Knit Happens

I just wanted to remind you all that the Online Store will be closing on August 10. Just a few more days to get some of the yarn, needles, and patterns that are left at incredible prices!

After August 10, we will resume mail order from the Retail Store – just email me or call the store and we will take care of that for you!

Once I fill the last order, I will be deleting the rest of the inventory from the site. Aimee and I are deciding what to do with any yarn that is left once we close. Right now, we’re talking about donating it… anyone else have any ideas? Just leave them in the comments!

Growing up, my mother kept her needles in an old mayonnaise container. I tried to use a similar system but as a circular needle devotee, I just couldn’t restrain them all; they were just too unruly. The perfect solution: needle cases!

Available circulars and straights/double pointed needles, needle cases are a simple solution, keeping your sizes organized, collected and safe from marauding pets. Cases are portable way to bring your needles to the shop for swatching, as well as for longer term travel. Stop in and check them out!

We just can’t stop talking about the Neighborhood Fiber Co. yarn!

We had people waiting in the shop on Saturday for it to come in, and the Studio Sock yarn sold so fast we ordered more the same day! (OK, maybe a couple of skeins went home with me… and Michelle… and Elspeth… )

I also got a skein of Loft – a beautiful laceweight silk & mohair – and you HAVE to see the Penthouse silk laceweight! (There’s a free pattern for Loft on the Neighborhood Fiber Co. website too!)

I’ve been thinking all weekend of what to knit in the Studio Sport yarn as well – there are some great patterns in Stephanie Japel’s new Fitted Knits book. (We have a lot of new books in, come see!)

It’s really exciting to be able to offer yarns by local artists – in addition to Neighborhood Fiber Co. we also carry Claudia Hand Painted Yarns and Mama E’s C*EYE*BER Fiber sock yarns.

What’s that you say? You don’t know how to knit socks? Stop by and sign up for a sock class!

And don’t forget – we’re open until 8 PM tonight for Late Night!

(no apologies needed, Miss Elspeth!)

On Saturday, I bought a skein of Neighborhood Fiber Company’s gorgeous Studio Sock in the fun colorway Brightwood. Since then, I’ve really been enjoying the springy yarn and bright colors. Stop in a see the yarn- I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I have!

(with apologies to Kel!)

Starting tomorrow, we’ll be featuring the hand dyed gorgeousness of Karida Collins and her labor of love, Neighborhood Fibers.

Check out the beauty, depth and dimension of these amazing colors, all named for neighborhoods in our city!

As the only yarn store in the DC/VA area with Karida’s yarns, we have a huge selection of her colors, including many not pictured above.

We’ll be carrying her hand painted Studio Sock, a super wash merino, her hand painted Studio Sport, great for vibrant color work, and two spectacular lace weights, including a luminous pure silk.

Or… Quick Summer Knit!

When it’s so hot outside, I secretly want to curl into my bathtub the way my cat does, with the water dripping on my forehead. While I’m actually kidding (sort of) the best way to combat the heat is to dress in cool, light clothes. Some of my favorite summer yarns, like flax and cotton, are well suited to simple, airy shells.

Our favorite shell patterns is Picovoli by Grumperina. Holly and I started giggling when we realized we’d both worn ours today! Holly, in the salmon, knit hers from just over 6 skeins of Classic Elite Premier (she added some great short rows in the bust) and I knit mine in 4 skeins of RYC Cashsoft DK. Mine took me less than a day!

Felt has a bad reputation- no one wants to ruin a favorite sweater or pair of socks by inadvertently putting them in the washer. But deliberately agitating and shrinking knitted fabric can have the most interesting, beautiful results! Interweave’s newest special issue on felting and fulling offers creative uses for yarn, roving and pre-felted fabric. Check it out! (picture from Interweave’s lovely site.)

Ahhhh… Fall. Crisp, cool air… leaves changing color… bringing your hand-knitted sweaters out from storage to wear… Wait a minute! Why the heck am I talking about Fall and sweaters when it’s 90+ degrees outside (with about a billion percent humidity)? Whatever happened to the summer knits?

Yes, it is way too hot to be working on your wool projects these days, but we’ve got the perfect antidote: Flax. Yes, Flax. A perfect, light-weight yarn to continue your knitting addiction in the sweltering heat of July and August. (I’d be willing to bet that most of you have a few items made from this in your closet already.)

Some of you might be asking “what the heck is Flax, anyway?”. Well, flax is the plant whose fibers are stripped to become linen. Linen is highly absorbent and a will remove perspiration from the skin, which makes it perfect to wear in the summer – clothes made from it feel wonderfully cool. Linen is also extremely durable and is the fiber of choice for many knitters when it comes to bags.

Why all the talk about linen? Well, we’ve brought in two wonderful linens from Universal Yarns: Flax and Linen Tweed. The Flax (pictured above) is 100% linen, is a DK to Sport weight yarn, and comes in some fabulous colors. At 137 yards per skein, you won’t need more than a few to whip up a sexy little tank or shell to wear in this heat. The best part? The yarn is machine-washable. I love that.

The Linen Tweed is a 50% linen, 50% cotton blend, and also knits up to a DK/Sport weight. At 126 yards per skein, it almost perfectly substitutes out for the Flax. Yes, this is machine-washable too. (Really, who wants to be hand-washing garments in this heat? Okay, me… but I’m a strange one, we all know that.)

Now no one can complain about not being able to knit during the summer.

P.S. Elspeth is working on a pattern exclusively for this yarn that just might be ready to kit up by next week…

One of my favorite ways to relax in the evening is with a glass of wine and an audio book. While I absolutely love reading- the musty smell of an antique bookstore is one of my favorites- it’s hard to hold a book, needles and a glass. Enter the audio book!

I listen to most of my audio books on my computer and iPod, but you can use any cd player. My local library has a sizable selection of books on compact disc and there are great websites like Audible.com and iTunes.

Audio books are a great way to get into the classics and the best sellers. I tried to read Middlemarch but enjoyed it so much more as an audio book. Some of my recent favorites include His Dark Materials triology (performed by a complete cast!), Reading Lolita in Tehran (a gorgeous, heart breaking memoir), The History of Love and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Happy listening!

Almost every day, we get knitters and crocheters who have an emergency gift giving occasion. Whether your mother in law has a birthday tomorrow, a friend just announced her engagement or you just want to wrap a child in some handmade love, the best way to make a quick, great gift is to use spectacular yarn. The work’s almost done for you!

Today’s Sale Spotlight is on Atacama Magellanes, a smolderingly gorgeous hand dyed aran wool from Chile. At the quick to knit gauge of 4 stitches to the inch (or double it for a great marled bulky!) Check out the lovely color card from Yarndex and stop in for a squeeze!