A Linen Poncho.

Yep, a poncho. In linen. I'm convinced it's going to be my go-to accessory for the summer. At the shop, we've been huge fans of the Churchmouse Easy Folded Poncho pattern since it came out way back in 2011. I finally knit my first one last summer and it was a great transitional piece for the fall and spring. So great that I think I need two more - one for winter (probably in the suggested Rowan Felted Tweed) and one for summer. I'd been planning the summer one in Rowan's Revive, but then I saw the new Pure Linen and it stole my heart.

work in progress...

As you might guess from its name, Pure Linen is 100% natural linen; it knits up to create a lightweight fabric that drapes beautifully. The eight colors are natural and muted ... perfect for year-round wear; I chose Sahara (a golden straw color) for my poncho.

If you're familiar with the pattern, you know it's a stockinette rectangle, knit at a slightly loose gauge. The pattern calls for a DK weight yarn, which would typically knit up at 22 stitches to 4 inches, knit at 20 stitches to 4 inches (or about 10% fewer stitches per inch). The simple shape makes this pattern super-easy to substitute yarns. All you need to do is adjust the number of stitches you cast on. If you use a heavier yarn, you'll cast on fewer stitches; conversely, you'd cast on more stitches if you use a lighter weight yarn.

The Pure Linen ball band suggests 17 stitches/28 rows to 4 inches on a size 7 needle. The finished pieces that I've seen are plenty loose and drapey so I planned to try for that gauge. I multiplied the cast-on stitches in the pattern by (17/20 - my looser gauge divided by the pattern gauge) and cast on with the size 7 needle.

You read that right. I didn't swatch! ... and after knitting about 2 inches, I realized my gauge was closer to 14 stitches to 4 inches - my poncho was going to be huge! (and ugly - the knitting was way too loose and wonky!)

So I ripped. And swatched. This time I went down to a size 6 needle. I knit a decent sized piece, soaked it, dried it and then measured. My gauge is still looser than the ball band suggests, but the fabric is nice and I think it's going to be perfect for the poncho.

note that the blocked stitches look a lot better!

For my second cast-on, I multiplied the pattern stitches by 16/20 (my 4 inch gauge divided by the pattern's 4 inch gauge). For a big stockinette rectangle, fewer stitches isn't a bad thing, is it?!

Note that determining the amount of yarn you'll need when you substitute is a bit tricky. I figured I'd need about 17/20 (my gauge divided by the pattern's gauge) of the pattern's suggested 840 yards. That worked out to 5.02 balls. I'm nearly through the third ball (I'd say I've used about 400 yards of yarn) and the piece measures about 38 inches. I bought five balls and I think that will be plenty.

I'll report back once the piece is finished; hopefully very soon - I can't wait to wear it! I'm picturing it over a chambray shirt with white jeans

Poncho Inspiration by mere2007 

...or a white t-shirt and dark denim? How would you wear it?

Stay tuned to this week's newsletter for more summer-weight yarn ideas to pair with this pattern.

Rowan Afghan Mystery KAL | Week One.

We got off to a great start with Week One. The clue came out a few days early to give all the anxious knitters an opportunity to knit over the holiday weekend. A group of us gathered at the shop Friday afternoon to get started (well, a few of us couldn't wait that long and arrived with a few squares already completed).

showing off our progress!

I decided not to swatch (??!! right??!!) and knit my first square on size 7 needles as the pattern suggested. Whoa. It turned out huge (as in 9-3/4" x 8-3/4" instead of approximately 8" square). I knit a second square on size 6's. It's still a little big (9" x 8-1/2"), but I like the fabric.  And that square used only 28 grams of the 100g ball, so I can knit three squares at that gauge and have enough yarn. I still need to block the square and I'm hoping I can "square it up" a bit then. To block, I'll pin it into shape and then spritz it (with plain tap water) to get it wet. When it dries, it should hold the pinned out shape.

my two completed squares - the first (bigger) one I knit is on the bottom to give you an idea how much bigger it is!

I think I'm the only one from our shop doing a 17-color afghan. I've mapped Martin's original color recommendations to my yarn so it's really easy for me to simply follow his suggestions to know which colors to use each week. For this first clue, he suggested Redcurrent (120) and Grasshopper (130). I have the Grasshopper and instead of Redcurrent, I have Rich Red (124). Folks knitting five or nine color afghans have to decide... regardless, you need to knit six squares.

It's not too late to join in. The next clue comes out a week from today, on Monday, April 28. You still have a whole week to knit the first six squares! You can find all the details in the Rowan forum on Ravelry (here). We also have a thread in our Ravelry group if the volume of posts in the Rowan thread scares you! If you want to be eligible for prizes at the end, you do need to 

1. use the Pure Wool Worsted;
2. finish (and post photos on Ravelry), I think by sometime in mid-to-late July; and
3. write one post in the Rowan forum (thread linked above) to "sign up".

It's really not hard... if you need help, just let us know!

A Dispatch from the Yellow Table.

Sometimes I overthink this whole blogging thing, especially when it's been a long time since I posted*. I want to share something "perfect"...and I get so caught up in all that...that I just can't seem to get it done. So I decided this morning that I'd take a different approach. Something simple. Y'all let me know what you think.

This is the first in what I hope to make a recurring feature here, sharing a bit of what's going on around our Yellow Table.

First up, we're excited about the latest issues of Knit.Wear and Knitscene, especially these four tops, perfect for the warmer weather:

Folded Lace Tank - Pretty pleats and lace knit in Manos' Serena.

(c) Interweave Knits

Bokeh Tank - Another pretty top with lace accents, knit with Shibui Linen and Silk Cloud held together. The Silk Cloud adds just a touch of soft halo to the Linen's structure. There's a sample swatch in the shop if you want to see and feel for yourself.

(c) Knitscene/Harper Point

Linum Tee - ...and Another! This one is knit with Quince & Co's Sparrow...which should be in the shop any day now. That's right! We're going to be carrying Sparrow! This tee requires only five or six skeins for most sizes; it's a great project to try the yarn.

(c) Knitscene/Harper Point

Morro Tank - Asymmetrical color blocks knit in Shibui Staccato. What's not to love!

(c) Knitscene/Harper Point

We're still talking about - and a few of us are knitting! - Shibui. Sandy's Mix workshops last weekend were a lot of fun. Nothing like a few dozen garments in a trunk show to get everyone excited about a new project...or three! Right, that might me! (you can read about my queue derailment on my personal blog -> here)

Mix swatches - that top one is Pebble & Linen and maybe my new favorite

And last but not least, an upcoming Mystery KAL.

(c) Rowan Yarns, 2014

This one is hosted by Rowan and features an afghan designed by Martin Storey to highlight their new (washable) Pure Wool Worsted. You can read more details on the pattern page in Ravelry (here) or come into the shop. We've got all fifty colors in stock; you can use one of their suggested palettes, or create your own. Here's mine:

I started with the suggested 17-color palette and swapped out a few colors to make my unique palette. I've done a few Mystery KALs, but never one for an afghan. I think the format of this KAL might be just the thing to keep me excited about all that knitting!

So - that's it - of course there's a lot more going on in the shop... yarn, patterns, works-in-progress... if you have an hour or two, we'd love to have you stop by. Take a seat at the Yellow Table. Share what you're working on...and soak up inspiration. It's one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon!

*Whoa, February 20 seems like ages ago...and it was in a way. It was winter and we were digging out from snow and knitting all the warm things. And now it's spring. The weather forecast is sunshine and low 70's. A new season is always an inspiration, isn't it?!

Revive.

Are you familiar with Rowan's Revive? It's a DK weight blend of recycled cotton, silk and viscose, which makes it a perfect three-season yarn for our climate. It comes in gorgeous tweedy colors. It's nice to knit (it is Rowan after all). Can you tell it's one of my favorite yarns? ...and I can't believe I haven't blogged about it before!

But maybe that's ok - because now we have a beautiful sweater to show off the yarn.

This is Julie Hoover's Insouciant . We're not the first ones to use Revive; the FO's on Ravelry are all pretty and encouraging.

There are plenty of other sweater patterns that would work, too. One of my favorites is Thea Colman's ("baby cocktails") Vodka Lemonade . It looks so pretty with the tweed.

I also love Heidi Kirrmaier's Peasy . I've knit it twice already, but the gallery of Revive FOs, especially this one, might entice me to knit a third one!

Revive is also beautiful for lace. I used it for Traveling Woman and that shawl is one of my favorite summer wraps; it looks great with jeans and a t-shirt or a dressy black linen top. Check out all the FO's on Ravelry.


Or if lace isn't your thing, how about the Churchmouse Folded Poncho ? The pattern calls for a DK weight wool, but if you've been around the shop lately, you know we're knitting it out of EVERYthing! And it works up great in Revive.

Convinced!? what would you knit with Revive?

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.