Announcing our Summer KAL.

That's right, a knit-along! We've chosen Shallows , a lovely cowl or scarf, designed by Bonnie Sennott, also known as Blue Peninsula.

The pattern is available for in-store purchase (or on Ravelry) and calls for 350 yards of a light fingering weight yarn on size 4 needles. The sample shown was knit with Swans Island Organic Merino/Alpaca and it's stunning. Of course there are loads of other options and we especially like blends that include silk, bamboo and/or alpaca to ensure drape. The Fibre Company's Canopy Fingering (you'd need two skeins) and Shibui's Staccato (also two skeins) would be perfect. The Canopy Fingering is a blend of merino, alpaca and bamboo and Staccato is a blend of merino and silk.

I'm going to play around a bit more with mine. That's one of the great thing about knitting cowls and scarves - they don't have to fit!

I've chosen Shibui's Cima and Silk Cloud, which mixes to a sport weight (a little heavier than what the pattern suggests). I'm thinking I'll use size 6 needles so it will drape. I have two skeins of each which gives me just over 650 yards; that would be more than enough to knit the pattern as written. I'll probably add stitches to get more width and I'll see how it goes to determine if I add rows for more length. Stay tuned...

The KAL officially kicks off this Friday, July 25. We'll be casting on at the shop that afternoon. If you can't be there in person, we hope you'll join us virtually. You can share questions, comments, and - of course! - project photos in our Ravelry group or on Facebook.

Please join us!

Sundry KAL.

Over the weekend, I started a thread on Ravelry announcing our next KAL (here). And I did get a one "love" response…but nothing else. I can only hope that means y'all are so busy watching the weather forecasts you aren't thinking about knitting?! Of course I don't know about the rest of you, but if I'm facing a forced day or two at home, the only thing I'm thinking about is "what am I going to knit?" (once I've made sure I have ample milk, coffee, popcorn and wine in the house!)

So let's just forget about the winter weather advisory for a bit and start thinking about Sundry. Click here to ooh and ahh over the project gallery . The pattern is available for in-store purchase (or on Ravelry).

Jennifer Dassau, the designer, describes it like this:

An elongated, asymmetrical wrap that combines the warmth and style of a shawl with the wearability of a scarf; Sundry means various or diverse, and this wrap features two colors, two stitch patterns and endless styling options. Cast on at the long, pointed end, Sundry has shaping at each end of rows that grow ever wider. Two colors contrast yet harmonize in solid garter stitch and houndstooth slipstitch sections; the slipstitch is easily worked using just one color per row. A simple picot bind off finishes the long straight end.

She suggests a sport-weight yarn, about 380 yards each of two colors, on a size 7 needle. The finished piece measures approximately 24" deep and 112" wide (measured along the longest edge of the triangle).

The nice thing about a shawl is that you really can knit it out of anything; your finished piece and yarn/needle requirements will just…be different.

Here is Kathy modeling her Sundry. It's big and cozy, knit at a DK-ish gauge. The brown she used is the Lotus Mimi…100% mink!…doubled. And she really does love it… even though I failed to capture her smiling! (sorry, Kathy!)

I mean the details…what's not to love?

Here it is blocking to give you a better idea on the size and the shape (I think that's a queen-sized bed).

This piece is all about COLOR! We really love contrasting solids: black (or navy) and white with a pop of red or yellow; charcoal or lavendar and cream. This one, by stormyk9 is a gorgeous example (and she's written detailed notes about how she did it on her Ravelry project page). Shibui Staccato, Fibre Company Canopy Fingering, Spud & Chloe Fine and Marion Foale are all great choices for solid colors in a fingering weight. Mirasol Nuna and Shibui Cima doubled would be lovely in a sport weight. Contrasting tonals work, too. I've chosen Malabrigo Sock in Eggplant and Turner for mine (that combination has been a favorite since Stephen West's Lakedale Shawl way back in Malabrigo Book 3).

If you want to use a variegated colorway (Claudia Handpaints fingering or Sweet Georgia Tough Love) - and those yarns make the houndstooth section look like a mosaic - just be sure to choose a contrasting solid or semi-solid for the second color. The key is contrast. You want the two colors to really pop in that houndstooth section; don't choose yarns that share colors - you'll get mud in the middle.

Adjust your needle size up or down depending on your yarn's weight - and your personal preferences. I know I like Malabrigo Sock knitted on a size 6, so I'm going to start there. If I don't like the way it looks after a few inches, I can always rip it out and start over! (in other words, I'm considering the first couple of inches my "swatch"  :-)

For yardage, we don't suggest less than about 350 yards of a fingering or sport weight (unless you want a much smaller piece). The designer has included notes that describe how to get the most out of the yarn you have. We do have a lot of experience with this shawl, so if you have any questions, just ask!

The official cast-on is this Friday afternoon (January 31, 2014). We hope you'll join us in person or virtually. If you do join virtually, please share your project with our Ravelry group…and post photos. We can't wait to see!

...and now the snow is falling…I'm off to another pot of coffee and some knitting. stay warm, y'all!

Our Next KAL | 100 Diamonds.

If you follow me on Instagram, I hope you weren't too unhappy with me when I posted this teaser photo yesterday afternoon.

In my defense, I figured a pile of pretty yarn would brighten anyone's day! I had a wonderful time pulling the yarns and posing the skeins just so. (and of course that whole effort resulted in a few balls disappearing from my pile - and the shelves - the Findley is really popular!) I understand; it's the yarn I've chosen myself to knit 100 Diamonds. Don't miss this - yes, our next KAL is 100 Diamonds and we're going to cast on November 1 (which sounds like it should be months away, but is really just two weeks from tomorrow - yikes!)

This pattern came across my radar a few months back when the designer posted photos of a slightly modified version of the shawl.

photo copyright knittimo on Ravelry

I loved that it could be modified...and that the resulting pieces could look so different from the original...and that every one of them is gorgeous! But I hadn't thought about it for a knit-along until Saturday, when I awoke to a text from Becca suggesting it. Really, it's perfect for a KAL - the pattern isn't all that complicated for anyone who's worked a lace chart, it's customizable (I love "knit your own adventure" patterns for knit-alongs), and it's a fair amount of knitting which always goes better with company, right?! And for those of us who have knit innumerable a few lace shawls, this one uses a different construction - it starts at the bottom point and knits up.

The designer hosted a KAL on Ravelry last month so we have a few dozen FOs (and a good bit of experience) to help us . Based on the projects/photos I've seen, I am loving the design in the pattern-suggested laceweight and (despite my personal yarn choice - driven by two past frogged KALs - which I am only admitting to y'all) a winter neutral. With Theresa's help, we've gathered eight yarn suggestions*.

Please note that the pattern suggests 630 yards of a laceweight yarn at a blocked gauge of 18 st/4 inches to create a finished shawl 68" wide by 34" deep.

Shibui Silk Cloud (pattern suggestion) :: 60% mohair/40% silk; 330 yds/25 g; suggest 2 skeins

Shibui Cima :: 70% alpaca/30% silk; 328 yds/50 g; suggest 2 skeins

Shibui Pebble :: 48% recycled silk/36% merino/16% cashmere; 224 yds/25 g; suggest 3 skeins

Juniper Moon Farm Findley :: 50% silk/50% merino; 798 yds/100 gr; suggest 1 skein

Fibre Co Meadow :: 40% merino/25% baby llama/20% silk/15% linen; 545 yds/100 g; suggest 1 skein (and modifying to make slightly smaller - like the designer modifications I linked above)
Swans Island Laceweight :: 50% merino/50% tussah silk; 530 yds/50 g; suggest 1-2 skeins (1 skein would mean modifications; 2 skeins would allow you to follow the pattern as written)

Habu Tsumugi Silk :: 100% silk; 450 yd/48g; suggest 2 cones

Malabrigo Silkpaca :: 70% alpaca/30% silk; 420 yds/50 g; suggest 2 skeins

*of course we have more laceweight yarns in the shop; we also have plenty of other lovely yarns that would make gorgeous shawls - these are just the eight we pulled to highlight here.

The pattern also suggests beads, but I'm not planning to use them. Although if I were knitting this with the suggested Silk Cloud...I would definitely consider it, if only to add a bit of weight to keep the shawl in place. We do have beads at the shop and they are not hard to incorporate.

I emailed Theresa on Tuesday that the only bad news I'd encountered about the project was size 3 needles. I knew the pattern suggested them, but I was hoping, especially after Boxy, we'd have a project on at least size 6s or 7s, alas no. I think the pattern suggested size 3 needle works best. I tried 4s and 3s and really like the fabric better on the 3s:

Of course if you use a thinner/thicker yarn or you're a looser/tighter knitter, you might need to go down (!!) or up. The best way to tell is to swatch! really!! these two swatches took me about an hour - and I'm pretty sure the finished shawl is going to be worth that little investment up front. (please note I did not wet-block these swatches - I merely pinned them like I plan to pin my wet-blocked finished piece)

The pattern is available online only. The instructions are clear and easy-to-follow. I am planning to knit my piece as written, without beads. If I had less yarn OR if I were using a heavier weight, I would work fewer repeats of chart B (and maybe of chart D) to make fewer diamonds. The cool thing about the construction is that we can easily get an idea how big the finished piece will be while it's still on the needles. That can all come later - for now, all you need to think about is your yarn choice, your needle (work a swatch with chart A - it's quick and easy!) and the cast-on date: November 1.

If you have any questions/comments/etc, please leave a comment here or in our Ravelry forum.

ready to go! (my yarn is Findley Dappled in the Woodland colorway and those are size 3 needles :-)

I do hope you'll join us!

Meadow has arrived!

...and I promise: it's even better in person.

I met with Theresa this afternoon to talk over some new ideas for this blog (if you have any suggestions, we'd love to hear them!) and at the end of our meeting I asked if she'd heard any more about the much-anticipated Meadow shipment. She told me it was here...and she was waiting for us to open the box together (can I say how much I love her??!!). So we did.

with Butchie's help!

It's lovely.

But it's even better on the shelves!

all twelve colors. gorgeous.

And now the tough decision...which color to choose for the Mystery KAL?

Next Up, the Linen Stitch KAL, but first.

As promised, I'm back with a proper post about our next KAL - the Churchmouse Linen Stitch Scarf - which we're going to cast on next Friday, June 7.

But first, I wanted to be sure everyone saw yesterday's announcement from The Fibre Company about their newest yarn, Meadow. It's a laceweight blend of merino, llama, silk and linen. I know, right?!, this is the perfect fiber mix for all-season knitting! The 12 colors are gorgeous, as you'd expect and Theresa has ordered all 12 (as you'd expect!). The shipment should arrive in plenty of time to participate in the Mystery KAL Kate & Courtney are hosting on their blog and in their Ravelry group. I bought my pattern yesterday...now all I have to do is choose a color (which I suspect is going to be a hard decision!)

from Churchmouse - the Linen version

from Churchmouse - the Alpaca Silk version

...and now, the Linen Stitch Scarf . This pattern has been popular at the shop for years and most of us have knit at least one. I knit mine back in 2010 and three years later it is still my favorite wool scarf. Even though it seemed to take ages to knit, I've always said I'd happily knit another (I already have the three skeins of handpainted fingering merino stashed). Ahhh, but leave it up to those talented folks at Churchmouse to really seal the deal. They've published two addenda - one that uses Claudia Handpaints Linen and the most recent that uses Blue Sky Alpaca Silk.

Choosing the color combination is great fun. For all three patterns, you need three skeins in three different colorways. Go for contrast to really show off the linen stitch (it will also make the knitting easier if you can easily tell which skein worked the stitches). Here are a few suggestions to get you started. Please don't let these limit you - we have a great selection of all three yarns (as well as the size 10-3/4 needles suggested for the linen version) in stock.

Claudia Handpaints Linen - Mushroom Hunting, Driftwood, Midnight

Claudia Handpaints Linen - Urban Fever, Copper Pennies, Mudslide

Blue Sky Alpaca Silk - colorways 142, 143, 120 

Blue Sky Alpaca Silk - colorways 148, 129, 122

Claudia Handpaints Fingering - Cherries, Old Hollywood, Lipstick 

Claudia Handpaints Fingering - Be My Valentine, Makes Me Hungry, Lipstick

I've chosen the linen for mine.

Euroflax Natural and Claudia Handpaints in Cabin Fever (purple) and Scout's Honor (Blue/Green)

and can't wait to get started...as soon as I finish Pendulum...today, maybe? I'm on the 10th stripe. The rows are really long (good thing it's Friday and I'll have company at the shop for knitting this afternoon)!

So - hope you'll consider joining us for the Linen Stitch and/or the Meadow Mystery. If you have questions or comments, please let us know!

Pendulum.

No, I haven't finished the Color Affection shawl I'm knitting for our Redux KAL. But that never stops a knitter from planning the next project and it almost never stops a knitter from casting on a next project. #amIright?!

pattern pictured with a combo of Shibui Staccato

And that brings me to the next project we're planning to cast on. It's Pendulum, designed by Amy Wright. Because we are loving stripes and fingering weight scarf-like shawls for spring and summer. This piece is knit from the top-down (meaning you start with just a few stitches at the top edge and increase toward the bottom edge) in garter stitch and the stripes are shaped with short rows so the main color stripes are "fat" at one end and the contrast color stripes are "fat" at the other end.

The pattern calls for approximately 340 yards of the main color and 230 yards of the contrast, knit on a size 6 needle (swatching isn't critical, but a looser gauge will use more yarn, and a tighter gauge will result in a smaller piece - you decide how much risk you're willing to take!). We had a quick run on the pattern a few weeks ago, but they are back in stock and of course we have plenty of options for the yarn. Here are a few of my favorites:

First, Shibui Staccato - a blend of superwash merino and silk. At 191 yards per skein, you'll need two of each color.

yes that's black, but doesn't it POP the light pink?... and garter stitch wouldn't be too hard to see.

Then Rowan Panama - a blend of viscose, linen and cotton, that you can wash (on delicate) and dry (low heat until it's just damp, then dried flat) - this is one of my favorite spring/summer yarns. Rowan has added new colors this season and we have a great selection. I'm loving the neutrals...but that blue would be stunning with either one, too.

And if you think you might want to make two - how about the lovely Swan's Island Fingering. It's 100% organic merino and the colors are gorgeous. Each skein has 525 yards, so you'll have a good bit of yarn left over...but if you had a third skein, you could easily make a second shawl.

Other options not pictured include Spud&Chloe Fine, a superwash wool/silk blend that gives 248 hards per skein. If you're close on gauge, you should be able to get by with only one skein of the contrast color, but you'll still need two of the main color. And Canopy Fingering, a blend of alpaca, wool and bamboo that comes in 200 yard skeins.

We are going to cast on next Friday, April 5 at 2pm. I'm still reviewing the projects in Ravelry for helpful tips; I'll be back next week with suggested modifications and a quick tutorial on short rows in garter stitch (I promise - they're really easy!) If you have any other questions about the project or the Knit Along, please leave a comment here or on our Ravelry forum.

November Knits.

We're taking a break from the parade of holiday knitting to share a bit of inspiration from my favorite book to hit the yellow table since Coastal Knits arrived last fall.

This is November Knits, a collection of 23 designs curated by the very talented Kate Gagnon Osborn and Courtney Kelly (yep, we've crushed on them before). In addition to their own designs, they've also included patterns by Melissa LaBarre, Tanis Gray, Gudrun Johnston, Veera Valimaki and many others. They set out to create a collection of projects "capturing the essence of fall in perfect style". 

They've succeeded.  

And the timing is perfect since fall is finally here - have you seen the pansies planted out front?

Here are three projects that show the variety of the patterns - cardigans, accessories, lace, texture, fiber...all fun!

First, the Market Jacket designed by Tanis Gray. Perfect in Rowan's Kid Classic. I'm not sure what I like best - the yarn, the three quarter sleeves, the top-down seamless construction...

...or the stunning lacy cables running down the back.

Another favorite jacket is the Cobblestone Trenchcoat designed by Veera Valimaki ... in Rowan's Lima. Lima is a blend of baby alpaca, merino wool and nylon that will wrap you up in soft warmth. It even has a hood. This sweater is also knit seamlessly, but from the bottom up.

The book includes seven more sweaters, a skirt (!!), a lace shrug and a variety of accessories ranging from socks (two), to mittens, scarves, cowls and hats (six), and legwarmers (two).

These are the Spanish Moss Legwarmers designed by Courtney Kelley ... in Canopy Fingering. A perfect gift (but if you want to keep them for yourself, we won't tell!)

See what I mean? Which projects are inspiring you for fall?

Fibre Company Love Continues.

Time flies - I can't believe it's been a year since we received our first shipment of The Fibre Company's Road to China Light and Canopy Fingering. Those two yarns continue to be favorites for projects big and small. The colors, the fibers (merino, camel, silk, alpaca, yummmm), the soft drape. What's not to love?! So we were excited when Theresa wanted to expand our offering and carry Acadia and Savannah, too.

Those yarns have just arrived and wow. They're even prettier in person. Let me introduce you:

left to right, top to bottom - driftwood, lupine, blackberry, wild onion, maple, douglas fir, kelp, amber

This is Acadia, a DK weight blend of 60% merino, 20% silk and 20% baby alpaca. The Fibre Company says: 

Acadia is an absolutely beautiful, completely original and custom designed 2-ply yarn with a rustic look and soft hand. A subtle tweed effect created by the silk noil is combined with a heathered base and then overdyed in the duotones we are known for, creating incredible depth of color. 

...and we agree. The colors are stunning. And the pattern options are numerous. To get you thinking, here are three suggestions:

image from here

Avery cowl . A free pattern on Ravelry that was designed for Acadia. The lace pattern shows off the tweed beautifully. Two skeins on a size 6 needle. Finished size approximately 25" wide and 12" high. This seems like a great piece to go from fall to winter to spring.

© Gudrun Johnston/Jared Flood

Norie Hat . This pattern suggests Savannah (see below), but it works fine for Acadia, too. Two skeins on a size 5 needle. (I can't wait til it cools off enough to wear a hat!)

image from here

Etched Rio Wrap. Sadly, the pattern isn't up on Ravelry yet, but we fell in love with it when we saw the first sneak peek photos from TNNA back in June. The pattern suggests a DK weight alpaca silk blend, and now that we've seen how pretty Acadia is in lace, we think it would work perfectly. Knit it in a bright color like kelp or maple to make a statement, or driftwood for a go-with-everything staple.

...and now please meet Savannah, a sport-weight blend of 50% wool, 20% cotton, 15% linen and 15% soya. Yep, another multi-season blend that works so well in Georgia.

left to right, top to bottom - natural, sycamore, slate, bluegrass, crepe myrtle, woodsmoke, cabernet, persimmon

The Fibre Company says:

Savannah is a beautiful and rustic spun 2-ply yarn with a crisp yet soft hand. The unique blend of fibers are spun and then kettle dyed, and the different way the fibers absorb the dye creates a beautiful depth of color with subtle heathered tones. Additionally, Savannah is spun and dyed in the U.S.A., and we are proud to play a small role is supporting local textile mills here in Pennsylvania.

All true, and we are proud to support a USA-produced yarn!

As with Acadia, there are lots and lots of pattern options. Here are my favorite two.

Schieffelin Point Shawl . A free pattern on Ravelry that was designed for Savannah. This is a semi-circular top down shawl with a garter-stitch body and knitted on lace border. Love the shape! Three skeins on a size 7 needle.

...and I saved the best for last. Yes, Hannah Fettig's Sycamore Vest .  Five to nine skeins on a size 5 needle.

my incentive to finish the two Ravellenic Games projects I've queued...