here’s the blanket that Sarah knit as a baby gift.  She used Big Baby yarn in Denim for two squares, and cream for the other two.  It’s done in garter stitch, so it’s reversible.  Here’s a closer look at the entrelac.

Blue Entrelac

And no, she didn’t sew the squares together, she picked up along the edge as she worked the new square.  Sarah doesn’t sew, at least not knitting that can be done in one piece.

Entrelac is a great way to use up an assortment of yarns- it makes really nice felted items, too.

Want to learn?  There’s a class on Thursday evening, January 28.  Two sessions, the second one is a week later.  Call the store to register, or use the link from the website to register on line.

Loose ends- Whatever happened to the sock contest?

And Resolutions- what are your thoughts for the knitting year ahead?

The sock contest winners were delighted- they each chose a fresh Zauberball to play with.

Arlene's New Yarn

Kathy with scarf and yarn

Everyone who works with this yarn enjoys it, though one knitter who received Zauberballs and sock sized needles for Christmas is wondering about “the sock thing- these needles are really small.  What is it that all you sock knitters like about this?”  And yes, she’s seen the pictures of the colors.  Still knitting on her first sock, we’ll see how it comes out.

Knitting resolutions- we all see the new year as a time to make changes.  Some people like to start the new year with nothing on their needles.  They actually rip out incomplete projects on New Year’s Eve.  Probably after the second glass of champagne.  I can’t imagine ripping out half a sweater.  I do like the idea of having fewer projects on the needles.  So that’s my goal for the year, to have only two things to work on at a time.  One needs to be conversational knitting, something that I can knit on and carry on a conversation at the same time.  The other can be more complicated, for when I want to really concentrate on the knitting.

What are your knitting resolutions?

Knitting a what?  Yes, Maggie is knitting her wedding dress.  It’s going to be a fuzzy cashmere wonder.  Rowan’s Arwen Gown (Rowan Magazine 40) is a long sleeveless dress, knit of kidsilk haze, with beads scattered throughout the skirt.

Here’s the yarn

The yarn is Superior, from Filatura Di Crosa, fluffy cashmere wrapped around a silk core.  The knitting has begun:

This is the start of one of the back panels-

There are six panels in the skirt.  The bodice is lined, Maggie has a gold fabric chosen.

When is the wedding?  When the dress is done!

Customers have been asking about “that scarfish sort of thing in the mall.”  It’s a long loop, and looks nice when it’s wrapped twisted around your neck.  Something like this-

Loopy Scarf

When it’s doubled it looks like this-

Loopy scarf

Toby's Neck Tube

Toby's Tube

Alpaca Neckwarmer

Some of our local knitters are getting to an interesting part of their projects- they’re almost done!   So then it’s on the to next step, finishing. That’s one of those love/hate things- some people like to do the sewing, others will go to great lengths to avoid it.

There are small sweaters to get sewn

Blue Baby Sweater

this is a nice hooded sweater, it will be cuddly.

Green Toddler Sweater

Barbara has been working on this for a while- it’s finally ready to get sewn together.  Knit out of Cashsoft, it’s just right for her year old nephew to wear this winter, and maybe next.

And there are larger garments to sew

Gray Linen Top

Arlene is sewing the sleeves into her gray linen top.  She’s pinning them in place to make it easier to sew.

Of course, some garments are knit all in one piece, so no sewing!

Noro Bolero

This little top is knit from the top down, with raglan sleeves.  Increase along the raglan “seam” lines, knit the sleeves in the round, and then the rest of the body, ending with the ruffle.  No sewing!

And the latest sample neckwarmer

Toby Neck Tube

The Toby Neck Tube is knit in the round, on a 24 inch circular needle.  Inspired by all the cowls, neckwarmers, and tubes in the stores; the sample is knit in the round.  Of course, the “we love to sew” crowd can knit it flat and seam the end.

The mitten knitters had a great time with their class.

Joan is knitting for her daughter, and finished the first mitten.

Mini Cable Mitten

Yes, there’s a hole or something in the thumb.  It’s intentional.

These are texting mittens!

Texting Mitten

She put a buttonhole in the thumb, for texting access.

Are you looking for other small projects for gifts?

Check out the class pages for

Teddy Bear

O’Bear uses less than a skein of Baby Chunky Alpaca. He’s a great learning project, as he’s knit both flat and in the round, and looks best if his arms and legs are closed with mattress stitch.

Neckwarmer

This neckwarmer is also knit out of Baby Alpaca Chunky, and uses less than a skein.  It’s knit flat, and closed with buttons, so the wearer doesn’t muss up her hair while putting it on or off.  A lot of people like neckwarmers- they keep the draft out of your neck, and add a little color to a winter coat.

Both O’Bear and the neckwarmer are classes offered in December, call the store or go to the class page of the website to register.